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Showing posts from December, 2013

Twelve Gifts from God | Significance

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Significance  Matthew 18:12-14 -The Voice A shepherd in charge of 100 sheep notices that one of his sheep has gone astray. What do you think he should do? Should the shepherd leave the flock on the hills unguarded to search for the lost sheep? God’s shepherd goes to look for that one lost sheep, 13 and when he finds her, he is happier about her return than he is about the 99 who stayed put. 14 Your Father in heaven does not want a single one of the tripped, waylaid, stumbling little ones to be lost. Monday of Christmas week . Right about now you’ve probably gone down memory lane remembering your childhood Christmases, the family and friends who were part of those memories, and a thousand little memories of this miraculous week of yesteryears. Those memories will make you laugh, cry or shake your head. It’s all in your perspective. I’m going to challenge you to see through God-colored lenses for the rest of the year. Inst

Twelve Gifts from God | Companionship

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Dec. 18, 2013 Companionship   Isaiah 58:11  The Eternal One will never leave you; He will lead you in the way that you should go. When you feel dried up and worthless, God will nourish you and give you strength. And you will grow like a garden lovingly tended; you will be like a spring whose water never runs out. Living a "perfect" or good life without knowing God plunged me into silent desperation, which led to painful loneliness even when I was with a room full of people that I knew well and liked.   – Blanca Velasquez from the post,  Anyone out there lonely ? 

Twelve Gifts from God | PRAYER

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Ephesians 6:18 The Voice PRAYER Pray in the Spirit. Pray about everything in every way you know how! And keeping all this in mind, pray on behalf of God’s people. Keep on praying feverishly, and be on the lookout until evil has been stayed.  Paul knows that the real battles and dangers we face are not against flesh and blood. The enemies we see are real enough, but they are animated by spiritual forces of darkness that stay strategically hidden from view. These powers often reveal themselves in institutional evils—genocide, terror, tyranny, and oppression—but the weapons needed to combat them are not earthly weapons at all. What is needed, Paul advises, is to stand firm in God’s power and to suit up in the full armor of God. Although the devil and his demon armies are destined for destruction, they are serious threats now and must be resisted and beaten back. For Paul, the best offensive weapons we have are the word of God and prayer. Pray always.   - The

Twelve Gifts from God | Faith

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Mark 9:23 The Voice Faith Jesus: What do you mean, “If there’s anything?” All things are possible, if you only believe. Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time. – Oswald Chambers Check back to read The Twelve Gifts of God through Christmas Day. His gifts to us are immeasurable and His love infinite. He is the reason we celebrate Christmas.

Twelve Gifts from God | Purpose

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John 15:4 TLB PURPOSE Take care to live in me, and let me live in you. For a branch can’t produce fruit when severed from the vine. Nor can you be fruitful apart from me. When you fully comprehend that there is more to life than just here and now, and you realize that life is just preparation for eternity, you will begin to live differently. You will start living in the light of eternity, and that will color how you handle every relationship, task, and circumstance. Suddenly, many activities, goals, and even problems that seemed so important will appear trivial, petty, and unworthy of your attention. The closer you live to God, the smaller everything else appears.  – Pastor Rick Warren from The Purpose Driven Life Check back to read The Twelve Gifts of God through Christmas Day. His gifts to us are immeasurable and His love infinite. He is the reason we celebrate Christmas.

Twelve Gifts from God | Understanding

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Today marks one year since my mother passed into the eternal hands of the Lord. I miss her presence, but I’ll see her again. I wrote the post below on April 7, 2011.  John 11:35 Jesus wept. Those two words –   Jesus wept   -   started my writing ministry several years ago. And, those two words encouraged me today. Just knowing that the Savior of the universe, the Son of God and my precious Jesus wept, comforted my sad heart.   My heart is heavy for my mother who is critically ill. It’s a helpless feeling to see someone we love suffering. Today I started to plunge into deep sadness, and then I remembered that I am connected to a tender and loving God. I recalled how he worked in my Mother’s life during the past difficult week.   I immediately reactivated my faith and asked the Lord to clear my heart – to walk with me in my sadness. As I connected to the Lord, he brought that Scripture to my mind. As I read the story of the death of Lazarus, I realized that it’s oka

Twelve Gifts from God | HOPE

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Psalm 119:114  HOPE You are my hiding place and my shield of protection;  I hope in Your word.  Hope is not what you expect--it's what you would never dream. ~ Max Lucado  Check back to  read The Twelve Gifts of God through Christmas Day. His gifts to us are immeasurable and His love infinite. He is the reason we celebrate Christmas. 

Twelve Gifts from God | Goodness

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Psalm 31:19 TLB Goodness  Oh, how great is your goodness to those who publicly declare that you will rescue them. For you have stored up great blessings for those who trust and reverence you.  We don't see the fingerprints, handprints and footprints of God's goodness around us.    ~ Dr. Charles Stanley  Check back to  read The Twelve Gifts of God through Christmas Day. His gifts to us are immeasurable and His love infinite. He is the reason we celebrate Christmas. 

What happens when you are scattered? John 16:32

John 16:32a Be aware that a time is coming when you will be scattered like seeds. In this Scripture, Jesus warns the Disciples that they will be on their own after he finishes his Earthly mission. He chose these men and spent three years sharing his heart. But it wasn’t meant to be forever. They would have to receive the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, the one who would teach them what they needed to know to fulfill God’s plan. This meant that they had to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, to accept His power and the ministries that God planned for each one. Do you depend on others to increase your faith; to be there to remind you that God exists when your world falls apart; or when things are somber?  There’s a place for community and having people pray, but at the end of the day do you go directly to God? Do you have that relationship with the Lord, so that you know He will hold your hand through the fiery trials of life? Do you need the comfort of a church buildi

31 Days of Your Word

Day 1 Peace Psalm 29:11 The Voice  We ask You, Eternal One, to give strength to Your people; Eternal One, bless them with the gift of peace Day 2 What The Lord wants Micah 6:8 NCV The Lord has told you, human, what is good; he has told you what he wants from you: to do what is right to other people, love being kind to others, and live humbly, obeying your God. Day 3 Bless The Lord Praise to the Lord of Love Psalm 103:1 NCV All that I am, praise the Lord; everything in me, praise his holy name. Day 4 He is always there Psalm 121:3-4 TLB He will never let me stumble, slip, or fall. For he is always watching, never sleeping. Day 5 The beauty of heaven Revelation 21:21 The Voice  The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate expertly crafted from a single beautiful pearl. And the city street was pure gold, yet it was as transparent as glass. Day 6 I will not fear Psalm 56:3 CEV but even when I am afraid, I keep on trusting you.