tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20159348134204016292024-02-07T21:53:04.331-08:00The WallAshleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404069488173480882noreply@blogger.comBlogger147125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2015934813420401629.post-15828296713127355492016-03-03T19:49:00.001-08:002019-10-06T11:09:02.943-07:00Why A Mother's Obedience Matters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I have chosen to be faithful; </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.8; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have determined to live by your regulations.” Psalm 119:30</span></b></i></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-0acb1095-3fbd-a5c7-a75a-ba32020f81b1" style="font-weight: normal;"><b></b><i></i><i></i><b></b><br /></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No one has mastered perfection in obeying God. We obey even though we are imperfect, flowing out of a heart that desires to obey because we love God. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is why we have Jesus perfect sacrifice. Often obedience to God is seen as optional because Jesus somehow negated the need for obedience because we have his forgiveness. This is not so! Our obedience to God can affect our children and our children’s children---it can change the generations of our family. A mother’s obedience matters! </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“But he said, Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Luke 11:28</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Obedience is good for us. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God is a loving father; He has laid out His plans for us and wants us to obey so that we can be in a right relationship with Him. Obedience brings peace to our hearts. We are no longer following our own faulty way but God’s way. We want our children to obey us because we have their best interest at heart. God is a perfect father and has our best interest at heart. “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is what I told them: ‘Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!” Jeremiah 7:23</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God needs mothers who are willing to obey Him, no matter the cost.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> It will cost us our very life. We have to lay it down, and pick up the cross. We will walk imperfectly, but with a heart that longs to obey. We can follow after God no matter what our station in life! Somehow as mother’s we often fall prey to the enemy's lies that we must wait for a greater calling to come in order to start obeying. Mothering and having the heart of a mother is undervalued today. Yet it is the very means God uses to grow us up and remove the muck surrounding our hearts. “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.” 2 Timothy 2:21</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It's important as mother’s to study God’s word. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In order to lead our children to Him we must know and be guided by His truth and wisdom. More than ever in today’s world God needs mother’s willing to focus on growing (with God’s help) the children He has given us. This looks mostly like everyday life. It is the laundry and the Dr appointments and the daily grind of life, but interwoven are talks, stories, songs, Bible verses and conversation. It is not hours and hours of sermons to our children, but a daily “sermon” that is lived out and built week by week, month by month and year by year. “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The small steps of obedience and faithfulness matter</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Our small steps may influence our children to live a life of obedience to God, which may influence our grandchildren. When we obey God, who has the greatest plans for us, we can achieve our full potential. Just remember this may not look like achieving the world’s idea of potential! The smallest step of obedience, washing clothes or wiping tears or trying our best another day through the exhaustion, trials and ups and downs of life are the small steps God desires. Those steps just don’t always look large enough to us. They don’t smell like progress to our noses that are used to the grand smells of success. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This obedience to God doesn’t come with the world’s bells and whistles. There were no large crowds in a stadium cheering for Jesus when he died on the cross. Humans just don’t naturally cheer for self sacrifice, we are not even inclined to it. Obedience will even be painful at times, yet a depth of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">peace</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that this world cannot know, the hidden joy of the heart obeying God, and a lasting eternal fruit will begin to blossom in even the hardest heart. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” John 15:7-8</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We cannot see with our eyes through the mundane how God will grow us into the woman He has plans for, yet in our small offerings of faithfulness He sanctifies us and matures us, and purifies us in the fire of wisdom and truth.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God needs “grown up” mothers</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> willing to be wise enough to simply rely on Him with a childlike faith, like the holy women of old. Miriam, Ruth, Sarah, Elizabeth, and Mary, all faithful, trusting and obedient to God’s call. Simply following the ways of God and not deeming it a worthy cause to entangle themselves with the complications and trends of the culture. They simply walked with God and obeyed and left the outcome to Him. We need to model ourselves after God’s examples of women, throw away our petty childishness and be willing to walk as mature, wise women.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sometimes there is fear in taking the first steps of obedience, as if God won’t notice or will let us down, that He will forget us and our obedience will remain unseen to Him. But even the sparrows are known to God, and he has numbered the hairs on our heads. “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” Matthew 10:29-31</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The world today needs an army of faithful mothers.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Willing to do the work in the nitty gritty of life, mature into HIs women, mothers willing to be watchful over their children, protect their purity and innocence and send forth into the world a Godly generation. He needs women willing to throw away the world’s lies, not be taken with the thrill of it’s distractions and focus on obeying God and His call.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The world needs uncompromising mothers. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mothers who are willing to take a stand against evil and protect their children from it. Mothers who don’t let their children participate in things just because “everyone else is doing it” or their children are complaining to them that they are “unfair.” Mothers willing to correct their children and keep them from harm and prevent them from following the world’s ways. Mothers who are willing to stand strong in the old paths, being visionaries with God. Mothers who know that the fruit of their labors may not be seen now but as the years of uncompromising faithfulness pass the vine will be fruitful.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I have chosen to be faithful; I have determined to live by your regulations.” Psalm 119:30</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.” John 15:13-14</span></div>
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<a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/fd/f7/56/fdf756b787d7b2b3de8ec218cb734661.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/fd/f7/56/fdf756b787d7b2b3de8ec218cb734661.jpg" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children."</span></div>
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404069488173480882noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2015934813420401629.post-90723818358322625662015-12-03T19:27:00.002-08:002015-12-03T19:31:12.762-08:00On Holy Housework and Homemaking (or why homemaking matters...)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img src="http://i865.photobucket.com/albums/ab220/FarAboveRubies31/2012%20A%20Corner%20Pillar/0118-HomemakerPainting.jpg" height="400" width="264" /></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b><i style="background-color: white;">"Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people." Colossians 3:23</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-9f538aa4-6b06-faa8-bd66-210fba828d3e" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sometimes I get stuck in a rut and wonder if the daily chores and daily routine are leading anywhere? Another meal cooked...another sink of dishes....more laundry….bills to pay….groceries to put away and a pantry to organize....changing out the children’s clothes for the new season, storing away and shopping for new clothes....bath time and messes...the baby nursing every few hours at night. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s not glamourous. It’s fatiguing to the bones.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> But the Holy Spirit reminds me---these are signs of lives being built. Lives cannot be built and supported without the basics of daily stepping stones, the small bricks laying the foundation. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do not despise these small beginnings, for the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> rejoices to see the work begin…” Zechariah 4:10</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These daily chores are the small beginnings. They are offerings to God. He needs workers for His harvest, he needs mothers determined to pursue His holiness. He needs holy mothers, mothers set apart </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">unto Him.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> He needs homemakers to willingly work for Him. He is our employer! </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:3</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jesus goes to prepare a place for us, a heavenly home. He cares about us and preparing this heavenly home for us so much that He died for this. He died to himself and served. We die to ourselves in our homemaking, our desires are laid at His feet...Lord make something of me….wash my heart clean and pure as I wash these dishes. Watch over this home as I clean it, praying as we work for those we love. We need to make a home as unto the Lord, a place He dwells, as He waits to call us to our heavenly home where he HAS prepared a home for us. In our quiet homemaking He cares for us, He hears our prayers, He sanctifies us and grows us into holiness. “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before.” 1 Thessalonians 4:11</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a world that seems increasingly evil, where a quiet life is out of style and where worries abound, homemakers are one of societies warriors. A Godly home is a weapon of force against the enemy. This is why he seeks to tear down homes and children and the family as God intended. A God fearing family has a strong foundation and the children who are discipled and cared for are righteous warriors for God in a wicked world. God needs parents willing to do the hard work, to lay themselves down, so the next generation has shining lights who have not lost their salt. This world needs great people who are discerning, who are able to stand against evil, who value purity and living biblically. People who value the path of righteousness, the narrow way so much they are willing to devote their lives to this way of life...to Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Homemaking, the work society deems trivial, it is a weapon of good for the kingdom of God. We are building homes upon the rock, homes that will last until we reach our eternal home. When homes are broken down and everyone is scattered to their own activities, their own tv’s and computers and there are no mother’s and father’s hearts abiding at home, children have little foundation….the world and it’s values become their foundation. They have little discipling, training, they have no true </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">witnesses for Christ. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Homemaking is a witness, a purifier of hearts, a witness for Christ to our dear loved ones and to the world, a force to be reckoned with, a force for great good in these trying times. Mother’s fight on the homefront with their homemaking, love, prayers, quiet heart, and dishwashing. They fight with their lives, devotion to family, prayers and their own growth in Christ and pursuit of Christian maturity. Christ was a living example to His disciples and they believed and devoted their very lives to Him. Mother’s need to be a living, albeit imperfect example, leading their children to Christ. Just as the disciples remembered His living example, our children will remember ours. A life, a legacy is built from the cleaning, cooking, baths, fusses, dishes, laundry, the footprints, dirt and projects. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jesus lived the daily walk with His disciples and with those He healed and served. He knew weariness, he knew toil, he knew pain. He understands. Homemaking and all it entails is set apart work for God. It is a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">good work.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Homemaking serves our Savior and helps to build up the kingdom of God.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” Galations 6:9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“No occupation in this world is more trying to soul and body than the care of young children. What patience and wisdom, skill and unlimited love it calls for. God gave the work to mothers and furnished them for it, and they cannot shirk it and be guiltless.” Isabella Macdonald Alden</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I believe that a godly home is a foretaste of heaven. Our homes, imperfect as they are, must be a haven from the chaos outside. They should be a reflection of our eternal home, where troubled souls find peace, weary hearts find rest, hungry bodies find refreshment, lonely pilgrims find communion, and wounded spirits find compassion.” Jani Ortlund</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I'm only a housewife, I'm afraid." How often do we hear this shocking admission. I'm afraid when I hear it I feel very angry indeed. Only a housewife: only a practitioner of one of the two most noble professions (the other one is that of a farmer); only the mistress of a huge battery of high and varied skills and custodian of civilization itself. Only a typist, perhaps! Only a company director, or a nuclear physicist; only a barrister; only the President! When a woman says she is a housewife she should say it with the utmost pride, for there is nothing higher on this planet to which she could aspire.” </span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">― John Seymour "Forgotten Household Crafts"</span><br />
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404069488173480882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2015934813420401629.post-91957221566289013902015-11-13T19:59:00.000-08:002015-11-13T20:04:36.599-08:00Whom Do We REALLY Serve?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“...destroy the idols among you, and turn your hearts to the </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lord</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the God of Israel.” ~Joshua 24:23</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">…”but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~Joshua 24:15</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-a79fb266-0428-62ba-0422-e296b46196ff" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Joshua, (Moses’ Successor) was leading the new generation of Israelite's to the Promised Land. They, and their ancestors, wandered and faltered, following their own way, following God, then back to their idols again. For 40 years they’d followed this rocky path. They’d seen the red sea parted and God free them from what could have been a lifetime of slavery. Yet they are still wandering, lost, always turning to the god’s of the culture. These gods seem “easy” to worship, easy to incorporate into daily life, and easily accessible. They don’t require that the Israelite's face God and their own sin, and that they serve God alone. The false gods of the culture don’t care if they profess to serve them but the rest of the time serve themselves. They don’t require that they are the only god worshiped. They don’t care if the heart holds many allegiances and is divided. So many times we are like the Israelite's, wandering around and around after we have accepted Christ! We have the free, abundant living water gushing from the rock, and we live as if we are parched and our hearts barren. “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And so the Lord says, "These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.” Isaiah 29:13 (NLT)</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Often we are like the Israelite's. Wandering around and around with divided hearts. We serve God with zeal one day, and the next day we serve the idols of our heart. Our lips state we are a Christian, but hearts are far away, absorbed in ourselves and in the latest and greatest served to us on the culture’s shiny platter. Prejudices, anger, materialism, entertainment, distraction, these can all be ‘idols’ we serve. Do we really serve the Lord and live His way or are we all talk? The proof is in our way of life. Maybe we don’t even know what serving God with our whole hearts looks like, or how it translates from the heart into a lifestyle of surrender. In our culture, serving God while serving the gods or our society often seem to go hand in hand. It is portrayed as normal that one who serves God also looks like the society around us. Have we “banished from our presence” the idols of our ancestors to truly purify our lives for God?</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“So fear the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> alone.” Joshua 24:14</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We have to put away forever our idols, and determine that our hearts will serve the Lord alone. We can spend forty years worshiping other gods like the Israelite's did, or make a study of God’s ways. When we take a stand for God, like Joshua did, our families will not look like the culture, and we will be not “fit in.” The cost of fitting in is worshiping false idols, and sacrificing our hearts and lives to a false way. We say with our lips that we want to live in the Promised Land, but we still live as if we are running away back to Egypt. </span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the most popular verses heard in America is </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“...but as for me and my house, we will serve the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Joshua 24:15) Most people take this to mean that if they just </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">say </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">they are a Christian that they are serving the Lord wholeheartedly. What we often don’t hear are the scriptures </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">before</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> this verse. Joshua says </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Now therefore, fear the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">! And if it seems evil to you to serve the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.” </span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Behind closed doors, in our hearts and minds, by our actions, by what we spend money on--- we are serving the culture. We are glued to tv “news”, digesting the entertainment thrown at us, running around living a lifestyle of empty busyness, glued to screens, addicted to shopping and pursuing empty dreams. We want accolades and promotions and more money and bonuses, because then culture will define us by our accomplishments. To society we will be successful. Addicted to the false joys of an entertainment focused life, to screens, and to the rush they provide us with--- we are living a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">lifestyle and it speaks to what we believe. Popularity and fitting into the mainstream, is the god of the heart. Our lifestyle witnesses that we can say we love God and be like everyone else. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When we live for God’s ways, worshiping Him alone, He guides us. We have to be determined to change our lifestyle, one step at a time, as God guides us, and surround ourselves with those God has taught, and be taught by them. They will stand out because they are no longer stuck in Egypt. They are walking free as new creations in Christ. “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">new creation</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How often do we focus on the fact that we are now NEW? The old self before Christ is </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">gone</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the bondage, the lies the enemy made us believe, the draw of the culture </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">should be washed far, far away from our heart. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are free to walk in step with Him, abide in Him, and live as He asks us to live! His finished work on the cross, His rising from the dead, the Holy Spirit---these are His gifts to us to live in freedom, the freedom His blood bought for us. </span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">His freedom is TRUTH. The lies of the enemy are bondage. Are we living as if we are still the old creature but professing Christ at the same time? If so we must pray for a new understanding of the work Christ did for us and ask God to teach us to learn to rest in His truth. Our old life was crucified with Christ. When we rest in the richness of this truth, our hearts cleansed and new, we throw the old filth out of our lives and can truly say </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prayer: “Lord, heal my heart and renew it. Show me what to throw out of my life and how to walk in your ways, without fear of what the world thinks. Show me how to abide in you, be taught by you, and serve you alone. Reveal the idols of my heart and dethrone them so that I rest only at your feet. Amen.”</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I have been </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">crucified with Christ</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. It is no longer I who live, but </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Christ who lives in me</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galations 2:20</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:18-19</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“...seeing that you have </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">put off the old self with its practices</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and have </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">put on the new self</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” Colossians 3:9-10</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Men know not the gold which lies in the mine of Christ Jesus, or surely they would dig in it night and day. They have not yet discovered the pearl of great price, or they would have sold their all to buy the field wherein it lies.” ~Charles Spurgeon</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Sanctification is the outcome and inseparable consequence of regeneration. He who is born again and made a new creature receives a new nature and a new principle and always lives a new life.” ~JC Ryle</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The true Christian is called to be a soldier and must behave as such from the day of his conversion to the day of his death. He is not meant to live a life of religious ease, indolence and security. He must never imagine for a moment that he can sleep and doze along the way to heaven, like one traveling in an easy carriage.” ~JC Ryle</span></div>
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404069488173480882noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2015934813420401629.post-4415748775812490822015-07-16T21:24:00.002-07:002015-07-16T21:26:17.196-07:00Temporary Fun or Everlasting Joy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjssr5btx17E0OqrTlM01PZ9P6QAG0mGM48s703DEDs5qwbf4N_2lMQvIeg8r_6y0QYfh4Uu12fafE1usFF0jos-RcChfOA2zQzdGo72_T8W7O_vVmD6mDaJrK5CzrQPXodwNdTSQ2w44/s400/William+Arthur+Breakspeare+-+A+Toast+to+the+Chef.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You make known to me the path of life;</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 6.66666666666667px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in your presence there is fullness of joy;</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 6.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11</span></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-e3994d11-9a3e-418f-4453-1edd1bc3c2e3" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God created fun, happiness, leisure, joy and things that lift the human heart. In His goodness and mercy to us He created joys we experience on earth. He is a refuge and resting place for us, He places dreams in the human heart, laughter and joys. Ultimately though, pursuing the kingdom of God doesn’t mean that we only pursue ‘fun’ and make a sacred cow of it. Fun and entertainment are an idol in most of American society. Most people work hard to make a living, and with their leisure time pursue only fun. This is hedonism-when pleasure, fun and self-indulgence are seen as the chief goal of life. To many people, hedonism is like a religion, they follow pleasure as if it’s a lord and master.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The entertainment industry makes billions of dollars a year because of our addictions to being entertained. Sometimes pursuing fun can become a temporary high like shopping---being thrilled with the new purchases but bored in a day or two and moving on to the next ‘spree.’ Concerts, movies, shopping, and endless activities designed to entertain us have numbed our spirits to what God wants us to pursue. They have dumbed us down to God’s </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">true</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> joy and life giving spirit. God’s joy is everlasting--- fun is temporary and the pursuit of pleasure will never be satisfied by the pursuit of the entertainment this world offers. It is not mandatory for believers to participate in the modern day roman colosseum entertainment.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finding fullness of joy in God makes the heart satisfied. When we are content and resting in God, we don’t pursue the world’s so called satisfying entertainments with the same enthusiasm. Walking God’s path of life we can see behind the masquerade of entertainment, excitement and materialism. Pursuing pleasure and our own ‘happiness’ can truly blind us to the depth of riches God has for us to possess if we will only seek Him first. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God’s people are not meant to pursue all of the pleasures those who do not know God make a life of endlessly chasing. God’s word speaks of the older women being ‘sober minded’ and full of ‘good works.’ We are told by God to “glory in the Lord.” We find joy in God, doing the work of our hands He has placed before us, pursuing Him and glorifying Him. He gives us good gifts from above to enjoy, but they come from joy in God and seeking first His kingdom. They are not an idol above God, but a gift from Him to be thankful for. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prayer: “Lord, show me how to pursue you and not entertainment to numb myself. Show me how to find my rest and pleasure in you. Reveal to me the fullness of joy in your presence that I may come to know you more. Amen.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.” ~Psalm 97:11</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.” John 17:13</span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:11</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“If this sense of need and a feeling of dependence are at the root of natural religion, it is not hard to see why the great god Entertainment is so ardently worshiped by so many. For there are millions who cannot live without amusement; life without some form of entertainment for them is simply intolerable; they look forward to the blessed relief afforded by professional entertainers and other forms of psychological narcotics as a dope addict looks to his daily shot of heroin. Without them they could not summon courage to face existence.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No one with common human feeling will object to the simple pleasures of life, nor to such harmless forms of entertainment as may help to relax the nerves and refresh the mind exhausted by toil. Such things, if used with discretion, may be a blessing along the way. That is one thing, however, the all-out devotion to entertainment as a major activity for which and by which men live is definitely something else again.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The abuse of a harmless thing is the essence of sin. The growth of the amusement phase of human life to such fantastic proportions is a portent, a threat to the souls of modern men. It has been built into a multimillion dollar racket with greater power over human minds and human character than any other educational influence on earth.</span></div>
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<br />Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404069488173480882noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2015934813420401629.post-23940349484567569062015-07-09T21:11:00.002-07:002015-07-10T11:54:03.845-07:00Service or Status?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhisrUp0HeiWoQxhMGosUeuXHD82DE-7JHlC_yG0fVkRv5k7BHt_xClWD54yC7qMPu2Tb3yZcJzOOYUHskxJaET5-WQVjhZOey-pNEW0XEXh-_kjwVjxwuyvbiHL1__4zsIoBRN_5FzB9ga/s400/James+Collinson+-+Mother+and+Child+by+a+Stile,+with+Culver+Cliff,+Isle+of+Wight+in+the+Distance+ca.+1849-1850.jpg" width="316" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Hebrews 6:10-12</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-369e4d27-762a-b6aa-621c-96a25c209965" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many stay at home moms, in order to justify how hard they work, still seek the same promotions or status that they would if they were working outside the home. They just seek them in a different way. Remodeling, bigger houses, big jewelry, nicer clothes, taking the kids to every class and sport, and making a sort of corporate job out of their role. This is almost like mothering while seeking the world’s admiration. This is mothering for ‘status.’ It’s possible to be a mother ‘of the world’ whose eyes are still fixed on the same things they would be if we worked outside the home. Lack of proper biblical teaching by many churches leads many believers to not understand the depth of service for Christ there is in mothering. We end up parenting with little variation from those who are non believers. Many Christian mothers have lost their saltiness. Christian mothers must show that there is great peace, fulfillment and eternal value in raising children for God. We are His hands and feet on earth, we minister to ‘the least of these’ every day. Even the most mundane and repetitive task done for our little ones is done for Christ. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“And the King shall answer and say unto them, verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Matthew 25:40</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As we mother for Christ, we are in service to Him. We are washing the feet of God’s children, discipling, training, cleaning up endless messes, disciplining and comforting tantrums and tiredness, not seeking status as a mother, but seeking Christ and how to show Him to our children. When a once restless heart is abiding in Him, we aren’t fixed on the busyness, or fixed on status and the acceptance of society. Jesus wasn’t and has never been accepted by society, and we as mothers who serve Christ every day will not be accepted by society either. We know our ‘status’ is in heaven as we seek to serve God on earth every day. Our hearts are at peace and rest because we do not have to chase after endless things and activities that will burn us out, we can follow after God’s way and ask Him to lead us. Jesus says “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The enemy would like to steal, kill and destroy a mother’s role in her children’s lives, and a mother’s spirit. A mother needs the fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit every day to walk with patience, love and a steadfast spirit through the challenges of constant mothering. Through Jesus, our role of mother can be filled with His abundant life.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Most professions require some form of structured study and even when there is a degree or certification earned, there is continued training and study. The Bible and many books by seasoned Christian mothers who have lived out the Christian life in their homes, can help us study the purpose and role of mothering for God’s kingdom for a lifetime. Being a keeper at home, then growing into an older woman whose behavior </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“becometh holiness, and is a teacher of good things…” (Titus 2:3) </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As we walk with God, He will help us to fulfill our lifelong vocation as a mother and then a grandmother. This life of service is a great work for God, not seeking status, but serving the one who gave His life for us.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.” Isaiah 58:18</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“And so train the young women to love their husbands and children…” Titus 2:4</span></div>
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404069488173480882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2015934813420401629.post-6020338511286050252015-07-02T20:29:00.003-07:002015-07-02T20:29:32.821-07:00They Began Making Excuses<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4tjy104MFM3kbpgDtPVTTW9y9RKhYgA5ek-AxM6P1STVGy5ZqlCQxPDSUkLc1x3jJIHNLhxpMqSyxRFknU-K7ebmGAhAwnRV6IjNKVuQxhKYE_h_FL1j7b86ZoNs9FZ_-EGzBbaFRZso/s1600/Little_Girls_Vict_Tea_Party.jpg" /></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.” Luke 14:16-18</span></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-45eba03d-51f5-bbb0-a93d-9f22a3db2b06" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are invited to the greatest banquet---Jesus’ offer to follow Him and have eternal life. All the pressing needs of this life---seemingly important things to us at the time, take precedence over Jesus. We can only put off His invitation for so long. Some put it off for a lifetime and it is too late. Following Jesus is for a lifetime. Accepting Jesus as ‘Lord’ means we are submitting our very life, our self will, our hearts to Him as King. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Life is busy and eventful, and full of pressing things that demand our attention. Yet, when we commit to God’s invitation, to following Him, we will put Him first and stop our excuses. We can learn to gain wisdom, live simply and follow the guidance of God. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are a lot of blogs devoted to order and simplicity, giving advice so that we can live better lives, yet we need God at the top of the list in order to find </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">His</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> order and simplicity for us. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are to seek FIRST His kingdom---not order, simplicity, tasks, or pressing, urgent needs of life, and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33) It we are stuck in the rat race of the American way of life, this will take a reordering of our lives to find, but God will help us and guide us each step of the way. As we seek first His kingdom those principles began to guide our decisions and we find ourselves living every day more and more for the ultimate end of God’s feast. We don’t want to ‘miss out’ on the invitation and find it is too late.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another said, ‘I now have a wife, so I can’t come.’</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.’” Luke 14:19-24</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Has Jesus invited us, and we have denied him, because we began to make excuses and have never stopped? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After this teaching in Luke, Jesus talks about the cost of being a disciple of His. He says “don’t begin until you count the cost.” (Luke 14:28) The cost may be loss of wealth in this life, being popular or admired, and simply not living for material things and earthly gain---living for our ‘excuses.’ Many count the cost and conclude it is too high, others begin the road and turn back again, others never fully realize what it is to live with Jesus guiding everything first in their lives.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jesus has a perfect and unimaginable banquet waiting for us. The lie the enemy puts in front of us is that everything we have to do, every luxury to live for on earth is worth more than Jesus. So we sacrifice our eternal life for the temporary and fleeting pleasures that pass away. We reject God; and view the temporary things in front of us as more important, we place an urgency on the things right before our eyes instead of placing our eyes on Jesus.</span></div>
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<br />Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404069488173480882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2015934813420401629.post-89100556516838480672015-06-12T22:20:00.000-07:002015-06-12T22:22:48.832-07:00What We Let In Our Homes and Hearts<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~Titus 2:12</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-5209d1a5-eb5e-8480-8770-f27a37b1ae52" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><br /></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While we can’t escape living in the “present world” we do have one place in which we can keep holiness and God’s word and law ever present before us. Our homes. Our homes can be a haven of godliness for us, an escape from the present world of everything that is thrown at us everyday. We have a choice of what we let in our homes. We can have a filter over our eyes and hearts, a sifter of sorts that sifts out the ungodly, unrighteous and sinful things that want to seep into the cracks of our homes. The enemy will try to slither into any small opening he sees. We all have the small crevices and cracks in our homes where the spiders enter.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Who can find a virtuous (chayil) woman? For her price is far above rubies.” ~Proverbs 31:10</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We’ve all heard this verse a million times before. Many think this woman is someone we cannot live up to. Virtuous translated from hebrew is from the word “chayil.” Chayil means strength, efficiency, nobly, excellence, mighty, valiant, warrior, and worthy. It means a woman, mother and wife of strong character. One who does not give in to the cultures lies, one who stands up under the most difficult of pressures against the deceit thrown at her, and a woman willing to stand guard at the gates of her home and tell the enemy “no!” Satan wants to crawl into our homes, catch us off of our guard, and destroy a home that pursues righteousness. If he can tear down a family after God’s heart, he will. The ‘chayil’ woman is worth far more than rubies---she walks the path of righteousness and is not weak when it comes to guarding her home for Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” ~Colossians 2:8</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The last place we should be held captive by the enemy in is our homes. We can be held captive by what we let in. Entertainment, radio, going to the movies, reading the latest “fad” books (even by some Christians) are holding many people captive to false ideologies. We are influenced by those who should hold no influence over us, for they themselves are influenced by the father of lies---who is himself empty deceit. People will think we are ‘odd’ for not being held captive by the “human traditions” of our day. (entertainment and pop culture being a ‘tradition’ we have to participate in) We should be influenced by scripture, reading our Bibles and knowing the living word of God for ourselves, and then praying for wisdom and discernment over our homes. We have to stand by our gates with strength, not expecting it to make us popular. There will be pressure to give in to seemingly ‘small’ infractions against our faithfulness to God. Yet each of these small things add up to large compromise. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“ </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” ~Philippians 4:8</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As we filter things through God’s lens, we may find there is little that is worthy of letting in. Purity is so important because through purity we can understand deeply the ways of God and live them out practically in our day to day living. If our minds and hearts are filled with to overflowing with impurity and rebellion against God, we begin to dwell on that and it begins to block our vision of God. As we weed out the mind and heart, we can see God and His ways with clear vision--- </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As mothers, wives, women of God, we must be ‘chayil’ women. We must stand at the gates of our homes, of our hearts and minds, and take a clear stand. The stand begins with our own heart and mind. We must filter out of our lives what is impure and holds no place in the life of a woman claiming to follow God. As we grow in this area ourselves, we can carry this on to our children and our homes. We can strive to be strong in the face of a culture that wants to break us down into it’s compromise. Taking hold of the strength of God’s righteousness and his absolute truth is a far greater investment in the future for ourselves and our children.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prayer: “Lord, build me up in your strength and take away all my fear. You do not want me to fear standing for you and following your path. Show me how to guard myself, my home and children for you. Show me your wisdom and discernment that I may be a strong warrior for your kingdom, taking a stand for righteousness in my home. Amen.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.” ~Psalm 24:3-4</span></div>
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<a href="https://teachtheyoungerwomen.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/woman-teaching-daughter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://teachtheyoungerwomen.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/woman-teaching-daughter.jpg" width="256" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“ I believe that far more is done for Christ's kingdom by the holy living of believers than we are all aware of. There is a reality of such living that makes men feel, and obliges them to think. It carries a weight and influence with it that nothing else can give. It makes religion beautiful, and draws men to consider it, like a lighthouse seen a far off. The day of judgement will prove that many besides husbands have been won "without the word" by a holy life (1 Peter 3:1). You may talk to persons about the doctrines of the Gospels, and few will listen, and still fewer understand. But your life is an argument that none can escape. There is a meaning about holiness that not even the unlearned can help taking in. They may not understand justification, but they can understand love.” -J.C. Ryle</span></div>
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404069488173480882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2015934813420401629.post-46860663436858221622015-06-04T21:32:00.000-07:002015-06-04T21:46:56.632-07:00A Contented Home Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhegogutqp7gaZRGBLRlpA6NVTFZqrihpcGArIwD64ozJ49f3KJfA3ZuNtFtQpGi7L4Rabp9W7-HFAV4_cv10KMqC00v_6ho-nkA5eMKduoaBFdQcwhbVxlX9A5DLBhRem6AgNrDsBm8iH3/s400/Helen+Allingham+-+Bubbles.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“But godliness with contentment is great gain. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.8; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 Timothy 6:6-8</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Building a joyful, contented home life begins not with the size of home we live in, but the state of our hearts. The simplest home not built on the world’s idea of perfection but built on the foundation of Christ can seem a mansion to those residing there. A heart content with what God has provided sees the potential beauty of home. With creativity and a desire to see God’s beauty come to life in our homes, it will be a place we want to spend time in. Memories will be made, learning and laughter will take place, and it will be a place of people’s memories.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So often we wait until we have some idea of ‘perfection’ for our homes or until we get the “dream home.” Yet the Godly, contented home does not wait until the people reside in a larger home, or one decorated to perfection, or some ideal that we have stored in our minds. The contented home is built into the people, the hearts and minds of the family. Where the family is, there is the home. We can prepare a place for our families, that is filled with God’s love, sparks of simple creativity and a love for God’s creation. When we pass to our families the love and care that God shows us, with a servant’s heart, they are seeing what home really is, and a small reflection of their permanent, heavenly home.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” John 14:1-2</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jesus goes to prepare a place for us in heaven. Sacrificing for us as he did and loving us, he provides us with an eternal home, one where we will always be with Him. Abiding in Him, the vine, we can prepare a place for our families to feel safe and content, and surrounded by the love of Christ. Expensive decorations, a spacious home, a home without spots on the carpet or smudges on the windows does not make a home. That is just the exterior, the things that will pass away. The internal things of a home, time built into hearts and minds---love, patience, gentleness, parents modeling God’s character and grace to their children, simple beauty and learning---a home built on these things is lasting and fruitful. Children can begin to develop the concept of God’s love, His grace and mercy, and that it is His beauty in us that is the real reflection of home. Apart from His grace and mercy we cannot build anything of lasting beauty, but a heart abiding in Christ can prepare a simple home of beauty.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We can’t wait until the perfection of “someday” arrives to begin building a contented home life. The perfect someday may never arrive. We have what God has provided and if we have willing contented hands to work for Him, we can build up something of great value to God. He doesn’t desire the perfection of a dirt free home, or a sterile perfect home, but a heart willing to be used by Him and home that we are willing to let him mold and shape. We need hearts focused on the treasure that is our eternal heavenly home; so that we reflect that into our temporary home on earth.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Most importantly, we can build a love for God and his goodness into our children’s hearts, a love for the Bible, and a love for simple creativity and learning that will last them a lifetime. The Bible, library books, jars with leaves, flowers, branches, listening to birds and learning their different calls---these are all free and building a home of beauty into their hearts. Children’s art on the walls, using the imagination, prayer and learning about people in the Bible build character into children and a sense of independent learning they will carry with them into adulthood. Making time and putting effort into building a life of quality and substance for our children (even on a limited budget) pours into the hearts of our children more than any other expensive activity or excessive busyness can. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Laura Ingalls Wilder, having grown up in small cabins, with few possessions, never writes of any lack of joy in her home life. They had God, love of family, music and a love for learning. Her home was her favorite place, and it was probably no larger than most people’s living rooms today. The life and laughter that her parents passed onto her and radiated from their hearts built her home life, not her possessions or the perfection of her home. She said “Home is the nicest word there is.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When the Lord is our dwelling place, He will guide, equip and lead us to build up our home, large or small, for Him. He will provide us with the creativity, spark ideas and show us more of His love and grace as we submit a heart to Him willing to build our home into a home for Him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is all the inheritance I give to my dear family. The religion of Christ will give them one which will make them rich indeed.</span></div>
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404069488173480882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2015934813420401629.post-36579145092785109732015-05-28T21:18:00.001-07:002015-05-28T21:18:35.540-07:00Softening the Stony Heart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darkened to the work of motherhood and the value of children in God’s eyes, our culture is alienated from the life of God because of ignorance and hard hearts. Self sacrifice, the pouring out of one life for another is not what the culture wants to hear or participate in. Many women are taught</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.” 1 Timothy 2:15</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are saved---sealed for eternal life by accepting Jesus as our Savior. We are also saved by God from this world’s shallowness when we follow His plan and walk in His ways. After we have a child, (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">if</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> we continue walking closely with God) God wants to grow us in our faith, love, holiness, and self control. In this way we are kept safe and set apart for God. God keeps us from the dangers of materialism, putting a career above our family, and from many temptations that would be thrown at us by refining us in motherhood, and giving us a “kingdom” of our own to build for God, our home and family.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“All your children shall be taught by the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and great shall be the peace of your children.” Isaiah 54:13</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As mothers, there can be many corners of our hearts that are ‘stony.’ Whether from past hurts, wrong beliefs and ideas that are deeply entrenched in our ways of thought, or simply selfish desires and a stubborn heart that fights giving so much of ourselves. For all our children to be taught by the Lord and have great peace, we also must be taught by the Lord and carry His peace in our hearts, into our mothering. We must walk the way ourselves, if our children are to witness the peace of walking in God’s ways. If we allow God to soften our hearts towards our children and towards His heart for us, we are no longer alienated from the life of God by our own ignorance. The life of God begins to fill us, to steady us and give us peace. A peace that, had we followed the path of the world, we would have never known. We would have known ‘false’ happiness that is filled with the fleeting things of the world, satan’s “imitation peace.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many times moving away from false peace and towards God’s peace means leaving behind things that hinder us from the freedom of walking with Christ. Being overly concerned with possessions, money, entertainment, shopping and generally keeping up with the world’s ways can be a yolk of bondage for a mother trying to learn the abundance of the life God has for her in her new vocation. To God, motherhood is a holy calling. We must be willing to leave behind that which will hold us back from the importance of the work God has called us to.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The softening of the heart, away from the hard, cutting edges of the world, and towards God and His love is the best gift we can give our children. Surrendering to God’s plan for us, allowing Him to heal our hearts and teach us His ways is a blessing of safety and protection. He brings us into the full life He has for us as give up the false ways we once walked in. We must be committed to having a soft heart and learning God’s commandments for us as mothers. </span></div>
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<a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/cd/cc/b3/cdccb30a8ad67a85f8acfabf9d043795.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/cd/cc/b3/cdccb30a8ad67a85f8acfabf9d043795.jpg" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Praise the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, O Jerusalem! </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Praise your God, O Zion!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For he strengthens the bars of your gates; he blesses your children within you.” Psalm 147:12</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- James Russell Lowell</span></div>
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<br />Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404069488173480882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2015934813420401629.post-43170151399262064462015-05-21T21:22:00.001-07:002015-05-21T21:24:32.188-07:00Jezebel: A Rebellious Spirit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Bible gives many examples of virtuous women, but it also gives examples of women who rebel against God. Their hearts say “I want to do it </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">my</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> way.” We are all sinners and will </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">all</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> fall short. Each of us will see parts of our hearts in the woman who struggles to follow God’s way. As women seeking wisdom as if it is the greatest treasure, we can study and learn from the woman who rebels against God's ways.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and the one who gets understanding,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for the gain from her is better than gain from silver</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and her profit better than gold.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> She is more precious than jewels,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and nothing you desire can compare with her.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Long life is in her right hand;</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in her left hand are riches and honor.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Her ways are ways of pleasantness,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and all her paths are peace.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">those who hold her fast are called blessed.”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Proverbs 3:13-18</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jezebel was a pagan woman who was determined that all of Israel would worship her gods. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“...he (Ahab) married Jezebel, the daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians, and he began to worship Baal.” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Instead of influencing her husband toward God’s way, she influenced him away from God and towards pagan gods. Jezebel worshipped Baal, and in order to ‘make her happy’ Ahab built a temple and altar for Baal. By her worship of pagan gods, her focus on herself and what she wanted, she denied the true God in her heart and her life bore no fruit. She tried to kill God’s prophets, she ‘framed’ a man to be murdered because he did not do what she wanted, and she influenced her husband and her people away from the one true God.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even though she worshipped pagan gods and had pagan priests under her control, she also worshipped </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">herself.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Her way was better; she was determined that she could have whatever she wanted. Instead of a submissive spirit to God and His way, she had a spirit of rebellion towards self sacrifice and love. She didn’t know it because she was too hard hearted, but she was in rebellion dwelling in a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘dry land.’ </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many times we can be living in our own rebellion, causing us to dwell in a dry land of our own. We are crying out to God asking Him for wisdom, and yet still unwilling to truly turn and follow HIs way. While we are asking God for His mercy and solutions, we are also still turning to ourselves and our own wisdom, because we want our way and we want God’s way all wrapped into one answer.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Obedience is far better than sacrifice. Listening to him is much better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is as bad as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as bad as worshipping idols. So because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you from being king.” 1 Samuel 15:22-23</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God desires an attitude of love and obedience. Constant rebellion and stubbornness is compared to witchcraft and idolatry. Why? Because we are idolizing ourselves, and worshipping our own way. When we live in rebellion, our heart begins to harden over time, and slowly we are closing the door to God. Jezebel lived this way and her heart was closed to God. She put emphasis on her fame, fortune, beauty, and control over others. In her heart and mind she had herself as a god, and put herself in God’s place. She wanted to “be” God by taking over the control that was His.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When Jezebel was living, there was no peace. Her spirit of rebellion was so prevalent that she wreaked havoc and damage on individual lives and on her whole kingdom. Jezebel died a gruesome death at the city wall, thrown from a window. The Bible says that before Jezebel was thrown to her death she had “painted her face.” Moments away from death she was </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">still </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">convinced of her own beauty and power. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jezebel was vain, set herself on a pedestal, was determined to get her own way, and had a rebellious and stubborn spirit dead set on serving herself. She would never think of humbling herself before God, and submitting her heart to be renewed to follow only God’s way. She would have had to have let her ways completely go, and been transformed by the renewing of her mind. She would have had to realize her ‘power’ was not in her beauty, but in a broken and contrite heart, offering a sacrifice of praise to God.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Claiming God’s name while still following our own way, debating whether we worship idols, or worship God and not fully submitting leads us off of God’s path. He offers us mercy and redemption when we are fully willing to follow His way and turn from our own. Unlike Jezebel, we are to adorn ourselves with a trusting heart, a gentle and quiet spirit, be self controlled, pure and kind. We will not point others towards the way of the world, but towards God’s way, by demonstrating the change and transformation in our own hearts. With God’s help, we can let go of our rebellion and stubbornness and allow Him to change us. Studying the word of God for ourselves, spending time in prayer allowing the Holy Spirit to teach and guide us, and being open to learning new ways (the ways of God) and throwing out the old ways brings transformation and freedom. Jezebel followed her own way and lived her whole life in an evil prison of her own making. Following God’s way will </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘bringeth out those who are bound with chains.’ </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” ~</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Psalm 51:17</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.” ~</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 Corinthians 7:10</span></div>
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<a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/63/bb/8b/63bb8b7eef6860aa15a733c1f60d5f4e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/63/bb/8b/63bb8b7eef6860aa15a733c1f60d5f4e.jpg" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Those who submit like a child do it because they know that the Father wants only the happiness of His children and that only He knows the way. That is the testimony we must have to keep praying like a submissive child, in the good times as well as the times of trouble.” ~ Henry B. Eyring</span></div>
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<br />Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404069488173480882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2015934813420401629.post-25583468397382162782015-05-07T21:10:00.001-07:002015-05-07T21:14:08.912-07:00Life for the Soul and Our Daily Bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img src="http://www.oceansbridge.com/paintings/artists/recently-added/march-2006/Helen-Allingham/big/Baking-Bread-Date-unknown-XX-Unknown.jpg" height="400" width="341" /></div>
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<h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 10pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.” Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” ~John 6:34-35</span></h1>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-14570ed2-31ba-4cab-edb4-33348279bd99" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By God’s great mercy and grace, he doesn't leave us to wander around without any spiritual bread. Just as we cannot go without eating or drinking water every day to sustain us, we need Jesus to sustain our souls and awaken us with his bread of life. When we are truly awakened by Jesus and our life is transformed, we no longer thirst or hunger for anything temporary or unsatisfying this world offers us. Our soul has it’s daily bread and hungers no more.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Reading the Bible and allowing God’s word to change us, to sink into our soul and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">apply </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">it in our lives is a living faith that is sustained on the spiritual food we are offered. The Word of God was given to us to learn from, grow and be a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">living </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">book. God gives us instruction for righteousness, living a holy life, and even guides us by his word through the most difficult circumstances we face. God’s whisper is heard in our hearts through his word. Many people have accepted Jesus into their hearts, claimed his name as their savior, but have never read the very word of God. WIthout God’s direction for us and our lives through his word, we are still lost. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“But he answered, “It is written,“‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” ~Matthew 4:4</span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Every </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">word that comes from the mouth of God sustains us. His word helps us to know God in a deeper way, and to live out his commands for us. God’s word is eternal, and as His children He wrote it to guide us throughout all decades and time periods, His word remains unchanging to us. If God came up with a new and updated version of His word to suit the times, we would be left going whichever way the wind blows. God in His infinite wisdom, wrote one unchanging word that we can stand on throughout time. It is our foundation, our rock to build on, and our bread throughout our lifetime.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16</span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As we read God’s word and listen to Jesus, absorbing the words and teaching in our hearts, they are cemented into our being and begin to change us. We can draw on them for life, for direction in difficult situations, and begin to be “doers of the word, and not hearers only.” Daily, in good times and adversities, God’s word is there to nourish our spirits and strengthen us. It never changes and the Holy Spirit always teaches us something new, to feed our need for God and strengthen us for the day. Like a baker in a bakery, making enough bread for all his customers, or a woman baking bread for her family to make sure they are all fed and nourished---God’s word is there for us to be fed and nourished. We don’t have to remain starving for good, pure food, when we have the banquet of God’s word to fill us each day.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prayer: "Lord, fill me with your living word and give me a heart to hear and eyes to see. Give me the wisdom to live it out in the daily, small acts of life. Show me how to live the word, to breathe it, know it and show others. Amen."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." John 1:1-5</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12</span></div>
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404069488173480882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2015934813420401629.post-35363335282906164302015-04-30T21:08:00.001-07:002015-04-30T21:09:30.846-07:00A Woman of the World and a Woman of the Word: A Heart Transformation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26</span></h1>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-d470ac85-0da4-5a57-b4cb-0f370fc55fe2" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Christ, the deceitful phrases “we are who we are” or “people don’t change” hold no power over us. With the Holy Spirit as our teacher and counselor, it is possible to have a heart change, and be transformed from our old self, values and thought patterns into a renewed person with kingdom values. To be committed to a true heart change we have to search the word of God, listen to his still voice and be willing to let go of many false, tightly held ideas. We have to be committed to hard work, and have a willing and teachable heart. For women who are soaked in the word of God, heart change is evident. They have </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">let go</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of self, and seek to serve and live in submission to Christ. With God’s help, we can have the adornment of a soft and quiet spirit. We can be full of the ‘good fruits’ of the Word.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” James 3:17</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For women it can be tempting to walk the popular, accepted way. The popular way looks (falsely so) ‘more fun’, ‘less burdensome’, and requires a lot less giving up of self. There is fun in focusing on ourselves and having the calendar booked up with appointments, hair, nails, social activities, fun things, nights out, spending the money made. But where does this all lead? What is the end of the path? The end of the path is….self. And self leads to nowhere. It is a dead end. (there is nothing wrong with taking care of ourselves reasonably and healthily so that we can be healthy and whole to take care of others, the problem lies in that the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">main and consuming </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">focus is on self.) Or in buying the world’s lie that we need to ‘have it all’ to really be worthy or that child rearing is menial work best left to others we hire. If we live by the world’s standards, our roots are shallow and will not last, because this world and all it’s false wisdom, ideas and thoughts will pass away. For a woman of the world, the next promotion, bonus, phase of life, bigger house, bigger car, or beauty appointment may be an accomplishment or something to look forward too, but these things are not rooted in truth. It doesn't look bad on the outside, in fact this life looks happy and successful, like something we should all work to attain. What is wrong with it? The world is the master and the god. A heart focused on self becomes prideful and puffed up, hardened by it’s own ways. It becomes a ‘stony heart of flesh.’</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 2:17</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Paul (then known as Saul) was one of the worst persecutors of Christians before he met Christ. He was even present at Stephen’s stoning. He truly believed that Christianity was dangerous to Judaism and probably thought he had a sincere heart. When he met Christ, God showed him his ideals were misguided and couldn't be more wrong. Christ revealed to Paul his own stony heart of flesh, even blinded Paul for three days--- without Christ, Paul was living blindly. After he came to know Christ, all the good qualities about Paul, including his intensity, were used for God’s kingdom. He now had a ‘new heart of flesh’ to see clearly and live a holy life for God. Many times as women we are like Paul. The world’s values we have adopted seem like the ones to follow. We have what we think is a sincere heart yet we are truly blind. We need Christ to open our eyes like he did Paul’s, and show us how to live. God will take our good qualities, and renew and refine us to live for Him. First, we must come to God with a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">willingness</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to be transformed. “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” Psalm 51:17</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A woman of the word is one who lives her life by God’s standards, he is the Master and only One she serves. She is soaked in the word, not in the world, and lives it out consistently whether it is popular or not. Her life is not wrapped up in her activities her social gatherings, new clothes or beauty treatments, but in Jesus, where her identity lies. As she lives for Him, follows Him, lays herself down at his feet, she is following the One who will never pass away. She is living for eternity. She is settled in spirit, because she abides in Christ, and does not worry that all the world offers that is passing by is anything she is missing. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Her life is not frantic and chaotic, but resting at the feet of the One who matters. She takes time to read the word, and then live it and allow it’s eternal truths to transform her. She can see others for who they are in Him, and treat them as His children. They are not to be used for her gain or promotion, but to love and serve. Self is not a god in the heart of a woman of the word. Her heart is softened by coming to a true understanding of the love of Christ, not puffed up or prideful. She can only boast of what Christ has done in her, for it is His power residing in her and apart from Him she can bear no fruit of lasting worth. She recognizes the worlds subtle lies for what they are, and they hold no value to her. She doesn't cling to the world, but to the word of God which is her hope and life, which will never pass away. God has given her a new heart and a new spirit. She lives and invests in that which is lasting, the Kingdom of God.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prayer: “Lord, I want to be a woman of God with a soft and quiet heart to listen and be changed. Renew my heart and mind by revealing the half truths I have believed and replacing them with your pure and holy truth. Then give me the strength of character and a willingness to let go of old habits to be a doer of the word and enable me to put what I have learned into action. Amen”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“...likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.” 1 Timothy 2:9-10</span></div>
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404069488173480882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2015934813420401629.post-10600111895695952742015-04-30T19:42:00.001-07:002015-04-30T19:42:56.400-07:00Mothering in a Pop Culture Society<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Keeping up with pop culture is time consuming. TV shows, magazines, celebrity gossip, the latest celebrity “news” every day is big business in America. Pop culture can easily become a sort of “idol” to keep up with that adds to our busyness and unsettled hearts. It can distract us and cause our feet to slip off the path of God’s ways.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For tired, busy mothers of young children, escaping into the mindless pop culture can be a relief or coping mechanism. When we fix our minds and hearts on fleeting things of culture, things that will change tomorrow--- we are chasing after the wind. Dissatisfaction and thinking that the ideals of culture will satisfy us can easily begin to take root. Something that seems ‘harmless’ begins to seep in and steal the peace of God from us. Watching our favorite shows or movies isn’t harmful in itself. It starts to become harmful when a bulk of time is ‘wasted’ on keeping up and it causes a neglect of focusing on God’s ways. Focusing on ‘gossip’ about others and trying to keep up with the latest fads and trends, distracts the woman of God from her true mission. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” John 10:10</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As mothers, fixing our eyes on God’s purposes, spending our time learning His ways and listening to Him, and teaching our children about God leads to the rich and satisfying life of living in His presence. God isn’t fleeting or changing and tomorrow will not be a race to keep up with Him. He won’t make us feel dissatisfaction if we fail to comb our hair, dress in the best trends, or own the latest and greatest of everything. Mother’s are God’s children, and he gives us no command to stress about keeping up with the culture around us. He wants us to keep up with our children, with molding and shaping their hearts, imparting His love and wisdom to them so that we are investing in the Kingdom of God every day.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Philippians 4:8</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When our minds and hearts become focused on gossip and untruth, we become restless and influenced away from God. No longer are we satisfied with what God has provided and the mission he’s put in front of us. Our contentment levels drop and we begin to seek happiness and entertainment as our primary goal. The enemy would like to distract mother’s from their greatest work---raising children for God’s Kingdom, and he will do it in the smallest and most subtle of ways, tricking us into thinking they are harmless. “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not.” 1 Timothy 5:13</span></div>
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<br />Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404069488173480882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2015934813420401629.post-24581544584816748602015-04-16T21:12:00.001-07:002015-04-16T21:12:28.087-07:00The Wilderness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM4gEdueIEq4pK-Y-pDUY0L5RfVhAwYw-k2D7I5AS8dgzBQzBqvtvpWFeb3Yu9qVDBIkLYmssYb1ZDuJrZ1Q2djP_Z1GbOSFe9t81MlPxb_Rd3ue5YqOBcq4XHcF5GnCH189gJNmqA7bli/s400/Robert+Gallon+-+English+Landscape.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 21px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord trieth the hearts.” Proverbs 17:3</span></span></h3>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-e8842f41-c592-4c95-150f-f6735a5d3404" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><br /><br /></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When things are easy and ‘smooth sailing’ in life, we tend to coast through. Our supposed comfort fools us into thinking there is no need to focus on the purifying work of God in our lives, or removing that which stands in the way of a deeper relationship with Him. God uses our trials to refine our faith, show us His way of life, and desires that we walk with Him through our wilderness. If we genuinely turn our hearts back from mans way to God’s way, we will find meaning and purpose in even the deepest pain.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seeking God will eventually lead to a life transformation. If we have clung to our own ways, which keep us in bondage, and we turn from them to study God’s word, and commit to removing from our lives that which God asks us to, His transforming peace changes our minds and hearts. Building a close relationship with God as we walk through our trials is not something unattainable. Making a point to spend time in God’s word daily: studying and yet reading it as a living word, a living instruction guide to His children. God’s word is living and active, and He sees the “humble and contrite heart” that seeks Him. “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” Psalm 51:17</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The humble and contrite heart, one that is repentant for seeking one’s own way and has turned his heart to Jesus, is willing to be transformed and changed by God, and willing to give up his own way and now turn to God’s way. A heart that is prideful and not aware of it’s own desperate need for God is not a heart ready to truly accept the changes God will bring. Sometimes we accept Jesus as savior of the world in head knowledge, yet the transforming work that we should accept being done in our lives is fought tooth and nail. Most of the time we do not want to give up old habits, ways of thinking and to simply be seen as different than most people. We are afraid to not be popular. Are we the same as we were before we accepted Christ and understood His sacrifice? Then we have not accepted the transforming work of God in our lives and applied ourselves with diligence and a humble, teachable heart. “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And be not conformed to this world: but </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Joseph, being sold into slavery by his own brothers, then thrown into jail, walked through a wilderness of his own. Certainly as a human being he felt doubt, sorrow, and abandonment. Yet, his heart remained faithful and trusting in God. Even in jail, Joseph trusted God and did his best with even the smallest tasks given to him. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The Lord was with him, making everything run smoothly and successfully.” Genesis 39:23 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Joseph’s faithfulness eventually led him to favor with Pharaoh, put in charge of the entire land of Egypt, even preventing famine in his land because of his wisdom and humble heart that listened to God. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“For he is a man that is obviously filled with the spirit of God.” Genesis 41:38 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Joseph’s heart for God, his willingness to not give in to bitterness, spite and depression, resulted in God’s blessing and peace as he walked through his own personal trials. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“For he said, God has made me fruitful in this land of my suffering.” Genesis 41:52</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hannah, in deep anguish, walked in her wilderness of childlessness and pain. Determined not to lose hope for a child, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord.” 1 Samuel 1:10 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She took her pain to the Lord, instead of becoming angry and resentful or even hopeless. She turned not to her own way, but to God’s way. God heard her humble and contrite heart. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.” 1 Samuel 1:16 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God blessed Hannah with her son Samuel, and she took her gratitude to God. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“My heart rejoices in the Lord! Oh how the Lord has blessed me! Now I have an answer for my enemies, as I delight in your deliverance.” 1 Samuel 2:1</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When we turn our heart to God in our trials, our desperation's, our sorrows and brokenness, He is there. We must have faith and trust in God’s character and not let bitterness, envy, or anger take root in our hearts. We can trust His work even in the deepest pain, that He is not abandoning us but refining us to grow closer to Him, and grow more like Jesus. God loves His children and wants what is best for them, not in material wealth but in soul health. God refines and purifies us to accomplish His purpose in us.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prayer: “Lord, guide me through my heartache, pain and the testing of my faith through the fire. Refine me and guide me, show my heart how to only walk in your ways. Remove from my life bad habits, patterns of thought and obstacles to seeing you and walking with you. Amen.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:6-7</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and the world, there is no room for the Spirit of God, and I believe many a </span></div>
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404069488173480882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2015934813420401629.post-29780176430776115092015-03-31T21:35:00.002-07:002015-04-02T20:26:23.443-07:00Hidden Idols Behind Closed Doors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 21px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” 1 John 5:21</span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“It is better to take refuge in the Lord, than to trust in man.” (Psalm 118:8) Making God our refuge, studying His word diligently, following his paths, removing idols in our lives that block our spiritual eyesight will bring peace and a renewed heart. It will bring the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">beginning</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of knowledge and wisdom. God </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">will </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">faithfully guide us as we commit to removing distractions and focus our hearts solely on Him. Abraham, Joseph, David, Noah, Jonah, Moses---- all followed God’s path. He did not guide them through any man, ritual or church attendance, but through His relationship with them. They sought God, not man, and fulfilled God’s purpose for them. They walked with their creator, knew Him, and followed his statutes. Could any of them have walked under the fear of man and still walked by the spirit of God? The pressure to keep up with others, do what they did to fit in or feel falsely satisfied, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">conform</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, even to the masses around them would have held them back.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 21px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">“And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.” James 2:23</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7000007629395px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Prayer: "Lord, open the eyes of my heart to the idols that hold me back in fear---fear of following only you. Give me peace and guide me in your ways. Show me how to follow only you and follow your word, so that I may drink of your living water." Amen.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 21px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“A careful reading of the Old and New Testaments shows that idolatry is nothing like the crude picture that springs to mind of a sculpture in some distant country. The idea is highly sophisticated, drawing together the complexities of motivation in individual psychology, the social environment, and also the unseen world. Idols are not just on pagan altars, but in well-educated human hearts and minds.” ~Richard Keyes</span><br />
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<br />Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404069488173480882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2015934813420401629.post-41977484226571597822015-03-26T20:29:00.003-07:002015-03-26T20:42:11.235-07:00Have A Family? You Have a Ministry!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 21px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing what is right.” Titus 2:14</span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So many search high and low for their “calling,” they scatter here and there involving themselves in every activity and their addiction to busyness. Meanwhile, their children are growing up much without their devotion and guidance, and the years are gone. Searching for a ministry or a “purpose” they never really found. This ministry was in front of them all those years just waiting---their own family and children. Buying into the lie that investing in anywhere but home was worthwhile and being afraid what that might require, the fulfillment that came from busyness and a ‘full schedule’ was seen as what was best. The enemy’s lie was bought into under the cover of “good things”---things that don’t look bad on the outside, may not be inherently wrong, but served as a distraction from the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">real</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ministry.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If we have a family, we have a ministry. Living the gospel out in our homes, ministering to the ones God has placed in front of us---is a calling. Pouring ourselves into everyone around us while treating those in front of us as less deserving of seeing and hearing the faith lived out is neglectful. It is honoring God with our </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">actions</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> outside our homes of busyness, yet not honoring God in our hearts. Some are afraid of the hidden work of the home life. The mundane tasks, the lack of thanks, and the total commitment to doing what is right that this work requires. It can’t be done half heartedly, but we must abide in Jesus for this fruit to begin to blossom in our lives. It takes many years of dedication, building up the home, weathering storms, and dying to self. It is not ‘feel good’ work in the way that a busy schedule and being out of the home gives some temporary satisfaction. We have to pray that the blindness that keeps us from seeing the value of the ministry to those in front of us is removed.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God grows us in our homes. We learn what deep, abiding peace is, being truly satisfied and content with the work we are doing. Some are afraid of quiet, or what the silence of a less busy, home abiding lifestyle will bring, they are afraid of facing themselves, or of truly listening to God. When we follow God’s ways, he blesses us with inner peace. Old habits or a lifestyle we were afraid to give up are nothing compared to obeying and walking God’s path. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Busyness with the wrong things does not mean we are living obediently to God.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Busyness does not equal righteousness.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Obeying God, allowing him to purify us, strip away our idols and become people who truly abide in him and walk with him daily is what refines us and grows us. This spills over into our homes.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We have to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">train </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">our children in the ways of God. This is very hard to do with a full, overly busy activity based schedule. It can’t be done with one or two memorized scriptures, or weekly church attendance. We can’t train for a marathon with one or two runs---it requires sacrifice and even pain, but we know there is no chance of making it to the finish line without training. When we are committed to training our children, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God trains us along the way with them.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> It requires devotion, total commitment to walking God's way and wisdom that this will require giving up many other things. Yet, when we devote ourselves to those God puts in front of us, and we are faithful to do every good work for God, we see we gave nothing up, but gained Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prayer: “Lord, show me how to forsake the call of the world and hear the call of your voice. Show me how to live the calling and ministry I have to my family first so that I am not neglectful of the good work you have prepared in advance for me to do.” Amen.</span></div>
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<br />Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404069488173480882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2015934813420401629.post-42533363413704973352015-03-19T21:01:00.001-07:002015-03-19T21:10:04.142-07:00Irreplaceable<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God has a plan and purpose for each of us. He has us here for “such a time as this.” When we submit to his will, and allow his strength to work in us, he will accomplish great things through us. The mission he has for us may not look glamourous, or make us famous. It may seem daunting, impossible, and the challenges may seem insurmountable. If we look closely enough at the people in front of us, situations we face, and we have a living faith in the God who saves us, we will see his direction for us. So many of God’s people have faced impossible circumstances, yet God used them at that time to accomplish his great purpose. David, a small boy, facing Goliath and defeating him. Noah, building an ark for decades and walking in obedience to God. Esther, saving her people from certain death and risking death herself. John, serving as forerunner to Jesus, a loyal and loving servant who spread the Gospel.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many of us want to run away from what we perceive as difficulty and a life that is less than easy. Leaning on God’s strength, our character grows, God molds us and shapes us, and we learn more about who he is. We come to understand Jesus more through our service to God and through the challenges we face. Each of us, like God’s people in the Bible, have a valuable service to perform for him. God has placed what is before us so that with his direction we will </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">act.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die.” Esther 4:14 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For Esther, the people God placed </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">right before her</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> were the ones she needed to save and to act for. He put her right in the center of her mission for him. She could not keep quiet, the consequences were dire, and she had to act out of trust and faith in God to be with her. Instead of whining, running away, seeking distraction or an easier way, she stayed just where she was and fulfilled her purpose </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for such a time as this.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> As Christians, how many of us are serving God by serving those right in front of us? Are we running away, seeking distraction, and undervaluing ourselves in the work God has for us? The enemy will seek to distract us however he can from the mission God has in front of us.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If God has placed being a mother on our path in this time, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">then that is our first mission, our calling from God. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It may </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">seem</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> small and insignificant, the daily repetitive tasks, the training repeated over and over, but it is God’s work for us. We are irreplaceable in this role at this time and God will use our weaknesses to glorify himself. We don’t want to leave a mother-sized hole in our children’s hearts by withholding from them, being distracted with other “more important” missions while they sit on the sidelines, waiting for their hearts to fill with what only we are designed to fill. If Esther had not followed through with courage, someone else would have filled her role but her and her relatives would have died. Her role was pivotal and designed by God. We don’t want to “keep quiet” in our role for God. We should lean on his strength and wisdom and then live out our faith, by living out the mission of motherhood right in front of us. For we have been called to our own palace </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for such a time as this.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are neglecting a holy, and pure calling from God when we neglect the mission of motherhood. When we believe the lies that surround us, that we are worth more elsewhere, that dollar signs attached to our name will make us worthy, or that other activities will fill us or make us feel valued and boost our “self esteem.” God has placed little ones in front of us to perform our mission wholeheartedly for him. Trusting in His wisdom, and not the worlds. Believing his promises, and standing on them confidently---not believing the world’s weak lies. If the great people of the Bible had lacked faith and courage, faltered in their strong faith in God, not believed in his promises, their great missions for God would have been neglected. As mothers, we also have a great mission, an irreplaceable one, and we are called to have faith and courage enough to fulfill it.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Esther was willing to give her life for her people. As mothers, we must be willing to give our lives for our children, to lay ‘self’ down every day, to risk pouring our whole hearts into our families for God. He will not fail us, he is faithful and blesses our faithfulness to the mission he has put in front of us. God’s blessing may not come with immediate reward, or material wealth, but he guides us, strengthens us and gives us peace. We can rest in him and abide in him as we fulfill the mission he has placed before us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 17px; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You are as much serving God in looking after your own children, training them up in God’s fear, minding the house, and making your house a church for God as you would be if you had been called to lead an army to battle for the Lord of hosts.” ~Charles Spurgeon</span></h2>
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<br />Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404069488173480882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2015934813420401629.post-31799989504785144352015-03-12T21:15:00.004-07:002015-03-12T21:26:10.902-07:00Why Non-Conformity Matters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 21px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God’s likeness---righteous, holy and true.” </span></h1>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-14561d1a-1157-abe4-7416-d881ba6d5d6e" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.38;"><br /><div dir="ltr" style="display: inline !important; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There wasn’t much about Jesus’ character that he conformed to those around him. He loved others, cared for them, befriended them, but he did not try to be like them, or to win them over with his sameness. He won them with his love and healing. There was something </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">different </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> about Jesus, and the crowds gathered wherever he went. His light shone before all men and he did not have need to worry about how others viewed him for God to do his work. Jesus’ concern was being a member of heaven, not of earth. Jesus ministered, healed, walked and lived according to the Word. To those he touched he loved, healed, forgave, and then said “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">go, and sin no more.”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> He spoke out to the Pharisees, to those who were skeptical. He only loved, valued the human heart and let people know their eternal worth. But he did not conform.</span></div>
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<h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 10pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 21px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“And </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 21px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">be not conformed</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 21px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” ~Romans 12:2</span></h1>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Jubilee Bible 2000 translates this as </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“do not be conformed to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">this age…” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The American Standard versions says </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“And be not fashioned according to this world…”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> So often, we are fashioned to the world, and conformed to the present age. We are always changing and riding whatever current wave of political correctness hits us next. Our simplicity in Christ becomes watered down, and our foundations crumble as we become white washed. People responded to Jesus because they were searching for a peace and love that was different than what the world offered </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">not</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> a love that was changed and twisted to blend in with the worlds definition of what it should look like. God doesn’t need our worrying about blending in, he will do his work and use us as his instruments. He needs our faithfulness, our separation for him and towards him, so that our lights can shine before all men. He needs our steadfast commitment to non conformity so that our hearts are not compromised; they are pure and ready to do his work.</span></div>
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<h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 10pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 21px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” ~2 Corinthians 11:3</span></h1>
<h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 10pt;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God is the same yesterday, today and forever. His church will always reach people, he does not need our faulty human wisdom to decide how to update him or compromise him. As Christians, we are only called to conform to Christ. We don’t have to conform to customs, watch current entertainment, live out the cultures “current” values, or have any concern about blending in. We can live as God calls us; trusting that we can reach those he asks us to reach for him. People are searching for something that will feed them living water to take away their thirst, and our shining light of a different life lived well, faithfully, with joy---with </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">non conformity</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will draw them to Christ. In our hearts we are to be conformed to Christ’s kingdom, not the present and temporal world. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 21px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” </span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 21px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~1 John 2:15</span></h1>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Non conformity used to be the standard among Christians. We are a people called out, set apart for Christ. During the time periods where Christianity spread the fastest it was never because of Christians conformity, but because of God and his work. The Muslim world is experiencing the biggest growth of Christianity in history. Yet, none of these Muslim’s have come to Christ because of any person or any church conforming to be popular. They come to Christ in countries where Christianity is outlawed and dangerous. They have visions, dreams, read a Bible, or speak to someone whose light is shining brightly for Christ, and they want to know what is different. God does not rely on anyone “updating” themselves to the current culture. In America, where most churches have made themselves current, young people leave the church after high school in large numbers and many leave Christianity behind.</span></div>
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<h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 10pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 21px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” ~2 Corinthians 6:17</span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The human heart is made to desire a love that is lasting and eternal, one that remains unchanged. When culture is always changing, church’s are updating themselves and changing their foundational beliefs to suit the culture, it does not fill. Building on an unchanging foundation---God, and being taught how to live that out without needing to worry about being relevant, is the true freedom God desires for us. We are free from the cultures constant chains of updates and free to do God’s work, live for Christ, walk in the power of the Holy Spirit daily, reaching others. The freedom of the unchanging and ancient faith, the truths of living out the Word are never suited for conformity to a world that will pass away. These truths stand on the foundation and unchanging cornerstone---Christ. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“</span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and forever.” ~Hebrews 13:8</span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prayer: “Lord, show me where I have conformed. Where my heart and mind---my very lifestyle---have become compromised and lukewarm. Renew my heart and mind to be transformed and conformed to Christ. Help me to shine before others without worry of conforming and keeping up. Amen.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Don’t participate in the things these people do. For though your hearts were once full of darkness, now you are full of light from the Lord, and your behavior should show it! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.” Ephesians 5:7-9</span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” Proverbs 4:18</span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Build your nest upon no tree here; for you see God has sold the forest to death.” ~Samuel Rutherford</span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Let none of us be content to tarry down below in the marshland of the poor poverty-stricken religion of this present day---but let us climb the high mountains where the sun of God’s grace is shining brightest---and stand there enjoying communion with Him, leaving the world.” -Charles Spurgeon</span></div>
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404069488173480882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2015934813420401629.post-64267419268636666802015-03-05T21:07:00.002-08:002015-03-05T21:10:18.637-08:00Living for the Greatest Treasure<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men…” ~Ephesians 6:7</span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mothers, when we spend a life serving and pouring ourselves out for others it is unlikely we will be awarded the ‘most popular’ sash. Taught from a young age to live for self, find our dreams, build our self esteem and to “achieve our potential” we are programmed to live for these things and put </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">self </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on a pedestal to be lived for. So we live for ourselves, and don’t know how to lay ourselves down ---even for our own families. Serving Christ in the nitty gritty, the mundane, serving the “least of these” is not considered worthy work.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” ~John 12:26</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Serving in the daily grind, day in and day out, pressing into Christ in this service, we come to know and understand Him more. We work for Him. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The only path to joy in service is to daily go about our lives serving Jesus.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Being in the word, studying him, knowing him, and hiding the word in our hearts is the way to understand the value of our work. Slowing down, cutting out outside obligations, growing our relationship with him----resting in him. In Christ, we are not obligated to follow anyone else’s path or opinions. Our worth is defined by who we are in him. Not in our career or in outside applause. Somehow we are programmed to think that unless self is glorified by the world we are not worthy, our self esteem is wrapped up in how much our achievements are “‘seen.” Living a life of daily unseen service lies in understanding our worth is wrapped up and hidden in Christ. Then we are </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">free; truly free to serve and live.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> We will achieve our true potential by serving him. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” ~Galations 5:13</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The world says we are wasting our lives, have lost ourselves, or simply can’t find anything better to do. Yet, we are giving our best, pouring out ourselves for Christ. Our children should see this way of life, and learn that serving others and asking God what his dreams are for them is the path to achieving their real potential. Others say we pour ourselves out for a paycheck, or for accolades, or for vacations and nice clothes, cars and possessions. These things will </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">all</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> pass away. We can live a life pouring ourselves out for years on end for that which is not lasting, and what have we achieved in the end? The greatest investment, knowing Christ, serving him and changing lives by doing so is lost. To teach our children to follow God, build up a home and faith that will be carried throughout the generations, without fear for what we are “giving up”---this is living for the greatest treasure. We can love, serve, be gentle with our children, truly serving the least of these, the helpless ones.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.” ~John 12:3</span></div>
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<br />Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404069488173480882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2015934813420401629.post-43483379919521174672015-02-28T20:42:00.002-08:002015-02-28T20:45:20.131-08:00Making A Way<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~Exodus 14:13-14</span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-4a7517eb-d3a7-02e4-349d-a3ad3eb0cf4d"><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As we pray for God’s help in any impossible situation, we can trust that He hears us. Just as Moses told his people that the Lord would fight for them, and make a way for them, He will make a way for us to pass through the seas on dry land. We must trust Him, and hold fast to His peace, knowing that where we cannot see a way that the seas will part, God sees the way. We only have to trust the one who sees, not lean on our own poor eyesight.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“For I the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.” ~Malachi 3:6</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God is not stuck behind bronze gates. He is the eternal living God. His word is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is not held back by anything. Like little children leaning on God, we can trust that He can part the waters of our lives and help us walk the path to freedom.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Before the mountains were brought forth,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">or ever you had formed the earth and the world,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” ~Psalm 90:2</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Strength of my heart, I need not fail,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not mind to fear but to obey,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With such a Leader, who could quail?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thou art as Thou wert yesterday.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Strength of my heart, I rest in Thee,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fulfil Thy purposes through me.” ~Amy Carmichael </span></div>
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404069488173480882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2015934813420401629.post-11818291881079165752015-02-28T20:10:00.001-08:002015-02-28T20:20:30.179-08:00Wearing the Wrong Yoke<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strike style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://prints.encore-editions.com/500/0/victorian-art-painting-by-william-shayer-cowgirl-and-cattle-approximate-original-size-25x30.jpg" height="331" width="400" /></strike></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">entangled again with a yoke of bondage.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">" </span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yoking ourselves to the 'Egypt' of our day leads to stress, anxiety, and a yoke of iron around our hearts, minds and souls. Busyness, self inflicted complications and the pressure of living in a performance based society do not have us living under the yoke of Christ. Sometimes we pile our own plates so high, and none of it was given to us by God to do. It may be our yoke is wanting to impress others---so we go above and beyond, get into debt and yoke ourselves to the worlds standards. Other times our yoke is the pressure on us and our children to 'perform' for others---too many classes, too much academic pressure, the focus is on performance and "accomplishment" and not on God.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness, and lacking everything. And he will put a yoke of iron on your neck until he has destroyed you." </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~Deuteronomy 28:47-48</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The yoke of Christ is there for us. We need only to follow God's ways, listen to Him and be willing to admit to ourselves our own worldliness. We have not lived for God, we have lived for impressing man, and it has led to heavy iron yoke of bondage. "With joyfulness and gladness of heart...." means that we follow God's ways knowing that in Him we are not giving up anything, but we are gaining a relationship with the one who knows what is best for us. Resentfully following God while thinking we are 'sacrificing' to do so does not lead us to living under His light yoke. So often we serve our "enemies" and the yoke of iron destroys us. It destroys our peace, our health, our families and our Godly values because we have taken the yoke of the world's expectations upon us, where we will never measure up and where we will never be enough.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"I drew them with gentle cords, With bands of love,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I stooped and fed them." Hosea 11:4</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God stoops to feed us with His living word, with His peaceful ways, with His salvation, yet we refuse to walk in His ways! The world's path is so broad and so appealing, it offers false happiness and bondage under the disguise of deceitful freedom. Jesus is our guide and shepherd. He teaches us what needs to be in our lives and what is false. We can keep things simple without feeling we are missing out ---missing out on the temporary that will pass away and really missing out on peace and life. Missing out on Jesus, who He is, and walking step by step with Him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">are the temple of the living God. As God has said: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I will dwell in them, and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” ~2 Corinthians 6:14-16</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We cannot yoke ourselves to a worldly lifestyle and not expect consequences. So often we have 'fear of missing out syndrome' so we watch all the latest tv shows, we keep up with pop culture, we get the "right" job that will impress others, we buy the right house and cars, and we push our children into a life that is so busy and unhealthy for young, growing minds. Social media takes our time, impressive birthday parties take our time...all while claiming we are followers of Christ. Yet this lifestyle is only following the world, with little time to examine the ways of God, or even to hear His quiet voice. So our yoke is heavy, all the while longing for a yoke of rest and not knowing how to attain it.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If we want to strive for anything, it should be to wear Christ's light yoke. In Him we are not pressured or obligated to perform, we are not yoked to the ways of the world, we are yoked to Christ and walking His way. When we truly turn our hearts to Him, with a commitment to change our life and walk God's narrow path, we find the light yoke. It is lighter and more freeing than what we feared giving up. We may find we only feared giving up our old slavery, because that was all we had ever known. We don't have to complicate things in our lives so that we impress ourselves with our feelings of stress, that we are stressed because we are "doing so much" and it's the "right thing to do." Walking the simple path leads to freedom, health and knowing God. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We can be free from the chains of the world, it's expectations, from performing, and rest in Christ, the work He accomplished on the cross for us, and follow Him without fear.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you extend your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness, shall be as the noonday. The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail." </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~Isaiah 58:10-11</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Only the man who follows the command of Jesus single-mindedly, and unresistingly lets His yoke rest upon him, finds his burden easy, and under it's gentle pressure receives the gentle power to persevere in the right way. The command of Jesus is hard, unutterably hard, for those who try to resist it. But for those who willingly submit, the yoke is easy and the burden is light." ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer </span></div>
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404069488173480882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2015934813420401629.post-90348942266985536572015-02-19T21:03:00.001-08:002015-02-19T21:59:29.645-08:00Searching for Peace and Happiness: Psalm 119<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvljidl8P_-LGb-7NCKpyOjAND455ts5t4KeORwRTOqv8Wgn6UauJycs4AoOUlBaxw3DXYHaV-Mu2AfEp022_PqI4nF8M1vXVNedtI2VjkMbRlhVPUvbnz8vG9mF1HWO2ZCX7ehcnx85qn/s400/James+Edwin+Meadows+-+A+Country+Landscape+1869.jpg" height="248" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The search for peace of heart and mind--- elusive 'happiness' leads people on many searches. Some search for years---reading books on how to achieve and "be your best self", how to always have happiness 'present' in your life and how to conquer our fears. We spend endless time listening to speakers and watching tv shows to help us achieve this, even pursuing hobbies, busyness and 'chasing the wind.' Some of these things help us for a time, but we are quickly moving on to something else when all of these fail. We want to rejoice in the riches, the temporary satisfaction of the world, and the latest and greatest. God tells us to </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">rejoice </span><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in His laws and </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">delight </span><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in His decrees.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word." Psalm 119:37</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God, knowing man's elusive search for these things, and that we cannot find them or achieve them ourselves, gave us the answers. They are all laid out when we search for His ways, when we seek Him and know Him. Yet, we often view God's ways as a burden, or as something that will not lead to peace, and so we continue on our own way---still not finding peace and joy. God's ways are applicable to our daily lives, they involve more than sitting in church every Sunday. God's way is a way of life, it requires discipline, study, prayer and a willing, humble heart. When we are committed to learning God's ways and how to apply them to our lives, God will answer us. He provided His path for us so that we may find Him and walk in His ways of peace. He wants His children to have what is best for them, and what is best for us is to follow the ways of the One who made us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own." Isaiah 53:6</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The enemy would like to get us with what we try to believe is 'innocent compromise.' We let things in the door of our hearts and minds, our very lives and pretty soon we live our whole life based upon these things. We don't even remember when we made a conscious choice to walk the path we are on. We compromise with what everyone else is doing, lifestyle, possessions, entertainment, reading, lack of spiritual discipline or how we raise our children and yet we lack for a richness in our lives and we long to fill the emptiness and the lack of peace our life is reflecting. When we sow into God's ways, we will reap the benefits of walking in God's way, and when we sow into the world's ways of compromise, we will reap the end results. David said "</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will study your commandments, and reflect upon your ways."</span><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> What are we studying, thinking, reflecting upon? Is it constantly distraction, or are we reflecting upon God and the new path we are choosing?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Oh, that my actions would consistently</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> reflect your decrees!" Psalm 119:5</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Christians in centuries past cycled their days and lives around God. They began their day with Him, they went about their work with Him, asking Him to guide them, and they kept Him in the front of their minds and hearts all day. They </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">consistently </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">reflected His decrees because they </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">delighted </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to walk with Him all day. Because they began their day with Him, scripture was in their mind and hearts and those truths overtook even their own thoughts.They ended their day with God, began their day with Him, and spent their life with Him. In return, they knew Jesus deeply, and whatever storms or trials came their way, they knew their shelter would not fail. These Christians did not compromise. They did not let into their lifestyle the things that 'everyone' else around them did, they simply knew God's way, followed Him, and knew that they were not missing out on anything. They were wise in learning to shut the door on compromise and live a simple life with God, not tangled up in the things which they knew were not for them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"As I learn your righteous regulations,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I will thank you by living as I should!" Psalm 119:7</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Being thankful to God for all He has done for us, we thank Him by living as we should! A thankful, grateful heart to God desires to walk in His truths, knowing it is the only way to walk. He is our God, and we will only follow Him, and nothing else can tug us off of His path. So many of us forget this important step in our walk with God. Studying His ways, then turning the head knowledge into action in our lives. If we say we follow God, but know nothing of His ways, and are undisciplined, still following the world's ways, then we are not really following God, but man. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Be good to your servant,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that I may live and obey your word.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Open my eyes to see</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the wonderful truths in your instructions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am only a foreigner in the land.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Don’t hide your commands from me!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am always overwhelmed</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> with a desire for your regulations." Psalm 119:17-20</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our days can easily be "overwhelmed" with many things, but when we are overwhelmed with a desire to walk in God's ways, those things fall away as we walk in step with Him. The beauty and truth that shines when we walk God's path is that we are not bound to do anything anyone else does, we are not 'entangled' to the world's desires or the rat race. We are not slaves to this world and it's trappings, but to God and His ways. God asks us to walk in His ways, to change </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">our</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ways to His, so that we are free to walk as His children.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prayer: "Lord, teach me your ways and guide me. Break my fear of giving up my old habits and learning habits of peace. Teach me and guide me in the way I should go, change my path that I may delight in living in your ways each day. Amen."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Teach me your decrees, O Lord;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I will keep them to the end.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I will put them into practice with all my heart.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Make me walk along the path of your commands,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for that is where my happiness is found." Psalm 119:33-35</span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="text Ps-119-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Ps-119-7" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Ps-119-35" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><br />
</span></span></i></b></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="text Ps-119-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Ps-119-7" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><img src="http://arthistory.wisc.edu/exhibitions/victorian-watercolors/1991_10r.jpg" /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="text Ps-119-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Ps-119-7" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Ps-119-20" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="text Ps-119-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Ps-119-7" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Ps-119-20" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="text Ps-119-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Ps-119-7" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Ps-119-20" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: start;">
<span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="text Ps-119-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Ps-119-7" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Ps-119-20" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><br />
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<span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="text Ps-119-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Ps-119-7" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Ps-119-20" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<b><i><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="text Isa-53-6" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<br />Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404069488173480882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2015934813420401629.post-1470184523003819232015-02-12T21:14:00.002-08:002015-02-12T21:14:48.552-08:00Whispers of Wisdom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>"Cease to hear instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge." Proverbs 19:27 </i></h3>
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It takes effort to drop what is unnecessary everyday and take time to sit at the feet of Jesus, but when we do, we are doing the one thing that will not be taken away from us. We have to sit at his feet every day to know him and walk with him. To walk in his spirit every day we must hear his instruction.<br />
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Jesus wants our intimacy, our whole hearts. Yet, like any relationship where someone doesn't want to shout at us to get our attention, he waits for us to have the deep desire to come to him. The enemy wants us so busy and distracted our whole life that when there are opportunities to listen to Jesus, to be still for him to heal the layers of our minds and hearts, we hardly know how to do that. We don't know how to listen to him and to be guided by his voice of truth.<br />
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We've been trained and told that so many activities, so much endless and mindless and meaningless 'doing' is worth something. All these things pass away, in fact most of us don't remember all our 'doing' a year later. Taking the time to build upon the rock of Jesus and his teaching, is the thing that we will remember, that will penetrate our hearts and minds so deeply that we are changed forever by his perfect teaching.<br />
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We are taught that if we don't enroll ourselves and our children in endless sports, clubs, meetings and activities that we are missing out on the 'best development' of them and ourselves. The truth is the endless busyness and emptiness this creates truly makes us miss out. We miss out on the only one who can give us life, truth, peace and renewal. We must have adequate time to sit at our Savior's feet, to hear his teaching that brings healing to us, and leads us to the truly full, abundant life. While we try to fill with endless things of the world, afraid of 'missing out' we are truly deceiving ourselves. The enemy wants nothing more than to hold us in <i>fear, </i>so he convinces us that if we truly sit at Jesus' feet and stop all our activity we will miss out.<br />
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When we get to know Jesus, sit at his feet every day, walk in his ways of truth, and obey his teaching, then we cannot imagine every going back to our previous life of emptiness. The life that we falsely told ourselves was full and rich, the life the world sold to us and said would satisfy. The only lasting, satisfying, rich life is the one lived in the richness of Christ every day.<br />
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<i><b>"And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And,
behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the
mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: <span class="reftext"></span>And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and <u>after the fire a still small voice</u>...." 1 Kings 19:11-12</b></i><br />
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<i><b>"He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. All the paths of the <span class="sc">Lord</span> are steadfast love and faithfulness, <u>for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.</u>" </b></i><br />
<i><b>Psalm 25:9-10 </b></i><br />
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404069488173480882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2015934813420401629.post-20314698107813838792015-02-12T20:53:00.000-08:002015-02-12T20:53:13.750-08:00Double Minded<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<h3>
<sup class="versenum"> </sup><i><b>"But
who so looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein,
he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall
be blessed in his deed." -James 1:25</b></i></h3>
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Every day I look into God's perfect ways, his law of liberty and desire to continue in it. I don't want to be a forgetful hearer, but a true doer of the word. God in his grace and mercy has saved me, and now I must <i>act on this love</i> and not let Jesus sacrifice be lost on me. He cared enough to give His life for me, and in my heart I must truly understand what love that is and in return offer my pure and complete devotion. May God help us out of our double mindedness in thinking we can offer him less, and our complacency of compromise.<br />
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God's ways lead to the path of righteousness and truth and walking in his ways lead to life. We can't treat God's advice as something to be discarded, or something that can be done away with according to our momentary feelings. We doubt if God's way is best, and so we stray back and forth debating whether or not we will fully give ourselves to his way. This leads to years of floundering and "being unstable in all our ways."<br />
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<i><b><span class="text Jas-1-6" id="en-NLT-30233">"Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.</span><span class="text Jas-1-7" id="en-NLT-30234"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.</span><span class="text Jas-1-8" id="en-NLT-30235"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do." </span></b></i><br />
<i><b><span class="text Jas-1-8" id="en-NLT-30235"></span><span class="text Jas-1-8" id="en-NLT-30235"></span><span class="text Jas-1-8" id="en-NLT-30235">James 1:6-8</span></b></i><br />
<i><b><span class="text Jas-1-8" id="en-NLT-30235"><br /></span></b></i>
<span class="text Jas-1-8" id="en-NLT-30235">Being loyal to God and his ways is a daily walk---moment by moment, hour by hour being guided by him. We must come to a place of absolutely trusting that His ways are true and right, and that our changing opinions and daily moods are not the ones to be followed. God's ways are there to guide us and give us peace. We can't halfway give ourselves to God, while compromising with the world's ways. God gave his son fully to us, he gave his life away to us. We must give our life away to him. We must daily <i>look into </i>his perfect law of liberty and then be a doer of the word.</span><br />
<span class="text Jas-1-8" id="en-NLT-30235"><br /></span>
<span class="text Jas-1-8" id="en-NLT-30235">We compromise with debt, entertainment, our attitudes, materialism---we compromise our simplicity and purity in Christ. We are now his dear children, the ones he calls his own, and we must learn what he calls us to live out in our lives. We are not called to freedom in Christ to do what <i>we want</i>, to be enslaved to the world of sin. We are called to pure freedom to walk in God's ways because the old things no longer have a hold on us. When we are holding on to both, saying we are God's and then enslaving ourselves to the worlds ways, we are double minded. </span><br />
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<i><b><span class="text Jas-1-8" id="en-NLT-30235">"Trust in the <span class="sc">Lord</span> with <u>all your heart, and do
not lean on your own understanding.</u> In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6 </span></b></i><br />
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<span class="text Jas-1-8" id="en-NLT-30235">The enemy would like nothing more than to get us away from God with his sweet as honey compromise. We can be ok with God, and be ok with the world, and all will be well. We will never know real freedom and peace this way. The heart wants to hang onto sin and bondage until it knows Christ. To let go of this double mindedness, we must give ourselves fully to Christ. Are our days set up for us by our moods, likes and dislikes, by our feelings? Or are they set by God's ways, his priorities for us and the things he says are important?</span><br />
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<i><b><span class="text Jas-1-8" id="en-NLT-30235"><span class="text Jas-1-21" id="en-NLT-30248">"So get rid of all the
filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted
in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls." James 1:21</span> </span></b></i><br />
<span class="text Jas-1-8" id="en-NLT-30235"><br /></span>
<span class="text Jas-1-8" id="en-NLT-30235">God calls us to have a pure mind and heart for Him, one that is undivided and believing in his ways, we must get to know his ways and live them out until they are a very part of our being; this requires walking in close communion with the Father. He teaches us and guides us, leading us along the path for his name's sake.</span><br />
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<i><b><span class="text Jas-1-8" id="en-NLT-30235">"The steps of a man are established by the <span class="sc">Lord</span>, <u>when he delights in his way</u>; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the <span class="sc">Lord</span> upholds his hand." Psalm 27:23-24</span></b></i><br />
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<b><i>"Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.</i></b><span class="p">" <i><b>Psalm 25:5</b></i></span><br />
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<span class="p"><i><b>"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you." Psalm 32:8</b></i></span><a href="http://www.greatmodernpictures.com/vwc1F.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" id="irc_mi" src="http://www.greatmodernpictures.com/vwc1F.jpg" style="margin-top: 124px;" width="320" /></a><br />
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404069488173480882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2015934813420401629.post-58567751980432137792015-02-05T21:16:00.000-08:002015-02-05T21:20:30.309-08:00Sincere Faith and Commitment<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><b>"I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your
grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in
you as well." 2 Timothy 1:5</b></i><i><b><br /></b></i></h3>
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There is an old episode of "The Waltons" called 'The Bicycle.' Olivia, (the mother of seven) faithfully cooks, tidies, sews, cares emotionally and spiritually for her family day in and day out. One day, her children aren't listening, aren't doing their chores, she is exhausted and feels taken for granted. Remembering that she was once a person who had thoughts, dreams and goals of her own, she decides she's had enough.<br />
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Olivia gives the children instructions for the day, what to make for meals, and decides to take an opportunity at church, singing in the choir, that will require a lot more time away from home than her and her family are used to. Olivia saw a blue bicycle at the general store that she liked, so she rides her way to freedom on her blue bicycle, remembering what it felt like to have some "freedom" and wind in her hair.<br />
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At first, Olivia enjoys her new choir practices and obligations outside her home, and she gets in touch with some of her talents again. She always feels a sense of unease in herself, as if she isn't where she belongs and she is forcing a situation that is unnatural. After the practices, the church ladies stand around and gossip, and invite Olivia into their conversation and coffee time. Olivia tries to participate, but has the nagging sense inside herself that her children and family need her.<br />
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Olivia notices that pots and pans have stuck on food, the kitchen is a mess, and everyone is falling apart emotionally from the lack of her presence. Her children make their own breakfast, get themselves off to school everyday, and go about their lives while she is in a rush pursuing what she temporarily thinks is more worthwhile or fulfilling. She sees all the little "touches" she puts in everyday that she thinks are insignificant, but make every difference in the life of the people she loves every day. She realizes that the 'freedom' she desired wasn't freedom at all, but a false sense of satisfaction, a temporary way to fill that would never deeply satisfy. She knows the really fulfilling, satisfying things in life take hard work and sacrifice but they are not shallow or false.<br />
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This story (episode) is so truthful because of the feelings Olivia goes through, the love in her heart, and the open eyes she has to see truth. She sees that her choir practice and pursuit of herself are worth nothing in the end and are not fulfilling if she isn't fully present with those she loves, providing them what they need from her. Through the years she passes on her love, values, and faith because of her deep commitment to her family, her uncompromising values to be the mom at home, and her unwavering unselfishness.<br />
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If this were on tv today, her 'escape' from home would have been the main storyline, where her new found "freedom" would be celebrated and nothing of the suffering at home of her family and children would be mentioned. That part would be ignored, and glamorized would be her new job, or new hobbies or "new self." The truth of this episode was so wisely done because the reality of the effect from the lack of her faithful presence in the home was shown, and the neglect and suffering that resulted wasn't swept under the rug. She found herself again in her faithful duties and realized she could not run away from deep responsibilities, even when the days were long and hard and she felt unappreciated. She maintained an <i>eternal perspective.</i><br />
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<i><b>"Strength and dignity are her clothing..." Proverbs 31:25</b></i><br />
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<b><i>"I cannot tell you how much I owe to the solemn word of my good mother." ~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon</i></b><br />
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<b><i><i>"What a mother sings to the cradle goes all the way down to the coffin." ~ Henry Ward Beecher</i></i></b><br />
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404069488173480882noreply@blogger.com0