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Looking Into God’s Face

Looking Into God’s Face

1 Corinthians 13:12---For now, we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

We cannot see God.

We cannot see Christ.

We can see only the images of Christ created by human beings.

Images of Christ created by human beings are poor images.

For if we could see Christ in real life and real-time, His real image would make the pictures, statues, and icons seem to be just a poor reflection.

Although we see Him only as a poor image now, someday we will see Him.

Perhaps we will soon see Him coming to us on the clouds.

Someday we will see Him face to face when we reach Heaven.

When we see Him in Heaven, our being, our spirit, and our soul shall beam out in infinite joy.

When we finally, see Him face to face, all our suffering will be gone…all our worry, doubt, anxiety, fear, depression, and darkness shall have passed away.

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Staying Focused On God’s Truth

2nd Timothy 4:4-5---And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

There will come a time when life erupts into chaos.

Each of us has a time when life seems to come apart at the seams.

Some of us may live to see a time when all of life on earth is plunged into chaos.

However, we need not fear. In times of chaos, when things seem to come unraveled, we need to keep our focus.

In times of chaotic happenings, we are to keep our heads and our wits about us.

Our ability to control our life is of critical importance.

We must, when things turn dark in life, maintain our focus, and preserve our self-control.

We cannot witness or help others in Christ's name if we have turned helpless and have lost control over our life.

When tough times come, we are to endure. We are not to wilt under pressure.

When difficulty rages in our life, we are to humbly be in prayer each hour, humbly go where Christ leads us as we show His love.

Chaos comes into a person's life and ends up being a test of faith.

Whether we pass or fail a test of faith depends upon how much we are willing to endure.

We pass or fail according to how much effort we put into living a life of faith.

God is Great, God Is Good

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Seeing And Acting On God’s Blessings

Psalm 107:1-3---O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.

We can count our blessings in a grand and glorious mental exercise.

However, counting our blessings in our hearts and minds is often not enough.

We become a blessing to God as we actually see His blessings poured out in our life.

Just thinking about how God blesses us with the freedom to worship is not enough.

We become a blessing to God when we actually do worship.

Just thinking about praying and how we can come close to God in prayer is not enough.

We become a blessing to God when we actually do pray and come close to Him in prayer.

Blessings are poured out in our life not just to be counted.

God pours blessings out in our life so we can see His blessings, absorb them, and take them in.

When we see His blessings, when we absorb His blessings, and when we take His blessings in, we can fully become His work and witness.

Living in His blessings give us His power to be humble, contrite, and forgiving.

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The Blessing of Christ's Compassion

Psalm 24:4-6---He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob.  

Christ's compassion is pouring over us every moment.

We cannot find Christ's compassion by physical or mental effort.

We cannot find His compassion on our own with just our effort.

To receive Christ's compassion we must have the heart to receive His compassion.

A heart able to receive Christ's compassion is a heart already giving compassion.

Receiving Christ's compassion requires we open our hearts to Him and others.

We must open our hearts to His love for us. We must open our lives to His will.

We must open our minds to His tenderness.

To receive Christ's compassion we must not only open up our heart, we must also be wise enough to close off our mind to the darkness seeking to destroy His touch within us.

Receiving Christ's compassion means we open our arms to Christ because He opens His arms to us.

To receive Christ's compassion we must give up our selfishness.

We must then give in to His call upon our hurting heart to receive His love and Holy Spirit.

We must give away His compassion to receive His compassion.

In everyday life, the more compassionate and caring we are toward others, the more compassionate and caring Christ will be toward us.

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Reaching Out To Help Others In Trials

1 Thessalonians 5:14---Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

When we are besieged and under attack within the trials of our life, the natural activity is to not do anything or to pull back into a protective mode.

Certainly, the last thing we want to do when we are under attack is to reach out to help someone else.

When we are undergoing great trials, the first thing our instincts tell us to do is to get others to reach out to help us.

Yet in our faith and in our trust of God, we must go against our instincts and reach out to help others rather than having them reach out to help us.

When we are wounded, according to God's supernatural laws and ways, we are to reach out to heal others with no thought about our own pain.

How can we do this?

How can we go against our instincts?

How can we do what is so unnatural?

How can we reach out to help others with no thought of ourselves at a time when all we want to do is think about our troubles?

We can reach out to help others in our trials with no thought for ourselves only with supernatural help.

In the eyes of God and in the will of God, we are to always go against our human instincts and reach out to others in our trials.

We are to reach out to help others in our trials because when we reach out to help others in our tragedy and trauma, great and mighty supernatural things happen for others and for us.

We can only do what is truly unnatural with supernatural help. When we reach out to help others in our trials, then blessings will flow.

The blessings will flow but not always as we want or when we want.

Sometimes the blessings may not flow at all in our lifetime.

However, the blessings will surely flow when we get to heaven.

In Heaven, we are immersed in our Lord's healing stream of love and grace.

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Having Perseverance and Courage to Stand Against Every Evil

Hebrews 10:36---For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

Many people want to deny evil exists in the world.

For many people, denying evil exists in the world is easier than trying to stand against evil.

Christians must make commitments if they want to lead victorious lives against evil and darkness.

Christians need perseverance and courage to be victorious over the evils wanting to destroy us.

Lasting perseverance and courage against evil are possible only through Christ.

Having Christ alive within you is necessary to muster up perseverance and courage.

One of evil's ways of destroying you is to erode your perseverance and lessen your courage.

Evil wants to make you give up and be fearful.

With Christ, you can find the courage to stand against evil in all its forms because you know He is with you.

In Christ's presence, you can find a reason for living.

Your reason for living then gives you the power to fight against the dark ways of evil.

Christ gives you power and courage when you experience fear, doubt, or anxiety.

With Christ living in your heart, you can live in perseverance and courage as you glorify God while you do battle against the evil one.

Growing Spiritually, Disciplined In The Word

A PRAYER FOR OUR NATION

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The Reason to Hope and to Believe

John 1:4-5--- In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

At the time of man's fall in the Garden of Eden, God saw our dilemma of how we have no hope in our life.

God sent Christ to audibly tell us and visibly show us there really is a power of Light and Love.

God sent Christ from God's very heart to show us He loved us.

However, in the darkness of our sin we crucified Him. Christ came to tell us and show us there is a reason to hope and believe in the future.

However, we did not believe Him and we tortured and murdered Him.

Christ came as a living example of God's love, but we rejected Him.

After we crucified Him, Christ came back from death not to get even with us or mete out a form of punishment against us, but to love us and forgive us.

Christ came back from death not to make us pay a terrible price for what we had done.

Christ came back to assure us our life can go on after death in the glory of Heaven, or in the horror of hell, depending upon whether we accept Him as Savior and Lord.

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The Real Source Of Power

John 7: 36-39---What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye, shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come? In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

You have power.

You have the power to heal or hurt.

You have the power to forgive or seek revenge.

You have the power to love or hate.

If you accept you have power then be a true child of God by accepting the responsibility of using the power you have.

Your power is a gift from God.

Your power is from God.

God gave you the force or energy we call life.

When you are mature, you can direct the power of your life into doing God's will.

Using your power according to God's will produces a blessing for God.

When you are immature you, unfortunately, let the power of your life be corrupted by your sin.

God gave you the power of life for a reason and a purpose.

God gave you the power of life so you can shine His love out to a world steeped in darkness.

The world is thirsting for Christ's Living Water.

Your life is to be lived so you are a vessel pouring out His Living Water to others.

In a world full of darkness, you can bring the hope and promise of life to millions.

Perhaps you do not believe you reach millions, but the power of God within you is supernatural.

Within the realms of the supernatural, you can do the impossible.

Your heart, filled with the power of God's love, touching just one other heart, can bring the power of God down into the heart and life of many others.

Using the power God gave you, you can, by the way, you live, reach generations of people you will never know.

Your silent prayers, your spoken prayers, your godly thoughts, words, and actions, bring God into the world.

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A Father And Mother’s Love❤️

God Is An Encouraging God

Philippians 1:13-14---So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

What a mighty God we serve!

What a creative Creator we serve!

What a utilitarian God we serve!

Paul is bound in chains but the very chains supposed to keep him quiet and stop a religious revolution are encouraging others.

Your chains, your difficulties, your problems, your traumas can be used by God if you let Him work in you and through you.

The burdens you bear can be dedicated to God.

When you truly turn the chains and burdens put upon you by Satan into a renewed dedication to serving Christ then the incredible will happen in your life.

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Jesus Loves the Little Children

Matthew 19:14---But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

When I look at a patch of dandelions, I see a bunch of weeds that are going to take over my yard.

My kids see flowers for Mom and blowing white fluff you can wish on.

When I look at a homeless person and he smiles at me, I see a smelly, dirty person who probably wants money, and I look away.

My kids see someone smiling at them and they smile back.

When I hear music I love, I know I can't carry a tune and don't have much rhythm, so I sit self-consciously and listen.

My kids feel the beat and move to it. They sing out the words. If they don't know them, they make up their own.

When I feel the wind on my face, I brace myself against it. I feel it messing up my hair and pulling me back when I walk.

My kids close their eyes, spread their arms, and fly with it until they fall to the ground laughing.

When I pray, I say thee and thou and grant me this, give me that.

My kids say, "Hi God! Thanks for my toys and my friends. Please keep the bad dreams away tonight. Sorry, I don't want to go to Heaven yet. I would miss my Mommy and Daddy."

When I see a mud puddle, I step around it. I see muddy shoes and clothes and dirty carpets.

My kids sit in it. They see dams to build, rivers to cross and worms to play with.

Sometimes I wonder if we are given kids to teach . . . or to learn from.

No wonder Jesus loves the little children!

- Author Unknown -

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Being In Christ’s Contentment

Hebrews 13:5-6---Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

The will of God is always for you to live in His contentment rather than living in turmoil.

In Christ’s contentment, no matter what your circumstances might be, you can rest for just a minute and look up to see Christ’s love beaming down upon your heart.

In Christ’s contentment, you can rest for just a moment and fully experience His love and grace.

In Christ’s contentment, you can hear Christ telling you about the blessings and grandeur just ahead for you.

In Christ’s contentment, you can bring every burden, every hurt, and every trial to the foot of His cross.

In Christ’s contentment, you can find His peace to renew and restore your energy.

In Christ’s contentment, you can laugh and rejoice even when darkness falls upon your life.

In Christ’s contentment, Christ can give you the power to be grateful for even the smallest of blessings.

In Christ’s contentment, you will find you are never ever alone or lonely.

In Christ’s contentment, you can find the power to overcome every temptation.

In Christ’s contentment, you find His love

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What Is Your Life?

James 4:14---For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

A philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him.

When class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, rocks about 2 inches in diameter.

He then asked the students if the jar was full.

They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar.

He shook the jar lightly.

The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full.

They agreed it was and laughed.

The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

“Now,” said the professor, “I want you to recognize that this is your life.

The rocks are the important things – your family, your partner, your health, and your children anything that is so important to you that if it were lost, you would be nearly destroyed.

The pebbles are the other things that matter, like your job, your house, your car.

The sand is everything else.

The small stuff."

"If you put the sand into the jar first, there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks.

The same goes for your life.

If you spend all your energy and time on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you."

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take care of your body.

Take your partner out dancing.

Talk to your teenager.

Show the love you feel for the people you care about.

Take care of the rocks first, the things that really matter.

Set your priorities.

The rest is just sand.

Author Unknown

Have We Become Casualties Of Ease?

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Knowing About Yourself

John 8:32---And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

To know yourself, know your true thoughts and emotions about God as love.

Too often we can think of God in ways in which we leave out the substance of God and the substance of God is love.

We can think of God as a punisher.

We can think of God as a controller.

We can think of God as a destiny maker.

We think of God in many ways, and sometimes we would be correct in how we think.

However, the being who created us is love.

Love made us.

Love made the universe.

Love lives inside of us.

We can know this love that is God if we would just seek, ask, and knock.

Our minds cannot easily see or conceive of God because God is love. Love lives in our hearts.

When we want to know more about ourselves, when we want to know more about our life and God's place in our life, we must think upon God as love.

The more we come to know about God, the more we come to know about ourselves.

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You Can’t Judge A Book By Its Cover

Hebrews 13:2---Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

The following story appeared in the newsletter "Our America":

Dodie Gadient, a schoolteacher for thirteen years, decided to travel across America and see the sights she had taught about.

Traveling alone in a truck with camper in tow, she launched out.

One afternoon rounding a curve on I-5 near Sacramento in rush-hour traffic, a water pump blew on her truck.

She was tired, exasperated, scared, and alone. In spite of the traffic jam she caused, no one seemed interested in helping.

Leaning up against the trailer, she prayed, "Please God, send me an angel... preferably one with mechanical experience."

Within four minutes, a huge Harley drove up, ridden by an enormous man sporting long black hair, a beard, and tattooed arms.

With an incredible air of confidence, he jumped off and, without even glancing at Dodie, went to work on the truck.

Within another few minutes, he flagged down a larger truck, attached a tow chain to the frame of the disabled Chevy, and whisked the whole 56 foot rig off the freeway onto a side street, where he calmly continued to work on the water pump.

The intimidated schoolteacher was too dumbfounded to talk.

Especially when she read the paralyzing words on the back of his leather jacket: "Hell's Angels - California."

As he finished the task, she finally got up the courage to say, "Thanks so much," and carry on a brief conversation.

Noticing her surprise at the whole ordeal, he looked her straight in the eye and mumbled, "Don't judge a book by its cover.

You may not know who you're talking to."

With that, he smiled, closed the hood of the truck, and straddled his Harley.

With a wave, he was gone as fast as he had appeared.

Given half a chance, people often crawl out of the boxes into which we've relegated them.

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Peace Within

2 Thessalonians 1:2 Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Inner peace is not just the absence of inner war and conflict. Inner peace is the presence of God's love, care, kindness, and compassion within your heart.

So many people do not have inner peace.

They try to find inner peace in drugs, alcohol, relationships, careers, hobbies, and numerous endeavors only to come up empty and lost.

Inner peace is not found in some kind of selfish endeavor. You find inner peace by surrendering up and giving up to God all you have and all you are.

God loves you and cares for you.

God gave up the life of His only son so you could have eternal life.

What seems important in the world causing you so much conflict, war, chaos, and turmoil is not really important.

The most important quality of life is having inner peace with God.

When we have inner peace with God, whatever uncertainties we have or whatever doubts and questions we have are all put to rest.

When we have inner peace with God we may have questions but the questions are of little real importance.

When we have inner peace with God we have answers instead of questions.

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Wanted Stretcher Bearers

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You Are Loved

1 John 4:8-9---He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

Someone you may not know loves you.

You may never have heard the person's voice or seen the person's face.

You may not believe you are loved, but believing or not believing makes no difference because you are loved anyway.

You are loved in spite of who you are and what you have done.

There are no requirements or stipulations for being loved because you are loved without any conditions whatsoever.

You can run away and hide when you think you are being loved.

You can deny and make excuses when you think you are being loved.

You may be afraid of being loved.

You may even not want to be loved.

But no matter what you do, or the attitude you have, you will always be loved.

You will always be loved no matter where you go or where you are now.

Even if the whole world turns against you, you will still be loved.

Even if you make grievous mistakes, you will still be loved.

Even if you are the richest or poorest person on earth, you will still be loved.

God loves you!

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The Wisdom Of The Lord

James 1:5---If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Praise Jesus for trusting you enough to give you His wisdom.

Praise Jesus for giving you His wisdom to a fuller and better life.

In His love and in His grace, Christ enables you to use all He has given you for His glory.

He enables you to live a life blessing to others.

He enables you to live a life blessing Him and His work upon the earth.

When you have doubts about what Jesus wants you to do, He will remind you of what He has already told you.

When you have difficult days and want to quit, He will push you onward and upward by showing you His wisdom and truth.

In His love, Christ will show you the present trouble and pain of your life overflows with His meaning and His purpose.

In His will, Christ will show you how His meaning and purpose in all things can lead to a glorification of His love on earth.

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The Most Dangerous Enemy

Proverbs 27:1---“Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.”

 J. L. Ralston said: "Our most dangerous enemy on this side of the Atlantic is the idea that we have plenty of time."

This is equally true in the matter of preparedness for eternity—as well as for our country!

Because we don’t know when we may lose the use of our faculties because we have no lease of our lives, because we don’t know not when the Lord Jesus will come again, and because the Word commands it, we should act NOW.

After serving the Lord for more than 35 years as a pastor I suppose the greatest excuse I’ve ever encountered is, “I’ll be saved one day.”

Many I heard who made that statement to me is now absent from their body and gone.

As far as I know one day never came for some of them, they departed this life without giving their heart to the Lord.

Our text says Boast not of tomorrow, and I’ve said throughout my ministry that tomorrow never comes for when it gets here it’s today.

The Bible says, “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”

Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2^nd Corinthians 6:2)

Today, Now is the day of salvation, tomorrow will be too late, one day will be too late.

NOW is the Time!

Choose This Day Who You Will Serve!

Jesus’ Invitation has never changed it is still Come unto Me.

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Stay Focused On God During The Dark Times

Peter 4:12-13---Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

In every person’s life, there are times when all earthly hope seems to be gone.

The pain, suffering, uncertainty, and anguish of these moments has destroyed persons, families, groups, societies, and even nations.

In many dark moments, there is no earthly glory or hope.

However, God is never more praised or glorified than when you turn to Him in these dark moments.

God is never more praised or glorified than when your will is set aside in the earthly darkness and you say to Him, "Thy will be done."

When you glorify God in this way, the emptiness and darkness of your earthly soul is filled to overflowing with the eternal blazing Light of His Love and Grace.

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Achieving Victory Through Christ

Isa 41:10---Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

All of us need to look for the light in the darkness.

However, sometimes we tell ourselves things will be better tomorrow and then we quit preparing for tomorrow.

Worse still, we tell ourselves things will be better tomorrow in order to escape fixing issues today.

Being an optimist about tomorrow does not mean we are supposed to ignore what tomorrow may bring.

Too often, people tell themselves things will be better tomorrow in order to avoid responsibilities today.

With Christ, things will not just be better in the future, things will be great in the future!

In order to glorify Christ, we must be realistic and go for victory when we face the darkness.

To be victorious, we must expect victory then pursue victory with Christ's game plan.

Telling yourself you will win tomorrow or things will be better tomorrow, is not enough.

To achieve victory takes preparation and hard work today.

Our victory in Christ means we are to work hard and never quit.

That’s My King!

That’s My King!

S.M. Lockridge

The Bible says my King is the King of the Jews. He’s the King of Israel. He’s the King of Righteousness. He’s the King of the Ages. He’s the King of Heaven. He’s the King of Glory. He’s the King of kings, and He’s the Lord of lords. That’s my King.

I wonder, do you know Him?

My King is a sovereign King. No means of measure can define His limitless love. He’s enduringly strong. He’s entirely sincere. He’s eternally steadfast. He’s immortally graceful. He’s imperially powerful. He’s impartially merciful.

Do you know Him?

He’s the greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizon of this world. He’s God’s Son. He’s the sinner’s Savior. He’s the centerpiece of civilization. He’s unparalleled. He’s unprecedented. He is the loftiest idea in literature. He’s the highest personality in philosophy. He’s the fundamental doctrine of true theology. He’s the only one qualified to be an all sufficient Savior.

I wonder if you know Him today?

He supplies strength for the weak. He’s available for the tempted and the tried. He sympathizes and He saves. He strengthens and sustains. He guards and He guides. He heals the sick. He cleansed the lepers. He forgives sinners. He discharges debtors. He delivers the captive. He defends the feeble. He blesses the young. He serves

the unfortunate. He regards the aged. He rewards the diligent. And He beautifies the meek.

I wonder if you know Him?

He’s the key to knowledge. He’s the wellspring of wisdom. He’s the doorway of deliverance. He’s the pathway of peace. He’s the roadway of righteousness. He’s the highway of holiness. He’s the gateway of glory.

Do you know Him? Well…

His life is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His Word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous. And His yoke is easy. And His burden is light.

I wish I could describe Him to you. Yes…

He’s indescribable! He’s incomprehensible. He’s invincible. He’s irresistible. You can’t get Him out of your mind. You can’t get Him off of your hand. You can’t outlive Him, and you can’t live without Him. Well, the Pharisees couldn’t stand Him, but they found out they couldn’t stop Him. Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him. Herod couldn’t kill Him. Death couldn’t handle Him, and the grave couldn’t hold Him.

Yeah! That’s my King, that’s my King.

Amen!

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Victory Over Adversity

Psalm 27:1---The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Victory means healing.

Victory means winning out over adversities and afflictions. Victory means living this minute to the fullest extent this moment will allow.

Although we cannot live forever in our physical body, we can live now.

We can live and love as much as we can fully live and love this instant.

When we face adversities or afflictions, these adversities and afflictions try to grind us down.

Adversities and afflictions try to diminish our moments. Adversities and afflictions try to make our moments meaningless and hopeless.

When we resolve and take action to live out every moment IN SPITE OF the darkness of adversity and afflictions, we are winners.

Although we cannot always instantly crawl out of our circumstances, we can still demand life from within ourselves.

We can be victorious when we can demand we get as much as possible out of every moment.

We can be victorious by asserting our inner life.

We can be victorious by making changes within.

The Power Of His Touch

Priorities of Christian Life✝️

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When You Cannot Do

Mark 10:27---And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

What do you do when you realize you cannot do?

What do you do when you realize you are extremely limited?

What do you do when you see you are caught between rocks, hard places, walls, and barriers?

When we look at the physical world in a spiritual way, the world not only begins to look different, the world begins to look REMARKABLY different.

When we realize we cannot live our lives in a physical way, and then we look at our life in a spiritual way, we see an unlimited horizon from our unlimited God.

In our unlimited spiritual world, we can do great and mighty works through God.

When we realize how limited we are in a physical sense, we need to look at our physical limitations in a spiritual sense.

Seeing physical limitations in a spiritual sense enable us to see unlimited spiritual opportunities.

When we see our physical world in a spiritual way, walls, barriers, and mountains begin to disappear.

There are worldly limitations in all our worldly life.

However, there are no limitations in our spiritual life.

Going from the physical life to the spiritual life is a great and wonderful journey that causes us to lose sight of self.

After losing sight of self we then see Jesus more clearly and can follow Him.

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Defining Biblical Visions And Dreams

Acts 2:17--- And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

According to the dictionary, a dream is either;

(1) A group of ideas or images in our mind during sleep, or

(2) A wild or vain fancy.

That kind of thinking and definition give dreams a bad image, no pun intended.

Dreams are also thought of in negative terms when it comes to daydreaming.

Daydreamers are talked about and considered odd or unproductive.

Granted, there is no place or reason for people not doing their job when the job needs done.

However, dreaming can and should be a constructive and beneficial activity when we dream right and dream in God’s spirit.

We can define constructive dreaming as seeing in your mind's eye a picture of the future.

What you put into your picture of the future is a choice you can make before you start the dreaming process.

Great works for God do not grow on trees.

Great works for God usually begin with a dream or vision in someone’s heart, mind, and soul.

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What To Do To Have Victory Over Defeat

John 10:10---I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Defeat can look certain.

Darkness can seem to loom over the horizon and no light seems to penetrate the doom.

The world and your life can be a grim place.

However, victory is at hand.

The victory is yours.

For even when you get old, gray, and feeble, there awaits for you a new life and a new place to live.

Your new place to live is Heaven.

Because you have Heaven waiting, you have a life full of hope in the here and now when hope seems gone.

Christ came giving you a message, a vision, and a hope in eternal life.

Christ came and surrendered up His life so you could have life eternal. Your life is never over.

You may die in the body, but who you are as an energized living soul remains alive after you die.

Where you go in your life after your body quits working here on earth is based upon decisions you make now.

If you choose the way and teachings of Christ, you have a new life just ahead of you.

No matter how hopeless or fruitless things seem now, your future can be bright and gleaming.

The beaming love and powerful healing touch of Christ reaches your heart if you will open up to Him.

Your new life in the future starts now.

Your new life full of promise, full of meaning, full of purpose, and full of an overwhelming mission starts now.

In Christ, there is no end.

In Christ, there are only eternal beginnings.

Praise God For Our Victory Over Death

1 Corinthians 15:55---O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

The sadness of losing someone in death may keep us from seeing the realities of Christ.

Death is the final battle of our life on earth.

No person on earth can escape the toll of the terrorist called death.

However, there is a great "However" because death is an illusion.

Instead of the illusion of defeat called death, we have the reality of victory in Christ.

In Christ, we will never die if we accept Christ as Lord and Savior.

The forces of nature acting upon our physical body will take physical life from us.

However, in Christ, we have a new eternal life.

What Satan will destroy in our body, Christ will lift up in our spirit.

When there appears to be a certain defeat at the hands of Satan, there is a certain victory in the nail-scarred hands of Christ.

As we approach the last steps of our physical journey on earth, we have an eternal hope, for our journey of life has no real end.

When our physical earthly journey comes to an end, there is instead, a new beginning…the beginning of eternal life in Heaven.

In Christ, the ultimate defeat of our earthly physical life called death becomes our ultimate spiritual victory when we inherit eternal life in heaven.

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When Hard Times Come

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What Treasure Is Controlling You?

Matthew 6:20---Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven .

Many young people are building their lives on the rock of materialism.

I find across the country a deep economic discontent among people in every walk of life.

People want more and more things.

They forget that we are enjoying the highest standard of living the world has ever known.

We still have poverty, and hundreds of agencies are trying to do something about it; but we are dissatisfied.

We want more, more, more.

But Jesus said, “You cannot serve God and money.” He said that a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things that he possesses.

Adolf Berle, in his study of power, points out that riches often make people solitary and lonely and, of course, afraid.

Many times a rich man knows loneliness and fear, because when he makes wealth his god, it leaves him empty.

You see, without God life loses its zest and purpose and meaning.

With God nothing shall be impossible to you.

His invitation is still come unto Me.

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What To Do When Your Love Grows Cold

John 15:13---Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

As human beings we go through an enormous variety of emotions.

Feelings are part of life’s color; when we don’t feel anything, life can seem flat and drab.

As tough as it is to admit, loving our Lord falls in this category.

While His love for us is constant and eternal, some days, because we are human and sinful beings, we don’t naturally feel a sense of love overflowing toward Him.

When we find loving our Lord difficult, how can we renew our love for Him?

We do this by remembering His suffering for us.

I am amazed at how glibly or thoughtless we repeat the words, “Christ died for my sins,” without considering the incredible truth contained therein.

When we remember Christ’s anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane, the agony He suffered at the hands of the high priest and Pontius Pilate, the excruciating death He endured on the cross, then love for our Lord and Savior should flood our hearts.

This is why the Lord’s Supper is so important.

It reminds us of His sufferings on our behalf.

When we fix our minds on that thought—that our Creator died for us—our love for Him will be renewed.

Whenever you feel that your love for the Lord has grown cold, climb the mountain of Calvary and breathe in the fresh air from Heaven.

This will renew your soul and increase your spiritual vitality.

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When Your Get Up And Go Has Got Up And Went!

Psalm 13:3 Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death

Life is, for most of us, a series of peaks and valleys.

We have times of great enthusiasm and spirit.

We can also have times of no enthusiasm, even times of depression.

When we have times of great enthusiasm we can stand on the mountaintop, even thinking we are at the top of life itself.

However, we are not.

When we are in the valley and we are down, we can think God has abandoned us.

However, God never abandons us.

When we are on the mountaintop and we think we have the power, God is giving us the mountain as He enables us to get to the top.

When we are in the valley, God has not abandoned us, for we have either lost Him or abandoned Him.

In both cases, we must remember our enthusiasm for life and life's opportunities flow into us by how thankful we are for what we have.

We must remember to be thankful in times of plenty or in times of poverty.

Our enthusiasm for life must not be tied to what we have or do not have.

Our enthusiasm for life must remain rooted in the source of all blessings….Christ Jesus hanging from His Cross where He gave all of Himself for each of us.