tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59179938377430941962024-03-12T15:03:40.214-07:00heavenlystrengthJeannie Hortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041832831353943157noreply@blogger.comBlogger305125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917993837743094196.post-16941550765949093202024-03-03T15:20:00.000-08:002024-03-03T17:59:31.521-08:00Wayward Daughter Coming HomeThis is in reponse to my daughter's post, "My book of Freedom." Her story of how she got out of an abusive relationship. You can read that on my blog or here: <br>https://heavenlystrength.blogspot.com/2024/03/my-book-of-freedom.html
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There is not one part of me that wants to write this post. It brings back way too many sad memories. I have held off writing this for about 2 years. But, I think it's important because there are quite a few parents whose children are in distressing relationships. That being said, there are many things that I could have written, but this post would have been so much longer, and a bit embarrassing for my daughter. In my parenting, I didn't do everything right, I did many things wrong. That being said, I'm not even sure where to start, so I suppose I'll start with the end.
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My daughter's name is Naomi. She is 23 and happily married to the love of her life, Spencer. Spencer is a very loving and patient young man who loves her, his family, and Jesus with all his heart. They live on his parent's property in a cute "mother-in-law" type home, surrounded by a forest with my two cat grandsons.
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Naomi has always had a huge heart for God. It was her idea a few years ago that she and I go on two 10-day mission trips to Chacalte Guatemala with a team from church. A trip that forever changed our lives. Currently, she is attending church every week. She ministers to the youth at her church, and she desires to go back to Chacalte for her 3rd trip, where we are sponsoring 2 teenage girls.
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It hasn't always been so wonderful for my daughter. She lost her way when she was 16. She met a boy we'll call Tim during her Sophomore year in high school. Tim was not the right fit for her. I'm not sure where he is now in his place in life, but back then, he too was trying to be an adult too early in life. They met at church. He convinced her to move out of our home, and in with him. She loved him and wanted her independence, so she left, in the middle of the night.
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Tim was somewhat likable by his peers. We noticed he talked a lot and had high energy. You barely could get a word in, however. But something about him was off. We didn't like him. I tried several times to get to know him, but intuition was speaking loudly that he was a little troubled and not right for her. You see, with the help of a pastor, I was able to realize that she was being emotionally and verbally abused by Tim. He too was a victim of abuse, and he likely was taking his anger out on her.
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Naomi's sweet disposition began to change. She was attempting stuff that she wouldn't normally do, pulling away from God, and she was angry. She began to bring up sins from my past as a way to discredit my parenting.
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My daughter moved out of our home three times while with Tim, twice in the middle of the night, against my best wishes. They'd break up but quickly get back together. My other daughter would come into our room to let us know that she had left. The first time she moved out, I fought it. I wanted her to stay, but I couldn't convince her. She called the police because she had the right to her stuff since she was 18. The policeman came into our home, with her outside. I sobbed, and he 100% sided with me, but unfortunately she was an adult. He tried to talk to her as a fatherly figure but was unable to get through to her. She loved Tim. There was an instance when she came back home to pick something up. We tried again to convince her he wasn't right for her, but she didn't want to listen. When she came out of the house, I told her that she wasn't welcome at home. I can still remember the look she gave me. The words still haunt me to this day. I have apologized so many times, but it was a bad mistake.
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One evening when she was back at home. She was coming back from a church youth retreat. I kept expecting her to return and it got later and later in the evening. I left a message on her phone. But, her battery was about to die. She did text and left a message that she was at the fair. She didn't say with whom. Her phone went dead. I waited and waited for her to come home. When it came time for the fair to be long over, panic sent in. The worst possible thoughts that I could come up with came flooding into my brain. I went down to the fair to look for her, after talking with a police officer on the phone. The parking lots were empty. I had a feeling that perhaps she took her girlfriend home, who lives at a distance. I realized later that this was not the case. At about 2 AM, her car pulled into our driveway and I fell to my knees, sobbing, I was so happy to see her, she was okay. Yet, she had been with Tim!
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Naomi had been hired to house-sit for my husband's coworker John (fictional name) for a few days in the summer. The man had two Dobermans, an amazing setup for the dogs, and a really good security system. She was supposed to follow a schedule for the dogs which included a strict diet, and having them inside the house early in the evening. She decided to have Tim stay the night with her and the dogs were left outside until, well until I came over. We learned about her bad deeds when John called Brett late one night to let him know that he could hear a man's voice in the house with Naomi. Remember I mentioned his amazing security system? John was able to hear everything that was said inside his house whenever there was an alert. To sugarcoat things, I went over there and scolded both their asses all the way back to drop Tim off at his father's house. John later mentioned to my husband he would never want me angry with him.
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We belong to a foursquare church and we were at a worship night. I was also battling with another hard decision. We decided to get a dog and were trying it out. It was really bad timing to get the dog. The dog itself needed a therapist. I decided two things that night: 1. I didn't want the dog, and 2. I didn't want to be at the church that night. So after a while, we got up and left. We walked out of the sanctuary, going the long way back to our car. We could still hear what was taking place inside the sanctuary. We all of a sudden heard a prophecy being spoken over a family that has a wayward daughter. It was about us! We stopped in the doorway to listen. It was a few minutes long but mentioned that she would be coming home. I was stunned. I have never had a prophecy spoken over me in my walk with God. Even though I had goosebumps, I felt my spirits lifted. Little did I know, her coming home, wouldn't be instantly and without more struggle.
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A few days later, I heard from God. He said, "You know what to do." I started reading scripture over her daily, I would pray getting down on my knees and face on her behalf, and I'd dedicate Christian songs to her. I'd invite her over to talk, and I told her I loved her. Not only did I seek counseling, but I encouraged her to do the same even though it meant, my image of being a Theology student might be shattered. That didn't matter, her getting help was most important. I spoke with a woman over the phone from our church, and one of the most important things that she said to me was, "God loves her more than you do." He wasn't going to let her stay in this condition, far out of reach for long. God was going to bring her back to Him.
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One of the afternoons, I tried calling her, but she didn't pick up her cell phone. I just wanted to know if she was alright, I grabbed my younger daughter and we went to their place. What I saw peeking through the window was extremely disheartening. That wasn't her. I saw someone troubled, in a bad place, who wanted out. This was one of several times that I had to go looking for her, even very late in the evening and it didn't always go without the police being called.
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They would break up so many times, and she would always run back to him. She was being pressured to stay with him: pressure because she wanted to live on her own and unfortunately, he would use sexual coercion to pressure her to stay. Naomi was being manipulated emotionally. She felt threatened, belittled, humiliated, and was often talked into having sex.
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I remember praying desperately that God would just send someone that she could be just friends with for now, and quickly. So this person could provide a distraction. And, I told her, you keep going back to Tim, you keep holding on to him with all your might. What you don't see is that God has someone better for you, but you can't see it." She eventually had the courage to leave him for good. When she used her willpower to leave him, God opened up the doors of heaven, intervened, and helped her.
Then, in walks Spencer...
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I have since prayed for Tim many times, and I truly hope that he too has had a touch from God, is in repentance, and doing the will of God. We hold no ill will towards him.
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It was a few months ago that she told me she was raised right. One evening about a month ago, she and Spencer came with us to a worship night. When I saw her worshiping God with her arms stretched high toward heaven, tears came streaming down my face and I breathed out a sense of relief, knowing things were as they should be.
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If you too have a child who has lost their way, never, ever give up. Keep telling them you love them, and pray. Give it all to God, because he too loves them more than you do.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-EyMMEp0hNG5bPd6VX5rLfy9enXRGTsMGL_YuaDaTgYotpO5J0AwEelxjqrQzYVW2kSZG2MQ1xp0vdm4MI2TwmQw4pEtcFDTNdVtCHXEEYcs8jEvJ1TkgNrCgu8b3okvUA2fb80OsqjF5-FFXGowlKuSZbtfyEtxcIE4fGGpsStVQdIO9xgOcWD6rV5-z/s1080/Screenshot_20240303_151205_Photos~2.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="711" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-EyMMEp0hNG5bPd6VX5rLfy9enXRGTsMGL_YuaDaTgYotpO5J0AwEelxjqrQzYVW2kSZG2MQ1xp0vdm4MI2TwmQw4pEtcFDTNdVtCHXEEYcs8jEvJ1TkgNrCgu8b3okvUA2fb80OsqjF5-FFXGowlKuSZbtfyEtxcIE4fGGpsStVQdIO9xgOcWD6rV5-z/s200/Screenshot_20240303_151205_Photos~2.jpg"/></a></div>
Photo by Kayla Horton https://kaylahortondesign.wixsite.com/kaylahorton
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National Sexual Assault Hotline
Hours: Available 24 hours
1-800-656-4673
https://abuserecovery.org/Jeannie Hortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041832831353943157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917993837743094196.post-26869795619693245502024-03-03T15:05:00.000-08:002024-03-03T15:05:52.038-08:00My Book of Freedom Written October 2021
By Naomi Horton, guest writer
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I was in an awful and abusive relationship. None of my family and friends approved of it.
They always told me that he was not good for me and he would drag my life downhill. My mom
would sit me down at our polished dining room table with ice-cold water and plead with me to
come back home. Every time, I felt the need to shrug her off because I loved him, at least I kept
telling myself. Each time I pushed my mom’s words away, it reminded me of the truth I refused
to confront. I was in a very toxic environment that I was in with him. I was sad and angry for
many reasons, And I had let go of so many rules and morals for him. I used to be a youth group
leader, healthy, outgoing, and organized, but that’s not how the world looked for me anymore.
The culture of our apartment was unsalvageable as it seemed to mirror the relationship we had.
Piles of random belongings sat in every square foot, and a designated mountain of trash sat next
to the reeking kitchen. When he wanted the place cleaned up, it was just me tidying it up and him
lurking on the couch with advantage written in his eyes. He had made all these different promises
on trips we would go on and dates that would just linger in dying excitement. He was a liar,
abuser, and cheater, and it was time for me to move on.
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The day we met felt like another ordinary 10th-grade day for me. We were both going to
our church’s youth group. The lukewarm air smelled like freshly grown flowers surrounding the
church’s premises, and the leaves were just beginning to sprout tiny green leaves. When we met,
my friend wanted to show me a guy she was interested in. She pointed him out from across the
loud hallway filled with excited students, waiting at the youth room door ready to play games
and sing their hearts out to worship. He made his way over to her, but her friend distracted her,
greeting her with hugs and excitement. For a moment, he and I stood there like statues until he
introduced himself to me. We hit it off great and kept sneaking in conversation during the entire
service. After the message was over, we continued to talk outside in the dying sunlight. At this
point, he was quick to open up about his past abuse and relationships. I felt strongly empathetic
towards him. How could such a charming, bright guy go through that much for being so young?
When it was time to go, we exchanged phone numbers and continued our conversation over text.
I opened up to him too, which had no comparison to his tragic story. I never felt more ordinary in
my life at that point. Some time went by, and after a few days of talking over the phone, he asked
me out. Longing for love, I said yes. Little did I know that yes would trail into three long years
of heartache and pain.
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I was so desperate to get out of the relationship. I felt hopeless. Each day that passed, I
became angrier and angrier with myself that I kept allowing time to pass by. I let down my
family, friends, and even my beloved cat Braiden for not being his cuddle buddy at night.
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I went to my youth pastor because I wanted to know if I was still allowed on the youth
leadership team or not. With a deep sigh, she informed me I could not serve on the team and
needed to work on myself. I felt sentenced to a life full of abuse and regret. Tears streamed down
my face. What she meant was until I broke up with him and moved out of his place. I didn’t
blame her. I wanted out too. It was hard to relax back on the soft fake fur beanbag chair, even
with the humidifier spitting out soothing peppermint fumes on the corner shelf. I stared down at
the floral church carpet zoned out with tears covering my face. I felt embarrassed and as if I had
let down everyone close to me. I knew I wanted to leave him too. I was desperate to, but I loved
him, and that’s what sucked. My focus zoomed back in on the book my pastor had given me. I
wiped my tears away on my warm, cotton sleeves, now covered in smeared mascara, and took
the soft-covered book from her hands. The cover has a tattooed-like picture of a heart with a
dove flying across the middle trailing a golden ribbon with the bold red font, Swipe Right, by
Levi Lusko. Little did I know, this book would save my future, my life.
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The book Swipe Right is filled with examples of many happy relationships and
lives that I hoped could be my own. My heart burned with inspiration, and it assisted me in
looking at my relationship. I realized my relationship was genuinely abusive, depowering, and he
was someone I did not want to commit my life to anymore. Reading this book also made me
painfully realize I had no love for him because, in the book, the author describes his marriage
and what a healthy relationship looks like. In the author’s eyes, relationships are not constant
screaming matches or controlling in any situation. They’re supposed to be full of love, 50/50,
and decisions that are made are supposed to be equally agreed on. I found myself in awe and
jealousy. As I read, I became more and more eager to turn each page.
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I may have taken away so much from the book, but my eyes and cheeks never remained
dry while reading it. My relationship looked nothing like anyone else’s. I had no love for him in
a very long time. Part of me still wondered if I could fix him. But each time I found hope that
maybe I could help heal him, my heart split in two, reminding myself I couldn’t help him. I
always tried to help him by talking about his faith, suggesting talking with counselors, etc.
Nothing ever seemed to work out. It was hopeless.
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After taking 11 weeks to read and learn the message in this book, more pain began to set
in. As I compared my relationship to all the book’s teachings, I felt influenced. I put my foot
down, demanding to myself, I am finally getting out of that unceasing relationship. I finally
decided to move back in with my family. The minute I told my mom I wanted to come back
home, I felt immense relief as if I had felt a raindrop in the middle of a California drought.
Impassioned that same evening, I quickly but cautiously drove my way back to his apartment and
finally poured out my bruised heart to him. It felt as if I had bricks stuck in my lungs that I could
finally spit out. His vicious protest did not affect me as I gathered my things. It sounded just as
pathetic when he used to yell at me like that before. “No! Do not fucking hang up on me!” He
used to say on the phone with deep breaths of anger. Or “You're such a spoiled little brat,” said
with fake laughter mixed in his words. Those words affected me back then, but they don’t affect
me now. After shoving all my belongings into the trunk of my car, I finally took my car through
the windy neighborhood roads for the very last time. I was so exhilarated to be back home and be
back with my family into their loving, open arms, hearing them tell me with eyes full of tears
how proud they were of me.
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It was a massive wave of peace in my life knowing I’m out of the storm, and I have other
opportunities in front of me now for a better life and a better relationship to come.
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Although I may have gone through an ocean of pain and heartache through my last
relationship, I can’t take myself to regret going through it because I had no idea how one little
200-page book could change the course of my life. I was walking through the bushes and
stumbling over large boulders instead of taking the clear path. I am immensely grateful for
receiving Swipe Right and becoming who I am today. I have a great family relationship, I’m back
on the leadership team, and I just passed my six-month anniversary with the absolute love of my
life, all because of the great experience I had with My Book of Freedom
Jeannie Hortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041832831353943157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917993837743094196.post-6131389905463854292024-03-01T13:42:00.000-08:002024-03-01T17:48:16.842-08:00Daring to be SOBERLY Different
Alcohol is a depressant that can alter our emotional state. It energizes us and lowers our inhibitions. We relax and unwind when it is consumed. Honestly, drinking alcohol, for most, is fine, but only under the right circumstances. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHnhMg70OSoAMTjX9djQcPSgtN-sZQ6wqvGFVEwOYnyLPKxT44G0p098m_Vi4qh-ywMhN2kw7_YunLElbPqmhjSzDZ4wkUi3u36oSF9l2-Xej5PbpkfQiND0KWp9_weu11Daf6Aej9NDJacWnFVacyde4BnZO6MsfQzX1Yltq7gbgn84Uq4j2fU9HIgQy/s720/429588610_122141946296088771_9191349550659475317_n.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: right; float: right;"><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHnhMg70OSoAMTjX9djQcPSgtN-sZQ6wqvGFVEwOYnyLPKxT44G0p098m_Vi4qh-ywMhN2kw7_YunLElbPqmhjSzDZ4wkUi3u36oSF9l2-Xej5PbpkfQiND0KWp9_weu11Daf6Aej9NDJacWnFVacyde4BnZO6MsfQzX1Yltq7gbgn84Uq4j2fU9HIgQy/s200/429588610_122141946296088771_9191349550659475317_n.jpg"/></a></div>
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Alcohol advertisers spend about $2 billion per year on alcohol ads. So, through the media, we're constantly bombarded with alcohol ads. The ads suggest things like, after a long, hard day, we've earned the right to relax and have a drink. The ads say, "Going out with friends? Relax and have a drink! Stressed, bored, lonely, or need to relax? Have a drink!" Why has drinking alcohol become the catalyst for fun and relaxation? Is drinking the answer? We see our favorite celebrities and very attractive people drinking. They're laughing and having a good time. Advertisers have portrayed drinking alcohol as something good, happy, and even sexy because they are paid a lot of money to do so. We see these ads, and we compare what we see with our own lives which may be less than glamorous and a little lonely. We think that we too can be like those people if we only drink alcohol. It's a pressure.
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There is this expectation in our society that by the time we are 21, we have earned the right to have an alcoholic drink. Young adults are asked, "Where are you going out on your 21st birthday?" "Who's going to be your designated driver?" And everyone close to the young adult wants to be there to witness that "special" moment in their life. It's implied the 21-year-old is going to drink. Well, why not? They are finally 21! Right? That's pressure.
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There is nothing wrong with most people having a drink or two. Many people can and will continue to enjoy drinking alcohol and they will never cause any problems to themselves or others. But there is this constant portrayal of alcohol through the media that we won't be hurt by drinking, that it is normal and fun. In reality, drinking has a dark side. Alcohol is a drug and can cause problems. Drinking alcohol causes people to make bad decisions, alcohol can cause accidents, illness, disease, fights, abuse, sexual assaults, injury, and death. According to the CDC, about 178,000 people die from excessive alcohol use in the U.S. each year. When we lived in California, there was a teacher who had a few drinks one night at an adult party, and he drove home. He ended up hitting another driver, and the victim died in an accident. The teacher went to jail. He was a family man and a well-respected teacher who made a terrible choice one evening and had to pay the consequences for a terrible decision. I also know people who have had a few too many drinks and have been seriously injured.
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I have two adult daughters, yet when my kids were young, I was hurting from a situation that I was in, and so I drank to numb my pain. Back then, I'd have more than a 5-ounce glass of wine, sometimes several, or I'd drink hard alcohol. My bottom was the day when my daughter was in preschool. I had at least 6 shots within a few hours. When it was time to pick her up, I drove to get her with my younger daughter in the car. Luckily for everyone, I didn't have to drive far, but I was still in no position to do so. I remember putting them in my car to drive home. My neighbor was parked next to me and I swore he looked at me strangely. For weeks, I thought he and everyone at the church preschool knew, but nobody said anything. I was so ashamed of what I did. For years, I didn't mention this incident to anyone, until one day I read somewhere, "What is kept in darkness, has power over you." I knew that Satan had control over me in this situation, and so I confessed it to my Bible study. And, the roof didn't come tumbling down upon me. I was prayed for, and delivered, and I felt so much relief.
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Years later, I had my drinking under control. I had spent many years between the time my kids were little and 2013 as a long-distance runner. Running was my outlet, not wine, even though I still would enjoy it occasionally. I would have just 1 glass of wine. It was enough for me. After seriously injuring my knee, I was told by a physician that I wasn't an alcoholic but was addicted to wine. When he asked how much I drank, I sarcastically replied, "Well, a glass is considered 5 ounces, but since I don't like to follow rules, I have 6 ounces." For years, I only had one 5–6-ounce glass of red wine. I even measured it. My husband always asked me why I needed to keep measuring it. Well, because I enjoyed my evening glass of wine, which came within the 7 o'clock hour, and didn't want to shortchange myself. If I had a late outing, coming home at 8, I'd still have a little. I was considered a wine snob. I told everyone that it was biblical to drink, as 1 Timothy 5:23 says, "No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments." I didn't necessarily have a problem with drinking by any kind of alcoholic definition: I was not an alcoholic. But it was a problem. And there was always this nagging feeling deep within that I needed to stop my nightly glass of wine. I was addicted to it and became way too dependent upon it. As a religious person, drinking wine had become my idol. Instead of turning to God, I turned to my beloved glass of wine.
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I was part of "fun" Facebook pages and groups that made you feel that it was fine to drink a lot. Some of these people were admitting to and normalizing drinking a whole bottle of wine. There were fun pictures with cute sayings that made drinking fun, even the pictures with a woman with her head in the toilet. No, this isn't funny or normal.
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I have been suffering from depression since 2021. My nightly glass of wine was relaxing. I looked forward to it. Yet, my nagging feeling that I should quit drinking became more urgent. I felt that if I quit drinking, I'd be able to sleep better at night. I was currently taking 1000 mg of Valerian root, 5 mg of melatonin, and 75 ml of CBD oil. Yet, it was hard to sleep soundly. I always woke up. As a person who loves studying and researching. I started studying. I learned that nobody with depression should drink alcohol. It is a depressant and can make depression worse: especially if you're not sleeping. Heavy users of alcohol can make their antidepressants less effective.
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I quit having my nightly glass of wine on October 3rd, 2023, and I have been sleeping so well since then. I have had some alcohol since then to taste, but I get overwhelmingly sleepy, and I don't want it. I don't want to drink. If you, too, would like to quit drinking alcohol for whatever reason may be, know that you are not alone. You can get control of it. There's no reason to be ashamed. For starters, I recommend speaking with your doctor and a trusted person. I also recommend the book Quit Like A Woman by Holly Whitaker. It is written for women, but honestly, anyone can read it and get so much out of it.
Jeannie Hortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041832831353943157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917993837743094196.post-61881224449953684852023-05-21T11:46:00.003-07:002023-05-21T11:54:00.569-07:00Happy 80th to my beautiful motherI'm truly grateful to have my mom still, and in such good health that she planned her own 80th birthday party. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjjuBYLiP6yTmOb_Kt-rk2_T3b9J7Rb9bDhRujhKUhb_lgt0WXllcc5V7Zircb_qiGoiW0gMaB82gLkKCjROPcuTzqcRfSbQBHzEJ-D_ZmDC8pmJk-qkeA7iSnLYvdecOJMbrqOivmahARUxjhWJrxOwAqJJentZIq0EFaQKqEXwnrVxpchvqOzlLBUw/s1156/348552973_1546023929139405_2484213982970236295_n.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="1156" data-original-width="867" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjjuBYLiP6yTmOb_Kt-rk2_T3b9J7Rb9bDhRujhKUhb_lgt0WXllcc5V7Zircb_qiGoiW0gMaB82gLkKCjROPcuTzqcRfSbQBHzEJ-D_ZmDC8pmJk-qkeA7iSnLYvdecOJMbrqOivmahARUxjhWJrxOwAqJJentZIq0EFaQKqEXwnrVxpchvqOzlLBUw/s320/348552973_1546023929139405_2484213982970236295_n.jpg"/></a></div>
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A mom's love is like no other. A mom is someone we look up to when we're younger. I likely took advantage of her love as a teenager and didn't understand it until I had children of my own.
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Mom's sacrifice a lot of their time, sleep, needs, and reputation sometimes and are often on their knees in prayer on their children's behalf.
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An example of this is the love of Mary, the mother of Jesus who watched her Son die a horrible death on the cross. I can't imagine her pain. I only wonder if her reputation was damaged because of those who chose not to believe in Him, who mocked, despised, tortured, and killed Him. Her love for Him was great, but watching Jesus being treated the way He was crushed her.
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My own mom has the appearance of being strong, but I wonder if she is a lot like me: it's just an appearance. My mom left home when she was 18 and paid for her own college. She was a high school teacher for many years. I understand the sacrifices she made to ensure my siblings and I had a wonderful childhood: we truly were blessed. I understand her flexibility now in allowing us the freedom to have our own rituals during the holidays. Her pain and loneliness when her children left home. I had sympathy for her when she lost her husband 10 years ago: my father. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigp7VqxCTSfYPSVjtEXsh9A4394BxZ0Bhv-fYD30lcUAx6EPZHCa2Ov7SBpRXpopS4WAd_D3h1Kc9kwSvNlcBktbnoyL2ylSsNCrtKbPhvMGgjdlsDeha1fxO-oHDPLOWqsYTlNqFmqu9ZNpSCafUMPhFoQeNOJdrWujLsU1BbE-fVk_FhFJUCndnjNw/s1156/348591152_1426237804893968_7024075493460638968_n.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: right; float: right;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="1156" data-original-width="867" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigp7VqxCTSfYPSVjtEXsh9A4394BxZ0Bhv-fYD30lcUAx6EPZHCa2Ov7SBpRXpopS4WAd_D3h1Kc9kwSvNlcBktbnoyL2ylSsNCrtKbPhvMGgjdlsDeha1fxO-oHDPLOWqsYTlNqFmqu9ZNpSCafUMPhFoQeNOJdrWujLsU1BbE-fVk_FhFJUCndnjNw/s320/348591152_1426237804893968_7024075493460638968_n.jpg"/></a></div>
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Yesterday, we celebrated with her her 80th birthday, and she was bubbly and cheerful, surrounded by many of her friends and family. I hope she feels so loved because she really is, and I know I don't tell her enough.Jeannie Hortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041832831353943157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917993837743094196.post-15519636766731133382023-05-18T12:39:00.003-07:002023-05-18T12:50:12.593-07:00For fast-acting relief, try slowing down.One sunny Saturday afternoon, I'm sitting outside with my husband, and I say, "Our neighborhood is so boring!" I said this because <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJat17OILUp2DOw1WoeMzvJPJ4qCPdwm79Bnh9Ndxnae62qn_gTw7lkPWO-OyxVRRAtgnLq0_G_3ZiEGsNaUlMZZDTmfFwUW1R1kJZnwwI4_tWdh0Qsd2gnzYiM3HbZFjPRZad0EqehVkSQFgbM4NsxYupLE08aq76oLOaByWQ3usDC0FjmNnB3KsGtQ/s1156/346824118_1217948472255974_2510966706615174744_n.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: right; float: right;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="1156" data-original-width="867" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJat17OILUp2DOw1WoeMzvJPJ4qCPdwm79Bnh9Ndxnae62qn_gTw7lkPWO-OyxVRRAtgnLq0_G_3ZiEGsNaUlMZZDTmfFwUW1R1kJZnwwI4_tWdh0Qsd2gnzYiM3HbZFjPRZad0EqehVkSQFgbM4NsxYupLE08aq76oLOaByWQ3usDC0FjmNnB3KsGtQ/s320/346824118_1217948472255974_2510966706615174744_n.jpg"/></a></div>nobody else was sitting outside, walking by, playing outside, doing yard work, or riding their bikes. It was like a deserted ghost town.
I recently read that the average person spends 93 percent of their lives outdoors. It would appear people would much rather spend their days in a square box with artificial lighting than outdoors in nature, listening to the birds.
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Being someone who suffers from depression, when it is nice enough, I'm outdoors as much as possible. It's good for the soul.
We are new empty nesters, and I have to say, I enjoy it. I might have even smiled a little when I saw my backyard neighbor clearly scolding her child. Gone are those days for us. But still, I need to find ways to destress and not take on all the woes, negativity, and ugliness of this world. I need to diligently seek out the positives. One of the ways that I can do that is to make my priorities a continuous top priority. Here are the ways that I do that:
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1. I no longer let the dogs out of their room. My husband does it. I love my dogs like the next person, but since I'm not a morning person, their hyperactivity and bit of annoyingness is too much 1st thing in the morning. Don't worry, they are let out 20 minutes later, and we get up early.
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2. In the morning, I read my bible while drinking my tea, with headphones on listening to pleasant instrumental music. Since I started Theology school 8 years ago (I graduated with a master's), I have been reading the same thing. I read 2 chapters from the New Testament, 1 Psalm, 1 Proverb, and 3-4 from the Old Testament. You don't have to read as much as I do, but picking up something as positive as the Bible and spending time with God 1st thing in the morning is a great start to the day. You even journal your thoughts if you'd rather.
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3. Keep a book of remembrance and a book of thanks. The book of remembrance is to write down things that have beebeen a blessing for you, something that you cherished, something God has done for you. The book of thanks is a book of things you're thankful for the day, and try to write new things.
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4. Exercise for at least an hour a day. I am a runner, but I got a stress fracture 3 weeks ago, so I've been cycling again. I ride on a scenic bike route, and love the sites, the beauty of nature, and the thrill. But, I miss running. I also lift weights at home 4 times a week. I have 2 dogs, so once I'm healed up, I'll take them again on their walks. My husband has been doing this after work.
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5. Turn the news (garbage TV) off and find a good book to read outside.
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6. Send people hand written notes just because or to thank them for something kind they did instead of sending them a text. When was the last time you got a handwritten note? You'll put a smile on their face, I promise.
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7. When I'm at my best, I enjoy making dinner. I enjoy coming up with new recipes. Lately, since becoming an empty nester, I've been cooking for 6 when it's only the 2 of us, not sure what that is about.
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8. Don't keep your cell phone near you at all times. You don't need it, especially when you're at dinner with others. Next time you're at a restaurant, look at how many people are on their phones instead of being fully present with others. It's rude. Put it away.
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9. Keep a to-do list or a daily planner so you don't forget things. I even go as far as keeping a helpful life tips. I have in their things like when it's the best day to go to DEQ, when my daughter was engaged, the last time we bought our sheets, etc.
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10. Laugh. Laughter is joy. Laugh as much as you possibly can. Laughter is the best medicine. Proverbs 17:22 says, "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."
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11. De-stress: Breathe in, then out and say, "God, I give everyone and everything to you."<br><br>
Jeannie Hortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041832831353943157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917993837743094196.post-63440592191311801502023-05-15T12:21:00.033-07:002023-05-18T12:47:26.730-07:00"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not
depart from it." Proverbs 22:6
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We celebrated Mother's Day at our house yesterday. We had a barbecue, and I made everyone Dirty Monkey's. It's an
alcoholic drink we learned about in Costa Rica. It's delicious, and many have noted they can't taste the alcohol. But, it actually has quite a bit. My dog Phoenix loves it when we make them because she's been to Dutch Bros so many times. She knows what the can of whip cream is.
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One of my daughters gave me the beautiful flowering plant, and the other gave me the adorable cat planter that I
had my eye on when I went to Fred Meyer's.
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I've raised my children, we are empty nester's. I once heard on the radio about a poll that was taken: who's happier,married couples with kids or without? It was with, but only when they are out of the house. If you know our story, you know parenting wasn't always easy. One of our daughters had a bad boyfriend and lost her way for a while. It was really hard. She was the same loving daughter that I had always known, but he clearly wasn't right for her and was hurting her emotionally. The lessons I learned from the experience are:
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#1 Give it to God and let go of the situation. Just tell your child you love them.
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#2 Allow other people to intervene into their lives,to speak truth, light, and love to them.
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#3 Speak how you want to see them living, not how they currently are. For example, in this case. "My daughter is with who God has planned for." And, speak Bible Verses over them daily. Never give up.
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That daughter is now doing so much better, happy, and in a great relationship. My other daughter is married and happy. They are both sweet, loving, intelligent, and beautiful girls. I'm proud of them immensely.
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Jeannie Hortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041832831353943157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917993837743094196.post-82033223377631020592021-04-06T11:27:00.005-07:002023-05-18T16:40:55.954-07:00Isaiah 26:3 devotional<p> </p><div><div class="" dir="auto"><div class="ecm0bbzt hv4rvrfc e5nlhep0 dati1w0a" data-ad-comet-preview="message" data-ad-preview="message" id="jsc_c_6w"><div class="j83agx80 cbu4d94t ew0dbk1b irj2b8pg"><div class="qzhwtbm6 knvmm38d"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Easy to read devotional on Isaiah 26:3 using the SOAP method. (Scripture, observation, application, and prayer)<br /><br /></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Scripture: From the amplified Bible, Isaiah 26:3 reads, “You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind {both its inclination and its character} is stayed on You because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.”<br /><br /></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Observation: This passage promises a perfect and constant peace to those who keep their minds on Christ. Christ came so that we would have peace. After His death and resurrection, and before He went home to be with our heavenly Father, Christ left us His peace. Peace is one of the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit that a believer and follower of Christ will have. Christ's peace has nothing to do with our circumstances, it is His, and His peace is constant, good, and perfect. It is a gift given to us through our faith: our Faith in God, in Christ, and what He did so that we would have right standing with the Father and have eternal life. This peace cannot leave us because it was never ours. It is Christs'.<br /><br /></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">The verse also says that God will guard us. When we keep our thoughts on Christ: His goodness, and the truth of His Word: instead of the things of this world and the lies of the enemy: God will guard us. He responds to His Word, our righteous thoughts, praise, and thanks to Him.<br /><br /></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Application: How can we apply this verse to our lives? With the world that we live in right now, with everything going on all around us, it is easy to be consumed, discouraged, and fearful: to feel as if we are losing our peace. Just listening to the nightly news for a few minutes or reading an MSN headline may make you feel like you need to cover yourself back into your warm bed and forget about the cares of the world.<br /><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><br /></span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">If you find yourself feeling anxious and worried, what are you thinking about? Have you noticed that your thoughts have turned to discouraging and untrue? If we allow our thinking to wander to thoughts of worry over our present adverse circumstances or concerns of the future, our thoughts are no longer on the truth of what God says about us, and His perfect plan for us.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><br />Discipline your thoughts and put your focus back on God. When we keep our thoughts on Him, we will have perfect and constant peace. He is our Father who purposely chose and adopted us as His children. He is our restorer. His love is so great that there is absolutely nothing He would not do for you. Who or what are you putting your hope on? The things of this world? Or the things of God? When we put our hope and expectation on God, we feel peace. We are no longer overwhelmed by our circumstances, but we know that God cares about all things that concern us. Give Him all of your cares, all of your circumstances, and say, “I’m done with this God, I give it all to you, I know that you will take care of this for me.” If you find your thoughts wandering back to the situation, say, “Thank you, God, for your goodness and grace, you are my restorer, and you are turning this situation around for me.”</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><br />Turn your thoughts back to God. God wants us to give Him all of our concerns, not just what you consider the big stuff. When you find yourself thinking, “I don’t want to bother God with this; He has bigger things to deal with.” Ultimately, what you’re doing is putting God in a box: choosing for Him what you want Him to care about. God cares about us wholeheartedly. None of our concerns are too big, too small, or unimportant to Him. He wants to be actively involved in every aspect of our lives.</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><br />The world needs us: They need our encouragement, our smiles, and our prayers. When you are out and about in your day or scrolling through social media and notice someone who seems discouraged, be bold and say, “Hey, I care for you and what you are going through. I will pray for you.” Don’t concern yourself with whether or not they believe in Christ or you’re afraid of making a fool of yourself. God will anoint you and give you His strength at that moment. Christ will plant a seed in their hearts when they see the light of the Lord shining through you.<br /><br /></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Prayer: Let’s pray: “Father, I thank you that you came so that we might enjoy our lives. You have given us Your peace as a gift. Thank you that you care for all things that I care about. Thank you that your agape love surrounds me. Help me to help others who might be struggling. Shine Your loving light through me so that others will see You and Your love. I love You. In Jesus name, Amen.”</div></div></span></div></div></div></div></div>Jeannie Hortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041832831353943157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917993837743094196.post-4039113996367734932021-02-16T13:00:00.002-08:002021-02-16T13:03:10.521-08:00MORE THAN CONQUERORS<p> Jeannie Horton</p><p>Life Christian University student #17122 <br /></p><p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
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</p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;"><a name="_Hlk63254361"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">MORE THAN CONQUERORS</span></b></a></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk63254361;"></span>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">INTRODUCTION</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The
book of Romans was written in Corinth sometime between 56-57 A.D. by the
Apostle Paul. When he wrote the book of Romans, he was fully developed in his
Theological studies. The purpose of his writing was to speak about Israel’s
past unbelief with loving concern and how the Jews might be set right. He also
writes to explain justification from God; God’s plan of salvation by grace
through having faith in Jesus Christ alone and not from works of the law. When
we walk according to our flesh's impulses, we desire those things that bring
sin and death. Paul also wants to show that believers can be victorious over
their flesh through the Holy Spirit's guidance, who indwells within our hearts.
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">In
chapter 8, the primary focus is to show us that the Mosaic law could only point
out our sins; it could not remove sin completely: we needed a Savior. Christ is
the end of the law. Through His death and resurrection and our faith in Him,
our sins are abolished forever, and we are declared “not guilty.” When we walk
with God’s Spirit, who dwells within us as believers, we are guided by the Spirit,
and therefore we have God’s desires which bring life. As believers, we are
God’s children and heirs with Christ, serving Him in the newness of the Spirit.
We are victorious in Christ: sharing in His spiritual blessings.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Reading
from a portion of scripture taken from Romans chapter 8:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in;"><a name="_Hlk62136820"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Likewise
the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray
for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with
groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what
the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints
according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for
good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His
Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover who He
predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified,
these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for
us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him
up for us all, how shall He not with Him who also freely give us all things?
Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is
he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is
even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall
separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution,
or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake
we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Yet in
all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am
persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor
powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any
other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is
in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:26-39).</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">In
verses 26-39, there are eight things that we can learn: The Holy Spirit
strengthens us in our weaknesses; all things work together for my good; we are
destined to be like Christ; God is for us; He provides everything we need; condemnation
is not from God; nothing can ever separate us from God’s love, and we are more
than conqueror’s. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">I.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> <b>THE
HOLY SPIRIT STRENGTHENS US IN OUR WEAKNESSES</b> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Likewise
the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray
for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with
groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what
the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints
according to the will of God” (Romans 8:26-27).</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">God is omniscient, and the Spirit
comes to help us. The Holy Spirit strengthens us in our weaknesses: teaching us
to pray accurately and perfect prayers for and through us. Paul described that
our weakness as being we don’t know what we should pray for as we ought. When
we are faced with situations, we are unsure what prayer to offer: we are unsure
what Bible verse to use, the Holy Spirit helps by interceding through and for us.
</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jesus relied on the Spirit for
help during His life. When He raised Lazarus from the dead in John 11, in verse
33, He wept over Lazarus and groaned in the Spirit: </p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;">Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews
who came with her weeping, He groaned in the Spirit and was troubled. And He
said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus
wept. Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” And some of them said, “Could
not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from
dying?” Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb (John
11:33-38).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">When Jesus groaned in the Spirit, He
was more moved by anger than sorrow. It was a righteous anger towards the
devastation that death can bring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus
came to destroy Satan’s power over death through His death and resurrection. Jesus
was angry at all the grief that Satan had caused all around him. In verse 38,
He became angry and groaned again. When we don’t know what we need or how to
pray, the Spirit knows and goes to work. If all we can do is utter a groan, the
Spirit understands our needs and groans with us. The Spirit goes to battle.</p>
<p style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">The Spirit makes our prayers acceptable
to God. God desires that we come to Him with confidence and pray bold prayers
according to His will. “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if
we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14). He doesn’t
promise to give us all that we ask, but He hears us when we ask according to
His will. Our faith grows when we are confident that God wants to help us and
answer our prayers. When we have faith, we please God.</p>
<p style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">God will give us the desire to
pray: to spend time giving Him thanks and being in His presence. There’s
nothing wrong with setting a time daily to pray, but it’s also good to pray
when you feel led by the Spirit to do so. The Spirit will urge us to pray,
showing us who to pray for. <a name="_Hlk62391130"></a><a name="_Hlk62384657"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk62391130;">Some nights I can’t sleep. God puts on my
heart what I can pray for: I do, and then I go back to sleep. Other times, when
I’m out running (as long as it’s not up a hill), I’ll spend time in prayer. I
listen to Christian music when I run, or I’m walking the dog. </span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk62391130;">It’s an excellent time to spend giving thanks
to God. When I’m scrolling through social media, I’ll see someone upset asking
for prayer; I’ll pray for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>God
doesn’t necessarily care when or how you talk to Him; He wants to spend time
with you.</p>
<p align="center" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b>Tongues</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When we are filled with the Holy
Spirit, one of the ways the Holy Spirit intercedes through us is by speaking in
tongues. “For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for
no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries” (1
Corinthians 14:2). It is a language that is unknown to us, but it is the wisdom
of God, given to our heart: It is the prayer of God. When we speak in tongues,
the Spirit is interceding through us. We could be praying for someone across
the world whom we have never met or something that we may have never thought to
pray for. Tongues is also a way to praise and give thanks to God or edify and
build ourselves up. Jude 20 tells us to edify ourselves on our most holy faith:
This means that we let God’s word guide our faith. When we know and believe in
His word, we can be confident in the power of it.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">II. ALL THINGS WORK FOR
MY GOOD</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“And
we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those
who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">This
verse starts with the word “and.” When we first work with the Holy Spirit who
intercedes for us, as stated in verse 27, God works all things together for
those who love Him. We first need to cooperate with the Holy Spirit so that He
can intercede for us. If we aren’t cooperating with the Spirit, then everything
may not work together for good. </span></p>
<p style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">There are two things this scripture
doesn’t do. It doesn’t apply to everyone, and it isn’t saying that everything
that happens to us is from God: </span></p>
<p style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">1. This scripture doesn’t apply to
everyone. It applies to those called according to His purpose, who love God.
And to those who have chosen to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior. Christ
is God’s purpose. He sent His Son to earth to die for the sins of the world, and
through His death and resurrection, we have eternal life with Him forever. We
have been accepted, called, and chosen. When we respond to God’s call and
accept Christ, we are accepted by God. Now, we are to tell others about the
love of God so they, too, will have right standing with God and not perish.</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">2. The verse also isn’t saying
that everything that happens to us is from God. It doesn’t. As believers, we
are going to experience trials; Jesus said that we would. Through life’s
trials, we have victory. Trials develop godly character: suffering produces
perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Trials are
explained in 1 Peter: “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little
while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the
genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes,
though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the
revelation of Jesus Christ” (1Peter 1:6-7). This passage mentions gold: that
even though it perishes, its purity is first tested by fire. Our faith’s
genuineness is more precious than gold. God requires our faith to go through
similar testing. Our faith is tested by the trials that we face: The impurities
holding us back will come to the surface, and God can mold us into Christ’s
image. Faith is essential to God. With our faith, we have our salvation.
Through our trials, when we come out of them stronger, our faith grows. God is
purifying us: fit for His good works.</p>
<p style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Because of God's love for His adopted
children, who are righteous in Him and called according to His purposes, He
will move mountains to turn a situation around for the good of His plans and
purposes. He can change all situations: good or bad, around for our good
through the workings of the Spirit.</p>
<p style="line-height: 200%;"><b>III. WE ARE DESTINED TO BE LIKE CHRIST</b> </p>
<p style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">“For whom He foreknew, He also
predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the
firstborn among many brethren. Moreover who He predestined, these He also
called; whom He called, these He also justified, these He also glorified” (Romans
8:29-30).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The word foreknowledge means to be
aware of something before it occurs. This passage refers to God knowing who
would accept His Son and His gift of salvation before they actually did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, there are some things that God has
chosen not to foresee. Because God wanted a family, His relationship with us
would be hindered if He used His foreknowledge to the full extent.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Predestined means to predetermine:
it means to establish or decide in advance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>God doesn’t predetermine everything in people’s lives because He has
given us free will. We are free to make our own choices: we are free to have a relationship
with Him, and we are free to walk away from Him if that is what we want.
Forcing us to believe in Him and walking in His ways is not free will. But
because God knew in advance who would accept His gift of Salvation, He
predestined a good plan for their life.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">An example of predestination would
be a woman pregnant with a child. In their excitement of their newborn baby,
she and her husband get everything ready for their child to be born. They get
the nursery ready with furniture and clothes. They may even go as far as
getting a college fund set aside. They want the best for their child and will
do everything possible to ensure that their child has a bright future. It’s the
same with God to the people He knows will one day accept Him. He, too, wants us
to have a bright future, and He will provide for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We have also been called and
justified: justified means we have been made right before God. Christ did this
through His death for our sins and His resurrection. Without Christ, our sins
would never have been forgiven. But we have right standing with God because of
His work on the cross. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mankind was made in the image of
God. He created our beautiful home, and He intended that we would always have a
perfect relationship with Him. But because of the fall of Adam and Eve, sin
entered the picture, and mankind fell. God never departed us, but we lost the
fellowship that He desired at the beginning of creation. To rectify this, He
sent His Son as a gift of restoring the lost fellowship with Him. Because of
Christ's death and resurrection, our fellowship has been restored, and we have
right standing with God once again. God’s purpose for us is to grow more and
more into the image of His Son. When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior,
we start the transformation of being made into the image of Christ. But it
takes time; it doesn’t happen overnight. At our salvation, we are given a new
nature. God dwells inside of us and changes us. We no longer have our sin
nature, but God’s. We still will sin because our flesh is weak, but God gives
us a holy conviction of knowing we did something wrong, and He gives us the
strength to turn from our sins in repentance. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We have been glorified together with
Christ Jesus. When He died and was resurrected, we also died and were raised
with Him. We are now joint-heirs with Christ, seated at the right hand of our
heavenly Father: our relationship restored. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">IV. GOD IS FOR US</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“What
then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans
8:31).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">In
this Scripture, Paul is drawing a conclusion. In Romans 8:26-30, Paul wrote
that the Spirit intercedes for us, God works all things together for my good,
and we are destined to be like Christ. As joint-heirs with Christ, we also
shared in His sufferings so that we might share in His glory. All of our
current sufferings are nothing compared to the glory that we have coming to us.
As God’s chosen ones, we have the Spirit indwelling within our hearts as our
helper and guide. We are chosen, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified.
God is for us, and there is nothing or anybody that can be successful in coming
against us. Hold your head up high, and feel good knowing that our Creator is
sustaining us. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">V. GOD PROVIDES
EVERYTHING WE NEED</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“He
who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He
not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">While
we were still enemies of God, because of His grace, He sent His one and only
Son to die for the sins of mankind so that we would have a restored and right
relationship with Him. If the God who created the universe was willing to do
this so that He could have His family back, He’s not going to just leave us
alone to fend for ourselves. He’s going to make sure we are well taken care of.</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">God doesn’t withhold anything from
those who walk uprightly. By His grace, we have been given eternal life. It is
a gift. There is nothing that we can do to deserve it: He gave it to us freely.
“For the Lord God is a sun, and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No
good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11). Not
only is God a sun, but He is also a shield. He enlightens, gives light and
warmth to all of creation. He also directs and protects us. God has a good plan
for the lives of the righteous. To those who are called, chosen, and walk
blameless in Him. We are called to walk as children of Light. To walk in
righteous behavior, expressing our gratitude for His gift of salvation so that
others will see God shining through us.</p>
<p style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Pray big, bold prayers, prayers
that are aligned with His will. Even if He chooses not to answer our prayer, it
may not be the right timing for us. God knows our past, present, and future:
our beginning from our end. God knows what is best for us and will never
withhold anything good from us. He’s looking after us. Pray to Him with a
thankful heart. We shall be glad, rejoice, and trust in Him.</p>
<p style="line-height: 200%;"><b>VI. CONDEMNATION IS NOT FROM GOD </b></p>
<p style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Who shall bring a charge against
God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who
died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who
also makes intercession for us” (Romans 8:33-34).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Condemnation
is declaring one guilty. It is a lie from Satan that leaves us feeling
confused, shameful, and hopeless. It steals our joy. Do not let bitterness take
root in your heart. Refuse to allow Satan or others to condemn you. God has
completely forgiven you. He is at the right hand of God interceding for us. We
were once guilty of sins that were held against us. But because of Christ, we
have been justified, and we have peace with God. Because of Christ’s death and
resurrection, we have been given a not guilty verdict. Jesus was completely
sinless when He chose to go to the cross. He took our sins upon Himself and
died for all of us so that God would declare us “not guilty.” All our sins have
been forgiven-past, present, and future. All because of Christ, what He did for
us, and our faith in Him. It is only by faith that we have been made not
guilty; there is nothing we can do to deserve it. We actually don’t. But
because God is so gracious, we are completely forgiven. If God isn’t holding
any sin against us, then absolutely nobody else can condemn us. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Conviction
is the complete opposite of condemnation. It is from the Holy Spirit who is
interceding for us. Conviction lets us know that we have sinned. But it doesn’t
steal our joy; it lifts us up. Sometimes we don’t realize that we have sinned,
and God lets us know. Pray, repent, drop it and let it go. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The
Lord convicted David of committing adultery with Bathsheba and his sin with
Uriah, his nation, and God. In Psalm 51, He’s asking God for mercy. “For I
acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. Against You, You
only, have I sinned And done this evil in Your sight-that You may be found just
when You speak, And blameless when You judge” (Psalm 51:3-4). David confesses
his sin and asks for God’s justification in His judgment of it. He later in the
passage asks God to create in him a clean heart and steadfast spirit. God has
convicted me of unkind words that I have said to others and asked me to
apologize. He also has convicted me of inappropriate shows or movies that I’ve
watched. I’m like Joyce Meyer; I often watch things with a remote in my hand,
ready to push fast forward.<br />
<b><br />
</b></span><b><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">VII. NOTHING CAN EVER
SEPARATE US FROM GOD’S LOVE</span></b><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Who
shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or
persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? For I am persuaded
that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor
things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created
thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39). </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This verse is clearly
stating that nothing will be able to separate us from God’s love. Not tribulations,
distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword. Not death nor life,
things present or things to come, nor height or depth. Many of these things are
extreme examples that most of us will never have to face, but the verse is
making the point clear that absolutely nothing will separate us from His love:
nothing will make God love us any more than He does right now. We can
completely mess up bad, and He’s still going to love us. There is nowhere we
can go to escape His love.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">According to
Colossians 1:16-17, Christ has created all things in heaven and earth for His
purposes. He is before all things, and He holds all things together. From the very
beginning, God has been for us and has loved us with an everlasting love. He
sent His only Son to die for us while we were His enemies! That is real love.
It is never going to end. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">God graciously gave us
His Spirit to dwell within our hearts. God’s presence will never be taken away
from us. Even if we decide that we don’t want to follow Christ, God will not
leave. He is going to wait for us to come back to Him.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Satan is a deceiver.
Satan will make believers question God’s love for them, especially when they
sin. Satan wants to condemn people, make them feel hopeless, and wants to steal
their joy. Guard your heart, and know who you are in Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote
at the beginning of Romans 8, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those
who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). We are God’s chosen and adopted
children. Christ died for us so that the law would be abolished. We have been
given newness of life by the power of the Holy Spirit indwelling within us.
Satan has no hold over those who are righteous in Christ and cannot condemn us.
We will never be separated from God’s love.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When you think about your
children, you know that there is absolutely nothing that they can do that will
make you stop loving them. I don’t always like everything my two daughters do,
but my love for them will never stop. One of my daughters got herself into some
trouble awhile back, and I had to seek counseling. The one thing that the
person said to me that forever stuck with me is that God loves her more than I
do: This gave me the faith that I could trust in God to take care of the issue.
And He did. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Knowing that we can
never be separated from His love, we can abide in it. With everything that God
has ever done for creation, why would He ever choose to stop loving us? Be
aware of God’s love. Study the love of God. His love strengthens, guides, heals
and gives us our value. <br />
</span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">VIII.
WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0.5in;"><a name="_Hlk62137390"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“As
it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as
sheep for the slaughter. Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors
through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:36-37).</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Satan
intends to steal, kill, and destroy. He chokes the word from people’s hearts,
and he blinds the minds of unbelievers so that they will not know the truth of
God’s love. He wants to destroy the faith of believers. In the lives of
believers and unbelievers, Satan wants to destroy our families and our lives. He
wants to steal our love, peace, and joy. He wants us to take our eyes off of
Christ. But Christ has already won the battle for us. Even before we even get a
problem, we won. We don’t need to go to war: we don’t need to become
discouraged or lose our peace. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“And
I take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word
of God” (Ephesians 6:17). The word of God in this verse is referred to as the
“sword of the Spirit.” It is our defense against Satan. The victory is ours
when we are protected with God’s word. Know His word. Don’t just read it, study
it, memorize scripture, and know it in your heart so that way you’ll be ready
with the power of the Holy Spirit to speak to your situation. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Jesus
was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. Jesus was God
incarnate, but He was also a man. He was tempted just like we are but never
sinned. Satan knowing scripture, was trying to cast doubt in Jesus and cause
Him to sin. But, with each of Satan’s temptations, Jesus spoke the word back at
him, and Satan eventually fled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">As
the body of Christ, we too can fight Satan by submitting to God and resisting
the devil: he will flee. To resist means to stand against. When we speak the word
over all of our situations and believe by faith that we are already victorious,
we have fought the devil with the word and the Holy Spirit’s help.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">CONCLUSION</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Romans
is a powerful book that showed us that our Savior is the end of the law: a law that
could only cover our sins. Because of Christ, God has completely forgiven and
forgotten our sins: past, present, and future. Indwelling within our hearts by
faith, we are destined to be like Christ. We have God’s Spirit to intercede for
and through us, strengthening us in our weakness: to sanctify, to guide, and
protect. Do not be conformed to this world, but present yourself to God as a
living sacrifice: holy and pleasing to Him, which is our act of worship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be renewed in the spirit of your mind. Live
in such a way that shows God your gratitude for the gift of salvation. God
provides everything we need according to His good will, and He works all things
together for our good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have life in
Christ and are victorious through Him. Because God is for us, we are more than
conquerors, and nothing will ever separate us from God’s love.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></p>
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<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></p><br /><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk63253713;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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Jeannie Hortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041832831353943157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917993837743094196.post-29565080197358442322021-02-10T08:32:00.002-08:002021-02-10T08:32:14.485-08:00Ephesians 1<p> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">June 3rd, 2020</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Title: Ephesians 1 Bible
Study</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Text: Ephesians 1</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Introduction:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">1. Over the next several
weeks, we’re going to be spending time studying the six chapters from the book
of Ephesians. Ephesians was written in AD 60-61 by the Apostle Paul during one
of his three known imprisonments in Rome. It is one of the Prison Epistles.
Prison conditions were not good: The town sewage ran through the prison. But
Paul’s heart was sincere, and he was in the will of God. He was still trying to
help others even though he was suffering.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2. Ephesians is divided
into two sections. Chapters 1-3 describe the believer’s position: who we are in
Christ, how much God loves us, and our relationship with Him. Chapters 4-6 is
about our behavior and how we can apply the truths learned from chapters 1-3 to
our lives. Once we know how much God loves us, our behavior can change if we
work with Him. We will want to walk in His ways, seeking to do His will. But we
must develop our relationship with Him first. Today, we will be going over the
first chapter.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Proposition: <span class="e24kjd">In chapter one, Paul discusses God’s grace, peace, mercy, love,
and who we are in Christ.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Interrogative Sentence: How
does knowing who we are in Christ impact our walk with Him?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transitional Sentence: We
were chosen and adopted by God into His family, redeemed from our sins by Christ’s
sacrifice on the cross, and sealed with God’s Spirit. We’ll first go over the
first three verses, discussing the background of Ephesus, Paul’s apostleship,
being in God's will, and God’s grace and peace, which we all have.</span></p>
<p class="chapter-1">1. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reading from the
NIV, Ephesians 1-3 says: </p>
<p class="chapter-1" style="margin-left: .5in;">This letter is from Paul, chosen by
the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I am writing to God’s holy
people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus. May God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. All praise to God, the Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in
the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">a. BACKGROUND OF EPHESUS</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The city of Ephesus was
built by the Greeks. It was the 4<sup>th</sup> largest city in the world in
Paul’s time. The city had a population of about 250,000-340,000 people. It was
a wealthy city: a political, religious, and commercial center in Asia Minor.
Unfortunately, it was also home to the Temple of Diana, a Greek temple
dedicated to the goddess Artemis, which made it under spiritual demonic
strongholds. Ephesus was conquered several times until it came under Roman
control. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">b. PAUL’S APOSTLESHIP</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Paul states at the
beginning of Ephesians that he was an apostle of Christ Jesus. This wasn’t a
position that he decided to have in his own choosing, but rather by God's
will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The word apostle means “sent one.”
To qualify to be an apostle, a person must have a close relationship with the
Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was God’s will that Paul was an
apostle. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">c. IN THE WILL OF GOD</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">How can we know if we are
in the will of God? If you love the Lord with all of your heart, soul, and
mind; if you’re diligently walking in His ways, and spending time with Him by
actively reading His word; and spending time in worship and giving thanks to
Him, you can discover what His will is for your life. You’ll feel a sense of
joy, peace, and satisfaction if you’re walking in His will. We should ask God
regularly to show us anything that isn’t pleasing to Him in our lives and
remove it. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">d. GRACE AND PEACE</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Notice at the beginning
of the scripture, Paul says, “Grace and peace to you from God, our Father.”
Paul says, “grace and peace” at the beginning of many of his letters. It is
important to notice that he always says grace first and then peace. So many of
us want peace. We’ll go around saying, “I just need some peace,” or “I wish I
had more peace.” We already have peace; it is one of the fruits of the Spirit that
God gives to us. Since we already have it, we need to learn to access it. We
can do this because it is already ours for the taking because of God’s grace,
which is His favor. He gives us grace, not because we deserve it, but because
of Jesus's death and resurrection, we have His grace. To access His peace, we
have to believe we are worthy, and access it through our faith, because we know
what Christ has done on the cross, and everything that He did, every spiritual
blessing that was given to us is ours for the taking. We see in Philippians 4
verse 7 that the peace of God stands guard over your hearts and minds in Christ
Jesus. Notice it says the peace of God stands guard over our hearts and minds
in Christ Jesus. It didn’t say human peace. Human peace is based on if our
circumstances are good, then we will feel peace. God’s peace isn’t based on
circumstances and is powerful, and that is what He has given us. His peace
stands guard: It protects our hearts and minds against all attacks of the
enemy. If we open the door for attacks of the enemy through sin, we can lose
God’s peace, and Satan can enter our hearts.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transitional Sentence: Being
in the will of God, and knowing that we have His grace and His peace allows me
to begin to understand who I am in Christ: I am God’s chosen one. Next, we’ll
discuss who we are in Him, that we’ve been called, and adopted into His family.
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2. Ephesians 4-7:<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Even before he
made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without
fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing
us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave
him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out
on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he
purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">a. IN CHRIST</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In this portion of
Ephesians, Paul mentions that we are “in Christ.” To be in Christ has to do
with our union with Him. It means because of Jesus’s death and resurrection; He
is now seated at the right hand of the Father: and so are we. We are in Christ:
united with Him and the Father, and we have a joint inheritance with Him.
Everything that is His is ours. Every spiritual promise and blessing that
Christ has, as mentioned in verse 3, is also ours. All you need to do is have
faith. God has given us the Holy Spirit as our helper. We can take what is
rightfully ours, which is all the spiritual blessings He graciously has poured
unto the body of believers. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">b. CHOSEN, ADOPTED, FORGIVEN</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We have been chosen by
God and adopted into His family. As the scripture says, God adopted us because
He wanted to, it gave Him great pleasure. Before the foundations of the world,
He knew us. God knew what we would look like, every good and bad thing we would
ever do, and He still chose us. He wanted a family. God loves us so much, and
there is nothing we can ever do to make Him love us any more or less. His love
is everlasting and unconditional. Because of His love, He sent to us the
greatest gift of all, His Son Jesus, to buy us back from the strongholds of the
enemy. He wanted to restore the relationship with us, so He sent Jesus. And
because of this, we have been declared “not guilty.” He no longer sees our
sins, and we are also seated at the right hand of Jesus in the heavenly places.
We certainly didn’t deserve it, but because of His grace and love, He sees us
as He sees His Son. This is love.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transitional Sentence: As
God’s child, we’ve been sealed with the Spirit. His Spirit gives us the power
to do His good works, which He set out for us to do, all of us, not just the
Jews, but the Gentiles as well. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">3. Ephesians 13-14: </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">And now you
Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when
you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy
Spirit, who he promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will
give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own
people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">GOOD NEWS OF GOD’S
SALVATION</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">God reveals
the good news, the mystery that the Gentiles also have been called, chosen, and
adopted into His family. Eternal life isn’t just available to the Jews. The
Gentiles are saved, united, and have eternal life with Him. God often reveals
to us what He wants us to know through the Holy Spirit, but He doesn’t reveal
everything because He wants us to pursue Him and have a close relationship with
Him. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">SEALED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Holy
Spirit has sealed us. God promised never to leave nor forsake us; He promises
to always be with us. He gave us His Spirit as a guarantee of our inheritance.
It is a sign of our adoption. Through our faith, the Holy Spirit dwells in our
hearts when we accept Christ as our Savior. The Holy Spirit has many roles in
our lives. The Spirit is our friend, helper, teacher, and guide. The Spirit
convicts us of our sin, strengthens us, and is our interceder. With God’s
Spirit living within us, there is nothing that we can’t do. God even gives us His
desires so that we can continue to change and be transformed into His image. We
can do anything that God asks of us. He isn’t ever going to ask us to do
something for Him without giving us the ability to do it. We have to have faith
and rely on Him for help. We can step out with confidence in doing His will.
And the gift of the Spirit is so we would praise and glorify Him. When we know
how much He loves us and all that He has already done for us, how can we not
say, “thank you, God, you are so good, I love you.” </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transitional Sentence: “Thank
you, God, thank you for who you are and for loving me.” Knowing that I have His
Spirit living on the inside of me, gives me peace, and Joy. It gives me
confidence, and the strength to do His good works: knowing that He is forever
with me. Paul ends Ephesians 1 with his prayers over the believers in Ephesus.<span style="color: #0e101a;"></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">4. In Ephesians 15-23,
Paul prays for the Ephesians believers in Christ. This prayer applies to all
believers today: </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ever since I first
heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people
everywhere, I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly,
asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual
wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that
your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident
hope he has given to those he called-his holy people who are his rich and
glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible
greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power
that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s
right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority
or power or leader or anything else-not only in this world but also in the
world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has
made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is
his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things
everywhere with himself.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">PAUL’S APOSTOLIC PRAYER’S
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">a. In verse 17, “asking
God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom
and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.” Paul is asking
that we might grow in the knowledge of God. He is praying that we would have
the spirit of wisdom. We have wisdom when we are born again. He wasn’t praying
that we’d be given wisdom again, but that we would have a revelation of it, and
access it through our faith. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">b. In verses 19-20, “I
also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for
us who believe in him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from
the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the
heavenly realms,” Paul prayed that the same power that raised Christ from the
dead and seated Him at the right hand of God would live in each of us. Jesus is
at God’s right hand. It is a place of honor, authority, power, and rulership.
Because of Jesus’s death and resurrection, we, too, have God’s power within us,
it is at our disposal to use it. God isn’t ever going to ask us to do something
for Him without given us the power to do what He’s called us to do. That means
He is with us, aiding us, and strengthening us. We need to step out in faith.
In John 14:12, Jesus told His disciples that they would do greater things than
He. Jesus certainly did a lot of great things during His time of earth, but He
was one Man and had to go be with the Father. Because of the Holy Spirit’s
power living in each of us, the body of Christ can preach the gospel of Christ
throughout the world.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">c. Verse 22-23, “God has
put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all
things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made
full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.” The
verse is saying God has put all things under the authority of Christ’s feet.
Christ has authority over all creation, and because He is the head, and we are
the body, we too have been given authority over all creation. We have the power
to care for creation, to help others believe that Jesus is the source of
eternal life, and use the tools we’ve been given to fight against Satan schemes.
We are already victorious because of Christ.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Conclusion:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">God is with you. He has
sealed you with His Spirit because you are His chosen ones. We have all the
spiritual blessings that Jesus has. Like Jesus, we, too, are seated at the Father’s
right hand. Guard your hearts, keep it pure and right before Him, and walk with
confidence, knowing who you are in Him. Be a light to this dark world, letting
others see the glorious light of our Father shining through you.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I’ll leave you with this
short poem: “There is no storm that God won’t carry you through; No bridge that
God won’t help you cross; No battle that God won’t help you win; No heartache
that God won’t help you let go of. He is so much bigger than anything you will
face today. Leave everything in His hands and embrace this day
confidently knowing that He will take care of you.”</span></p>
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<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></p>
Jeannie Hortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041832831353943157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917993837743094196.post-91002440288203482672021-02-10T08:31:00.007-08:002021-02-10T08:31:29.780-08:00Ephesians 2<p> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">August 14, 2020</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Title: Ephesians 2 Bible
Study</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Text: Ephesians 2</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Introduction:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">1. We’re doing a bible
study on the book of Ephesians. Last week, we studied the first chapter. To
review: Ephesians was written in AD 60-61 by the Apostle Paul during one of his
three known imprisonments in Rome. Ephesians is divided into two sections.
Chapters 1-3 describe the believer’s position: who we are in Christ, how much
God loves us, and our relationship with Him. Chapters 4-6 is about our behavior
and how we can apply the truths learned from chapters 1-3 to our lives. Once we
know how much God loves us, our behavior can change if we work with Him. We
will want to walk in His ways, seeking to do His will. But we must develop our
relationship with Him first.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2. We are in Christ:
God’s chosen one. We’ve been adopted into His family. As God’s child, we’ve
been sealed with the Spirit who comes to live within us. His Spirit gives us
the power to do His good works, which He set out for us to do, not just the
Jews but the Gentiles. Paul ended Ephesians 1 with his prayers over the
believers in Ephesus.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">3. The first chapter is
about who God is and all that He has done for us. Chapter two focuses on us and
who we are as a result of His goodness, mercy, and grace. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Proposition: Saved by
faith, created anew by His hand, breaking dividing walls and brought all into
unity. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Interrogative Sentence: How
does our pre-Christ life break down dividing walls and foreordains our walk
with Christ to perfect unity with the Father?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transition Sentence: Who
we once were is not who we will be in the future. We were dead to sin, but have
been raised to life. We’ll first go over the first three verses, discussing our
wrong based thinking, and who we were prior to Christ. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">1. Reading from the NIV,
Ephesians 1-3 says: </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Once you were dead
because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just
like the rest of the world, obeying the devil-the commander of the powers in
the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to
obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and
inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s
anger, just like everyone else.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">a. WRONG BASED THINKING</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In this passage of
scripture, Paul is saying that before we knew Christ, we were dead in our sins.
We were just like the unbelievers, following our lustful passions, our sinful
nature, and were obedient to Satan. Because of this, we were subject to God’s anger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1 Peter 5:8 says that Satan goes about as a
roaring lion seeking anyone whom he can devour. One of the ways he seeks to
devour people is through our thoughts. Wrong based thinking usually starts
small but grows bigger until it becomes a stronghold in your life. A stronghold
is a thought that is contrary to God’s word and can be demolished by the Word.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 says as believers, we have the word of God to fight
against Satan. When we humbly submit to God, the devil has to flee. Use God’s word
against him. Speak to the devil. He’s certainly speaking to you. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">b. WHO YOU ONCE WERE</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Who you were before
coming to Christ is not who you are today and who you will be in the
foreordained future. You are a new creature in Christ. You were dead in your
sins, but you have been made brand new, spotless to God. Don’t ever let your
past determine your future. If you work with God, He makes all things new. He
can open doors for you that you were convinced could never be opened. He can
get people to show you favor, and they’ll have no idea why they like you; they
just do. He will do anything for His children, have faith, and a heart of
thanks. The world tries so hard to get rid of God, but anytime the world
attempts to get rid of Him, the world gets worse. Why would anyone ever want to
try to live without Him? Deuteronomy 31:6, and 31:8, as well as Hebrews 13:5
all say that He will never leave you nor forsake you. God doesn’t leave us; we
leave Him. He’s always there, and He will wait for you to come back to Him.
When a problem occurs, we need to run towards God, not away. Philippians 4:6-7
says to pray about everything. When you’re in need, be quick to pray to Him
first, not others. Not that there is anything wrong with going to another
Christian, but God should be first. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transitional Sentence: I
can’t imagine a life without God. I’m so grateful that we have been completely
forgiven. Who we were is not someone I want to be. We’re saved by His grace and
I’m grateful. We’ll now look at how God in His mercy rescued us from ourselves
because of His loving grace. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pay attention to three words in the following
passage from Ephesians 4-7: love, mercy, and grace:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">But God is so rich
in mercy, and he loved us so much that even though we were dead because of our
sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s
grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with
Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with
Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the
incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has
done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">GOD RESCUED US</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">God wanted us, chose us,
and graciously adopted us. In His mercy, He came to our rescue, saving us from
our miserable lives. Because He is our loving Father, He would go to any
extreme to save us. Just like you would do anything for your children if you
saw one of them in trouble, so would God. He had our restoration set in place
when He sent Jesus, His only Son, sinless, to take on our sins, die on the
cross, and was resurrected to life. Because of Jesus’s selfless act, we now
have eternal life with the Father. God sees us as He sees His Son: perfect,
loved, and sinless. We have been stamped with the “not guilty” verdict. And it
was a gift because of God’s grace. Because of God’s love, mercy, and grace, we
have been saved, and we too have eternal life with Him forever. We are seated
in the heavenly realms with Jesus, with all the spiritual blessings that Jesus
has: we have to reach out and take them. To be seated in the heavenly realms
means that we are united with Christ and our Father in heaven. Our works are
done; there is nothing we can do to earn our salvation. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transitional Sentence:
Not guilty, forgiven, sinless, loved and chosen. These are the words that our
Father says about us. He saved us. We are seated in the heavenly places with
Christ, given eternal life. As God’s handiwork, we’re saved by faith and
created anew in Christ Jesus. We’ll look at this next. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">3. Ephesians 8-10: </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“God
saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this;
it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have
done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has
created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us
long ago.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">a. SALVATION BY FAITH</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We have our salvation by
faith when we believe that His Son died on the cross for our sins. There is
absolutely nothing we can ever do to make God love us anymore. He loves us as
we are right now, at this exact moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So many people think they need to earn their salvation by good works,
this is not true. We are saved by God’s grace; all we need to do is come in
agreement that Jesus died for our sins and was resurrected to life. That’s it.
Believe by faith. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">b. WE ARE GOD’S HANDIWORK</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We are God’s handiwork.
Don’t ever think that there is something wrong with you. There is nothing wrong
with you. Psalm 139 says that we were made with God’s hand. Just think about
this for a minute. I have two cats, and they get themselves into trouble quite
often. One day, I found the skeleton of a small bird in my yard. You could see
how God made something so little completely perfect. Every bone was perfectly
placed. God’s creation is complete: our galaxy, the earth, and the animals. He
certainly made us flawless as His chosen ones. So, don’t ever criticize
yourself; you are perfect to the creator of the universe. You are God’s
precious child. Change your thoughts to reflect how God sees you. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">c. CREATED ANEW</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">God created us anew in
Christ Jesus to do the good things He planned for us. We were once dead in our
trespasses, but have been made anew. God sees us as He sees Jesus: flawless and
sinless. God isn’t ever going to push His will on us; He’s given us free will.
He wants us to align our will with His, His good plan that He has for us. It is
a will that He planned for us long ago. He ultimately knows what will make us
the happiest, and doing His good plan is what will bring us the most joy. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transitional Sentence:
Believe by faith that Christ died for our sins so that we might have eternal
life with Him and our Father forever. He has created us anew by His righteous
hand. He sees us just as He does Jesus: flawless. By God’s grace, we’ve been
saved. His desire is for us to have a changed heart and that the dividing walls
that separated the Jews from the Gentiles have been broken. We have been
unified, joined together through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who lives
in our hearts.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">4. Ephesians 11-22:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Don’t forget that
you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by
the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision even though it affected only
their bodies and not their hearts. In those days you were living apart from
Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you
did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this
world without God and without hope. But now you have been united with Christ
Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to
him through the blood of Christ. For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He
united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he
broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. He did this by ending the
system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews
and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from two groups. Together as
one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the
cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. He brought this
Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the
Jews who were near. Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy
Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. So now you Gentiles are no
longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy
people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on
the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ
Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple
for the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this
dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">a. SAVED BY GRACE</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The first part of this
scripture has to do with the past Christians. People thought they needed to
prove they were saved by being circumcised. In Galatians chapter 3, Paul was
trying to prove his point to the Galatians that they received the gift of the Spirit
by their belief in the message about Christ, not by obeying the law of Moses.
That even Abraham, who was uncircumcised because the law didn’t exist during
his time, was considered righteous in God's eyes because of his faith only, not
because of his works.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our salvation has
nothing to do with our works. We are saved only by God’s grace. We do not need
to work for our salvation. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">b. CHANGE OF HEART</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Verse 11 says their
works only affected their bodies and not their hearts. God will change our
circumstances if we ask Him to, but not always. He cares more about changing
our hearts than our circumstances. I’ve prayed for situations to change, and
He’s answered my prayer. But other times, He didn’t, but when I look back, I
realized my heart was changed: the way that I looked at the circumstance.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">c. BREAKING DOWN WALLS</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The rest of the
passage has to do with breaking down the dividing walls that once separated the
Jews from the Gentiles. Jesus preached peace to both groups: the Jews and
Gentiles. Jesus wanted unity among everyone. We don’t need to compete with one
another: We are all equal in God’s eyes. God sees us all the same: united, one
in Christ. There is a perfect union when we obey God’s commandments. When we
do, we experience not only God’s protection but the perfect unity which is
through Jesus. God wants all of His children worldwide to have unity with each
other, just as He and Jesus were united. Unification with the Father is
possible through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. At our salvation, the Holy
Spirit comes and lives in our hearts, and brings us into perfect unity with the
Father. We are God’s children forever, and He is glorified when His children
are united. We show the world that we are united when we come together as a community
to show love to one another.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">d. GIFT OF THE SPIRIT</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To seal the deal, the
guarantee of our inheritance, He gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit. God's
Spirit comes to live inside our hearts when we accept Christ to dwell and never
leaves. It is a gift to guide, teach, comfort, and heal: The Spirit intercedes
for us, and bring to remembrance of all that God has ever said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Conclusion:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">a.
We are saved by faith. We are created anew by His hand. God broke down the
dividing walls and brought all: Jews and Gentiles into a perfect unity through
the indwelling of His Spirit. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">b.
How is your spiritual growth? Are you growing in Christ? Tell God every day
that you love Him and need Him. Ask Him to show you anyone that needs your
help. Tell Him every day to use you. We should tell God to prune away anything
our lives that isn’t producing good fruit. Ask Him to mold you into the image
of Christ. He will. Rely on the Holy Spirit to change you, speak to you, and
teach you the things of God. Know your worth. You are a child of God, so you
can walk with your head held high. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></p>
Jeannie Hortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041832831353943157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917993837743094196.post-43661628311198085452021-02-10T08:31:00.003-08:002021-02-10T08:31:09.294-08:00Ephesians 3<p> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Title: Ephesians 3 Bible
Study</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Text: Ephesians 3</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Introduction:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">1. We are doing a bible
study on the book of Ephesians. Ephesians is known as the prison epistles,
written by the Apostle Paul during one of his known impressments. It is divided
into two sections. Chapters 1-3 describe the believer’s position: who we are in
Christ, how much God loves us, and our relationship with Him. Chapters 4-6 is
about our behavior and how we can apply the truths learned from chapters 1-3 to
our lives. When we know how much God loves us, our behavior can change if we
work with Him.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2. The first chapter is
about who God is and all that He has done for us. Chapter 2 focuses on us: who
we are as a result of His goodness, mercy, and grace. In chapter 3, God reveals
the mystery that Gentiles are now included in the gift of salvation. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Proposition: Gentiles
share in God’s blessings, coming boldly to the cross, power of prayer. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Interrogative Sentence: What
are these blessings, and how can we now come boldly to the cross, and what are
the prayers of Paul? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transitional Sentence:
I’ll try and answer all of that in the few minutes that we have with each
other. First, we will discuss Paul’s revelation into God’s mysterious plan and
his credibility. So, let’s dive in.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I. Reading from the NIV,
Ephesians 3 verses 1-5 says: </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">When I think of
all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles
assuming, by the way, that you know God gave me the special responsibility of
extending his grace to you Gentiles. As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself
revealed his mysterious plan to me. As you read what I have written, you will
understand my insight into this plan regarding Christ. God did not reveal it to
previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy
apostles and prophets. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">a. PRISONER OF CHRIST</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In verse 1, Paul called
himself a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of the Gentiles. He was a
prisoner of Rome, but that is not how he viewed himself. He saw himself as a
prisoner of Christ. When we know that we are working for Christ and refuse to
let a bad circumstance affect our good works for Christ, our whole way of
looking at things can change. He knew that it wasn’t any fault of his own that
he was in prison, that it was all for Christ who was strengthening him. We have
to stop letting a bad moment in a day or what someone may have said to you
affect our joy. We have our joy in Christ, not our circumstances. God has
adopted us into His family, saved us, and has a great plan for your life. Paul
knew this, and he wasn’t going to let his imprisonment steal his destiny and
keep him from doing what God called him to do. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">b. REVELATION OF
MYSTERIOUS PLAN</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Verse 3 says, “As I
briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me.” Paul
wrote that the information given to him was from God that God had revealed it
to him. Here he is establishing his credibility. He said God had revealed the plan
to him. He didn’t make it up, nor was it given to him by someone else. It came
from God through the Spirit. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transitional sentence: Paul
begins Ephesians by stating that he is a prisoner of Christ for the Gentiles
benefit. He hints that God has revealed a mysterious plan to him. We’ll now
learn what the plan is and the details involved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">II. Verses 6-7, “And this
is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally
in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and
both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. By
God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by
spreading this Good News.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">a. GOD’S PLAN</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Paul explains what God is
doing with the Gentile believers. He lists three things: They are heirs with
Israel, members of the same body, and they share in the promise of God’s
blessings.<br />
1. HEIRS WITH ISRAEL AND MEMBERS OF THE SAME BODY</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">First, the Gentiles are
heirs with Israel and members of the same body. In Genesis 12:3, it says, “I
will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All
the families on earth will be blessed through you.” What does this mean? It
means that Gentiles now share in all of God’s promises as the Jews do. We are
all one in Christ. The Gentiles share in the same blessings that God promised
to the Jews. As God’s adopted children, we share in Christ’s inheritance. What
is Christ’s inheritance? Reading from Hebrews 1:2, “And now in these final
days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son
as an inheritance, and through the Son, he created the universe.” All that
Jesus has we have. We are co-seated with him in the heavenly places, and we are
co-heirs with Him. Because of Christ, everything God has given to Jesus, He has
given to us: because of His grace. We were once completely far away from God,
strangers. But because of the blood of Christ, we have been brought near.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2. THE GENTILES SHARE IN
THE PROMISES OF GOD’S BLESSINGS<br />
What do these blessings include?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">1. SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Eph 1:3, “All praise to
God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every
spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with
Christ.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are God’s adopted children,
members of His family; we have been forgiven because of Christ’s shed blood on
the cross; sealed with the Holy Spirit who is our helper: The Spirit resides in
our hearts and gives us power and strength. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2. GRACE </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Eph 1:7, “He is so rich
in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son
and forgave our sins.” Because God is so good, He wanted a family. He chose and
adopted us into His family. He knew everything wrong that you would ever do,
but He still chose you. He loves you that much. Because sin had entered the
earth by one man’s decision, another man Jesus brought us redemption.
Redemption means to buy back. Christ bought us back from our slavery to sin. We
have forgiveness of sin and eternal life for all because of Christ’s shed blood
on the cross. We have our redemption because God is so rich in His grace. We
can do nothing to earn our forgiveness and salvation; Christ’s blood has
already paid it. It is a gift. A gift that we didn’t deserve, but God so
graciously gave it to us. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">3.WISDOM </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Eph 1:8, “He has showered
his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.” God has not left
us in the dark. He gives us wisdom and understanding into the good plan that He
has for our lives. It says in James 1:5 that if anyone of us lacks wisdom, ask,
and it will generously be given to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Holy Spirit is our helper, teacher, and our interceder. The Spirit teaches
us all things related to God and His ways and keeps us out of trouble. How do
we know if the Spirit is speaking to us? It will line up with scripture. God
will never lead us down a path of confusion or sin. If you’re on the fence
about making an important decision, how’s your peace? If you don’t have peace
about something, that’s God speaking to you. Perhaps it isn’t the right timing,
or something better is coming your way soon. Learn to listen to God’s voice. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">4. ETERNAL LIFE</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><a name="_Hlk55478422"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In
the book of Mathew, starting in verse 27, </span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk55478422;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to
follow you, What will we get?” Jesus replied, “I assure you that when the world
is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been
my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of
Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father
or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as
much in return and will inherit eternal life.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Whatever we give up or
lose to follow Christ, He will return to us a hundred times, and we will
inherit eternal life. Some people have had bad childhoods but still decided to
follow Christ, and He has more than blessed and provided for them in their
later years. I had a good childhood, came from a Christian family, and was well
cared for: This doesn’t mean that I didn’t make bad decisions. I did. But God
was always waiting for me to come back to Him in repentance. He never left me;
He never distanced Himself from me because I sinned; God was right by my side
where He always has been because He is a good and gracious God. And because I
chose to repent and come back to Him, He has more than provided for me. We
don’t lose our inheritance because we sin. He doesn’t change His mind and give
the plan that He has for our life to someone else. That plan is ours, and only
ours. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transitional Sentence: As
Gentiles, we are heirs with God and share in all of His blessings, including
eternal life. God is very gracious, and He isn’t going to withhold from us the
good plan that He has for us. Because of Christ and our faith in Him, we can
come boldly to the throne before God. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">III. Verses 8-13 read: </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;"><a name="_Hlk55473806"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Though
I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the
privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them
in Christ. I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God,
the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning. God’s purpose in
all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all
unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was his eternal
plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord. Because of Christ and
our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.
So please don’t lose heart because of my trials here. I am suffering for you,
so you should feel honored. </span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">a. GRACIOUSLY DESERVING</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In verse 8, Paul says
that he is the least deserving of all God’s people, but God gave him the
privilege of telling the Gentiles about the treasures available to them in
Christ. God is a good and gracious God, and He will not ever hold his plan back
from you from being achieved. He never withheld from Paul, and He won’t
withhold from you. His word always comes to pass. It doesn’t matter how you see
yourself; what matters is how God sees you. He knows the beginning from the
end. He sees how you will be in the future when you accept Him and begin
working with Him to change for His good purposes. Don’t compare yourself to
other people: This will never get you anywhere but discouraged or full of
pride. Look to God and work with the Holy Spirit. Ask God to reveal to you
anything that isn’t pleasing to Him about you; He will. But know this: He loves
you exactly the way you are now. He will never love you more than He does at
this exact moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">b. BOLDLY COME TO THE
CROSS</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Verse 11 and 12 states
that the Gentiles were brought into God’s kingdom because of the sacrifice of
Christ, and we are able to come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.
Because of what Christ has done on the cross, we can all come boldly into God’s
presence. Our salvation is a gift, and there is nothing we can do to earn it.
To come into God’s presence means we can pray to Him with confidence. The bible
tells us to pray big prayers: to pray with boldness and with faith that you
will receive what you ask for if it is in accordance with God’s will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transitional sentence: God
sees the beginning from the end. He has a unique plan for each of us, and He
will not withhold it from us. We are God’s adopted children, and because of
Christ and our faith in Him, we can come boldly to the throne. Paul ends
Ephesians 3 with prayer and encouragement.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">IV. Verses 14-21:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;"><a name="_Hlk55473822"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">When
I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of
everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited
resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then
Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will
grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to
understand, as all God’s people how deep his love is. May you experience the
love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be
made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now
all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to
accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the
church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever Amen. </span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">a. IN PAUL’S PRAYER, HE
PRAYS THAT GOD WOULD:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">1. GIVE THEM STRENGTH
THROUGH HIS SPIRIT </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Spirit gives us the
strength to do the things that God has asked us to do. He isn’t just going to
ask us to do something for Him and then leave us alone. God is right there with
us giving us the strength that we need. He gave David the strength to fight
Goliath. He gave strength to Gideon to fight his oppressors. Gideon needed to
trust the Lord, and he did. Therefore the enemy was defeated. His strength came
from trusting God. Your strength also needs to come from trusting in the power
of God’s word.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2. GOD WILL MAKE HIS HOME
IN IN OUR HEARTS </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Because of Christ's
sacrifice on the cross, God dwells in our hearts at salvation. His gift is His
Spirit, which makes His home within us. You can’t get any closer than that. We
need to have faith that His Spirit resides in us. We are His precious children,
and there isn’t anything that He wouldn’t do for you. There are many titles for
His Spirit: He is our Helper, Teacher, Interceder, and Guide. Just think about
it for a minute: You have God’s Spirit living within you! There is nothing that
you can’t do with God giving you the strength, protection, and love to guide
you through all things. His Spirit will never leave us.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">3. ROOTED AND ESTABLISHED
IN GOD’S LOVE</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I think that we can all
say that we know God loves us, but Paul wants us to have an intimate knowledge
of His love. This can happen when we spend time with Him: by reading His word,
prayer, and worship. I have been spending time reading God’s word every morning
with a cup of coffee. Throughout the day, I pray. I don’t usually pray for an
extended period, but moments of prayer: either a request or just simply saying,
“Hey God, thank you so much for your goodness, provision, and your protection.”
I can honestly say that I feel like I have a close relationship with God, but
it could always be better. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">4. HAVE THE POWER TO
UNDERSTAND HIS LOVE<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When we are rooted and
grounded in God’s love, as mentioned in verse 17, we can begin to understand
His love. Everything God is is love. That is who He is. 1 John 4:8 says, “but
anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” He displayed love
when He sent His only Son to die for all of us. He certainly didn’t need to.
But He did. He made the great sacrifice while we were still His enemies. If you
can begin to understand the width, length, height, and depth of His love, we
can feel confident in doing what He’s called us to do. He’s going to be with
us: He’s going to strengthen us: And He’ll be displaying His love, always.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">b. PAUL ENDS HIS PRAYER
WITH AN ENCOURAGEMENT</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">His final prayer is that
we’d pray big prayers.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Ephesians 3:20 says to
pray with boldness. “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty
power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or
think.” But you need to have faith that He is going to answer your prayer. The
way that I look at things, I’ll pray about anything, and quite frankly enjoy
asking for big things. I know that if He doesn’t want me to have something, I
won’t get it. I know He’s looking after me. It may be that it may not be the
right timing or not suitable for me. Or He’ll say yes! I’m raising two teenage
daughters. What I’ve learned is that God loves them more than I do. When one of
them does something I disagree with, I give it to God. God isn’t going to leave
them; He doesn’t want them to go down the wrong path either. He’s going to pull
them back in. You’d be amazed at how much more quickly He can deal with a
situation than I can, and He does a way better job. So pray about it. Even if
they seem a long way off, and it may look as if there is no way in the natural,
they can’t be brought back, pray, and give Him praise and thanks.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Conclusion:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We have been rooted and
grounded in God’s love. The mystery of God is that we all are included in the
gift of eternal life, salvation. We all can come boldly to the throne of God
because God sent His only Son to die on the cross for us. Christ willingly gave
of Himself so that we can know the Father as He does. We are united as members
of the same body, and we share in the blessings of God. We can do all things
through Christ, who is our strength. With the Spirit of God residing within us,
there is nothing that we can’t do for God without Him right by our side. Be
encouraged. Pray with boldness and faith. Come to the cross and stay there.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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Jeannie Hortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041832831353943157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917993837743094196.post-12223272400806807912021-02-10T08:30:00.006-08:002021-02-10T08:30:45.904-08:00Ephesians 4<p> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">February 6, 2021</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Title: Ephesians 4 Bible
Study</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Text: Ephesians 4</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Introduction:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">1. We are doing a Bible
study on the book of Ephesians. Chapters 1-3 describe the believer’s position:
who we are in Christ, how much God loves us, and our relationship with Him.
Chapters 4-6 is about our behavior and how we can apply the truths learned from
chapters 1-3 to our lives.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2. The first chapter is
about who God is and all that He has done for us. Chapter 2 focuses on us: who
we are as a result of His goodness, mercy, and grace. In chapter 3, God reveals
the mystery that Gentiles are now included in the gift of salvation. In chapter
4 shows us how we can apply what we learned from chapters 1-3. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Proposition: Walk worthy
of your calling, growing into maturity in Christ, putting away all sin. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Interrogative Sentence: How
can we walk worthy of our calling? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transitional Sentence: First,
we’ll dive into what it means to walk worthy of our calling. We can walk worthy
of our calling by putting God first in our life. There are five areas that we
will look at. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">1. WALK WORTHY OF YOUR
CALLING</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Reading from the NKJV,
Ephesians 4 verses 1-4 says, </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I,
therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling
with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with
longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity
of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as
you were called in one hope of your calling.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In this portion of
scripture, Paul tells us to walk worthy of your calling: This means you are
God’s called, chosen, and adopted child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He has a great plan for your life that only you can fulfill. We are
joint-heirs with Christ, seated at God’s right hand with Him in the heavenly
places. Because of Christ and His work on the cross, we have all of His
spiritual blessings. When you know who you are in Christ, you can walk worthy
of the calling that God has called you. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Paul lists five things
that would help us live a life worthy of the life God has called us to. They
are lowliness, gentleness, longsuffering, love, and unity in the Spirit. These
are all attitudes that Jesus had. But to us, these personality traits don’t
come naturally to our flesh. We have to work with the Holy Spirit to change us.
Every morning I may wake up with the intention to not complain, but as soon as
my feet hit the floor and attend to my three unruly dogs, I’ve blown it. If we
ask God to mold us into the image of His Son, He will, but it will take time. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">a. LOWLINESS</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Lowliness means humility.
To have humility means having a modest or low estimate of your importance. It
says in Proverbs 27:2, “Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth: A
stranger, and not your own lips.” Just because you do something kind for
another doesn’t mean you should go and brag about it to others. Let God praise
you. He will promote and exalt us. We are to come before God humbly. He is the
creator of all things: He is the sustainer of life: He is a restorer. He
restored our relationship with Him by sending His Son to die for our sins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can we not stand in awe of Him? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">b. GENTLENESS</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Do you seek the Lord
above all else? Are you obedient to God and His word? We will feel more at
peace when we are truly walking with the Lord. Mathew 6:33 “But seek first the
kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to
you.” You don’t need to ask the Lord for everything you think you need in order
to be happy for the day. Instead, ask the Lord what it is that you can do for
Him. Ask the Lord if there is anything in you that He wants to change. Ask Him
to mold you and change you into the image of His Son. Ask Him to reveal His
will to you. It takes a mature Christian to ask Him these things. He knows what
you need even before you even ask Him, so why not ask what you can do for Him
instead? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When I think of a gentle
and quiet spirit, I immediately think of the Proverbs 31 woman. I feel like I’m
anything but gentle and quiet, perhaps a little more strong-willed and
opinionated. Joyce Meyer encouraged me in a sermon when she said that she, too,
is strong-willed, opinionated, sassy, and loud. And the Lord is using her in
mighty ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He can use me too, as long
as I listen to His voice and respond with a “yes, Lord, whatever you need.” </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We need to be teachable
in our Christian walk. We learn by studying the word, the Holy Spirit, through
our experiences and other mature believers in Christ. Just because I’m
finishing up my master's degree in Theology and Biblical studies at Life
Christian University does not mean that I am done with my studies. There is
still so much to learn, not only about God’s word but about how to behave
properly with my family, friends, other believers, and non. The Spirit has so
much more to teach me. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">c. LONGSUFFERING</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">To be long-suffering
means your patient. To be genuinely patient means how you act and what you do
while you’re waiting. You may have to wait for God for a long time before you
get your breakthrough. He is extraordinary patient. Just because you may be
ready, this doesn’t mean the other people involved are. Maybe it just isn’t the
right timing. God doesn’t withhold anything from those who walk uprightly. He
knows what is best for us and will never withhold anything good from us. Wait
on Him. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">d. LOVE</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We are to bear with one
another in love. Don’t be harsh or judgmental towards others, but be quick to
forgive. Please don’t hold on to bitterness, but let it go. It says in Mark
11:25, </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">And whenever you stand
praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in
heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.” Again, this scripture says that
if you are praying and you have ‘anything against anyone,’ let it go, drop it,
and be quick to forgive. Love others in Christ, treat people with respect.
Don’t just treat people the way you want to be treated; treat them better than
that. Go above and beyond their expectations. Show others the love and light of
Christ. You may be the only Jesus some people will ever see in their lifetime,
and if it were not for you, they might never come to Christ. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">e. UNITY</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Ephesians
4:5-7, “one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is
above all, and through all, and in you all. But to each one of us grace was
given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">All members of the
Godhead: God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit bring unity to each of us, the body of
Christ. Each of us are individuals, but we are united with the Godhead as one.
There is just one Lord: Jesus, our Savior. He earned His right to sit at the
right hand of God after His death and resurrection from the cross. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">There are many different
religions, and people can say, “I’m of this faith or that,” but there is only
one true saving faith, which comes from believing in Jesus Christ. He came to
earth as God incarnate, took on the sins of humanity, suffered a horrific death
on the cross, and was resurrected so that we could have right standing with our
Father. He didn’t have to, His human nature didn’t want to, but He wanted to do
the Father’s will; He wanted to please Him. He did it for us. This is love. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We have our faith because
it is a gift from God. We do not deserve it, and there is nothing we can do to
earn it. It is a gift. We are saved by our faith in Christ. We grow in our
faith by reading God’s word.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transitional Sentence: We
just looked at what it means to walk worthy of our calling. We have been
called, chosen, and adopted by God. We are joint-heirs with Christ, seated at
God’s right hand. Paul lists five things that would help us live a life worthy
of the life God has called us to. They are lowliness, gentleness,
longsuffering, love, and unity in the Spirit. Next, we will go over the five
ministry gifts that God appointed to the church. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2. FIVE MINISTRY GIFTS </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Verse
11, “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists,
and some pastors, and teachers. For the equipping of the saints for the work of
ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">God appointed gifts to
the church. They are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. He
gave these gifts for the equipping of the saints, for the work of ministry, and
edifying of the body of Christ. All of the gifts are equally important, and
they all serve a purpose to unite the body of Christ. You can’t have one gift
without the other. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We are all called, every
one of us, to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth. It is what Jesus
asked us to do when He ascended to the Father. Jesus could not be everywhere
when He spent His years preaching the gospel, but He has us to complete His
works through the workings of His Spirit. We are also called to equip fellow
believers for the ministry and to edify one another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Ask God if you don’t know
what you are called to do. After going to school for many years, going on two
ten mission trips, I feel my calling is teaching. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transitional Sentence: The
five ministry gifts to the church are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors,
and teachers. They are all equally important and given to the church by God.
God wants to mold us into the image of His Son. He wants us to grow into
maturity.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">3. GROW INTO MATURITY </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Verses 13-16, “till
we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God,
to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that
we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every
wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of
deceitful potting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things
into Him who is the head-Christ-from whom the whole body, joined and knit
together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by
every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself
in love.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">God wants to mold us into
the image of His Son: sinless, spotless, and blameless. It is a process known
as sanctification. He knows we can never fully get there because of our sin
nature, but He has high expectations for us:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>expectations expressed with loving conviction. He is entirely for us and
wants us to be successful, which is why He sent the Holy Spirit to be our teacher,
helper, and guide. We can’t achieve this level of maturity on our own, but
through the workings of the Holy Spirit indwelling within us, our faith, and
willing heart. We grow when we study the word of God and spend quality time
with Him. When we know the word, we are stable, not tossed to and fro as it
says in the scripture. When we have our feet firmly planted in the word of God,
we will not be at the mercy of our circumstances, but God. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I know people who go from
church to church, never really settling in. They often blame the pastor for not
getting anything out of the messages, so they leave. Or they are embarrassed
after counseling with a member of the church, feeling the person knows too
much. Or they become angry after an incident. These are all bad reasons to
leave a church. Never leave a church mad. You will bring your anger with you to
the next. I have left a church, but after counseling twice with one of the
church's pastors, I wanted to leave and spent over six months in prayer about
it. I left in right standing with the old church.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transition Sentence: Molded
into the image of God’s Son is a process known as sanctification. It is God’s
will for us. He wants us to be stable in our walk with Him so we won’t be
tossed to and fro by every doctrine that isn’t His word. He wants us to walk as
mature believers in Christ. We can achieve this by faith and working with the
Holy Spirit indwelling within us. The final scriptures from Ephesians 4 is all
about our behavior towards others and God.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">4. SIN DISRUPTS UNITY </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The final scriptures in
Ephesians 4 gives us specific ways to behave. Verses 25-32, </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Therefore,
putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we
are members of one another. “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go
down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let him who stole steal no
longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he
may have something to give him who has need. Let no corrupt word proceed out of
your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart
grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you
were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger,
clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to
one another, derhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave
you.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This verse contains a
lot of information to take in, but know this, how you treat others as a
believer in Christ is how you are treating God. We are all one in Christ, and
if you mistreat another, you’re mistreating Christ. When you sin against
another, you break the bond you have with one another and the Godhead. </span></p>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0e101a; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Do not lie to one another. It builds mistrust and
resentment. </span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0e101a; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It is not a sin to be angry, but how you act when
you’re angry if it is unholy is. Do not sin when you are angry. Work with
God, release your anger to God, ask Him to heal you, give Him your anger.
For me, anytime I have strife with one of my teenagers before going to
bed, I can’t sleep. I end up replaying in my head what was said. I may
feel convicted and think of ways the conversation could have gone better,
and I’ll take the conversation into the next day when it could have been
dealt with that evening. Sometimes it is good to take a break if an
argument has gotten heated. That way, both parties can take a break to
cool off and spend time in prayer. Then you can come back together more
calmly. </span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0e101a; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’ve heard on many occasions of people trying to steal
food because they are hungry. I’m not justifying what they did, stealing,
of course, is wrong, but I’ve heard of police officers or store clerks
buying these people meals and bags of groceries. Just don’t think because
people are stealing, especially food, that they are bad people; they may
need our help instead. And the word says to love others. How you treat the
poor is how you treat God. Remember that. </span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0e101a; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Watch what you say, not just swear words, but what you
are speaking. Are they words of kindness and truth? Are they edifying
others and yourself? We are to be kind to one another and to ourselves,
lifting each other up, not tearing people down with ridicule. There are
too many critics in this world, be an encourager. </span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0e101a; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Do not grieve the Holy Spirit. How do we grieve the
Spirit? By sin. Work with the Spirit to change you, to mold you into the
image of Christ. He will. It is not going to happen overnight, but it will
happen. </span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0e101a; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Finally, put away all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor,
and evil speaking from us. These are not from God but from Satan, whose
only intention is to steal, kill and destroy. Give the devil no foothold
into your life. By His grace, God has forgiven us, and we do not deserve
it at all. Be quick to forgive. Drop the bitterness as soon as you feel
it. Don’t let it fester. Don’t let bitterness take root deep in your soul.
Drop it, and let it go. </span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">CONCLUSION</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We have been given the
Holy Spirit as our helper, teacher, advocate, and guide. Through the Spirit’s
help, we can walk worthy of our calling; we can grow into a mature believer in
Christ; molded into Christ’s image, and we can control the impulses of our
flesh. Put God first into your life: actively seek Him for who He is, not what
He can do for you. Our walk with Jesus is exciting: a life full of adventure.</span></p>
Jeannie Hortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041832831353943157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917993837743094196.post-72540830840936817592021-02-10T08:30:00.002-08:002021-02-10T08:30:24.165-08:00Ephesians 5 and 6 <p> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">February
8, 2021</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Title: Ephesians Bible
Study</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Text: Ephesians 5 and 6 </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Introduction:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">1. We are doing a Bible
study on the book of Ephesians. Chapters 1-3 describe the believer’s position:
who we are in Christ, how much God loves us, and our relationship with Him.
Chapters 4-6 is about our behavior and how we can apply the truths learned from
chapters 1-3 to our lives.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2. The first chapter is
about who God is and all that He has done for us. Chapter 2 focuses on us: who
we are as a result of His goodness, mercy, and grace. In chapter 3, God reveals
the mystery that Gentiles are now included in the gift of salvation. Chapter 4
shows us how we can apply what we learned from chapters 1-3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The final chapters of Ephesians, 5 and 6,
teaches us to be imitators of Christ. It gives us specific things we should and
should not do. Chapter 5 tells us to follow after God and Christ. It also
describes the connection between marriage and Christ. In chapter 6, we learn
about how families should relate to one another, and then finally, it describes
the armor of God and its purpose. This sermon is a big one; we have a lot to
get through. Ready? Here we go.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Proposition: Imitate God
by being guided by the Holy Spirit to live righteously.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Interrogative Sentence: How
can we work with the Spirit to live righteously? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transitional Sentence: The
Holy Spirit will guide us in having a close intimate relationship with God and
working with Him to imitate our Heavenly Father. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">1. IMITATE GOD</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Reading from the NKJV,
Ephesians 5:1-2, “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in
love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a
sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When we are born again,
we are given Christ’s nature. We have the Spirit of God living within us to
guide us. As His forgiven, saved adopted children, we will want to imitate
Christ. Ephesians 4:24, “and that you put on the new man which was created
according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” We put off the “old man”
and put on the “new man.” How is your behavior? When people look at you, they
should see Christ. They should not see you acting like the world. We are called
to spread the gospel to the world, and you may be the only Jesus some people may
ever see. Just because you go to church, and have a Christian bumper sticker,
doesn’t mean you are behaving like a Christian. It says in Mathew 7:21-, “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.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unfortunately, many people say they believe in Christ but are living
extremely unrighteously and committing horrible acts in God's name. Some people
go to church every Sunday but then forget about Him for the rest of the week. They
only pray if they are in trouble, they don’t read their Bibles, rarely spend
time with Him, unforgiving towards others, and are still acting like the
unsaved. This person may get into heaven, but that is not having a quality
relationship with our Father, who desires a close and intimate relationship. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Follow God’s example:
imitate Him. Work with the Spirit to help guide you. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transitional Sentence:
Work with God’s Spirit to put off the old man, and put on the new. Choose to
imitate God in all you do, actively abiding in Him. Live a life worthy of the
calling God called you to.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2. LIVING RIGHTEOUSLY</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Verses 15-17, “See then
that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time,
because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the
will of the Lord is.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">This verse is saying to
walk carefully as the wise, knowing what God’s plan is for your life. Choose to
work with the Spirit of God to make the most of your time. Live a life worthy
of your calling. You are God’s called, chosen, and adopted child. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He has a great plan for
your life that only you can fulfill. We are joint-heirs with Christ, seated at
God’s right hand with Christ in the heavenly places. Because of Christ and His
work on the cross, we have all of His spiritual blessings. When you know who
you are in Christ, you can walk worthy of the calling that God has called you.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Know the word of God. Do
not just read your Bible: study and memorize it. This way, you will not be
deceived by others. You will not be bounced to and fro with every false
doctrine. But, you can stand firm in the truth: the truth is in the word of God.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">How you treat others as a
believer in Christ is how you are treating God. We are all one in Christ, and
if you mistreat another, you’re mistreating Christ. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Do not walk as children
of darkness, but walk as children of Light. Verses 13-14, “But all things that
are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is
light. Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And
Christ will give you light.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through us,
God’s light shines forth into this dark world. People need to see God through
us. Be an example to others. People should look at you and see Christ through
you.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transitional Sentence: God
has a great plan for you. Living a life with Christ is an exciting adventure.
The Bible is our tool to live a righteous life as God’s chosen children. We
were given the gift of the Holy Spirit to dwell within our hearts. Work with
Him to live the life God called you to. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">3. GUIDED BY THE HOLY
SPIRIT</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Verse 18, “And do not be
drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be with filled with the Spirit.” </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In this verse, we are
commanded to be filled with the Spirit. Christ gave us His Spirit when He
ascended to the Father after His death and resurrection. It is a gift. His
Spirit forever indwells within us as our teacher, helper, guide, advocate,
intercessor, and comforter. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A few of the effects of
being filled with the Spirit are listed in verses 19-20, “speaking to one
another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in
your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Speak to one another with Psalms hymns.
The world has enough critics, be an encourager. Don’t be quick to judge, but
try to be understanding. Put away all gossip, strife, slander, and bad jokes.
Take no part in these things. </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Lift others up through prayer, with the
word of God. Pray for others, and ask how you help. </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 200%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Give thanks to God for all things. You can
change your situation around by being thankful. There is good to be found in
all things. It is easy to go around murmuring and complaining, but when we
choose to be thankful, God hears us, and God wants to help us. Speak forth the
word to your situation, continuously giving thanks to God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our attitudes change, and how we look at our
situations change. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transitional Sentence: Give
thanks to God in all things in the name of Jesus, having a thankful heart.
Express your gratitude to others, and pray for each other. Be an encourager,
and put away strife. Submit to others as the church is subject to Christ.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">4. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY
RELATIONSHIPS</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Submit to one another in
the fear of God. To submit means to accept or yield to a superior force or to
another person's authority or will. Submission is voluntary. You cannot force
another to submit to you. It is a heart attitude. For example, I want to submit
to God because I love Him, He is the creator of the universe, and because of
Christ, I have my salvation. I want to obey Him. I want to do good works for
Him. I do not do these works to earn my salvation but because I am expressing
my love for Him. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">However, I’m certainly
not the best person to speak on being a proper submissive wife. I’m still
actively failing to shut my mouth during a discussion with my husband, having
to get the last word in or getting my way. In my marriage, I’m loud, highly
opinionated, strong-willed, and not reserved. My husband is just the opposite.
He’s kind, he thinks before he speaks, not overly opinionated, and I don’t
believe that I have ever heard him say that he didn’t like someone. I think I
have a list of people I don’t care for, and I love giving my opinion. But God
put us together because we complement one another. God doesn’t put you together
with people who are like you; He puts you with people who are polar opposites,
so you grow. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Submission is not
disobeying God when we submit to another. It isn’t a one-sided thing either.
Husbands are to submit to their wives just as much as wives are to their
husbands. Submission does lie more heavily on the wife. Both the husband and
wife should always seek God’s will for every situation, and the husband should
always care about his wife's opinion and seek her knowledge. But the final
authority in a decision should always lie on the man. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">My husband cares for my
opinion quite a bit. I do all the finances and taxes and am usually the one who
plans vacations. I’m learning not to always have my way or get in the last
word. Sometimes I have to hold on to something and bite my lip, though. I need
to remind myself that how I treat my husband is how I’m treating God. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">My husband loves me. Men
are commanded to love their wives as Christ loves the church. They are to love
their wives as they love their own bodies: they are to cherish and nourish
their wives, and we are to respect our husbands. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Work with the Holy
Spirit, who is our helper and guide. Ephesians chapter 6 moves on to how
children should behave to their parents.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Children are to obey
their parents. But, remember, you are not to disobey God. I’m 46 years old, and
I still say “yes, ma'am” to my mom. I had a great childhood, but she was firm,
and a little mean, or so I thought when I was a teenager at least. To this day,
I don’t argue with her, and I refuse to get involved with strife with her even
when she says things that I can't entirely agree with. We don’t always see eye
to eye. But what good is it going to do in stating my opinion when it really
doesn’t matter? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We went through a tough
time with one of our daughters when she was growing up. Things happened that
were so hurtful. I heard a mother is never happier than her most unhappy child.
Sometimes when our kids get themselves into trouble, they need to find out for
themselves what you’ve been trying to teach them all along. Proverbs 22:6 says,
“train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not
depart from it.” Treat kids kindly, prayerfully, never provoking them to wrath.
Be an encourager. But, I get it. It’s hard watching them make mistakes. Love
them, pray for them. God will show them the light and truth. He loves them more
than you, and He is not going to let them stumble for long. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transitional Sentence: We
are subject to one another. Submission isn’t always easy because of pride, but
God has called us to submit, and He will bless us when we do. Wives should
submit to their husbands, children to their parents, and all to Christ. How we
treat others is how we treat God. In this last section of Ephesians, we’ll look
at the armor of God.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">5. PUT ON THE ARMOR OF
GOD</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 200%;">Lastly, reading from Ephesians 6:11-18 NKJV, </p>
<p style="margin-left: .5in;"><span class="text">Put on the whole armor of God,
that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. <sup> </sup>For
we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against
powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual <i>hosts</i>
of wickedness in the heavenly <i>places.</i> Therefore take up the whole armor
of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all,
to stand.<sup> </sup>Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth,
having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with
the preparation of the gospel of peace;<sup> </sup>above all, taking the
shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of
the wicked one. <sup> </sup>And take the helmet of salvation, and the
sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;<sup> </sup>praying always
with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with
all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We do not wrestle with
one another, but rulers of darkness, powers, spiritual forces, and
principalities. The good news is that the victory is already ours through
Christ. We are the righteousness in Christ, and He has already defeated Satan
by going to the cross, dying, and resurrecting again. The victory is ours. We
are to stand against the devil. To stand means to “hold your ground.” </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We cannot fight Satan
through carnal weapons, but God's. We are to put on the full armor of God, not
just some of it. There are seven pieces of the armor of God. They are a belt of
truth, the breastplate of righteousness, gospel of peace, a shield of faith,
helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit, and prayer. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Belt of Truth</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">:
The belt of truth is the word of God. All of the other pieces of armor are
attached to the belt of truth. Satan is the father of lies. You can’t defeat
the devil if you don’t know the truth of the word of God. His word is true.
Know the word: study it, memorize it, and apply it. We are powerless without
the word. Fight the devil by submitting to God and resisting the devil by
speaking forth God’s word.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="text"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Breastplate
of Righteousness</span></b></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">: There are two kinds of
righteousness mentioned in the scriptures. The first is the righteousness that
God carries out through and for us. The second is the righteousness of Christ.
It is not our righteousness; it is God’s. He gave it to us at our salvation:
God accepts us.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In
our spiritual battle, we need to protect our hearts. We protect our hearts by
being obedient to God and not being entangled by sin. We need to put God first
in all things. The devil wants us to not only sin but also to feel so much
condemnation from our sin that we take our eyes off Christ. The breastplate of
righteous protects against the attacks of the enemy. But we need to have the
belt of truth, God’s word, in place first. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The
breastplate of righteousness allows God’s light to shine through us to the dark
world. People need to see the loving light shining through us. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="text"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Gospel
of Peace</span></b></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">: We have peace with God
because of Christ. When we understand that we have been forgiven, called,
chosen, and exalted in Christ. When we use the power of God’s word in all
circumstances. And we know that Christ has already won the victory, we can stay
peaceful. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A
lot of people become frustrated and say, “I just don’t have any peace!” This is
not true. We were given peace when Jesus ascended to heaven. It is part of the
fruits of the Spirit given to us: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness,<sup> </sup>gentleness and self-control. If you are
not feeling peaceful, it is because you are not accessing it. Stop, and ask the
Holy Spirit to refresh you. Spend time with the Lord in prayer, thanksgiving,
and worship. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="text"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Shield
of Faith: </span></b></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The shield of faith and
the belt of truth are inseparable. We have our salvation by our faith in
Christ, and we cannot please God without faith. The word of God needs to be
first in our life, or our faith will become weak, and we will not grow as a
believer in Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:14, “Now thanks be to God who always leads
us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge
in every place.” Christians spreading the gospel worldwide are bringing life to
others, to those who choose to accept the message of Christ. These Christians are
spreading the fragrance of Christ everywhere they go. When we stand firm on the
word of God with our faith, we will be victorious against Satan’s attacks. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="text"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Helmet
of Salvation: </span></b></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Protect our minds with
the word of God.<b> </b>Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is
that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Be careful with what you are
thinking and with the words that come out of your mouth. Set your mind on the
things above, keeping your mind focused on God and His word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Renew your mind by studying His word, and
believe what His word says. Ask God to mold you into the image of His Son. It
is a process that takes time: it doesn’t happen overnight. Do not set your mind
on the things of this world. It is easy to get caught up with the things of
this world, but these things bring death. Set your mind on the things of God,
things that bring truth, joy, hope, and love. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Be
careful with what you choose to watch on TV or when you are searching the
internet. There is a lot of junk on TV. I can sit and watch a good movie, and
something inappropriate is shown, and it is just useless. It is best to watch
TV with the remote in your hand to hit fast forward. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Who
are you choosing to spend time with? Some of you may need to make new friends.
I have a daughter who lost most of her friends from sticking with the truth of
God’s word, and choosing to follow His ways. They wanted to follow their flesh;
she wanted to follow God. They left, and she got new and better friends.
Protect your minds.</span></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in;"><span class="text"><b>Sword of the Spirit:
</b></span><span style="color: #0e101a;">The sword of the Spirit is our only
offensive weapon: it is both offensive and defensive.<strong> </strong>It
is able to wound Satan.<strong> </strong>Jesus was led by the Spirit into
the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. Satan knowing scripture, was trying to
cast doubt in Jesus and cause Him to sin. But, with each of Satan’s
temptations, Jesus spoke the word (sword of the Spirit) back at him, and Satan
eventually fled. </span></p>
<p style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p>
<p style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">Jesus’s
experience is our example. The word of God isn’t of any use to us if we let our
Bibles collect dust on a shelf in our homes. We need to read it, study it,
memorize scriptures, and speak it aloud to all of our situations: against all
attacks of the enemy. When we speak forth the word of God, the Holy Spirit
hears us and goes to battle for and through us. The word of God is like a
two-edged sword. The word of God is active and full of power. It is living and
has the power to do what God intends for it to accomplish. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Prayer: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">After
you put on all the armor of God, you are ready to go to battle in prayer! There
are many types of prayer: </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Praise to God for who He is and what He
has done. </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Intercession, praying for another. </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Thanksgiving to God. </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 200%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Agreement or getting together with another
and coming in agreement with them over something.</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Holy Spirit strengthens us in our
weaknesses: teaching us to pray accurately and perfect prayers for and through
us. </span>The Spirit makes our prayers acceptable to God. God will give us the
desire to pray. The Spirit will urge us to pray, showing us who to pray for. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, the Holy intercedes
through us by speaking in tongues. It is a language that is unknown to us, but
it is the wisdom of God, given to our heart: It is the prayer of God. When we
speak in tongues, the Spirit is interceding through us. We could be praying for
someone across the world whom we have never met or something that we may have
never thought to pray for. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Taken from the book The Authority of the Believer by John A
MacMillan, </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The only place of safety is the occupation of the seat
itself. It is ‘far above’ the enemy. If the believer abides steadfastly by
faith in this location, he cannot be touched. Consequently the enemy puts forth
all his ‘wiles’ to draw him down in spirit, for once out of his seat, his
authority is gone, and he is no longer dangerous, and further, he is open to
attack. At this point is seen the meaning of the message of Ephesians Chapter
6. To maintain his place against the wiles of the devil, the believer must be
constantly arrayed in full armor.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Conclusion:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Living a life with Christ
is not boring. Imitate God by being guided by the Holy Spirit to live
righteously. Choose to imitate God in all you do, actively abiding in Him. Live
a life worthy of the calling God called you to. We were given the gift of the
Holy Spirit to dwell within our hearts. Be an encourager towards others, and
put away strife. Submit to others as the church is subject to Christ. We are
subject to one another. How we treat others is how we treat God. Put on the
armor of God daily and allow the Spirit to fight battles through you. You’re
already victorious because of Christ. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></p>
Jeannie Hortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041832831353943157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917993837743094196.post-85121940383143875062020-11-27T09:17:00.005-08:002020-11-27T09:18:23.489-08:00NEW COVENANT BASED ON BETTER PROMISES<p>By Jeannie Horton </p><p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">NEW
COVENANT BASED ON BETTER PROMISES</span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">INTRODUCTION</span></b><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><a name="_Hlk54871073"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But this is the new covenant I will make with
the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their
minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will
be my people. And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they
need to teach their relatives, saying, “You should know the Lord: For everyone
from the least to the greatest, will know me already. And I will forgive their
wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins (Hebrews 8:10-12).</span></a></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk54871073;"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This scripture was a
prophecy from God first spoken to the prophet Jeremiah. It gave people hope of
the coming Messiah. So, when it was spoken many years later by Christ, it was a
fulfillment. Jesus came to fulfill a new and better covenant.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The word covenant is
mentioned about 300 times in the Bible. Covenants were serious business in
Bible times. If you made a covenant with someone, they were often sealed with
blood, long-lasting, and not meant to be broken. In the scriptures, there are covenants
between God and humanity. Many of them are found in the Old Testament: only one
in the new. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">What
is known as the </span><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mosaic Covenant, its primary focus was on laws and regulations
that nobody could follow perfectly. This covenant revealed their sins and only
proved the people needed a Savior. Christ didn’t come to abolish the law but
fulfill it. He came to save the people, to give them hope and eternal life.
With the death and resurrection of Jesus, the old covenant became obsolete.
Jesus provided a way for a better, new, and final covenant. The new is based on
better promises of forgiveness, faith, and a relationship with God. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">With the New Covenant,
we are to have faith in God, believe in Christ as our Savior: that He died for
the sins of humanity and has given us eternal life, our sins have been
completely forgiven, and we have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit. There
are four provisions of the New Covenant: 1. Regeneration: God’s law is now
written on believer's minds and hearts. 2. A national restoration: We now have
a fulfilled promised relationship with Him. 3. Personal ministry of the Holy
Spirit: All will know God. 4. Full justification: Our sins are forgiven and
forgotten. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">1.
REGENERATION: GOD’S LAW NOW WRITTEN ON BELIEVERS MINDS AND HEARTS </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">In
the time of Judaism, people were living any way they wanted, and laws needed to
be established. The Mosaic Covenant is named after Moses. With this covenant,
there was a law for just about anything from what you ate, wore, your
relationships, how you worshiped God, your health, crimes, and the foods you
ate. There were over 600 laws people needed to follow or face the consequences
of their sins. The Ten Commandments were also a part of the Mosaic Law. They
were given to Moses when he was on Mount Sinai. They were ten principles
related to moral and ethical principles with other people and God, important to
Judaism and Christianity. They were written on two stone tablets by God's
finger and later contained in the Ark of the Covenant. </span></p>
<p style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">God knew the problem with the stone
tablets were people’s hard hearts and refusal to obey the laws and
commandments. He didn’t want His laws to be written on cold tablets but people’s
hearts. But He needed to change their hearts. “And I will give you a new heart,
and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart
and give you a tender, responsive heart” (Ezekiel 36:26). </span></p>
<p style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Mosaic Covenant shows God’s
grace because it was made to them in His love. The laws and commandments only
proved the people of that time needed a savior. Jeremiah heard the words of God
speaking that He wanted to do a new thing: a new way of fellowshipping with His
people, and the promise of a coming Savior and a New Covenant. Jesus came to
free us from our sins. With His sacrifice on the cross, the New Covenant with
God began. “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel
on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write
them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people” (Hebrews
8:10). God’s laws are no longer written on cold stone tablets. They are written
on our minds and hearts. We now have fellowship with God through the indwelling
of God’s Spirit within our hearts forever when we accept Christ as our Lord and
Savior. The Spirit is our help in obeying God’s commandments. </span></p>
<p style="line-height: 200%;"><b>II. A NATIONAL RESTORATION: BELIEVERS FULFILLED
PROMISE WITH GOD, A RELATIONSHIP </b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">God has always desired a
relationship with His children. God created a perfect and beautiful home for
all of us: to have full access to Him to walk and commune with. It was
paradise. But sin entered. Adam was deceived, and we lost our close
relationship with God, and death was brought to all of us. But Christ came and
brought atonement for all through His one-time blood sacrifice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through Him, we have forgiven of sins and
eternal life. We have been brought close to God as it was always intended. With
the New Covenant that Christ fulfilled, we now can come boldly to the throne of
God.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The promise from the book of
Leviticus has been fulfilled: “I will walk among you: I will be your God, and
you will be my people” (Leviticus 26:12). God promises to walk among us, and we
will be His people: to supply all of our needs with His goodness, grace, and protection.
As the people of Leviticus journeyed, God promised to go with them. They didn’t
need to be afraid, and they didn’t need to worry about their needs being met.
God was with them! He would provide for all of their needs and protect them
from their enemies: man and Satan. This holds true for us today. If we are in
the will of God, He will open the doors for us to succeed, and He will provide
for all of our needs along the way. We have been chosen, adopted, redeemed, and
sanctified for His purposes. He isn’t going to let anyone or anything interfere
with His good plan. If the God who created the universe is for us, who can be
against us? No one.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To seal the deal of God’s fellowship
with us, His Spirit resides within us. The gift of the Spirit was given to us
when Christ ascended to heaven after His death and resurrection. There are many
names of the Holy Spirit: Helper, Counselor, Comforter, Interceder,
Strengthener, and Sanctifier. Christ couldn’t be everywhere during His time on
earth. He desires for us to do even greater works than He did. With the Holy
Spirit residing within us, He can do these works throughout the world through
us. We are in partnership with Him. When we align our will with His and desire
to work with Him, we can do all those good works with Him right by our side,
making it possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">III. PERSONAL MINISTRY OF
THE HOLY SPIRIT: ALL WILL KNOW GOD </span></b></p>
<p style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">With the old covenant’s, there
wasn’t any public instruction of God’s word. When the synagogues were made, the
people were taught locally by prophets who just read the law. The gospel was
not extended past the temples and synagogues. <a name="_Hlk54871136">“And they
will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their
relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to
the greatest, will know me already” (Hebrews 8:11).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></a>It wasn’t until the New Covenant that
God’s word was taught publicly, and the ministry extended to other regions by Christ
and His disciples. </span></p>
<p style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">We have the indwelling Holy Spirit
to teach each of us individually: He speaks to our hearts and minds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The New Covenant focuses on believers having
a personal and intimate relationship with God through Christ, as well as the
Holy Spirit. </span></p>
<p style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">God’s desire always was to have a
deep and abiding relationship with His children. Because of Christ's death and
resurrection, and through our sanctification, we can have a personal relationship
with the Father. We can do this by having faith in Him. The definition of faith
is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Without
faith, it is impossible to please God. We have our salvation and relationship
with God because of our faith.</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">In many areas of the world, we are
blessed to have churches to learn God’s word, schools and the Bible is readily
available. But it is the Holy Spirit who is our greatest teacher and goes with
us everywhere. Knowing His word and learning to listen to His voice is crucial
in our walk with the Lord. </span></p>
<p style="line-height: 200%;"><b>IV. FULL JUSTIFICATION: OUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN
AND FORGOTTEN 397</b></p>
<p style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">The people of the Old Testament dealt with their sins through
atonement: reconciling themselves to God. They did this through the sacrifices
of animals. Sin is ugly and brings death. But blood meant life; it is essential
to it. <i> </i>Only blood could reverse the curse of sin. “In fact,
according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For
without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22). Because
of the Mosaic Covenant, access to God was limited. Only the high priest could
atone for people’s sins. On the Day of Atonement, the high priest would enter
the Holy of Holies: a place where God dwelt, and he could only do it once a
year. He would go in and offer a flawless animal sacrifice to God for the sins
of the people. The problem is that the sacrifice only covered their sins; they
couldn’t be wholly forgiven. The high priest had to keep coming in every year
to offer the sacrifice over and over. </span></p>
<p style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">The Mosaic Covenant was not a perfect solution. In the old Levitical
system of priesthood, the priest’s responsibility was to offer the blood
sacrifices required by the Mosaic Law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Nobody could follow every one of the laws completely. If you broke one
law, you broke them all. The people’s hearts needed to be changed, and the only
way this could happen was through God and our Savior. </span></p>
<p style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">Through Christ, the old Levitical system of priesthood was removed
with a better covenant. When He came to earth, He kept the law perfectly.
Christ became our new and forever High Priest. He died without sin or blemish
on the cross for all of our sins. His ultimate sacrifice of Himself was perfect.
With His one-time sacrifice, our sins are now gone and remembered no more. Christ
entered into God’s presence and sat down at the right hand of God. His shed
blood wiped away our sins forever, entirely forgotten by God. Gone are the days
of insufficient animal sacrifices. He has provided a way for a new and better
covenant with God. </span></p>
<p style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">We are no longer living under the law, but the disposition of God’s
grace: His unmerited favor. His grace reaches to all of humankind, to the ends
of the world. We do not deserve God’s grace, but He gives it to us lovingly and
freely. </span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">CONCLUSION</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">We
no longer under an obligation to follow the many laws that were once written on
cold, hard stone tablets. We are living under a new and better covenant with
better promises. God's word is now written on our hearts and minds because of
Christ's ultimate sacrifice of Himself on the Cross. Gone are the days of the
animal sacrifices that only covered sins. Our sins are completely forgiven. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">With
the gift of the indwelling of God’s Spirit, He is our helper, our teacher, our
interceder, and guide. We are God’s hands and feet. When we align our will with
His and work with Him, He will empower us to do all the good works that He
intends for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">We
now have complete access to God and fellowship with Him, as He always intended.
It is His fulfilled promise to us. He desires to have a close and relationship
with all of us. God has continuously poured out His love for us. We need to
reach out to Him in faith and say, “yes, I believe in You, Your Son. I desire
to follow after and walk in Your ways.”</span><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></p>
Jeannie Hortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041832831353943157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917993837743094196.post-24135570021044092622020-06-10T13:30:00.000-07:002020-06-10T13:37:54.791-07:00LOVE OF CHRIST DURING DIFFICULT TIMESBy Jeannie L Horton<br />
Life Christian University student. #17122<br />
6/10/2020<br />
<h5 align="center" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 200%;">LOVE OF CHRIST DURING DIFFICULT TIMES</span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">INTRODUCTION</span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 align="center" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"> </span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">With the spread of COVID-19, we are living in extremely
unsettling times. The symptoms of the illness are almost identical to that of
the flu. Yet it also affects your lungs and airways, making it difficult to
breathe, and many people are being put on ventilators. It is highly contagious,
and at the date of finishing this paper, there is no current treatment,
vaccination, nor cure, but options are in the works. The virus has spread all
over the globe, and nobody is immune. The people that are most at risk are the
elderly and those with an underlying health issue. Globally there have been
over 4 million confirmed cases and 300,000 deaths. When my 17-year-old daughter
came down with the symptoms, an advice nurse mentioned that every person in the
United States would be exposed to the virus. Some show very mild symptoms, while
others have severe symptoms and are dying. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">COVID-19 has caused a lot of fear. Because of the rapid
spread of the virus, people have been told by government officials to distance
themselves. There have been several rules created to slow the spread of this
deadly virus. Because of this, people are not to have large gatherings.
Weddings and funerals are needing to be postponed. Schools all over the nation
closed in March for the remainder of the year, and non-essential businesses have
closed. People are losing their jobs, incomes, and housing. Sporting events are
canceled: events that people have trained so hard for. Several hospitals and
dentist offices are being shut down, and non-essential procedures are being
held off. Churches are not able to have services. For months, there has been a
big array of emotions. People are either living in fear, panic, and disbelief:
while others are having a hard time processing the truth of the virus and are
not wanting to take it too seriously. Some have started out fearful, but now
they are desperate for the economy to open back up, and they’re angry. There
have been several protests all over the United States. Many businesses have
filed lawsuits demanding their rights for their places of employment to open
again. An 86-year-old member of my congregation mentioned he had not
experienced anything like this since the poliovirus in the ’50s.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">This
virus has come in like a tornado and crippled the world. I don’t know when my
6000-attendee church will be able to open its doors again for a Sunday service or
feel a sense of ease. Even though I can no longer meet with the people that I
regularly feel community within a usual sense, the church isn’t restricted to a
building that meets once a week. The church is all around us. The great body of
Christ is the church. Throughout humanity, Christians have been unhesitant
running towards others in need, and they’re asking, “how can we help?” While
others are running away in fear. There is one certain truth to all of this; God
is still the same. He already knew about COVID-19, and He has always had a plan
for restoration.<b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></b>The
love of God never stops. He is love, and that is all He knows. He expresses a
special love for the world through His Son Jesus, and He has commanded us, the body
of Christ, to run towards others in loving compassion and love them as He
does. </span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 200%;">I.
LOVE OF GOD </span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">“But anyone who does not
love does not know God, for God is love. We know how much God loves us, and we
have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in
God, and God lives in them” (1 John 4:8,16). God’s love is beyond human
comprehension. His love is everlasting. He is the Creator of life: the universe
and every living thing. He wanted a family; thus, we were created. The person
who does not love doesn’t know God because God is love. If we truly knew Him,
we’d know He loves us, feel His love, and act out in obedience, loving others
as He does. When we grow in our faith and our knowledge of the Lord and love
others as He does, we grow into His image. When we have a relationship with the
Lord, we return His love, and we can love others as He has commanded us to do:
we’re walking in obedience to His word. It’s easier to love others when we know
He loves us. But the truth is that sadly very few people know that God loves
them. Everything that He is or does is because He loves. If people would spend
time with Him, getting to know Him by reading the Bible, and in worship and giving
thanks to Him, they’d quickly learn they are loved. They’d feel His loving
embrace.</span><span style="line-height: 200%;"></span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Unlike
human love, God’s love is unconditional. It isn’t based on our behavior, or if
we return His love. It doesn’t say, if you are nice to me, I’ll be nice to you;
if you give 80% into the relationship, I’ll try and give you 75%. No, He gives
100% all the time, even if we are unable or unwilling to love Him back. There
is nothing that we can do or not do that will make God love us any less. We are
perfect to Him now. God knew what He was getting Himself into when He
purposefully created, chose, and adopted us into His family. </span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Because
of God’s love, He gave us a gift: the gift of His Son Jesus. God loved us even
when we were sinners; while we were rejecting Him. God sent His only Son to die
on the cross for restoration. Before Christ, we were estranged from God because
of our sins. With the death and resurrection of Christ, we have fully restored
our relationship with the Father, and we’re now holy and blameless. We can have
eternal life with Him. Jesus is our greatest gift. </span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 200%;">II. GOD EXPRESSES A SPECIAL LOVE FOR
HIS PEOPLE</span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">As
God’s children, we have been called, chosen, and saved. One-way God expresses
His love is in our adoption and salvation. Because of God’s grace and
forgiveness, He calls us to Him. We cannot come to God on our own. He calls us
through the workings of the Holy Spirit, who draws us to Him. “But to all who
believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
They are reborn-not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan,
but a birth that comes from God” (John 1:12-13). He calls us and has adopted us
into His family through the gracious redeeming grace of Jesus: giving us
eternal life by Christ’s shed blood on the cross. God now sees us just as He
does His own Son Jesus. When we believe in Jesus through faith, we are considered
God’s child because of Jesus’s sacrifice. Because Jesus once and for all paid
for our sins with His death and resurrection, we have been declared “not
guilty” and sanctified for God’s purposes; we are a new creation.
Sanctification means to make holy. God no longer sees our sins; they have all
been wiped clean. We are just as righteous to Him as Jesus is, and we can have
a relationship with our Father in heaven. We are still going to sin, only Jesus
was sinless in His lifetime, but we are changing little by little.
Sanctification is ongoing: if we allow Him, God will continuously prune away
anything that isn’t pleasing to Him or producing good fruit in our lives. We
learn from our mistakes and repent of our wrong. But, because of Jesus, God
forgives us and considers us family. </span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">God has promised never to leave nor forsake us; He
promises to always be with us. He gave us His Spirit as a guarantee of our
inheritance. It is a sign of our adoption. Through our faith, the Holy Spirit
dwells in our hearts when we accept Christ as our Savior. The Holy Spirit has
many roles in our lives. Here are a few: The Spirit is our friend, helper,
teacher, and guide. The Spirit convicts us of our sin, strengthens us, and is
our interceder. With God’s Spirit living within us, there is nothing that we
can’t do. God even gives us His desires so that we can continue to change and
be transformed into His image. We can do anything that God asks of us. He isn’t
ever going to ask us to do something for Him without giving us the ability to
do it. We have to have faith and rely on Him for help. We can step out with
confidence in doing His will.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 200%;">III. LOVE OF CHRIST</span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">The
Son dearly loved the Father, and the love of Christ was clearly expressed for
God<b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> through His sacrificial
obedience</span></b>. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed three
times for the cup to be taken from Him. The cup represents the suffering that
He knew He was about to endure. Jesus didn’t want to die on the cross, but He
chose to seek first the Kingdom of God. His will was the Father’s will. His
sacrifice expressed His love for the world. “There is no greater love than to
lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I
command” (John 15:13-14). Jesus laid His life down for His friends; we are His
friends. He died for us so that through the forgiveness of sin, we could have
eternal life with Him forever. He wanted to be obedient to the Father’s plan
for restoring the world to right standing with the Father, so we might<b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> know</span></b> the love of God,
accept Him, and have eternal life. When Jesus was badly beaten, when He was
dying on the cross, He could have stopped the beatings, and He could have come
down from the cross. He had the power to do so, but He chose not to. He laid
aside His own interests. Instead, He chose to die so that we could have
forgiveness of our sins and eternal life with the Father. All we have to do is
accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior and <b><span style="font-weight: normal;">turn from our sins in repentance</span></b>. </span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">“I
have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. This is my
commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you” (John 15:9,12).
The scripture says to remain in His love. To remain in His love, we abide or
dwell in Him. If we let Him, Jesus will take up residence in our lives. We need
to know who we are in Christ: We were made in the image of Christ, and we are
God’s chosen child. He has adopted you into His family because of His love.
When we know how much He loves us, we can love others as He loves us. He wants
us to accept Jesus by faith as our Lord and Savior and love Him in return. God
isn’t ever going to stop loving us. </span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">When we return God’s love, we will want to keep His
commandments. Loving Him and obeying His commandments was one of the five
requirements to the Israelites that Moses spoke of in Deuteronomy. After Moses
stayed in the Lord’s presence for 40 days and nights, he descended from Mount
Sinai with the Ten Commandments. Moses spoke to the people about what God required
of them. He said, “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you?
He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that
pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul. And you
must always obey the Lord’s command and decrees that I am giving you today for
your own good” (Deuteronomy 10:12-13).<b> </b>Jesus calls us His friends if we obey
Him. His commandments are for our benefit so that we can enjoy our lives to the
fullest. Jesus died so that we would enjoy our life, and keeping His
commandments allows us to do that. In doing so, others will see our good fruit
that is produced by remaining in Him through our faith, and they too will come
to Christ. John 17 contains the High Priestly Intercessory Prayer of Jesus. It
includes a few themes, one of them is Jesus’s desire for God to protect His
people against the evils of this world, and prayer for unity amongst His
disciples and all believers all over the world: </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">Now I am departing from the
world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you
have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that
they will be united just as we are. I am in them and you are in me. May they
experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and
that you love them as much as you love me. Father, I want these whom you have
given me to be with me where I am. They can see all the glory you gave me
because you loved me even before the world began (John 17:11,23-24).</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">During
His time on earth, Jesus acknowledged that God loved Him. He spoke about the
Father’s love often. Jesus wanted people to know that they, too, were loved by
God. He wanted them to remain in His love by keeping His commandments just as
He kept the Father’s commandments. By doing so, we experience not only God’s
protection but the perfect unity which is through Jesus. God wants all of His
children all over the world to have unity with each other, just as He and Jesus
were united. Unity with the Father is possible through the indwelling of the Holy
Spirit. At our salvation, the Holy Spirit comes and lives in our hearts, and
brings us into perfect unity with the Father. We are God’s children forever,
and He is glorified when His children are united. We show the world that we are
united when we come together as a community to show love to one another.</span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 200%;">IV.
LOVE FOR OTHER CHRISTIANS</span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 200%;">COMMANDED
BY GOD</span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">There are four commandments of love in the Gospels.
Briefly, they are: </span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">1. The first and greatest commandment comes from the Gospel
of Mathew. Mathew 22:37-38 says to love God with all of our heart, soul, and
mind. </span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">2. The second love commandment comes from Mathew 22:39. It
is to love your neighbor as yourself.</span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">3. The third is to love one another as God has loved us.
“So Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your
love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John
13:34-35). </span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">4. The fourth commandment comes from Mathew 5:43-44. It
says to love even our enemies and to pray for those that persecute us. </span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">The first love commandment is to love God
with all of your heart. He is to be first place in our hearts. When we put Him
first, and love Him with every fabric of our being, we will be able to love
others. We should imitate Jesus, who put God first place in His life. Jesus
sought first the Kingdom of God. His intention was to please His Father. He was
in complete submission to the Father’s will. His whole life was spent being in
fellowship with God through prayer, service to others, and obediently going to
the cross to atone for our sins. Our goal should be the same: submission and
obedience to the Father. The Bible says we are to love Him with all of our
heart, mind, soul, and strength. When we feel His love, we will want to please
Him. Like Jesus, we should seek first the Kingdom of God, which means making
the things of God a priority over the things of this world. If we humbly submit to Him, we will want to merge
our plan for our life to His plan. We will know He has our best interest at
heart, knows what is best for us, and we’ll ultimately be happiest when we
submit to Him and His will for us. </span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">His other commandments of love extend out.
We are to love others as ourselves. The Bible describes love as:</span><span style="line-height: 200%;"> </span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Love
is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does
not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being
wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth
wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and
endures through every circumstance. Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages
and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever (1 Corinthians
14:4-8). </span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">This
scripture describes a guideline on how God wants us to love. God commands us
not just to love our family, friends, and neighbors that we like. That’s easy.
We are instructed to love not only the neighbors that are all around us, that
we see often, but we are to love strangers, and people in our communities.
These are the people that we pass by on a walk, at the grocery store, or
driving to church. People that we usually don’t give much thought to. These
could be the people that, when illness strikes the community, they are
desperate for help. We are their help.
We are to display God’s love to them, all of them. </span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">We
are even instructed to love our enemies. Christ died so that all might have
eternal life; God doesn’t want a single soul to perish. He wants everyone to
have a changed heart and be saved through their faith in Jesus. We are to pray
for and ask God to bless them: so they can see their wrongdoing and come to a
place of repentance. He displayed love to the world while we were still His
enemies when He sent His only Son to die for the world so that we could have
right standing with Him, and become a part of His family. We certainly didn’t
deserve it. So, if God, the Creator of the universe could do that for us, then
He is indeed asking us to do that for our enemies. If it is hard to show love
to someone who has not treated you right, ask Him for help: ask Him to give you
wisdom for all situations. He graciously will. If someone is not treating you
right, God may want you to stay away as it may either not be a safe environment
or perhaps, He is working in their lives. Or He may have other plans. You may
have to treat someone good for a long time before they begin to show a changed
heart and begin to treat you right. </span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">When
we diligently abide by these love commandments, we are proving to the world
that we are true disciples of God. We will be a light in a dark world. Right
now, the world is scared, confused, angry, and they are desperately searching
for help. As believers, with the power of the Holy Spirit, we can display God’s
love. </span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 200%;">SERVING
OTHERS</span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">COVID-19
is not the first-time illness has threatened humanity. Between 250 to 270 A.D.,
a plague that became known as the Plague of Cyprian devastated the Roman
Empire. It was believed to have been measles or smallpox. In Rome alone, 5,000
people a day were perishing. Christian persecution was happening at the same
time as the plague. Unfortunately, Christians were being blamed for the
epidemic, even though they were also dying from the plague. Christians were
caring for others who had the illness, including those who were persecuting
them. They showed love to their enemies.</span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">In
2014, during the Ebola outbreak in Africa, Christians were still running
towards the danger to help others. Doctors Without Borders is a medical group
that provides humanitarian care to those in need. They run towards those who
are sick and hurting. One volunteer for the group in Liberia, Dr. Stephen
Rowden, had the grim task of collecting up to 25 bodies a day. He was
discovering the bodies of young victims even as young as toddlers being
abandoned by their families. Instead of running away, Rowden ran towards those
affected, and when asked if he was a religious man, he said he was a practicing
Christian and got his strength from his faith. </span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">“Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all
fear” (1 John 4:18). Concerning Covid-19, we are all in this together. Instead
of running away in fear, cautiously run to serve one another. Look for ways to
respond to this crisis. The world is experiencing this pandemic. It has altered
the lives of many people, and many people are reaching out to others offering
to help.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">A Facebook friend told what he observed at a supermarket
one day. He said that he noticed a woman had a cart full of geriatric supplies,
evident for an older adult. Unfortunately, the woman’s card was declined, and she
cried. Immediately another woman stepped in and paid the bill, which came to
over $300.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">Even though my church, like many others, is no longer
meeting on Sundays for service in a usual sense, they have several ways to
serve. In partnership with the Oregon Food Bank, the Beaverton School District,
and donations from the community, they are now feeding 1400 families. They are
actively distributing food items (including a crazy 10,000-pound donation of
frozen chicken) to people in need throughout the community. All families have
been extremely thankful, especially those who are most at risk. And it’s just
not churches that are feeding families in need, neighboring schools are. Daily,
they are feeding children in need of breakfast and lunch and handing out bags
of food for their families.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">Church groups that were meeting prior to the virus are
still meeting online, and new groups are forming: Bible studies, mothers’
groups, singles, married, and youth. Leaders are continually looking for ways
to connect with others when we are told to distance ourselves. My daughter’s
youth pastors have met with them in our front yard because they wanted to love
and encourage them. You cannot stop the body of Christ from reaching out and
loving others.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">COVID-19 will soon behind us, and when it is, let’s
continue responding to the needs of others, not just when a virus threatens,
but anytime. From the book The Art of Neighboring, “We all need to get back to
the basics of what he commanded: love God and love others. Everything else is
secondary” (Pathak 25). Get to know your neighbors, find out their children’s
names, ask how they are doing, ask if there is anything you can do to help, and
serve them if they have a need. Genuinely smile at people and say hello. I’ve
connected with people at the grocery store while we were both wearing masks,
and they’ve said, “thanks for taking the time to talk with me.” We are all in
this together, and during this challenging time, we can at least do our part in
loving and serving those living around us. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 align="center" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 200%;">CONCLUSION</span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 200%;">God
is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow: He never changes. He didn’t create
us only to leave us alone, letting us fend for ourselves: He is with us, and He
is always fighting for us. He proved this when He sent His only Son Jesus to
restore the world to a right relationship with Him, and He’s been fighting for
us ever since. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 200%;">He
was never surprised by the COVID-19. Before anyone even knew about the virus, He
had His plan for restoration set in place. This pandemic is an easy problem for
Him to solve. We have already seen His love poured out through His loving grace,
and through the works of others as we are His hands and feet. “For we are both
God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building” (1 Corinthians
3:9). We are the church! The body of Christ doesn’t just reside in a building.
We are in partnership with God to do His good works. When this pandemic is
over, we’ll be able to look back and see how He reached out to help: we’ll see
that His love never stopped. He wants us to reach out to love one another as He
loves. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 200%;">We
are not meant to be alone; we need one another. Do not isolate yourself; reach
out to others. People are hurting everywhere, they are scared, upset, confused,
and they need to see the love of Christ, and they can see His love through you.
You may be the only Christ some people ever see. When this over, the
communities around us will be strengthened. We will see the love of Christ poured
out, and we will feel good knowing that we got through this together, not
alone. Despite whatever circumstance or illness, we may face now, or in the
future, we have the abiding joy and peace that comes from the Lord.<br />
<br />
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"> </span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"> </span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"> </span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"> </span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h5 style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"> </span></span></h5>
<span style="font-size: large;">
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
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Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:8.0pt;
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<![endif]-->Jeannie Hortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041832831353943157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917993837743094196.post-88247507201886389032020-01-22T08:36:00.002-08:002020-06-10T13:39:08.885-07:00Jesus is calling, study of Psalm 139<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jan 22<sup>nd</sup>, 2020</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Title: Jesus is calling</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">By Jeannie L Horton Life Christian University student#17122</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Text: Psalm 139:1-18,
23-24</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“O Lord, you have examined my heart and know
everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts
even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You
know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it,
Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my
head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand! I
can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If
I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If
I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there
your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. I could ask the
darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night-but even in
darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day.
Darkness and light are the same to you. You made all the delicate, inner parts
of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so
wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous-how well I know it. You
watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in
the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was
recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had
passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be
numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when
I wake up, you are still with me! Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me
and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and
lead me along the path of everlasting life.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Introduction:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">1. Every time I turn on
the news, I learn of something tragic that is happening in the world. It has
become rare that there is ever a story reported on something good. I often
think that when the newsman goes on and on about how we can get prepared for
the 1% possibility of snow, nothing bad has happened (which is good), and they
didn’t have anything to report on. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2. The world needs hope:
People are desperate for it. Today we are going to be studying from Psalm 139.
It points the way to a God that is all-knowing, eternal, and present
everywhere. It is a psalm that gives comfort and hope because our God cares,
and with His mighty hand, He guides and leads us. He is a God that will not
abandon us ever. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Proposition: The
ever-present, all-knowing God thoroughly knows us and has a purposeful plan for
us.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Interrogative Sentence:
How can we be confident that God knows what is best for our life?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transitional Sentence: As
we study the text from Psalm 139, we’ll see that we serve a big God who is 100%
present in our lives, so we can be confident in saying yes to the plan and
purpose that He has for us.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">1. Reading from Psalm
139:1-6, we’ll see that God knows everything about us. It says, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“O Lord, you have
examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or
stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel
and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to
say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your
hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great
for me to understand!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">a.
God examines our hearts, and He knows everything about us</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">As
much as I think I know my own two teenage children, it is nothing compared to
what God knows about us. I don’t know what my kids are thinking, and I’m not
sure I’d really want to know at times. But God knows all about us. He knows how
many hairs we have on our head, to the number of tears that we shed, to our
every thought. Yet He purposefully chose, accepts, and loves us
unconditionally. In Mathew chapter 9, Jesus healed a paralyzed man and told him
that his sins were forgiven. The religious teachers accused Jesus of blasphemy.
Jesus said to His disciples in Mathew 9:4, “Why do you have such evil thoughts
in your hearts?” He didn’t say this to condemn them, but to convict them of
their wrong words. He wanted them to turn their thinking around for good, with
thoughts outwardly expressed are true, pure, and that speak only love and hope.
The verse is also saying that He examines our hearts. Proverbs 16:2 from the
amplified bible says, “All the ways of a man are clean and innocent in his own
eyes [and he may see nothing wrong with his actions], But the Lord weighs and
examines the motives and intents [of the heart and knows the truth].” We could
do something good and noble for God, but if our heart attitude isn’t right or
if we are doing it with wrong motives, God isn’t going to bless our actions. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Trying
to comprehend God’s infinite wisdom entirely is beyond our human understanding.
Romans 11:33, “Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How
impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!” Just think
about it for a moment. God, who named every star in our galaxy, and they're
about 200 billion, knows everything about us. When He created the universe, the
stars, and planets, He already knew us. He knew what we’d be like, and what
we’d look like. He knew how many children we’d have, our joys, heartbreaks,
blessings, and disappointments. Nothing is shocking to God. So, don’t try and
hide from Him. If you sin, go to Him, confess it. He already knows what you
did, but confessing it and being open to Him makes us humble, which allows His
grace to be poured on to us in our repentance. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">b.
God often arranges our circumstances</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God’s ways are best, and He often
wants to test and strengthen our hearts. In the book of Exodus, God arranged
the Israelites to go the long hard way to the promised land. After Pharaoh let
the Israelites go, God did not lead them the shorter way, which was through the
Philistine territory. This area would have been a more direct route but was
also heavily guarded by Egypt. God says in verse 17, "If they face war,
they might change their minds and return to Egypt." He instead led them
around the desert toward the Red Sea. This route was hot, dry, and barren. The
Israelites complained a lot; They were utterly disobedient. What should have
only taken a few weeks, took 40 years. But God in His wonderful grace, never
left their side. Even thru their constant complaints, He kept showering them
with love through miracles, food and water. They were always provided for. God
kept His promise, and they were led into the promised land. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In
our lives, we need to get good about not complaining about everything that we
have to do. Things like slow store lines, discourteous drivers, and situations
that don’t go our way are going to happen to us, and it does no good to get
upset and lose our peace. Complaining is only going to make things worse:
getting upset over a small offense is only going to hurt you. The world is
getting more offended. It’s a decision not to be. And be quick to forgive. If
you feel offended by someone, learn to drop it and forget about it. There’s
probably nothing you can do about it anyway in most cases. Do not stoop to
their level by lashing back, that’s how strife starts. You’ll keep your peace,
and God will bless you for it. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transitional Sentence: I
feel completely in awe that the God that created the universe, in His infinite
wisdom, knows so much about me, will pull me off the wrong path and onto the
right one. He arranges circumstances to get me back on track. Wow, I am so very
thankful. We’ll now move on to verses 7-12, where we will learn about the
omnipresence of God, and how choosing His plan for our life will ultimately
bring us the most joy, and His blessings. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2. Verses 7-12, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I can never
escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to
heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the
wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand
will guide me, and your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to
hide me and the light around me to become night-but even in darkness I cannot
hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are
the same to you.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">a.
The omnipresence of God</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">David
recognized the omnipresence of God in these verses. He knew God’s presence is
everywhere: from heaven to sheol, in the light and the darkness. It is useless
to try and run from God. He is everywhere, and I am thankful for that. He is
eternal, He has always existed, and He will exist at the end of time. Even if
you could run from God, why would you want to? He is a God that loves and
provides all of our needs. In my life, I don’t want to do anything without the
Lord. I need Him with me at all times. I especially need Him with me as a
long-distance runner. Years ago, I was running all alone in Gasquet, CA.
Gasquet, CA, is a very small town, and the trail is right off the main highway.
The trail would go up about 3 miles and 2000 ft before it connected to French
Hill Road. Once on French Hill road, you could either go right, and you’d head
down for quite a while, or you could take a left, and it would go up for at
least seven or so miles. It wasn’t an easy running trail: I called it good
training. But there was only one way back to my car, the trail. I was running
20 miles that day, and I’m almost back on to the trail, but I kept thinking I
hear a rattling sound in the bushes. I knew there were black bears and cougars
that I could encounter, so I thought to myself, “if I hear that noise one more
time, I’m going stop and see what it is.” Well, I didn’t hear it again, because
about ¼ of a mile away is a huge black bear on the road. I stop, pull my
ear-piercing body alarm. I’m yelling, and waving my arms. The bear looks up,
and it starts walking towards me. I panic, turn around and head the other way.
I’m thinking, “I don’t want to go the other way. I want to go home.” I stop,
turn around, and head towards the bear to see if it left. It didn’t. I yell at
it again, and it starts walking towards me again. I say a prayer, “Lord, help!”
God tells me to get off the road and enter the forest and go around it. Well
that works, because I’m loud stomping through the trees and bushes. I see it
run away. I get onto the trail and run fast; it was a personal record all the
way back down to my car. I’m genuinely thankful God is always with me. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">b.
Will you choose God’s plan or yours? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We
do sometimes have a different plan for our lives then what God wants for us.
But we’ll be happiest when we align our will with God’s. When Jesus was in the
Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed three times that God would take the cup from
Him. Jesus didn’t want to die; He didn’t want to go to the cross. But Jesus
also said in His prayer, “not My will, but Yours.” Even though Jesus didn’t
want to die, He still wanted to be obedient to God. He wanted to do the
Father’s will: which was dying on the cross for our sins so that all of us
could have right standing with the Father once again. We are in a partnership
with Him: He isn’t ever going to ask you to do anything without His hand on it.
He will strengthen you for the job. He isn’t ever going to ask you to do
something for Him, but leave you stranded without the ability to do it. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jonah
tried to run from God. When God asked him to go to Nineveh and preach to the
people there, Jonah didn’t want to. He instead got in a boat headed towards
Tarshish. God, knowing what Jonah was up to, sent a fierce storm that left him
shipwrecked and in the belly of a whale where he stayed for three days and
three nights. After Jonah finally repented of his disobedience, God, in His
grace and mercy made the fish to spit Jonah up. Where? On the shore of Nineveh,
exactly where God wanted him to be. Jonah stayed there for 40 days preaching to
the people there until they turned from their wickedness in repentance. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Will
you do the same? Will you say like Jesus, “not my will, but Yours?” Or will you
refuse and try and run from God like Jonah? I can guarantee that if you say yes
to Jesus and His will? You’ll be significantly blessed. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transitional Sentence:
The day of my bear encounter, I was so glad that God was with me. I need Him in
my life at all times. Don’t try to run from God, He knows where you are: and
He’ll just wait for you to come back to Him. He is extraordinarily patient. You
were created with a purpose, so come to Him with a heart of thanksgiving, eager
to do His will. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">3. Verses 13- 16 from
Psalm 139 says, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“you made all the
delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is
marvelous-how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter
seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I
was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid
out before a single day had passed.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">a.
Here on purpose </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Don’t
ever think that you are here by accident and that there isn’t a purpose for
your life. You are not here by mistake; God purposefully created you. You are
unique, one of a kind. You are special, God’s child, and He has a great plan
for your life. It is heartbreaking that in today’s world, people think they are
nothing, not wanted, not loved, and they feel as if they have no purpose. This
is a stronghold from the devil, who wants to destroy you and God’s good plan
for your life! Don’t ever let him. Don’t believe in his constant lies, refuse
to. Don’t let him bring you down. Work with God to find peace and joy for your
life. Jesus didn’t die on the cross so that we would live in darkness: in fear,
depression, confusion. He died so that we would have life, joy, peace,
happiness, love, and have a purpose in Christ. We are God’s children. Look to
Him who is the source of life, and choose right now to be happy. With that
choice, you can work with God to get out of any slump. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I
spent years in depression. Until one day, I said “enough,” and I cried out to
God, asking for help. He helped. He gave me step by step instructions, and I
did them all. It started with listening to only Christian songs, reading my
Bible daily, attending church, going on a mission’s trips. Everything the Lord
said to do, I did it. I can honestly say I am happy and have a great
relationship with God because of my decision to admit that I needed God and crying
out to Him for help. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">b.
Heart of thanksgiving</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We
can see in verse 14, David thanking God. Again, he says, “Thank you for making
me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous-how well I know it.”
God inhabits our praises. When we praise and thank God, that is when He moves
on our behalf, that is when we see our situations turn around, even ones that
seemed like would never get better. God moves when we give thanks to Him. Make
it a habit. Find something good in each day and thank God for it. Someone once
said to me, “Expect the worse, that way, you can’t be disappointed.” That is a
sad way to live. Expect something good to happen every day. When you wake up in
the morning, say to God, “I need you.” Say, “something good is going to happen
to me today, and something good is going to happen through me today.” And
expect it to. God wants to bless you; He is just looking for someone He can be
good to. Open your arms, and say, “Be good to me, Lord, I love you. I only want
to do your will. Choose me.” If you do, you can expect good things to come your
way. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">c.
Purposeful life</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">God
has a good plan for your life. It is a plan that is uniquely yours, that can
only be fulfilled by you. He isn’t going to give your plan to anyone else. You
are never too far beyond His reach. He’ll bring you back in so His will can be
fulfilled. He is just waiting for you to desire to do His will. He sees the end
from the beginning: God knows who you are now, but He also sees your potential,
and where you’ll be if you keep working with Him. He is extraordinarily patient
and will never give up on you. If you are not sure what His will is, ask Him.
You can discover His plan for your life by reading daily His word and spending
time with Him. You’ll discover it soon enough. And sometimes, you just need to
step out in obedience and see what happens. If it is His will, He will open the
doors for you to succeed. He desires an obedient heart. If you’re standing
still, anxious, and afraid to step out, there is nothing God can do. Step out
in obedience. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transition: God didn’t
just create the earth and leave you all alone. You were not an accident. He is
with us always, and He has a good and purposeful plan for each of us. Expect
good things to happen to you each day. Have a heart of gratitude, and humbly
ask Him to reveal His good will for you, and then step out in obedience. He is
waiting for you. Are you willing? He adores you and has so many good thoughts
about you. He never thinks bad of you. We’ll look at that next. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">4. Verses 17-18, “How
precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t
even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are
still with me!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Unlimited
thoughts of God</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God has so many thoughts about us that they
outnumber sands. He thinks about us all the time, and He wants to bless us in
our obedience. When the Israelites were living in Babylonian captivity, they
believed that God had abandoned them. But, He hadn’t. He was always with them.
Reading from the amplified Bible, He said to them in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I
know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts, and
plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.”
God adores you. His thoughts of you are ones of welfare, peace, prosperity, and
hope. Even repented of sin, He remembers no more. For it says in Hebrews 8:12,
“And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember sins.”
This verse means we don’t have to live in condemnation: listening to the lies
of Satan. God forgets our sins, and if He completely forgives you, then you
should too. Don’t let the devil steal your joy; forgive yourself. So many
people live beating themselves up for something that happened years ago. Repent
of it, let it go, and move forward. We cannot live up to our full potential in
Christ when our thoughts are on something dumb we did years ago. God wants to
work with you, strengthening you and molding you more into His image so that He
can do those good works that He predestined for you to do. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transition: Refuse to
live in condemnation over your past. God doesn’t. He has too many good thoughts
about you that they cannot be contained. Live feeling God’s love for you: know
that He wants to pour out His blessings to you. Have a heart that is completely
open to Him: asking Him to examine you fully and choose to have a relationship
with Him. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">5. Verses 23-24, “Search
me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out
anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting
life.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">a.
A heart that is open to God. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Know
He loves you and has a good plan for your life. Don’t hide from God; invite Him
into your life, all areas. Don’t try and keep specified areas from Him. Ask Him
to prune away anything that isn’t pleasing to Him, and in obedience, watch Him
mold you into Christ’s image. He wants to use you for His plan and purpose, but
He needs to change you into Christ's image. Let Him. Don’t run away from God;
don’t try to hide from Him. Even as Christians, we can avoid God by being busy,
even with church activities.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">b.
Alone time with God</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We
need daily alone time with Him, a quality relationship with Him. As a wife, I
can’t have a healthy, quality relationship with my spouse if all I ever did was
work, come home, cook, clean, but ignored my spouse, never spending any quality
time with him. It wouldn’t work. The relationship will likely fail. I could
say, “but I did so many things for my spouse: I worked, made dinner, and the
house is all cleaned.” But I didn’t spend any time with my husband. I no longer
know Him. It’s the same way with our relationship with God. We can’t be so busy
doing things for Him, that we never spend any one on one time with Him. We
won’t have that intimate relationship with Him that He desires and we need. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Conclusion:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Psalm
63:1-8 is powerful. I believe it wraps up everything that we studied today: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“O
God, you are my God: I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my
whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no
water. I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory.
Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! I will praise
you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. You satisfy me
more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy. I lie awake
thinking of you, meditating on you through the night. Because you are my
helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your strong
right hand holds me securely.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Humbly
come to the Lord with arms open wide, ask Him to search your heart thoroughly,
and then watch Him move on your behalf. He’ll fling the doors of blessings on
to you so wide. He desires to pour out all of His love on you. You have to be
willing and obedient to Him. This is your time, your moment. Say yes to Him.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
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Jeannie Hortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041832831353943157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917993837743094196.post-91070475430041621522020-01-14T17:31:00.002-08:002020-06-10T13:40:28.792-07:00FIGHT LIKE A CHRISTIAN<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 200%;">Jeannie L Horton</span></b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Life Christian University student #17122 </span></span></b><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">FIGHT LIKE A
CHRISTIAN</span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">INTRODUCTION</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">During my mission’s trip to
Chacalte, Guatemala, our team was driven 7 ½ hours from Guatemala City to
Nebaj, followed by another hour to Chacalte. The road conditions were horrible:
muddy with many potholes. On the way, I was concerned about seeing the many
armed security guards protecting small shops, and unfortunately, many dead dogs
along the highway. But as I kept watching outside our bus window, people appeared
happy. They’d wave and smile, and I would do the same back at them. We saw a
couple getting married. The bride and groom were grinning from ear to ear. The
bridal party waved as we drove by. When we arrived in Chacalte, greeted by many
children running towards our bus, they were full of smiles and eager
enthusiasm. Their houses were made out of wood, with cracks to see inside, dirt
floors and tin roofs. The homes didn’t have heating except for the warmth of
the wood-burning stoves they used to cook with that were inside most of their
homes. Families didn’t make much money. Some of the young kids were not able to
go to school and worked in the fields instead to help earn money. Chacalte had
a church, and many would gather a few times a week to worship. Initially, I
wanted to feel sorry for them and to see how I could help them. But I saw happy
faces, laughter, and families that were full of love for each other. When we
talked with them through a translator, they spoke of God, their families, and
the community. They didn’t have a lot to us, but they were thankful for
everything that the Lord had provided them. I learned a lot from the mission’s
trip. I learned about being content in all my circumstances, and about giving
thanks to the Lord for all the things He has given me: a family, nice home,
place to worship freely, a running car, and paved roads. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Satan is less concerned about
getting us to sin, what he wants believers to do is take our eyes off of Jesus
so we’ll stop worshiping Him and spreading His word to the lost. Satan wants to
keep us confused with false teachings and idols. It isn’t any different today
than in the days of the Apostle Paul. In those days, the church was dealing
with the same issues that we now experience. Paul wanted to address the problem.
In his letters to Timothy, his spiritual son, he writes to encourage him in his
role as the new pastor at the church in Ephesus. In chapter 6 of 1st Timothy,
Paul urges Timothy to do three things: flee, pursue, and fight. He urged
Timothy to flee from false teachers, from the love of money: as well as flee
from being envious, jealous, critical, and slandering one another. Instead, he
was to pursue righteousness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness, and
lastly, to fight the good fight of faith. As believers today, we can learn from
the instructions that Paul gave to Timothy, as today’s church faces the same
problems.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">But as for
you, O man of God, flee from these things; aim at and pursue righteousness
[true goodness, moral conformity to the character of God], godliness [the fear
of God], faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness. Fight the good fight of
faith [in the conflict with evil]; take hold of the eternal life to which you
were called, and [for which] you made the good confessions [of faith] in the
presence of many witnesses (1 Timothy 6:11-12 AMP). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I. FLEE</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“But as for you, O man
of God, flee from these things” (1 Timothy 6:11). Paul admonished
Timothy to flee from false teaching; envious, jealous, critical, and slandering
one another; and the love of money. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">FALSE TEACHING
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">False teaching is a threat to the church. Paul addressed the
issue of false teachers: people who were confusing believers with false
theology. The false teachers were preoccupied with myths and endless genealogies.
Apostasy is disassociating oneself from religious beliefs. There is a warning
against apostasy from the Holy Spirit in the books of Timothy and Titus. “Now
the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away
from the true faith: they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come
from demons. These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are
dead" (1 Timothy 4:1). He then stated in 2 Timothy 4:3 that they will even
look for teachers that will tell them what they want to hear instead of the
truth of the gospel. Because of the false teachers, people were abandoning
their faith, turning away from God. These people were deceived, following
deceptive spirits and teachings that didn’t come from God, but Satan. As stated
in 2nd Corinthians, we need to be aware of Satan’s schemes to outsmart us, that
get us to turn our eyes away from God. Paul stated to Timothy that these people
were arrogant and lacked understanding. The false teachers were stating that it
was wrong to be married and eat certain foods. But Paul said that everything
God gave us is good and we should be thankful for all things. The false
teachers said that people had to be circumcised in order to be saved. Paul
called them liars, animals, and gluttons in Titus 1:12. As a result of the
false teachings, people were in strife. They were envious, jealous, critical,
and slandering one another. They were not living in the way that God intended.
Paul encouraged Timothy to be aware of these false teachers, those who have
turned their backs to the truth and were causing others to do the same. Paul
wanted Timothy to teach the truth of the gospel, and to promote Godly living
that is pure and wholesome, that points our righteous living to God. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Believers need to know God’s word well so that false teachers
will not deceive us. Study His word: know it and abide in it, as well as His
goodness and love. Worship Him in thanksgiving, attend church fellowshipping
with other believers, instructing, and encouraging others about the truth of
God’s word. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">LOVE OF MONEY </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Bible never says that having wealth is a sin. The Lord wants
to bless us financially so that we can generously bless others with the money He
gives us. However, the Bible is clear; we are not to have any idols. In Mathew,
Jesus taught that we are not to serve two masters, for if we do, we’ll hate the
one but love the other. God should always be first place in our lives, and we
are not to place our desire to obtain money over our relationship with God.
Paul warned Timothy about the love of money as other Christian believers have
wandered from their faith. “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of
evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced
themselves with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:10). Living a life without Christ
brings sorrow. Some people try and fill the void of not knowing Christ by
desiring to obtain more wealth. But this kind of life doesn’t lead to
contentment. Our true contentment can only come from knowing Christ. Even
believers are guilty of putting money before God. We are not to live this way.
We are to desire a relationship with Christ and the things of God.<b> </b>Paul
stated that people who long to be rich are trapped by foolish desires that
plunge them into destruction. He urged Timothy to instruct the rich to set
their hope in God, who is the true provider, to be rich in good works and
generous in their giving.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Paul encouraged Timothy to choose to live in contentment as he
has done in his own life. Paul was imprisoned several times, and in some of the
worse conditions. He knew how to not only live in abundance but without the
basic needs of food and adequate shelter. Paul stated that godliness with
contentment is wealth: He found contentment in his relationship with Christ. He
was clear that we came into this world with nothing, and we will leave with
nothing. Because of this, we should choose to be content and thankful to God in
all circumstances, just as he was. We are to trust in God alone, not on earthly
things that can easily perish. But, pursue godliness: a relationship with
Christ that reflects His character and who He is. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Practice being thankful for the things that God has given you.
Be thankful in all things, even the things that we tend to take for granted,
like running water, a home that we can call our own, and the freedom to worship
God without fear of persecution. Remember that the money that we do have is His
anyway, and we should be thankful for that. Learn to be content and grateful in
your current situation. If God wants to bless you with more, He will. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">II.
PURSUE </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Pursue
means to go after something or seek to attain or accomplish, it is an action
word. “aim at and pursue righteousness [true goodness, moral conformity to the
character of God], godliness [the fear of God], faith, love, steadfastness, and
gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11 AMP). We are not to live like the world: going
after fleshly worldly desires nor love the things of this world, but we are to
pursue the things of God: righteousness, godliness, steadfastness, faith,
gentleness, and love. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">1. RIGHTEOUSNESS</span></b><span style="background: yellow; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span><span style="background: yellow; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">1
Timothy 6:11 says that we are to pursue righteousness. We are all under the
bondage of sin. We cannot earn righteousness on our own. Trying to earn
righteousness ourselves is like filthy rags in the eyes of God. “We are all
infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are
nothing but filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). When we are self-righteousness, we are
trusting in ourselves rather than God. Paul addressed the problem in the book
of Galatians. The people were listening to false teachers, and they thought
they had to be circumcised in order to be saved. Paul stated the false teachers
should be accursed, because if people had to be circumcised in order to be
saved, then Christ died needlessly.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
We needed the sinless life of
Jesus and His willingness to die for us on the cross in order to achieve our right
standing with God. Righteousness is God’s gift to us that we received when He
sent His only Son to die for our sins on the cross. Jesus’ atoning sacrifice
gave us our right standing with God once again. </div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in;">
He saved us, not because of the righteous things we
had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new
birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit
upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us
righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life (Titus
3:5-7). </div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
We received the gift of
righteousness at our salvation. As a gift, we can do nothing to earn it other
than having faith in the Lord Jesus and that He died on the cross for us. We
receive the gift of righteousness by faith through the cleansing of our
spirits. We are to pursue righteous living and the character of God as we were
created after the likeness of God. We are to turn away from our sinful natures,
and put on our new natures in our spirit. We cannot produce righteousness
ourselves; we don’t have to work to earn it. Christ has robed us in His
righteousness. We can trust in the Holy Spirit to mold us into Christ’s image,
making us righteous.<br />
<b>2. GODLINESS </b></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">1 Timothy 6:11 says that we are to
pursue godliness, which means taking on the character of God by abiding in Him
continuously through His Spirit and obeying His statutes and commandments.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">“Physical training is good, but
training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in
the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:8). Physical training is of great benefit;
exercising and eating right will keep our bodies healthy. But we have to keep
putting in the effort. We can’t just go out for a run, eat several pieces of
cheesecake, not get enough rest, and expect to feel good. We need to exercise
several times a week, choose healthy foods, with perhaps an occasional treat,
and get enough rest.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Unfortunately, injuries do happen
to endurance athletes, and we have to stop running to rest the injury. It
doesn’t take long to lose our endurance and for our muscles to begin to lose
shape. If an athlete is not careful, they can start to gain weight because it’s
hard to put into action the need to stop eating as much as one was during peak
training, our flesh doesn’t want to. We can be the best athlete in the world,
but all the fame cannot be taken with us when we go to heaven. I know what it’s
like to be cheered on after a great athletic performance; it’s like being put
on a pedestal, it’s encouraging, but the praise doesn’t last long. I’ll have to
keep working: doing one event after another to keep the thrill of applause from
others. God doesn’t want his followers to live this way. He wants us to look to
Him, who is our biggest fan, our constant source of praise and joy. He is the
one that provides. Abiding in God has lasting value. When I’m in heaven, it
isn’t going to matter how many medals I earned from the running events that I participated
in. What matters more is how many people I brought with me.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">“and put on the new self [the
regenerated and renewed nature], created in God’s image, [godlike] in the
righteousness and holiness of the truth [living in a way that expresses to God
your gratitude for your salvation]” (Ephesians 4:24 AMP). We are to pursue His
character and the things of God which are lasting and can be taken with us to
heaven. When I put on His nature: choosing the things of God instead of the
things of the world, when I worship Him in spirit and truth, I am expressing my
gratitude for the gift of salvation. Worshiping Him in spirit means that my
worship to Him is from my heart. I’m truly focused on Him, not on the things of
this world or what I have to do later in the day. And, I’m thankful for His
gift of salvation and His goodness. When I worship Him in truth, this means
that I focus on who God truly is, and the relationship that I have with Him.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b>3. <span style="color: #1c1e29;">STEADFASTNESS</span></b><span style="color: #1c1e29;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">To be steadfast means to be firm and unwavering. The Bible lists
several things believers are to be steadfast in. We’ll look at what it means to
remain steadfast in our faith, and against the devil. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">STEADFAST IN OUR FAITH</span></b><span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We are to be steadfast in our faith. God wanted a family to
love. We are God’s children, and when we know who we are in Christ, we will
want to do the good works that He set before us. He wanted us; we are chosen.
God has adopted us. He chose us before the foundations of the world. Just
knowing this gives me full faith that God truly wants the best for me; I feel
completely confident in His love. We will have perfect peace when we keep our
eyes fixed on the Lord: continuously abiding in and trusting in Him. When we
abide in Christ, we have a relationship with Him. We want to actively spend
time with Him through reading His word, praising, and worshipping Him with
thanksgiving. When we keep our eyes focused on God and trust in Him, we will
have God’s perfect peace. But, when we let our minds shift and begin to worry
about our problems or future, we lose our peace. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">STEADFAST AGAINST THE
DEVIL</span></b><span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Satan is compared to a roaring lion, looking for someone to
destroy, and we are to remain alert. He is looking for someone weak in faith.
Satan desires to get us to take our eyes off of Jesus and to keep us in a place
of bondage and sin. But we have the powerful tool of prayer. Speak God’s word,
using the authority that we have been given to stand up to the devil. Keep your
eyes fixed on Jesus, not on the discouraging lies of Satan. When we submit to
God and resist the devil, Satan has to flee. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives:
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and
self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). The following characteristics of God that we
are to pursue are faith, love, and gentleness. These three characteristics are
a part of the fruits of the Holy Spirit: 9 attributes a believer has when
living in accord with the Spirit.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b>4. <span style="color: #1c1e29;">FAITH</span></b><span style="color: #1c1e29;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Faith is a gift from God, and we’ve all been given a measure of
faith. We need faith to be followers of Christ. It forms the whole basis of our
Christian walk. Through faith, we are saved, sanctified, made righteous,
justified, our prayers are answered, we are healed, and we obtain God’s
grace. Without faith, we can’t have a relationship with God and cannot
please Him. We obtain faith by hearing the good news about Christ. When we
actively study the word of God, have faith in what we are reading, and abide in
His word, we activate and increase our faith in God.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">5. GENTLENESS</span></b><span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">To be gentle means to be kind, tender, or mild-mannered. The
world thinks to be gentle means to be weak. Jesus was our greatest example of
someone gentle in character. He certainly wasn’t weak; He was God. Jesus had so
much power when He came to the earth. But He stripped Himself of it all to take
on the form of a servant, and when He died on the cross for our sins, He could
have saved Himself, He could have come down, but He chose to die so that we
could have right standing with God: This is not weakness, this is strength.
Pursue this character of Christ: gentleness. Choose to be kind, tender, and
mild-mannered. For when we are humble and feel weak, God will lift us up and
make us strong. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">6. LOVE</span></b><span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Three things will last forever-faith, hope, and love-and the
greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). God is love, and ending with
love under the things we are to pursue ties everything up. When we know the
full extent of God’s love for us, not just head knowledge, but we feel His love
deep in our spirit, we can’t help but want to pour out His love onto others. It
says in the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians that if we don’t have love, then all
of the gifts that we received from the Spirit would be completely useless. If
we generously give to the poor but do not love, our gifts are useless. God
loved us so much that He sent His only son to be the atoning sacrifice for our
sins so that we could have right standing with Him again. We have been given
the gift of His loving Spirit who dwells in us, and because of this, God asks
us to love others: it should be our focus. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">III. <span style="color: #1c1e29;">FIGHT</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Fight the good fight of faith [in the conflict with evil]; take
hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and [for which] you made the
good confessions [of faith] in the presence of many witnesses” (1 Tim 6:12
AMP).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT
OF FAITH</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Satan is called the prince of this world. He is the father of
lies, and his intent is to steal, kill, and destroy. He wants to keep people in
bondage and away from knowing Christ. Both believers and non-Christians have a
struggle within themselves. Satan’s lies through strongholds: they are lies
which blind people’s minds, they are contrary to God’s word. But they are
nothing but lies, and we don’t have to struggle. Jesus has already won the
battle; He purchased our freedom on the cross through His death and
resurrection. Because of Jesus, we don’t have to battle against Satan. The
victory is already ours. All we need to do is enforce His victory. We can step
out in faith and use the authority that we have in Christ against Satan by
speaking God’s word to Satan: He has to flee. Satan is utterly powerless
against God’s word, so speak out in faith. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">TAKE HOLD OF THE
ETERNAL LIFE TO WHICH YOU WERE CALLED </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We have been given eternal life through God’s grace, it is a
gift, and we can do nothing to earn it. “But even before I was born, God chose
me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him to reveal his son
to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles”
(Galatians 1:15). He knew us even when we were in our mother’s womb. He chose,
and He called us. He revealed to us the wonderful news of His one and only Son:
not to keep the good news to ourselves, but go and make disciples of the nation’s
so that they too can share in the eternal life that we have been given. But
eternal life is more than just spending all of eternity with Him once we die.
It is more than that. It starts now in our relationship with Him and the
intimacy that we have with the Holy Spirit. As a Christian having a personal
relationship with Him, I can’t imagine not being in close fellowship with Him.
I want to be relational with Him, open and honest. I desire to speak to Him at
all times. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">AND [FOR WHICH] YOU
MADE THE GOOD CONFESSIONS [OF FAITH] IN THE PRESENCE OF MANY WITNESS</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When we confess Christ, we are confessing that we believe in Him
and His gift of salvation. "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is
Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be
saved" (Romans 10:9). When we confess that we know Christ, we are
acknowledging that we believe that He is the Son of God, that He is God
manifest in the flesh, and that He died to atone for our sins so that we can
have right standing with our Father. We should make this confession before
witnesses for a few reasons. When we do, Jesus acknowledges that He knows us
before God; we’ll have accountability as a new Christian, and so, others can
see God’s light shining through us. We are witnesses for Christ and called to
be His disciples. Our confession of faith should show in our lives by having an
intimate relationship with Him. We will want to study His word, obey His
commandments, and live a lifestyle that is pleasing to Him, reflecting who
Jesus is. </span><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">CONCLUSION</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #1c1e29; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Timothy was Paul’s spiritual son. As Timothy was in his new role
as pastor at the church in Ephesus, Paul wrote him letters of encouragement.
Paul urged Timothy to flee from the love of money and false teaching: To pursue
righteousness, godliness, steadfastness, faith, gentleness, and love. Lastly,
Paul urged him to fight the good fight of faith, holding on to the eternal life
that he was called to. Because God is so gracious, He is worthy of all our
highest praise. Paul recognized this when he wrote, “All honor and glory to God
forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he
alone is God. Amen” (1 Timothy 1:17). As believers today, we can learn from the
instructions that Paul gave to Timothy. We, too, should flee, pursue, and
fight. Our greatest tool is our faith in God, His word, and His Spirit, which
abides in us. Live knowing that our eternal King has chosen you. Live
righteously, abiding in Him and His will for your life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<br /></div>
Jeannie Hortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041832831353943157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917993837743094196.post-22437515396444100952019-08-22T14:42:00.003-07:002019-08-22T14:42:51.034-07:00Increase my faith<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">8/22/19 By Jeannie L Horton Life Christian University student</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Title: Increase my faith</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Topic: How to increase your faith when raising a family</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Introduction:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">1. I have permission to share this story. This past summer, my daughter Naomi went to camp with the church. Naomi drove to the camp instead of taking the bus that was provided. When the camp was over, I assumed Naomi would leave at the appointed 11 AM time and would be home in 2 hours. I waited, and I waited, I then texted her to see when she would come home. She did not reply. I then called, and there was no answer. About one hour later, she called and let me know she was at the county fair with a friend. She said that her phone only had 8% battery life left. She also spoke to my husband let him know that the fair picks up after dark, and didn’t know exactly when she’d be home. I found out that the fairgrounds closed at midnight. Knowing her, I figured she’d stay that long. I kept texting her, asking when she was going to be home, and what her friend’s cell phone number was: she never let me know either. Her phone died. Midnight came, and I’m waiting up for her. 12:15 came, 12:30. No Naomi. About 12:40, I’m panicking, and I wake my husband Brett up. At 1 AM, he calls the police, and I drive to the fair to see if her car is there, it wasn’t. This whole time, I’m praying, worshiping God, and thanking Him for keeping her safe. When I get back, Brett lets me know we could put in a missing person report, but it would be helpful if we had the plate #. We looked and couldn’t find it. He goes to see if she’s at Shari’s or an ex-boyfriend’s. It was while he was gone that I briefly heard from God where she was, but I was too scared to believe it. My fear of the “what-ifs” were too intense. I lacked faith. God said, “She drove her friend home.” I woke my other daughter on Instagram. She was still at camp. I'm letting her know we didn’t know where Naomi was. It was 2:15 AM, and you can read on the messaging app, “Oh my God, she’s here.” And at that moment, I went to the driveway, and I fell to my knees, thanking God through tears. I said to her, “We were so worried, we called the police!” All she could do was tell me she’s sorry and that she lost the necklace that I got her for Christmas. She also told me that she had to drive her friend home, because her car was dead, yet she was nervous that I’d be mad at her for doing so. Her friend lived 45 minutes away. She locked her keys in the car when she got home with the engine on. The next day, I replaced the necklace and let her know that the necklace is replaceable, but she isn’t. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2. Raising a family is not easy. It is hard to maintain our faith when an adverse situation involves our family. I’ve had many situations that have tested my faith. I’ve prayed over my family many times, and I’ve said to God I trust You. But I admit, I still worry. I mean, it’s my family. God even spoke to me one day on the way to church. He said, “You don’t trust me, you’re too quick to take your prayers back by trying to intervene. Your family is safe and protected.” Because He is so good, He continues to be gracious to me in proving that He can be trusted. He has my family in His right hand. 2 Thessalonians 3:3 says, “But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you against the evil one.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Proposition: Having faith of Biblical proportions is what Jesus taught His disciples about and what He wants us to have. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Interrogative sentence: How can we increase our faith, even when everything seems so wrong, even when our family is involved?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transitional sentence: I get it, your child is being bullied at school, and you feel powerless to help. Your teenager says he will be home at 11 PM, but it’s midnight, and he’s not home. You can’t get a hold of him, and you’re a nervous wreck. We normally are okay; we can say, “God, I trust you!” We are even able to have faith for others. But when it is our own family, why do we lack faith? It is the same God that is in control, why is our situation any different? It isn’t. This morning we are going to look at the faith of Abraham when he was asked by God to kill his son Isaac. We’ll also look at what Jesus taught His disciples about faith in the book of Luke, and lastly, we’ll learn four ways of how we can increase our faith. Are you ready? Here we go. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I. FAITH OF BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Abraham waited so long for his promised son Isaac. In Genesis 22, God tested Abraham’s faith when He told him to take Isaac to Moriah and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on a mountain. Now, I have to say the people from long ago got away with a lot. Even the idea and agreement, “Okay God, I’ll go and sacrifice my child,” would get us into a lot of trouble with the police. We’d end up on the evening news.” Now back to the story. Abraham agrees. He gets up the next day, taking firewood, his donkey, two servants and his son and goes to the mountain, a several day journey. On the third day, he tells the others to stay put. Abraham and Isaac were going to go a little further to worship but would be right back. He places the firewood on Isaac’s shoulder, and Abraham carried the fire and the knife. Isaac asks where the sheep was for the offering. I’m sorry, but red flag! Runaway kid is all I’m thinking. Abraham lets him know that the Lord will provide the sheep. I believe that Abraham had faith that the Lord wouldn’t possibly allow the promised child to die, that God would stop it. When they arrived at the mountain, Abraham built an altar. He laid Isaac on top of it, and just as Abraham picked up the knife to kill him, God innerves and stops him. God says in verse 12, “Don’t lay a hand on the boy! Do not harm him in any way, for now; I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.” Wow, just wow. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Abraham’s faith is incredible. He was willing to sacrifice his only son for God. That is how much He loved God and had placed Him above all things. I believe in this example, God was telling him, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” When Abraham said to Isaac, “God will provide the sheep,” he must have known deep down his son would be spared. God wants us to have the faith of Abraham. He wants us to trust Him at all times, even when a situation involves our family. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">God created us, and He created our earthly home. He didn’t just leave us to fend for ourselves. He hears our prayers and our cries. He collects our tears and knows how many hairs we have. He sends angels before us to protect us. When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane and was arrested, He told the armed men that He could have 12 legions of angels immediately for His protection. We can ask God for the same, and He would provide them, even 12 legions of angels. It says in Psalm 91:11, “For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.” We can thank Him for this promise. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transition: I don’t know about you, but if I were Isaac, I’d be asking an aunt and uncle if I could stay with them after being taken up to a mountain, tied to an altar, and almost killed by my dad. Abraham remained faithful to God that He wasn’t going to ask him to kill his son, and they are both breathing a sigh of relief. God hears your prayers, and He wants to increase your faith. Next, we’ll learn from Luke 17 how Jesus increased the faith of His disciples after He was asked to do so.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2. When the apostles asked Jesus how they could increase their faith, He taught them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> a. Jesus taught them about the mustard seed. It says in Luke 17:6, “If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘May you be uprooted and thrown into the sea,’ and it would obey you.” In the story of the mustard seed, Jesus is saying, you only need a small amount of faith, and God will accomplish big things in our belief. It is never us doing the work; it’s always God’s power. We can’t boast about ourselves, giving ourselves unjustly credit. It’s all God and His power! But, we need to speak the prayer, and then God will go to work. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">b. In verse 7-10, we learn the parable of the servant. It says, “When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, does his master say, ‘Come in and eat with me’? No, he says, ‘Prepare my meal, put on your apron, and serve me while I eat. Then you can eat later.’ And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not. In the same way, when you obey me, you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.” This parable showed me that we are unworthy servants of God’s goodness, mercy, and grace, but He gives it to us anyway. We are His children, and whether we deserve it or not, He’s going to bless us. I’ve had so many situations in my life that I was extremely confident that God was shaking His head at me in unbelief at my behavior and the situation that I got myself in. But, He still extended His hand out to save me. That’s who He is. He is good and gracious, genuinely faithful to us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transition: We learned about four ways that we can increase our faith. They were: speaking His Word, by experience, asking Him, and lastly through praise and worship.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">3. God is bigger than my unbelief. The question is asked in Romans 3:3, “True, some of them were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful?” No, it doesn’t. God is always good and always faithful, even when we are not. So, how can we increase our faith, even when everything seems so wrong, even when our family is involved?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> a. We can increase our faith through God’s power when we speak His Word. Isaiah 55:11 says, “It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” God wants us to use His Word: to speak it over our situations, over our family, and others. His Word has the power to help us in so many ways. But we can’t use His Word if we don’t know it. Mathew 4:4 says, “People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Live your life speaking His Word. Speak it out. It will change all circumstances. Ask Him to increase your faith, and He will. Ask Him to give you wisdom. He will give it to you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">b. While I was preparing for this sermon, I was thinking about the ways that we increase our faith, and I thought about experience. With every situation where God answers our prayer, pulls through for us at the last second, mightily turns a situation around, or protects us from something dangerous, our faith in Him is increased, and this is what He wants. It says in the Word that if we can have faith as small as a mustard seed, He will move mountains. He wants us to come to the place in our life that we can say, “This is happening right now in my life, but my God is bigger than this situation. He is bigger than all of my situations. He is going to provide for me. God’s got this, and everything is alright.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The night that I didn’t know where my daughter was, He spoke to me and told me where she was! This wasn’t a coincidence. It was God letting me know she was safe. She wasn’t making the best decisions since she didn’t call me with her friend’s phone, but God in His wonderful grace was protecting her. He loves me so much that He couldn’t stand to see me in so much distress; He spoke to me through my panic and tears. You don’t ever have to “strive” to hear His voice. He’ll speak to you when He wants to. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">c. We can ask Him to increase our faith and He will. God wants us to depend on Him. He wants us to be righteous people, and He wants us to be conformed more and more into His Son’s image so we can do His will that He has for us. But we can’t be conformed into His image nor can we do the will that He has for us if we don’t trust Him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">d. We can also increase our faith by raising a hallelujah. The lyrics to the popular song Raise a Hallelujah are this:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I raise a hallelujah, in the presence of my enemies</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I raise a hallelujah, louder than the unbelief</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I raise a hallelujah, my weapon is a melody</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I raise a hallelujah, heaven comes to fight for me</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I'm gonna sing, in the middle of the storm</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Louder and louder, you're gonna hear my praises roar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Up from the ashes, hope will arise</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Death is defeated, the King is alive!” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In the presence of our enemies, we should sing praises to God. Our praises to Him are louder than our unbelief; our praises to Him are a weapon used to fight against the enemy. Even in the midst of our storm, we shall sing a hallelujah to Him. He will hear it, and He will be glad. He will defeat our enemies, and He will rescue us. Psalm 22:3 says, “God inhabits the praises of His people.” He hears you when you cry out to Him, so worship Him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Conclusion:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2 Timothy 2:13 says, “If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.” He is faithful and forever will be even when we are not. He will never leave nor forsake you. Say scriptures over your situation. His Word spoken in faith is a weapon; there is power in His Word. When you are facing adverse situations, raise a hallelujah. Give Him praise for who He is, and for loving you. Sing in the middle of the storm; sing in good and bad times. Never stop giving Him praises. He will increase your faith. Trust in Him</span></div>
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Jeannie Hortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041832831353943157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917993837743094196.post-38281121972377577702019-06-17T12:05:00.006-07:002019-06-17T12:10:04.149-07:00 God brings you through <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">6/17/19 </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">By Jeannie Horton </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Life Christian University student</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Title: God brings you through </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Topic: Reasons we can trust God in the storms of life</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Introduction:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">1. Jesus said that we would all face trials in life. They can make us feel weak and in despair, and God doesn’t always take them away from us. But He will strengthen you through them. Jesus understands our weaknesses that come from trials, temptations, and discomforts. He comforted and strengthened the Apostle Paul in spreading the gospel, and He will do the same for you. He will pull you through to victory. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2. In the book of Daniel, the three Hebrew teenagers refused to bow down and worship the golden idol that <span class="text">Nebuchadnezzar made and set up. Because of their refusal, it was ordered that the teenagers be burned alive in a fire. The teenagers called out to God saying, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us.” After they were thrown into the fire, Nebuchadnezzar noticed that they were unharmed and that there weren’t just three people in the fire walking around, there were four. Jesus was in the fire with them. Jesus saved them. He pulled them through the storm. </span></span></div>
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<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">3. </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Through the storms in life, remind yourself that Jesus is on your side. God loves us so much that He will bring us some discomfort to rescue us from anything He sees in us that is unfruitful. Things that will inhibit us from doing His will. God is our hedge of protection, He can get us through all situations, and we’ll come out victorious on the other side. How we view God affects whether we turn to Him in trust during the storms of life. He is testing our faithfulness, do you trust Him? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Proposition: The storms of life conforms us to Christ’s image, bringing repentance, gives us His strength, and demonstrates His love. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Interrogative sentence: How do you view the storms in your life? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transitional sentence: Nobody likes trials and tribulations, but what we do when the storm comes, determines how long we will be them. Do we turn to God and trust Him, or do we complain about our circumstances and try to solve them on our own? God views our storms as a way to bring about good. We’ll look at four reasons God allows the storm in our life. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">1. TO BRING REPENTANCE</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">God knows the end from the beginning; He knows what He’s getting when He chooses us. He knows all of our shortcomings. Nothing we have done or ever will do is a surprise to Him. He loves us anyway. Out of His love, God wants to reveal Himself to us. He will do any means necessary to get our attention. He doesn’t want us to be spiritually lost or fall short of our true calling. He is a God that forgives, and He always wants to bring us to a place of repentance. He is never going to give up on you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Peter, the disciple of Jesus, loved Him very much and was horrified over Jesus claims that he would deny Him three times before the rooster crowed, and the Lord’s death. But he did. He immediately felt a lot of pain and sorrow over his actions. After Peter denied Jesus for the third time, Jesus turned to look at Peter. Jesus looked at Peter with only love because love is who Jesus is. Taken from the book The Life & Teachings of Christ by Gordon Lindsay, it says:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In that look, Peter saw forgiveness and infinite love. He saw a revelation of Christ that he had never seen before, and it broke his heart to pieces. He wept bitterly but not in despair. It was at that moment that the new Peter began to come forth, the Peter who would less than two months later, preach a sermon on the day of Pentecost that would bring three thousand souls into the kingdom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We see in Luke 24:12, Peter was still not only grieving from the death of Jesus, but he was also still wounded from his denial of Him. He felt so much shame over what he had done. But something within Him changed. During Jesus’ 40 days on the earth after His death and resurrection, there were ongoing appearances of Him. In John 21, after breakfast with the disciples, Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him. Each time Jesus questioned Peter, Jesus replied: “Feed My sheep.” After the third time, Peter was upset that Jesus had asked him for the third time. He finally said to Jesus, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, then feed My sheep” (John 21:17). Jesus had asked Peter three times if he loved Him because Peter denied Jesus three times. Peter was grieved after the third time, not because Jesus asked him if he loved Him three times. He was grieved because of his earlier denial. I believe in Peter’s eyes, this was his confirmation that Jesus truly forgave him. His forgiveness gave Peter the strength he needed to continue as Jesus’ apostle to do great things in the name of Christ. Peter’s ministry thus began, and his relationship with Jesus rebounded. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transition: In the storms of life, God allows them to bring about repentance in us. God never gives up on us; He knows exactly where we are. In His never failing love, He uses our trials and tribulations to conform us into His Son’s image.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2. TO CONFORM US TO CHRIST’S IMAGE </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When we face the storms of life, humble yourselves before God in complete dependence. We learn patience as we rely on Him and His strength so that His power can work through us. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God will often use undesirable or even painful situations to mold us into His image. <span class="words-of-christ">God doesn’t always deliver us from persecution, trials, or tribulations. He desires our change of heart and our conversion. Look to God. He wants us to be conformed to Christ’s image. Submit yourself to Him, and allow Him to do a good work in you. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Romans 8:29-30 says, “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">You can never outrun God. He will draw us back to Him, as we are never out of His reach. God hates sin, and if we are not in His good and perfect will, and are walking away from Him, allowing sin to creep in and consume us, He may allow a storm to change your direction. He wants to bring you to a place of repentance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In the book of Jonah, God wanted him to go to Nineveh, but Jonah didn’t want to, he had other plans for his life. Jonah went another direction. So God prepared a whale to swallow him up. Jonah sat three days and nights in the fish’s belly. You might think, “Wow, that’s pretty gross and harsh!” While inside the fish, Jonah called out to God. God is a merciful, and gracious God, He never once left Jonah’s side. He was always there watching over him. God even commanded the fish to spit Jonah out onto dry land. Jonah was then commanded a second time to go to Nineveh, and that is when he went to preach the gospel to the people there. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">God isn’t going to change His mind. Just as it says in Romans 8:29, He has called you to Him. He has chosen to become like Jesus, to be conformed into His image. He has a perfect, unique plan for each of our lives. We need to put our own plan and desires aside to do His will. We will be truly happy if we submit ourselves to His plan, and do the first time He calls you. Don’t be like Jonah, and think, “no thanks, I have other plans.” Obey Him the first time. God will pour out His blessings upon you when you’re obedient.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transition: For when we are weak, God is strong. He steps in to give us His strength so that we can win the battle. </span></div>
<h2 style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">3. GOD’S NEVER ENDING STRENGTH </span></h2>
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<span class="words-of-christ"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In 2 Corinthians 12, the Apostle Paul continuously praised God in thanksgiving, and boasted about his weakness; he said he was pleased with them. He says his weakness is the result of all the insults, hardships, distresses, persecutions and difficulties: all the things that he encountered in his pursuit of spreading the gospel of Christ.</span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> <span class="words-of-christ">God doesn’t stop all persecutions against us, but He gives us grace and strength to overcome them. God didn’t stop the Apostle Paul’s persecution, and Paul was glad for it. He recognized the power flowing through him. He recognized that Christ was giving him the strength that he needed to be an overcomer, and he wholeheartedly submitted to doing the will of God. He said he was strong because God made him strong, something he could never be in his strength. He was an empty vessel for God’s use, who he knew was making him strong. Because of the Apostle Paul, many lives were converted to believe in and follow Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was in great distress over going to the cross that drops of blood fell to the ground. He asked God three times to take the cup from Him. But with each time, He would say “not My will, but Yours.” God did not remove the cup, but God sent an angel to strengthen Him to do the will of the Father. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I know it is tough to want to take care of all of our own problems, but let God handle them. Pray and give Him everything that concerns you. He is our good and loving Father, who will take care of you. Look to God as your strength. Ask Him to strengthen you through all trying times.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transition: Even through our darkest times, He is always there. He never leaves us. His unfailing love wants to guide us back to Him. <span class="words-of-christ"></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">4. TO DEMONSTRATE HIS LOVE</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Israelites wandered the desert for 40 years in search of the Promised Land. It was only supposed to be about a two-week journey once they left Egypt. But they rebelled. Fear and a lack of faith kept them in the wilderness. They refused to enter the Promised Land, and wouldn’t stop complaining; hardships and plagues kept happening to them. Even after God supplied them with necessary items that intended to be a blessing for them, through the plagues of Egypt, things that were intended to be a blessing for them, they still would not stop their complaining and thus kept them in the wilderness. He supplied them with water and food; He parted the Red Sea to deliver from Pharaoh’s armies. He provided them with His presence, a pillar of a cloud during the day as a way of guiding them; and the pillar of fire during the night provided light. We see in Exodus 15, God says, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.” God was testing their faithfulness. But, they kept complaining. To God, this felt like they were rejecting Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They couldn’t trust Him as the God who provides, loved them, and wept with them. But what does God do? Because of His unfailing love, He kept providing for them. He never stopped pouring out His love to them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When we find ourselves in the wilderness, in the storms of life, don’t be like the Israelites. Instead of complaining about what you don’t have, trust God to provide. Ask Him for what you need, and then give Him praise and thanksgiving. When you do that, that’s when He will pull you. Complaining will only keep you in the wilderness, and keep you from fulfilling your destiny. </span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Conclusion:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">So when the storms of life come, how will you respond? Will you seek our loving Father whose intention is only to bring you good? Philippians 1:6 says, I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” The storms of life test our faithfulness to Him, do you trust Him? Trials and tribulations are going to come, but what you do when they come determines how long you will stay in the pit. The storms are meant to bring about our repentance; they conform us to Christ’s image, they display God’s never-ending strength when we are weak, and they demonstrate His love. God sees you. He cares for and loves you deeply. Look to Him, and continuously abide in Him, and allow Him to do a good and mighty work in you. </span></div>
Jeannie Hortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041832831353943157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917993837743094196.post-58986426841181850562019-04-17T16:26:00.003-07:002019-04-17T16:46:24.117-07:00DRAWING FROM GOD’S STRENGTH<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 200%;">By Jeannie Horton</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 200%;">Life Christian University student</span></b></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">DRAWING FROM GOD’S STRENGTH</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">INTRODUCTION</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it way. Each time He said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:6-10).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Standing in front of the stage at worship and prayer night at my church, I have a heavy heart and tears streaming down my face. I feel as if heavy emotional burdens have been building up day after day. With the band members in front of me, and the congregation all around me, I can barely get the words to the song out, and I feel breathless. I feel crushed, broken, wounded, and weak. I can’t take the pain and the anguish any longer, and I cry out to God in my head. God speaks to me, “Child give me all your concerns, and burdens. I want to take them from you. Keep your eyes focused on me; keep your gaze upon me for I love you.” When I went for prayer that night, a woman gave me the same message that God had said to me. She put her hand on my heart and said, “You are anointed by God to do His will, and because of this you are under attack by Satan. Give all of your cares to God for He loves you. Breathe out all of your troubles, and breathe in God’s strength, breathe in and out.” All of Satan’s lies came to my realization, and he was crushed, he had to flee from me. A weight was lifted that night, and I was strengthened. Through my tears that night, I felt the love of God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We will all face trials in life. Jesus said that we would. Trials can make us feel weak and in despair. God doesn’t always take them away from us, but He will strengthen you through them. Jesus as our High Priest understands our weaknesses that come from trials, temptations, and discomforts. He comforted and strengthened the Apostle Paul in spreading the gospel, and He will do the same for you. We will, in turn, be firmly planted in the will of God: comforting and ministering to others the gospel and love of Christ. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">1. JESUS OUR UNDERSTANDING HIGH PRIEST </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In the Old Testament, the high priest was someone who represented others to God. The high priest would act on behalf of others, offering to God gifts and sacrifices for the atonement of sins. Only the high priest was able to go into the Holy of Holies, a tabernacle where God’s presence was, to offer the sacrifices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the animal sacrifices only covered sin for a short time. But because of Christ’s death and resurrection, Jesus is our new and forever High Priest in heaven. His shed blood abolished the sacrifices forever, and our repented of sins are entirely forgotten. He is interceding for us and has enabled us to always come boldly to the throne of God. God no longer dwells in a cold stone tabernacle but lives in our hearts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jesus is God. He came to the earth in flesh and blood as a human, stripped of His deity. As the Son of Man, He humbled Himself during His time on earth. He understands our trials, temptations, and weakness because in His lifetime He experienced everything that we do to be able to relate to us, but He never sinned. Jesus has love and compassion for us and wants to help. In His weakness, He relied on the strength of God to pull Him through every trial, distress, and difficulty to display the power of God. A few examples: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">1. Satan tempted Him during His 40 days in the wilderness. When Jesus was hungry, Satan tempted Him to eat. Satan told Him to turn a rock into bread, but Jesus said to Satan, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone” (Luke 4:4). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Satan knows scripture, and this story teaches me that I must also be a diligent learner of the word to fight against Satan. I need to know that as a child of God, I have the authority to fight against Satan’s lies, temptations, and schemes. He is the author of death and wants to destroy me and the anointed work that I am doing for God. With God on my side and the power of His word, I can fight Satan. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was in great distress over going to the cross that drops of blood fell to the ground. He asked God three times to take the cup from Him. But with each time, He would say “not My will, but Yours.” Even in His weakness, He was still in submission to God, desiring to do the Father’s will. God did not remove the cup, but God sent an angel to strengthen Him to do the will of the Father. From Jesus’ time in the Garden of Gethsemane, I learned that when I align my will with God’s and I choose His plan for my life, putting aside my own, God will strengthen me. In doing so, this will ultimately bring me the most joy. He is right there to help me through any problems that may surface. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">3. Jesus died a painful and humiliating death on the cross. The description of His death is horrible; He was beaten beyond recognition, nails were driven into His wrists and feet. One description says, “When He dropped down with the full weight of His body on the nails that were driven through His wrists it sent excruciating pain up His arms, registering horrific pain in His brain” (Renner 270). As the Son of God, He could have come down from the cross, He could have saved Himself, but He chose to die for our sins so that we would have right standing with our Father in heaven. From Jesus death, I learned that even when I feel weak, I can ultimately overcome any adversity or obstacle that may come in my path. If I look upward to God, and not inward (only focusing on my troubles and myself), and if I remain steadfast and refuse to give up, God will strengthen me. I will be an overcomer like Jesus was through His death and resurrection.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jesus is our High Priest; He is always there, always by our side. Jesus has already paid the price for us; He has already won the battle. We can do God’s will, and we can always be victorious as long as we stand firm in our faith, stand firm in the word of God, aligning our will to His and proceed to win the victory. Rely on the power of the Holy Spirit living in our hearts: it is a gift from God. The Holy Spirit is there to guide, teach, comfort, and give you Godly strength and power. Stand firm in your faith. </span></div>
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<span class="words-of-christ"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">II. PAUL HUMBLES HIMSELF IN CHRIST’S STRENGT</span></b></span><span class="words-of-christ"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">H</span></span></div>
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<span class="words-of-christ"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In 2 Corinthians 12, the Apostle Paul continuously praised God in thanksgiving, and boasted about his weakness; he said he was pleased with them. He says his weakness is the result of all the insults, hardships, distresses, persecutions and difficulties: all the things that he encountered in his pursuit of spreading the gospel of Christ.</span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> <span class="words-of-christ">He describes his distresses and problems: He was shipwrecked, beaten, whipped, stoned, put in prison many times, and faced death. Paul didn’t brag about his long list of accomplishments, which would have drawn attention to himself, showing himself worthy to others; he claimed he’d be lying if he did. He recognized that Christ was giving him the strength that he needed to be an overcomer and wholeheartedly submitted to doing the will of God. He was glad to boast about his weaknesses because he recognized the power of God working through him. </span>Paul became an empty vessel for God’s use. <span class="words-of-christ">Paul said he was strong because God made him strong, something he could never be in his strength. Paul was continuously content in whatever situation he found himself. He said: “Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” Philippians 4:11-13). </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Paul was weakened by a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet (to strike repeatedly) him. Satan didn’t want Paul preaching the gospel; the<span class="words-of-christ"> demonic spirit followed him, causing other people to stir up problems for Paul to keep him from preaching and spreading the gospel effectively. A few Old Testaments scriptures can validate what his thorn was. In the book of Numbers, it says, “But if you fail to drive out the people to live in the land, those who remain will be like splinters in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will harass you in the land where you live” (Numbers 33:55). The people would slander Paul, refuse to listen to the gospel that he preached, argue with Paul about it, or they rejected the gospel. Paul didn’t pray for the beatings, troubles, stonings, insults, or distresses to leave him. </span>But, he asked God three times that the persecution: the thorn in the flesh might leave him. But God didn’t remove it, He said to Paul, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). <span class="words-of-christ"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God doesn’t stop all persecutions against us, but He gives us grace and strength to overcome them. God desires our change of heart and our conversion. If God had stopped Saul’s persecution, Saul would never have changed his life around to become the Apostle Paul, living for Christ, seeing many lives converted to believe in and follow Christ. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="words-of-christ"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Learning from Paul’s example from having the thorn in the flesh, as believers, whenever we face persecutions, we are to fight back against the devil using our authority in Christ. We are to use prayer, the word of God, and tell the devil where his place is. We do not have to put up with Satan’s attacks, we are the children of God, we are righteous in Him who has won the victory and we will too. “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). This scripture means that through our free will that God has given us, we are to submit ourselves to God in obedience humbly. God desires a relationship with everyone, but He never forces one. We are to accept His loving mercy and grace which He has already bestowed upon us. And in doing this, we are to resist the devil. One way we can do this is by being diligent learners of God’s word. We don’t learn God’s word for His benefit, but ours. His word was given to us as a tool. The word has power and using the word against the devil works. God doesn’t delight in our suffering, but Satan does. Jesus has given us the power and authority to fight against the devil. We don’t have to give in to him; we can resist him. Satan can’t rob us of our salvation, but he can rob us of our joy. Stand firm, and watch the devil flee. He has to; Christ has already won the victory against the devil, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives within us. Call out to God to help you fight Satan. “For we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). People are not our enemies; Satan is! Fight him with God’s armor and in God’s strength knowing with full confidence that you are already victorious! </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">III. PURPOSE FOR OUR WEAKNESS</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">When we feel weak, if we humble ourselves before God in complete dependence, we learn patience as we rely on Him and His strength so that His power can work through us. As we look upward, trusting in Him only and less on ourselves, we deepen our faith which produces steadfastness. Steadfastness means that in our Christian walk we won’t be easily moved during trials, but we will remember who we are in Christ during the good and bad times and we won’t turn away from Him or His teaching. “So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless” 1 Corinthians 15:58). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be immovable and enthusiastic for everything that we do for Christ matters. Taken from 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, the purposes for our weaknesses:</span></h3>
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<span class="words-of-christ"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“To keep me from being proud”</span></b></span><span class="words-of-christ"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> (2 Corinthians 12:7). </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Our weakness keeps us from being proud. When we feel weak, we look to God, and when we submit to Him, we are humbled. Paul knew that in his weakness, he was strong in God. God gave Paul His strength to do His will in spreading the gospel. Paul didn’t boast about himself but of God. When we are weak, we are made strong in God who often chooses the weak things of the world to display His power and strength so that nobody will be able to boast. Before Paul’s conversion, he persecuted many Christian believers. But, God sanctified Paul. Through His grace, God changed Paul’s life, and in doing so, Paul who was formerly known as Saul was now doing the Lord’s work in spreading the gospel and converting many to become believers in Christ something that could never have been achieved in his strength; this was the mighty work of God. Many who knew Saul were in disbelief. Paul never boasted about his accomplishments but boasted of the Lord, and many came to know Christ. </span></div>
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<span class="words-of-christ"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Christ’s power is made perfect in weakness” </span></b></span><span class="words-of-christ"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">(2 Corinthians 12:9).</span></span></div>
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<span class="words-of-christ"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In the world, weakness is often considered unfavorable. Our flesh certainly doesn’t like burdening others or having to be dependent on anyone. But to God, our weakness glorifies Him because we are forced to depend on God and He can display His power. God will never give us anything more than we can bear, He does provide a way out, but we must look to Him to help us. He will. He will reach out to us with His loving right hand and pull us out of our mess and up to Him. It may not be in our timing, but His perfect timing. When the Apostle Paul was stoned and left for dead as mentioned in Acts chapter 13, the people gathered around him in prayer. Afterward, in 2 Corinthians chapter 12, Paul describes being caught up in heaven (paradise). But, God wasn’t finished with him, and Paul was delivered from his infliction which he boasts about, and he went on to spread the gospel saving many for Christ. </span></span></div>
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<span class="words-of-christ"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When I went on a 10-day mission’s trip to Chacalte, Guatemala, I was weakened. We lived amongst the people in their small town. We were lucky that someone moved out and allowed us to stay in their home where we all slept on floor mats. With the many wild dogs barking outside our door all night, I became exhausted and weak. By the third night, after staying awake all night, I asked a leader for prayer. When on a mission’s trip, when one person suffers, the whole team suffers. The entire team got around me to pray. The leader prayed that I would receive the supernatural strength of God and I did. God displayed His power not only to me but through the team when we were in Chacalte, blessing the community, building relationships and doing a mighty work in the small village. </span></span></div>
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<span class="words-of-christ"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“So that the power of Christ can work through me”</b> (2 Corinthians 12:9).</span></div>
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<span class="words-of-christ">Paul went from being a hated persecutor of Christians to choosing to align his will to God’s. He traveled many miles spreading the gospel and writing many of the books in the New Testament. With all of the sufferings that Paul encountered during his lifetime, Paul survived because God was always with him, working through him, and strengthening him to continue in doing His will: spreading the gospel of Christ. God promises never to leave nor forsake us, and He never left Paul. “This is my command-be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). Through God’s grace and strength, Paul was strong. He knew that God was with him and he did not allow fear to prevent him from spreading the gospel. Because of Paul many unbelievers changed their hearts and came to know Christ. </span></div>
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<span class="words-of-christ"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“For when I am weak, then I am strong”</b> (2 Corinthians 12:10).</span></div>
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When we are faced with a trial, it can bring ugly and ungodly traits out of us like anger, jealousy, fear, unfaithfulness, and complaining. Satan likes it when we have problems and when we act ugly. He enjoys making us feel bad with condemnation. Trials are never the result of any sin that we’ve done, and we are not being punished. We can have full confidence in going to God for help; the power of Christ working through us gives us peace and patience. When we trust in Him only, it deepens our faith in Him, producing steadfastness<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">. </b>When we pray and cry out to Him, He responds. We leave all of our problems at His feet, and we rest in Him and in our perfect faith we believe with all of our heart that He is helping. He is moving obstacles out of the way, lining up the right people and the right situations. He is working behind the scenes. “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing” (James 1:2-4). Have joy every time we go through a trial and give our problems over to God. Nobody likes troubles, but when they come our way, it’s a time to depend on God who will make us stronger in Him. God is developing our character and enabling us to endure for Christ, who also experienced many troubles while He lived on earth, even death. So as long as we are in the will of God, be joyful, for no work for the Lord is ever wasted, it is all good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Acts chapter 14, Paul was stoned and left for dead. His disciples gathered around him in prayer. He was healed, and the very next day He departed with Barnabas to Derbe where they preached the gospel, and many came to know Christ. They then traveled to many other cities preaching the gospel and adding to the number of disciples. This could not have been achieved in Paul’s strength, but God’s.</div>
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<span class="words-of-christ">I have friends from high school. The woman has a heart condition that hasn’t been diagnosed and adequately treated. The physician’s, not knowing how to help her, only keep giving her medications. They needed to make a trip to California from Oregon, to see a new physician but they didn’t have the money to get there. Not knowing where the money was going to come from, they started a Gofundme, and within just two days, the trip was completely funded. When they got to the hospital in California, they were not given any real news that would be of help, just a new and additional prescription. This was not the breakthrough they were expecting. They went home discouraged, but faithful. They are faithfully expecting a miracle, knowing that God is the God who restores, provides and heals and that is what He is doing. They are at home still living their lives happy and expecting a healing breakthrough. </span></div>
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<span class="words-of-christ"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When we feel weak, God is our strength. Give Him all of your concerns and choose to rest in Him. There is not a problem that is too big for God. He will hold us up in protection, and He will give us joy in every trial that we face. Let Him meet you where you are. Be strong and courageous in Him.</span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">IV. THE GOD WHO COMFORTS</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">During His time on earth, Jesus experienced every temptation, trial, and weakness that we do so that He could relate to us. He understands everything that we go through and is sympathetic. Through our trials, temptations, and weaknesses, God comforts us and shows us love. “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). He is merciful and the source of all comfort! Look to Him! He doesn’t always get us out of our situation, but He strengthens us so that we can be overcomers. We can in turn comfort others who are experiencing the same problems that we suffered because we’ve been through them and are understanding and sympathetic. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We don’t like telling others that we are hurting, exposing a weakness. But what is hidden has control over us. When I went for prayer the night of the worship and prayer night, it was tough to admit the truth to the prayer lady. I told her that I was a Theology student, who probably should have her life together, but there was strife in my home, and I felt as if my husband didn’t like me. But, in confessing what was on my heart, the truth of Satan’s lies came to surface, and I was healed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need to have the courage to ask others for help and prayer. When we reveal our weaknesses, people can relate to us and say, “I’ve experienced that too, this is what worked for me.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People can see God’s strength, and He receives the glory. God comforts us, gives us mercy, and never leaves us so that we will do the same for others.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>He is our example of what we should do for others in the Body of Christ. </i></i>Joyce Meyer was a victim of sexual abuse from her father for many years while she lived at home. God never delivered her out of the problem, but He strengthened her. Joyce now helps women all over the world who have or are going through the same horrible situation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Don’t turn inward and keep your pain to yourself, but let God in. Turn your eyes to God and let Him in to heal and comfort you through your sufferings. Let other believers in and allow them to see your weakness. Then in relying on the strength of God, allow Him to strengthen you to comfort others.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">CONCLUSION</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">No matter what you’re facing, no matter the weight that you feel has been placed on your shoulders, God is always there. He is there through good and bad times because He loves us and wants to have a relationship with us. When we feel weak because of the trials of life, keep your eyes upward, not inward. Look to Him. Pray to Him in all things, then rest in Him. He will meet you with grace and mercy. When we are hurting, sometimes praise and thanksgiving can feel like a sacrifice, but choose to praise and give thanks to God. Humble yourself before the Lord in submission, and He will meet you wherever you are. Jesus and the Apostle Paul faced trials and felt weakened; they were strengthened by God to do the good works that He set out for them. Seek the Lord’s grace and mercy and His comfort so you can be strengthened to do God’s will for your life, and then be strengthened to do the same for others who are also facing problems. His light is shining down on others through you; He will receive all the glory. His grace is all we need.<br />
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Jeannie Hortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041832831353943157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917993837743094196.post-56942732676447729412019-04-10T13:48:00.001-07:002019-04-10T13:48:30.337-07:00heavenlystrength: Leah’s Faithful Lessons through God’s Grace.<a href="https://heavenlystrength.blogspot.com/2019/04/leahs-faithful-lessons-through-gods.html?spref=bl">heavenlystrength: Leah’s Faithful Lessons through God’s Grace.</a>: Sermon write up By Jeannie Hortonin my schools format... 4/8/2019 Title: Leah’s Faithful Lessons through God’s Grace. Topic: Lesso...Jeannie Hortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041832831353943157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917993837743094196.post-33680204871618449452019-04-10T12:11:00.003-07:002019-04-10T12:11:29.473-07:00Leah’s Faithful Lessons through God’s Grace. <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Sermon write up By Jeannie Hortonin my schools format...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">4/8/2019</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Title: Leah’s Faithful Lessons through God’s Grace. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Topic: Lessons learned From Leah’s Unloved Marriage </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Introduction:</span></div>
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1. According to statistics, around 50 % of all marriages will end in divorce.</div>
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Breaking that down by the number of marriages:</div>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">42-45% percent of first marriages end in divorce.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">60% of second marriages end in divorce.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">73% of third marriages end in divorce.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In an article on the Marriage Builders website, there was an article listing the reasons that women leave men. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I listed only the reasons women leave men for this sermon as I’ll be focusing on Leah from the book of Genesis. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Some of the reasons included:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">"I hurt all the time because I feel alone and abandoned." </span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">"The only time he pays attention to me is when he wants sex." </span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">"He doesn't show any interest in me or what I do." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">God designed marriage. It was meant to join two people together in love to experience a closeness that doesn’t exist in any other relationship that you have. But sometimes, what was meant for good, in the busyness of life, there is neglect. It is imperative in a healthy marriage to have consistent communication and to give each other the time, love and attention that your partner deserves. But, most importantly to keep God #1 in your life and marriage. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2. It is in our human nature to be loved and feel loved. We, sometimes, however, try to get this love from contingent things, instead of our unchanging God. He loves because that is who He is, He is love. And He is continuously seeking those whom He can be good to. He never shows favoritism towards anyone, He loves. When He sees those who are hurting, those who are unloved, in His great mercy, He reaches out in love.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">3. Today, we are going to look at the story of Leah and her marriage to Jacob in the book of Genesis. How she handled an unfortunate circumstance, the deception of her father, and how she realized her mistake of not putting God first and turned to God in praise and thanksgiving. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Proposition:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through God’s mercy and grace, Leah learned faithful lessons through her painful marriage. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Interrogative sentence: What are these lessons and how can we apply them to our life? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transitional sentence: We’re going to look at the background of Jacob’s marriages to Leah and Rachel, the unfortunate circumstance that Leah was in, and the birth of Leah’s first four children; the lessons she learned from her marriage, and how she leaned on God for love, comfort, and validation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">1. We’ll be looking at briefly the history of how Jacob met his two wives, the betrayal behind their marriages, and the name meaning of 4 of Leah and Jacob’s children.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">a. When Jacob met Rachel, his cousin, he was near a well getting ready to give water to his flock of sheep and goats. Rachel had come in with her father Laban’s flock. When he saw her, he was overwhelmed by her, instantly attracted to her beauty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He kissed her and cried out loud, overjoyed. He wanted her to become his wife. Jacob stayed with Laban for about 30 days and worked for him without pay. After this time, Laban said to Jacob that he should be getting paid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jacob told Laban that he would work for him for seven days in exchange for Rachel’s hand in marriage. Laban obliged. Now, Laban had two daughters. The other was Leah. She was his oldest daughter. Leah, whose name means “weary,” was not nearly as pretty as Rachel. After the seven years, Jacob went to Laban to marry Rachel. He said to Jacob in Genesis 29:21, “Now give me my wife so I can sleep with her.” How’s that for romance? Laban went and prepared for the wedding and invites everyone he knew. After the wedding, when it was dark, Laban tricks Jacob. He is a deceiver like Jacob who has just met his match. Laban gave Leah to Jacob to sleep with instead of Rachel, and there must have been alcohol involved because Jacob didn’t notice the difference between Rachel and Leah. Believing Leah was Rachel, he sleeps with Leah. In the morning, when Jacob finds out what he had done, he went to Laban in anger. Laban only told him that it was not customary for the younger daughter to marry before the firstborn. Laban then promises Jacob that he could marry Rachel after the week was over if Jacob would work for him another seven years, Jacob agreed. Jacob finally marries Rachel. He now has two wives, but he loved Rachel more. The marriages were an unfortunate situation for everyone. Because of Laban’s deception, his daughter Leah is in an unloving and heartbreaking marriage, and we can’t be too upset with Jacob because he had always demonstrated his love for Rachel. Even though Leah is unloved in the eyes of her husband Jacob, she is loved by God who gives her favor. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>b. In those times, if a woman was barren, they often felt outcast and alone. God knew that her husband did not love Leah, so He enabled Leah to have children, but Rachel could not conceive. Leah’s firstborn son’s name was Rueben. Reuben means “behold, a son.” She said in Genesis 29:32, “The Lord has noticed my misery, and now my husband will love me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She became pregnant again and gave birth to another son, naming him Simeon. Simeon means “heard.” She said in verse 33, “The Lord heard that I was unloved and has given me another son.” She then became pregnant with her 3rd son and named him Levi. Levi means “joined to.” In verse 34, she said, “Surely this time my husband will feel affection for me since I have given him three sons.” When Leah became pregnant with her 4th son, she named him Judah, saying in verse 35, “Now I will praise the Lord.” She then stopped having children for a season. Later in her life, she went on to conceive two more sons and one daughter for Jacob.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">c. In Leah’s desperation, she had just spent many years trying to get Jacob to love her by giving him children, and he didn’t. Jacob truly loved Rachel more and didn’t give Leah the love that she deserved as his wife. After the birth of Leah’s 3rd son, she was upset, angry, felt alone and was tired of trying to win the attention of her husband. She kept trying to win his approval, trying to get validation from him. But after the birth of her 4th son Judah, she changes her focus. Instead of trying to get Jacob to love her, longing for his attention, she’s had enough and says, “Now I will praise the Lord!” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transition: That is the background behind the marriages of Jacob, Leah, and Rachel. Now we’ll look at the lessons Leah learned from her painful marriage</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2. In Leah’s unhealthy relationship with her husband, she wasn’t putting God first. She was too consumed trying to get Jacob to love her. We’ll look at the lessons learned from her life and how we can apply it to our own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a. God uses us despite our imperfections. He sees our lives where we can be if we choose to walk with Him, not where we are currently. After the birth of Leah’s maid’s son, her second child with Jacob, Leah named him Asher which means “happy.” For she said in verse 13 of Genesis 30, “I am happy! For women will call me happy.” We can see this true in Ruth 4:11, the amplified version, “All the people at the gate and the elders said, “We are witness. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who built the household of Israel.” Between Leah, her older sister Rachel, and their maidservants who also had children for Jacob, they had 12 sons and one daughter. The sons made up the twelve tribes of Israel, God’s covenant people. He knew that Leah and Rachel were far from perfect, but God saw their true value and used them to further His Kingdom. Also, a descendant of Leah and Jacob is King David and Jesus, our Lord, and Savior. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">b. Don’t let other peoples choices make you bitter. Leah had every right to be bitter. Her father deceived Jacob, making her a pawn in her father’s deception. She was only married to Jacob for one week before he married her sister. She wasn’t favored or loved by her husband who preferred her sister over her. But God loved Leah, and God showed her favor. When other people disappoint us, when their choices make us bitter, we need to forgive. We should always look to God despite our circumstances. God longs to be in constant fellowship with us. We can break fellowship through our bitterness and unforgiveness. For it says in Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted: He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God is close to those who are hurting. He wants to heal your pain and brokenness, and He cares for you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">c. Protection of the unity of marriage. God designed marriage to be between a woman and a man; the union is sacred. Unfortunately, polygamy existed in Bible times, but it was not sanctioned by God nor was divorce, but with the hardness of men’s heart, these situations occurred. We see this in Mathew 19:8. “Jesus replied, “Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need to protect our marriage. Satan wants to destroy our marriages, and we need to fight against him, his constant lies and deception. Remember that according to statistics; between 42-45 percent of all marriages now end in divorce. As believers, we need to protect our marriages, and we can do that by putting God first.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">d. Anyone can compliment me, but only God can validate me. Leah kept looking to be validated by Jacob, and she was never going to be. He preferred Rachel. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She should have been looking for validation from God, putting Him first. He is the only real source of validation. Leah’s mistake is that she waited so long after the birth of three children to say enough. She realized her error and finally after the birth of her fourth son, she praised and gave thanks to God, and she looked to the Lord for validation, not her husband. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">As believers, only God can give us real and lasting validation and approval. God loves us and promises never to leave nor forsake us. We need to continually keep our eyes upward and not inward. We need to know who we are in Christ and we can do this by studying His word, earnestly seeking Him, and striving to have a relationship with Him. God doesn’t want you to read the Bible for his benefit, but yours. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">e. Make a conscious effort to choose to praise the Lord. Your praise should not be dependent upon your circumstances. David said in Psalm 34:1, “I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak His praises.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leah was not in a good marriage; having to share her sister with her husband whom he favored over her is not an ideal start to a marriage. If we relook at the names of her sons, Leah was depressed. With her first three sons, in her prayers, she says she is in misery, unloved, and she longs for her husband’s affection. She was looking for love, grace, and attention in the wrong place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She should have been looking to God. She realizes this with her 4<sup>th</sup> son and finally praises God. <br />God wants us to praise and give thanks to Him in all things continually. When we are thankful, then He will open the doors of heaven. He longs to be gracious to us. He wants to show us favor, and He will, but we need to learn to have a thankful heart. No, we don’t need to say, “thank you God for this cancer.” But we can say, “thank you God for your healing. I know this cancer isn’t too big for you to handle.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Conclusion:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">1. We can all learn from Leah’s story. Nobody can validate you but God. He is the only source of our real and lasting validation. He in His great love, grace, and mercy sees you just like He did Leah. Because of the deception of her father, the unity of marriage was broken. She was unloved and unfavored by her husband Jacob. But, because God is love, He used her despite her imperfections, He showered her with favor. He reached out and blessed her greatly, turning her bitterness to joy. In turn, she turned from her mistake of not putting God first, and in repentance, she praised Him and looked only to God to give her validation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2. As believers, we are the righteousness of Christ. He wants to pour blessings upon you, and He is just looking for someone to bless. Our walk with the Lord will never be perfect just as our relationships with people aren’t perfect. But look to the Lord. Our joy should be found in our relationship with Him. Continuously seek, praising, and thanking Him for His goodness. </span></div>
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Jeannie Hortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041832831353943157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917993837743094196.post-199384364552275162019-02-22T07:53:00.001-08:002019-02-22T07:54:10.078-08:00COME TO THE LORD’S SUPPER<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; line-height: 200%;">COME TO THE LORD’S SUPPER</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">By Jeannie Horton Life Christian University student </span></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">INTRODUCTION</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Taken from the book Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul, some lighthearted humor regarding Communion: </span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">While visiting his aunt in Columbus, Mississippi, a second-grader attended the local Methodist church with her. After they knelt at the altar and partook of the Communion, bread, and wine, the boy asked, "Aunt Audrey, is that all we'll have to eat up in heaven?"</span><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A boy overheard his parents talking about going to the Lord's Supper and told his brother, "I hope we have chicken!" (Canfield, Hansen, Aubery, and Mitchell 225, 226 )</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In my home, as our kids were growing up, I always prepared dinner for my family, and we ate at the kitchen table together every night. As my two girls grew into their teenage years, life has been busier, but we still eat together most nights. It’s always been our way of getting together to eat a meal, enjoying each other’s company, and discussing the day’s events. Every week, churches around the world partake in a meal together, the Lord’s Supper. It has a few different names, but the meaning is the same. It is a special time for the Body of Christ to fellowship with one another in remembrance of Christ and all that He has done for us. In my church, we partake of communion the first Sunday of each month. We eat a gluten-free cracker and drink grape juice from a small cup. Communion is a way the Body of Christ shares together, prayerfully remembering the reason of partaking of the elements: Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and all that He has done for us in a manner that honors Him. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I.</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">WHAT IS THE LORD’S SUPPER</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Do this in remembrance of me.” Every time we partake in communion, we should remember the words of Jesus to His disciples. Communion is more than eating a gluten-free cracker and having a small amount of juice at church. It’s a sacred act to remember all that Christ has done for us. It is a time to come together with the Body of Christ in remembrance and thanksgiving with a heart full of love for Christ and each other. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The word Communion means “a sharing of the Body of Christ by eating and drinking the bread and wine together, discerning the physical body of Christ as our sacrifice and as members of His Body, individually, honoring one another” (Wommack 6). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Communion has several different names: It is called the Lord's Supper in 1 Corinthians 11:20, from Mathew 26:27 it is called giving thanks or the Eucharist, breaking of bread in Acts 2:42, cup of blessing in 1 Corinthians 10:16, and the Lord's Table in 1 Corinthians 10:21. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Communion was instituted (set in motion) at Passover, on the night that Christ was betrayed and arrested. He told His disciples that He is the bread of life and that whoever comes to Him would have eternal life. He commanded His disciples to partake of communion in remembrance of Him, and His promise of eternal life and His second coming:</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><a href="https://www.bible.com/bible/111/1CO.11.23.NIV"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.bible.com/bible/111/1CO.11.23.NIV"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">Then He broke it in pieces and said, “This is My body, which is given for you. Do this to remember Me.” In the same way, He took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and His people-an agreement confirmed with My blood. Do this to remember Me as often as you drink it.” For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until He comes again (1 Corinthians 11:24-26).</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The bread represents Christ’s body that was given to us. The cup represents His blood and the new covenant that is between God and the body of Christ. Communion represents the forgiveness of sin; His blood has brought salvation to us. He is asking us to remember Him and His sacrifice often with thanksgiving for all that He is and has done for us.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">II. REASONS WE CELEBRATE THE LORD’S SUPPER</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We celebrate the Lord’s Supper, partaking of the bread and wine, as a way to remember and proclaim the death of Christ. We remember Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and the new covenant between God and us. In the book of Jeremiah, the new covenant was prophesied: </span></div>
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<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“But this is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel</span></span><span class="indent-1-breaks"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">after those days,” says the </span></span><span class="small-caps"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God,</span></span><span class="indent-1-breaks"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">and they will be My people. And they will not need to teach their neighbors,</span></span><span class="indent-1-breaks"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> n</span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">or will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the </span></span><span class="small-caps"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">. ‘For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know Me already,” says the Lord. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins” (Jeremiah 31:33-34).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">This verse is saying that we no longer have the old covenant. The days of the animal sacrifices that only covered our sins are now gone. We now have a new and better covenant; we have right standing with God because of Jesus’ death on the cross and remission of sin. With the new covenant, our sins are forgiven and forgotten, and we are now in close fellowship with God through His Spirit. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His written word is no longer written on stone tablets but is now written on our hearts. Gone are the days of disunity for we are living under a new and better covenant. It has all been banished with Jesus’ death. Our sin nature is gone, and our debt is paid. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We partake in communion with each other as the body of Christ as a way to fellowship with one another. Fellowshipping was important to the early church as we see in the book of Acts “All the believers devoted<span class="text"> themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, and to sharing the meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer”</span> (Acts 2:42). The scripture goes on to say that the people met together daily, breaking bread and praising God. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We also partake in communion in anticipation of Christ’s return. Jesus promises to come back in John 14:1-3, stating that He has prepared a place for us. But, only the Father knows of when Christ’s second coming will be. We are to be ready, alert, and watchful of His return, living a life that is holy, and pleasing to God. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">III.</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">HOW TO COME TO THE LORD’S SUPPER</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Communion is such a special time with the Lord that we share with our family in Christ. When we come to the Lord’s Table, we should do four things: </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">BE IN REMEMBRANCE</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember the reason why communion is important. Remember the reason that Christ commanded it: as a way to remember His sacrifice, His bloodshed so that we can have forgiveness of our sin and be in right standing with the Father. Remember His promise that He is coming again soon and we are to prepare for His return. Be reminded of His love for you. “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). God’s Spirit dwelling on the inside of us is a gift bought by a price for the redemption of sin. He indwells believers to intercede with the Father, ministering to us, teaching, helping, giving power, producing good fruit (attributes of a person), and gives gifts all for the good of the body of Christ.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">EXAMINE YOURSELF</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 27-32 to examine ourselves before we partake in communion. Ask God to show you any areas of your life that are not pleasing to Him, then ask for forgiveness and repent of those things. Ask yourself if you are in unforgiveness toward anyone and repent of that. We should examine our faith and the reasons we are partaking in communion. God warned us about partaking in communion in a mindless, empty ritualistic way. Instead, we should intentionally set aside time, examine our faith in Christ, and remember the reason Jesus called us to partake of the elements. </span></div>
<h2 style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">PARTAKE WITH LOVE</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Communion in the early church was being done in the wrong spirit. Paul warned them about coming together for communion in an unworthy manner. The people were getting together but were being neglectful toward one another. People had been getting together for “Love Feasts.” They were having potlucks but only bringing food only for themselves and not sharing with others. People, who were poor, didn’t bring anything and they went hungry. While others were overeating, and even getting drunk on wine. They were in division and being neglectful towards the body of Christ. Paul was telling them that their actions were dishonoring God. He wanted them to learn that the Lord’s Supper was about sharing and fellowshipping with one another together in unity. “When we bless the cup at the Lord’s Table, aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? And we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? And though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body” (1 Corinthians 10:17). We have been united together through Christ and are to love one another just as Christ loved us for we are one body in Christ. Partake of communion in unity: be in forgiveness, be merciful, looking out for one another, putting each other’s interests above our own. We are all the same in Christ, and He called us to love one another. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">PARTAKE OFTEN</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Communion was done frequently in the early church, 1 Corinthians 11:25-26 says to do it often in remembrance of Christ. We too should do as the early church did and partake of communion often. When we do, remember all that Jesus did for us, the reason that he died, and we should be in thanksgiving towards His provision. </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">CONCLUSION</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Come to the Lord’s Table in remembrance with love, joy, awe, sincere gratitude, and high esteem for Christ. Communion is truly a special and sacred time. It’s more than eating a gluten-free cracker and a little juice. The next time you partake in communion; don’t be in a hurry to take the elements. Instead, slow down. Take the time to remember its true meaning, the reason Jesus commanded us to partake. Remember all that Christ did for us so that we could have right standing with God and be in fellowship with Him. God is love, and Christ willingly died for us. Take the time to examine your Christian walk, and search your heart. Ask God if there is anything in your life that is not pleasing to Him. Think of those you are in a relationship with and ask yourself if you have any unforgiveness towards anyone. Is there anyone that could use more of your love, mercy, and grace that God so freely bestows to you? Think of Jesus and His love for you. Remember all of His goodness. Jesus didn’t have to die, He could have come down from the cross, but He chose to die for you. He took on the sins of the world so that we could have right standing with the Father once again. That is love; He is love. He loves you. Thank Him for His mercy and His grace. </span></div>
Jeannie Hortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041832831353943157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917993837743094196.post-85183486064175465082019-01-23T15:25:00.002-08:002019-01-23T15:25:34.830-08:00SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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1/20/2019 By Jeannie Horton Life Christian University Student<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Title: SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Topic: Forgiving Others So You Can Be Forgiven</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Introduction:</span></div>
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1. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How many of you have read the book the Bait of Satan by John Bevere? It’s an excellent book on forgiveness, and I suggest everyone take the time to read it. As I read the following excerpt taken from the book, I don’t want you to run away thinking you’re in big trouble with the Lord. But, I want you to think about the message and take what I’m about to say seriously. It reads: I heard an unusual testimony about a minister in the Philippines. Friends of mine who had known him from a previous ministry showed me an article telling about his experiences. The man had resisted the call of God on his life for several years because of his business success. He was making a large amount of money. His disobedience eventually caught up with him, and he was rushed to the hospital because of heart failure. He died on the operating table and found himself outside the gates of heaven. Jesus was standing there and dealt with him about his disobedience. The man pleaded with the Lord that if He would extend his life, he would serve Him. The Lord consented. Before sending him back to his body, the Lord showed him a vision of hell. He saw his wife's mother burning in the flames of hell. He was amazed. She had said the "sinner's prayer," confessed to being a Christian and had attended church. "Why is she in hell?" he asked the Lord. The Lord told him that she had refused to forgive a relative and therefore cannot be forgiven.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">2. Everything in the Bible is true and should never be taken lightly. If you stop and think about it, how many of you would want God to forgive you in the same way that you forgive those who wronged you? Be honest. There are so many people in this world, even in the church that are in unforgiveness towards someone. You don’t need to raise your hands, but how many of you can honestly say that you are mad at someone right now? Forgiving someone can be difficult. It forces us to think about and deal with something that is painful or upsetting. It forces us to be gracious towards someone who has been unkind. It also forces us to walk in forgiveness towards someone when we’d rather turn away in avoidance. But, God forgave us of our sins so we could have right standing with Him. So, He has called us to do the same and forgive others. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Proposition: God’s commandment to forgive others as He forgave us isn’t always easy, but the rewards are significant to our Christian walk. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Interrogative sentence: What does it mean to forgive someone and what are the steps?<br />Transitional sentence: As we dig deeper into this topic of forgiveness, we are going first to discuss what forgiveness is, what it isn’t and then finally your steps to take.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I. WHAT FORGIVENESS IS </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>a. Forgiveness is the foundation of the Bible and a pillar of Christian character. It says in Matthew 6: 14-15, “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” When God says to forgive others, or He will not forgive you, this needs to be taken pretty seriously. God has forgiven us for our wrongdoing by sending His son who was completely innocent, to die on the cross so we could be in right standing with the Father. This is forgiveness, and we are to forgive like He does. Mathew 18 tells the story of the unforgiving debtor. The story teaches us about how God forgives us: graciously, mercifully, and quickly. It also shows us the effects of being in unforgiveness. The first debtor in the story owed the man 10,000 talents which is millions of dollars. The man could not pay, so the master ordered that his wife and children be sold into slavery to pay back the debt. But the man begged the master for forgiveness. The master forgave him, released him, and the debt that was owed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second debtor owed the first debtor just a few thousand dollars. The first debtor would not forgive the man. In his anger, he even had him thrown into prison where he couldn’t even work to pay back what he owed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the master found out what the first debtor had done to the man, he became furious, calling the man evil. He says to the man in starting in verse 32, “I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?” The master then threw the man in prison. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God knew that we could not buy back our debt of sin, so He bought it back for us in His mercy and grace. He forgave us while we were still sinners by sending His only Son Jesus to redeem the world of their sins so we can have right standing with Him again. We can never repay Him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>b. Forgiveness is taking the time to heal. You do not have to forgive quickly. Forgiveness can be difficult, and some offenses can be harder than others. If someone cuts you off in traffic, it might be easier to forgive them than a friend who has hurt you badly. Just because I want to take the necessary steps to forgive doesn’t mean I’m going to be able to do it overnight. Depending on the offense, I’ll need to work with God in faith to help me properly and fully forgive someone who has hurt me. I remember when I was hurt by another, in my steps to forgive; I had someone harshly say to me, “Why don’t you just get over it already?” But, the pain doesn’t usually go away immediately. But if you work with God, over time the effects will lessen, and you will be on the path to healing, wholeness, and true forgiveness.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
c. Forgiveness is recognizing that being in unforgiveness is a sin. God commands us to forgive. Ephesians 4:32 says: “Instead be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” Being in unforgiveness only hurts you, not the other person. My pastor Jared once said, “Being in unforgiveness is like swallowing a whole bunch of rat poison but expecting the rat to die.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t waste your life being angry. Do what God has instructed you, forgive, and be blessed. Ephesians 4:26 says not to let the sun go down on your anger. I always used to think this verse meant you wouldn’t sleep well because you are so mad, thinking about what happened instead of sleeping. I mean perhaps that's very true, but it also has to do with the fact that you are opening a door for the devil and his attacks through anger and unforgiveness. Because unforgiveness breaks fellowship with God, work with God to be able to repent of it and let it go.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Transition: Forgiveness is a pillar of our Christian character, it is a commandment of God, and being in unforgiveness is a sin. Now we will look at what it isn’t. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">II. WHAT FORGIVENESS ISN’T</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">a. Forgiveness is not forgetting the offense.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Some people think that if you’re going to forgive, then you need to forget. This isn’t fair, and it’s impossible. Only God is able to forget. It says in Isaiah 43:25, “I yes, I alone will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.” </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Forgiveness is spiritual. Just because we remember the wrong done, doesn’t mean we should allow our thoughts to keep us in bitterness. You need to work with God to forgive another. He is the only one who can bring true healing, repentance, and restoration of the relationship.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></h1>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">b. Forgiveness does not need to reconcile. </span><span class="woj"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We are all human, and we are never going to have a perfect relationship with anyone. Just because you have worked with God to forgive someone, doesn’t mean that you will have your relationship reconciled and that’s okay. You need to forgive them, but you don’t need to continue the relationship. You can never force someone to reconcile with you. I was hurt by a family member whom we were once very close. We both were unkind to one another. When we chose to get together and talk about the problem, we did forgive one another. However, our relationship is not the same now, and we only see one another on holidays, and that’s okay. Sometimes God allows for relationships to end perhaps for a season or longer. </span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Matt. 18:15-17 says:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></h1>
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<span class="woj"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This verse is saying if someone has wronged you, go to them in private and talk to them one on one about your hurt and try to reconcile. This scripture doesn’t say to go and tell someone else in gossip. I think when our flesh is hurt; we always want to tell someone about it. This may temporarily make us feel better, but in the long road, it only makes us feel worse and causes more damage. Don’t even go to another and ask them to pray for the other person. It says to go to the person who has sinned against you, making it between the two of you. But, if that person refuses to listen, get a couple of believers to go with you as witnesses, and if that doesn’t work, get the church involved. If the person still refuses to listen, let them go. But let’s be real, it’s uncomfortable to go to someone who has hurt you and admit there’s a problem. I’ve been in the position of being hurt by another, and I knew that I needed to go to them and talk it out, but it didn’t feel right. I tried telling myself that what they did was no big deal and I’ll get over it. But, the truth is, the problem will always linger if not confronted, hurt feelings can get worse, and bitterness sets in. By this point, you’ve given the devil a foothold. So, it is essential if you’re going to have a relationship with anyone, learn to be good at communication and forgiveness. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>c. Forgiveness doesn’t release the person of responsibility. There will always be accountability for sin. The person who hurt you is still responsible for the damage caused by their sin. It’s important to forgive them, but this doesn’t mean they’re off the hook. For example, if a person is married with children, has an affair and gets a divorce. This person still will need to take care of the children. Give the situation over to God and leave it with Him. Psalm 34:19 says, “The righteous person faces many troubles, but the lord comes to the rescue each time.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And Psalm 138:7 says, “Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out your hand, and the power of your right hand saves me.” Allow God to fight your battles for you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>d. Forgiveness is not a onetime event. You may need to forgive someone more than once especially in close relationships like family or co-workers. The bible says in Mathew 18 that we should forgive someone 70 times 7. This may sound like a lot, but God has forgiven us probably more than that, and He will continue to do so. We’re only human, and humans make mistakes. In our sin nature, we say things we don’t mean in anger, and we do things without thinking about the consequences: all only to regret later. It’s important as a believer to be diligent learners and doers of the Word and to grow in Christ. In order to be effective Christians, you can’t just read the Bible as quickly as possible. You need to study it and apply it to your life. Ask God to show you anything that isn’t pleasing to Him and work with Him to change as He is the only one who can change you: You cannot change on your own strength, it will not work. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Transition: Forgiveness doesn’t mean you need to forget the offense, it doesn’t mean you need to reconcile, it doesn’t release the person who did you wrong of responsibility, and it isn’t a onetime event. So what are the steps to forgive? We’ll look at that next. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">III. STEPS TO FORGIVE</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>a. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit for help. We are anointed for hard things in the Lord, and He will help you through this. Admit that you have a need and that you need help in forgiveness. God likes a humble heart. Pray for those who have hurt you. You can’t stay mad at someone you’re praying for. Others have hurt me, and it took me quite a long time to fully forgive a few individuals, but I did. With one person, I knew that I was supposed to pray for them, but I was furious, hurt and bitter. This person’s attack went on for too long, and repeatedly. I honestly couldn't say anything in prayer. But I heard God say tell me to say the Lord's Prayer over their life. I did that as a first step, and that's all I could do for quite a while. I still remember what this person had done to me, but I choose not to let the offense have any control over me. I gave it to God, and I let it go. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">b. Pray and ask the Lord to bless them. It says in Mathew 5:44 NKJV “<span class="woj">But I say to you,</span><span class="text"> </span><span class="woj">love your enemies, bless those who curse you,</span><span class="text"> </span><span class="woj">do good to those who hate you, and pray</span><span class="text"> </span><span class="woj">for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” God is instructing us to pray and ask for our enemies to be blessed. Obey God: r</span>epent, forgive (even over and over again), and pray for the other person to be blessed. What do you mean pray for them to be blessed? They hurt me very badly; I don’t want them to be blessed! Yes, pray for them to be blessed because what happens when you pray that they'll be blessed (and mean it), you’re opening the door for God to work through them. God will show them what they did wrong in conviction. God is a restorer. He ultimately wants all relationships to be restored. God forgave us through Jesus, and we are to be imitators of Him. </span></div>
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c. Don’t speak negatively about the person who hurt you. You’re not in true forgiveness if you’re still speaking negatively about the person who hurt you. If you’ve prayed over them, asked the Lord to bless them, and believe you’ve forgiven them, you’re only opening up old wounds if you speak negatively about them. And the more you do, the more old wounds resurface, and you’re just causing damage again. Don’t do it. Negative words, hurtful words wound and it takes many more kind and loving words to make things right again. Negative and unkind words hurt us, the person you are speaking about, and they grieve the Holy Spirit. Every time a negative thought surfaces, push it aside and say something positive. I wonder how many marriages could be saved if instead of condemning, finding fault, and criticizing one another, you made deposits of kindness? If your spouse does something kind for you, say <br />“thank you, I appreciate what you did.” If they look nice, tell them. If you can’t think of one positive thing about the person who has hurt you, then give thanks to God. Thank the Lord for his goodness, grace, and mercy. Thank Him for restored relationships. Thank Him for forgiving you every time you do something wrong.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">d. If the person has a need, meet it. Romans 12:21 says that we overcome evil with good. We fight Satan when we do something good for another. Satan would love it if you got mad, stayed mad and went out and hurt someone else. Don’t! Be a blessing to someone else, even the person who hurt you. If it wouldn’t be wise to do good to those who hurt you, perhaps in situations of abuse, go out and do good to someone else. But, don’t just sit at home being angry, overcome evil with good! Luke 6:33 talks about doing good to those who are good to you that even sinners do that. That’s easy. It’s easy to do good to those who are our friends and who are kind to us. Be like Jesus and do good to those who are not kind to you. Verse 35 goes on to say, “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be great, and you will truly be acting like children of the Most High.” Wow! This verse is saying to love your enemies. Do good to them without expecting anything in return, and in doing so, God will reward you. In the book of Proverbs verse 21-22, it says, “If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the Lord will reward you.” </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Conclusion</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">1. Let’s be victorious Christians. Let’s not be like the world, but let’s act like Jesus. Let’s go around looking to be a blessing to everyone, even to the people who use and hurt us. If you follow a few principles of forgiveness and loving others as Christ would, we can be a Light to this lost world. In Jesus’ final moments on the cross, He cried out to God to forgive them for they know not what they do. He demonstrated the greatest act of forgiveness, and we are to follow in His footsteps. Forgiving someone can be very hard, but God has commanded us to do it. Act like children of God and forgive others as He has forgiven you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">2. Say this prayer with me. Dear Lord Jesus, I repent of being in unforgiveness, and I want to make things right with you. I do not want to give the devil a foothold in my life. So I take authority over Satan and take back his power in the name of Jesus. I stand firm in my faith in Jesus. I want to be in obedient to Your word, and I don’t want to break fellowship with You. I truly forgive those that I haven’t forgiven yet. I release them, and I give them over to You. I ask that You would bless them, and give them joy, peace, health, and love. In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.</span></div>
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Jeannie Hortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041832831353943157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917993837743094196.post-34222044578819211932019-01-23T15:24:00.004-08:002019-01-23T15:24:33.407-08:00SIMON PETER’S CALL OF FAITH <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; line-height: 200%;">SIMON PETER’S CALL OF FAITH <br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">By Jeannie Horton </span></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Life Christian University Student</span></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">INTRODUCTION</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Apostle Simon Peter’s life is one of the greatest redemption stories ever recorded in the Bible. Like all of us, Peter was Christ’s follower, and through his walk with Jesus, identified himself with Him. He spent many close years with Jesus as His apostle. Peter’s faith grew through his time with Jesus. He learned from Him, watched Him perform many miracles, and healed those in need. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This bold and headstrong fisherman became a fisher of men. He became humble in Christ so that many would come to know Christ through his ministry. Peter was completely heartbroken over his denial of Christ, but this didn’t cancel his identity. His stumble ultimately caused him to come back stronger than ever. Peter’s story is our story. His stumble is our stumble. Peter made a bad mistake, but he sought the Lord’s forgiveness with great humility. Because Christ is love, the Lord only looked at Peter with love. After his fall, the Lord pursued Peter to come back to Him. Peter was able to rebound from his wounds. In his boldness and renewed strength, he went on to do great things in the name of Christ. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I. PETER’S BACKGROUND AND CALL OF FAITH</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Peter is the son of John from Bethsaida. In his adulthood, he was a sinful and uneducated fisherman on the Sea of Galilee, now living in Capernaum. His Brother, Andrew was also a fisherman. In John 1:42, Jesus renamed him “Cephas.” Cephas is translated Peter and means “rock.” God knows the beginning from the end. He sees our lives where we will be, not where we are currently if we continue our walk with Him. He knew Peter was not yet a “rock,” but through his growth and maturity he would live up to his name. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The call to follow Jesus is about faith. Whoever Jesus prayerfully chose to follow Him would be in an intense, loving relationship with Him. These twelve chosen apostles’ would have to be willing to suffer persecution and even die for Christ. Jesus <span class="text">wanted Peter to follow Him as His disciple. </span>There are a few examples in the bible of Jesus calling Peter to follow Him. We see this in Mathew 4:19. Here, Jesus told Peter and his brother Andrew to follow Him as His disciple. In Luke 5, Peter knew that he was a sinful man, and even told Jesus to go away because he was unworthy to be in His presence! Jesus knew Peter’s heart and called him to follow Him, stating he will be “fishers of men.” His final call was in John 21:19. Jesus called for Peter to follow Him again after His third appearance succeeding his resurrection. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Early in Peter’s walk with Jesus, situations where his faith grew through his maturity:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We read from the gospels that Jesus healed Peter’s mother in law from a fever. When Jesus touched her, she instantly got up to serve Jesus. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Sea of Galilee is located in Northern Israel. It is about 8 miles wide and 12 miles long. It is about 700 feet below sea level and is surrounded by hills: the highest point is about 2000 ft. Because of its location, the cold air clashes with the warmer air and creates intense storms. In the book of Mathew, with Jesus in the boat, the disciples made their way to the other side of the Sea of Galilee when a storm came upon them. They were suddenly so afraid and cried out to Jesus to save them. They thought they were going to die. Jesus replied to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?”(Mathew 8:23).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">After the disciples fed the five thousand in Mathew 14, Jesus ordered the disciples into a boat to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus headed up the mountain to pray alone. In the meantime, the boat was caught in a storm. Jesus saw this and walked on water to the boat. The disciples saw Him and at first were afraid, thinking He was a ghost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But Jesus spoke to them and reassured them. From the boat, Peter spoke first. “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water” (Matthew 14:28). Hearing Jesus’ voice and encouragement, he stepped towards Him. But, Peter began to be afraid and started to sink. Jesus catches him and says, “O you of little faith, why do you doubt?” (Mathew 14:31). The disciples worshiped Him and were in full faith that it was indeed Jesus. </span></h3>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">II. PETER’S STUMBLE AND REBOUND</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">By the time Peter stumbled, he had a strong relationship with Jesus. They were very close like brothers; Peter’s faith in Him had grown. Jesus loved and admired Peter very much and would do anything for him, and Peter felt the same way. But, Peter makes a heartbreaking mistake that temporarily wounded him. He denied knowing Jesus in a moment of fear. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In Mathew 26:69-75, we read about Peter denying Jesus. Jesus told Peter earlier that he would, even prayed over Peter saying: “That your faith [and confidence in Me] may not fail; and you, once you have turned back again [to Me], strengthen and support your brothers [in the faith]” (Luke 22:32 AMP). In Jesus’ prayer, He was restoring Peter even before his denial. He is instructing him to strengthen and support the faith of his brother’s in Christ. After spending so much time with Jesus as His apostle and friend, his love for Jesus was very strong. In Peter’s thinking, he could not possibly comprehend the idea that he would deny His Lord and Savior. Peter could not believe that he would ever deny Christ, so he denied what Jesus said. He told Jesus that he was willing to go to prison or even die for Him. But because of his uncontrollable fear in the face of his own safety, that is what Peter did. He had denied Jesus, his Lord, and friend. He immediately felt a lot of pain and sorrow over his actions. After Peter denied Jesus for the third time, Jesus turned to look at Peter. Jesus looked at Peter with only love because love is who Jesus is:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In that look, Peter saw forgiveness and infinite love. He saw a revelation of Christ that he had never seen before, and it broke his heart to pieces. He wept bitterly but not in despair. It was at that moment that the new Peter began to come forth, the Peter who would less than two months later, preach a sermon on the day of Pentecost that would bring three thousand souls into the kingdom (Lindsay Pg. 194).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In Luke 24:12, Peter was still not only grieving from the death of Jesus, but he was also still wounded from his denial of Him. He felt so much shame over what he had done. When news got to Peter that Jesus was no longer in the tomb, but had been resurrected, Peter ran to the tomb to see for himself. Peter knew from Jesus’ teachings that He would die and would be resurrected. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peter needed to confirm for himself that it was true.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">During Jesus 40 days on the earth after His death and resurrection, there were ongoing appearances of Him. In John 21, after breakfast with the disciples, Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him. Each time Jesus questioned Peter, Jesus replied: “Feed My sheep.” After the third time, Peter was upset that Jesus had asked him for the third time. He finally said to Jesus, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, then feed My sheep” (John 21:17). Jesus had asked Peter three times if he loved Him because Peter denied Jesus three times. Peter was grieved after the third time, not because Jesus asked him if he loved Him three times. He was grieved because of his earlier denial. I believe in Peter’s eyes this was his confirmation that Jesus truly forgave him. His forgiveness gave Peter the strength he needed to continue as Jesus’ apostle to do great things in the name of Christ. Peter’s ministry thus began, and his relationship with Jesus rebounded. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">III. PETER IS STRENGTHENED TO SAVE MANY</span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He told the disciples to stay and wait for the Promise of the Father. On the day of Pentecost, there was suddenly a loud and violent sound of wind. It came from heaven and filled the whole room in which the disciples had been waiting for the past ten days. Each person received the gift of the Holy Spirit. They were strengthened and began to speak in tongues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Peter’s quality of being bold and outspoken made him a natural at public speaking. Having been anointed and strengthened in the Holy Spirit, he preached his first sermon to the Jews in Acts 2:14-47. In his sermon, he started by correcting their accusation of saying the disciples who were speaking in tongues as being drunk. He also quoted Joel’s prophecy from Joel 2:28-32. In Joel’s prophesy, he was telling about a time when God will pour out His Spirit upon mankind. Joel said that men will dream dreams, and will prophesy. In Peter’s sermon, he also told of signs and miracles that will happen on the earth as a sign that the Lord is coming. He also boldly accused them of killing Jesus. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He then stated that Jesus has been resurrected and is now at God’s right hand. The words that Peter spoke in his sermon caused remorse and anxiety, and they asked what they should do. He then told them to repent and be baptized: “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away. All who have been called by the Lord our God” (Acts 2:38-39). After Peter’s first sermon, 3000 people were saved. After his second sermon, 5000 people were saved. He was shepherding the others as Jesus requested in John 21. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In Acts 10, God had shown Peter in a vision that he should no longer think of others as unclean: that all people should be treated the same. Peter then preached to his first Gentiles: Cornelius, his family, and friends. He said, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism” (Acts 10:34). He went on to say that God accepts all people who hear and accept the Good News of the gift of salvation. Peter showed the world that non-Jews can be Christians. And the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles while Peter was preaching.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Throughout the remainder of Peter’s ministry, he performed miracles and healed people. He was later put in prison during the Days of Unleavened Bread. Even though he was chained to two soldiers, he was miraculously freed by an angel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The whole time that this was happening, Peter thought it was only a vision, he didn’t think it was actually happening. But, he and the angel kept passing guards on the way out of prison. When Peter was in the clear, the angel left him. Peter then realized the truth, that an angel sent by the Lord had freed him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">During Peter’s ministry, he wrote two letters. The first letter was written about 63-64 AD. He is writing to both Jewish and Gentile believers. In the first letter, he is offering hope and encouragement in the face of their persecution. He’s shepherding his readers so they can live Godly lives as the letter is full of instructions. The second letter of Peter was written in 64-66 AD. In this letter, he writes about becoming mature in Christ, warns about false teachers, and encourages his readers to be ready for Christ’s return. He also warns about all the events that will occur at the end of time. A key verse out of the two letters is: “But you must not forget this one thing dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, he is patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed but wants everyone to repent” (2 Peter 3:8-9). The Lord is extraordinary patient. He is love and wants everyone to have the chance to come to repentance and be saved. And this is what the Apostle Peter is saying. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Not much is written in the Bible about Peter’s death. According to Christian tradition, Peter was crucified like Christ was except upside down. Peter requested to be crucified this way because he felt he wasn’t worthy to die the same way as Jesus. The only thing written in scripture about his death is in John 21. Jesus was speaking to Peter: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go. Jesus said this to let him know what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, Follow me (John 21:18-19). </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">CONCLUSION</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">At the conclusion of his writing in 2 Peter, he wrote to his readers to grow spiritually mature in the Lord: this is Peter’s life; he grew and matured in his faith walk with the lord. Peter proved himself. He proved that he was worthy of Christ calling him to follow Him. Peter lived up to his name as the “rock.” Peter’s story is our story. We are all like him. When we accept Christ, we choose to believe the Good News, but we will stumble. God knows that none of us are perfect, but He still chose us. He knows the beginning from the end. God in His great love and mercy is there to pick us back up and place us on our feet. He forgives us! In our walk with Him, we grow in our maturity, and if we align our will with His will, we will go on to do awesome things in the name of Christ. Just like Peter. </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"></span></b></div>
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Jeannie Hortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041832831353943157noreply@blogger.com0