Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
MY TESTIMONY
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Learn About God's Strategic Will
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Sunday, October 19, 2014
A better plan
I never knew you?
Matthew 7:21-23 (NKJV)
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
How can God not know someone?
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
How can God not know someone?
Monday, October 13, 2014
My back deck
I was out on my back deck tonight. It had been raining but now the evening, though overcast, was warm and pleasant. I decided to start a fire.
I noticed that the wood had got rained on and was quite wet. But I made a nice pile of wood in my fire pit and thought if I put some fuel on it, that I could start a good fire.
As I lit the fuel the flames burst forth. But quickly died out because the wood had not caught on fire. So I put more fuel on the pile and lit another match. This time I thought if the flames started to die out I would just blow on the fire to try to keep it going. I blew and blew until I got dizzy and needed to stop. You could tell some of the wood had caught on fire because you could see faint amber's glowing, but they quickly died out.
I'm not one to give up so I again poured more fuel on the pile and lit it with another match. To my frustration the same thing began to happen all over again. But then out of nowhere the wind began to pick up. The trees in my backyard began to sway and I felt the wind on my face.
You could hear the flames whipping up as the wind began to fan the flames. My meager breath trying to blow the embers was nothing compared to the power of the wind that set the embers a glowing and they quickly met each other and started the fire that I was hoping for.
There is just one problem. The wood quickly burnt down and I had to go and find more.
Fresh wind, fresh fire needs fresh fuel. Go out and gather it.
I noticed that the wood had got rained on and was quite wet. But I made a nice pile of wood in my fire pit and thought if I put some fuel on it, that I could start a good fire.
As I lit the fuel the flames burst forth. But quickly died out because the wood had not caught on fire. So I put more fuel on the pile and lit another match. This time I thought if the flames started to die out I would just blow on the fire to try to keep it going. I blew and blew until I got dizzy and needed to stop. You could tell some of the wood had caught on fire because you could see faint amber's glowing, but they quickly died out.
I'm not one to give up so I again poured more fuel on the pile and lit it with another match. To my frustration the same thing began to happen all over again. But then out of nowhere the wind began to pick up. The trees in my backyard began to sway and I felt the wind on my face.
You could hear the flames whipping up as the wind began to fan the flames. My meager breath trying to blow the embers was nothing compared to the power of the wind that set the embers a glowing and they quickly met each other and started the fire that I was hoping for.
There is just one problem. The wood quickly burnt down and I had to go and find more.
Fresh wind, fresh fire needs fresh fuel. Go out and gather it.
The Will of the One who has "All Authority"
Matt. 28:18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying,...
19 Go therefore (So now because of this go) and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth...
19 Go therefore (So now because of this go) and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Humble & Dependant
Dependant, Blameless and Repentant
Now is not a time to prepare for the future. To equip our youth with biblical principles of leadership and strategies to evangelize the nations. Now is the time to call our youth to a humble, dependant, day to day, walk with God. Where Proverbs 3:5-6 is the operative state and the goal is to be blameless and live repentantly. (Power & Strength is needed)
Tarry until and Occupy (A.B. Simpson)
WHAT DOES IT TAKE?
Not great skill or knowledge or learning. Not position or riches...
The Beatitudes!
Adam & Eve walked with God.
Enoch walked with God and God took him.
Elijah walked with God.
Proverbs 6:16-19 (NKJV) 16.These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.
Question: "What does the Bible say about repentance? What does it mean to repent?"
Answer: The word repentance in the Bible literally means “the act of changing one’s mind.” True biblical repentance goes beyond remorse, regret, or feeling bad about one’s sin. It involves more than merely turning away from sin. Eerdmans Bible Dictionary includes this definition of repentance: “In its fullest sense it is a term for a complete change of orientation involving a judgment upon the past and a deliberate redirection for the future.” https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-repentance.html
Now is not a time to prepare for the future. To equip our youth with biblical principles of leadership and strategies to evangelize the nations. Now is the time to call our youth to a humble, dependant, day to day, walk with God. Where Proverbs 3:5-6 is the operative state and the goal is to be blameless and live repentantly. (Power & Strength is needed)
Tarry until and Occupy (A.B. Simpson)
WHAT DOES IT TAKE?
Not great skill or knowledge or learning. Not position or riches...
The Beatitudes!
Adam & Eve walked with God.
Enoch walked with God and God took him.
Elijah walked with God.
Proverbs 6:16-19 (NKJV) 16.These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.
Question: "What does the Bible say about repentance? What does it mean to repent?"
Answer: The word repentance in the Bible literally means “the act of changing one’s mind.” True biblical repentance goes beyond remorse, regret, or feeling bad about one’s sin. It involves more than merely turning away from sin. Eerdmans Bible Dictionary includes this definition of repentance: “In its fullest sense it is a term for a complete change of orientation involving a judgment upon the past and a deliberate redirection for the future.” https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-repentance.html
Have a Hope
God says he has a plan for you. Are you paying attention?
Who did Jesus say had the greatest faith? What did the Centurion understand? (Authority)
What did it motivate him to do? He asked Jesus to "give the command". What was Jesus' answer?
A promise!
Abraham's faith was based on a promise. He believed God and it was accounted to him righteousness.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please God. For he that cometh to God, must believe that he is, and is a rewarder to them that seek him.
What is the reward?
2 Corinthians 1:20. For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
Hebrews 6:13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14 saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 16 For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. 17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, 18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.
Jeremiah 29:11 RSV "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."
Who did Jesus say had the greatest faith? What did the Centurion understand? (Authority)
What did it motivate him to do? He asked Jesus to "give the command". What was Jesus' answer?
A promise!
Abraham's faith was based on a promise. He believed God and it was accounted to him righteousness.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please God. For he that cometh to God, must believe that he is, and is a rewarder to them that seek him.
What is the reward?
2 Corinthians 1:20. For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
Hebrews 6:13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14 saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 16 For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. 17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, 18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Incongruous:
incongruous
[in-kong-groo-uh s]
adjective
1.
out of keeping or place; inappropriate; unbecoming:
an incongruous effect; incongruous behavior.
2.
not harmonious in character; inconsonant; lacking harmony of parts:
Monday, October 6, 2014
Aware
conscious
(followed by `of') showing realization or recognition of something
sensible
aware intuitively or intellectually of something sensed
witting
aware or knowing
conscious
knowing and perceiving; having awareness of surroundings and sensations and thoughts