tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53393830411028360612024-03-13T11:47:05.748-04:00HOLLY LOO YAAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17926246099122885673noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339383041102836061.post-83428744433153720172017-02-02T08:04:00.000-05:002017-02-02T08:19:58.006-05:003 Reasons Your Testimony is Good Enough<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KU7MAiUE33I/WJK3Mt7t-sI/AAAAAAAAFFU/OUYno1J_g30jj26vhw25jVU506dCttvFwCLcB/s1600/good.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="536" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KU7MAiUE33I/WJK3Mt7t-sI/AAAAAAAAFFU/OUYno1J_g30jj26vhw25jVU506dCttvFwCLcB/s640/good.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Because everyone's got a story to tell.<br /><br /><br /><br /></i></div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">1. It will resonate with the people you will reach.</span></b><br />
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No one else has your story. It’s yours. If you don’t think your life before Christ was dramatic – guess who can relate? The people who don’t think their lives are dramatic.<br />
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You didn’t have to get high everyday or sleep around as a teenager, to be used by God. God can and will use every single situation in your life to bring Himself glory.<br />
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When we praise God for deliverance, the Holy Spirit is speaking through us. We can trust that God’s very own Spirit will use our stories to help touch the hearts of those who are longing to encounter the love of the Father.<br />
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<i>He has put a new song in my mouth—</i><br />
<i>Praise to our God;</i><br />
<i>Many will see it and fear,</i><br />
<i>And will trust in the Lord.</i><br />
<i>(Psalm 40:3)</i><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">2. It was good enough for God. </span></b><br />
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Jesus paid the full price for your sin. On the cross, He had each of us in mind. It's not like He was thinking of everyone's situation...<i><b>except</b></i> yours. If Jesus thought it cost the most expensive price in the world, then who are we to say it’s not really worth all that much?<br />
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Your small, uneventful story, cost the life of God’s one and only Son.<br />
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<i>You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.</i><br />
<i>(1 Corinthians 7:23) </i><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">3. It was probably worse than you think.</span></b><br />
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We have a tendency to downplay certain sins – like pride and idolatry. God operates totally different than people. We see each other’s actions. He sees our hearts.<br />
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For example, let’s say you had a friend in high school. You and him both struggled with greed. His greedy heart led him to rob someone at gunpoint, while you only ever took $10 out of your mom’s purse.<br />
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When we look at you and your friend from a human perspective, we see one person with a violent criminal record, and another, who’s a “typical teenager.” When God looks at you and your friend He sees two desperately greedy souls, longing for a taste of something that truly satisfies. Something eternal. <br />
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Ultimately, it’s not our story that saves lives, it’s Christ’s. It's not about us. Frankly, when testifying, sometimes we even glorify certain sin, because a small part of us still thinks it’s cool to be affiliated with sex, clubbing, selling drugs, etc. But that’s a totally different blog post.<br />
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So no matter how boring your story may seem – here’s to hating what God hates, and loving every little thing He loves!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17926246099122885673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339383041102836061.post-60730255002898915982017-01-30T07:03:00.002-05:002017-01-30T10:16:00.337-05:004 Practical Reasons I Stopped Drinking Wine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sHoYYpoIfEc/WI6wCImXWwI/AAAAAAAAFEU/3dEYSpICBlcVhtrcHRu1QFaw5vd_wnAZwCLcB/s1600/Sunset.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="536" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sHoYYpoIfEc/WI6wCImXWwI/AAAAAAAAFEU/3dEYSpICBlcVhtrcHRu1QFaw5vd_wnAZwCLcB/s640/Sunset.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i><i><br /></i></i><i>Because Jesus never turned water into beer.</i><i><i><br /></i></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">1. It satisfied me in a way that God wanted to satisfy me.</span></b><br />
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When I got into a car accident while drinking & driving, I said I’d never drink hard liquor again. From that point on, I vowed to only drink wine. (Wait...no. Not only wine. I still had water and juice and stuff like that. Just no liquor.)<br />
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One year later I began living for Jesus Christ. Every. Thing. Changed. (Wait...no. Not...everything.)<br />
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Wine was still very much a thing in my life. On Friday nights, I would race home from work (as quick as one can “race” home on DC metro, that is) to get in bed with a glass of wine. I used the wine as a way of escape. It relieved my mind of the stress that came with a full-week of class, work, and adulting.<br />
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One day, while studying God’s word, the Holy Spirit revealed that He wanted to be the One to give me rest from my busy schedule. There was a void He wanted to fill. Only problem? I was already (temporarily) filling that void with wine.<br />
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I hadn’t realized before, but I was using wine to satisfy myself in a way that God desired to satisfy me. So, I wasn’t truly satisfied in Him...alone.</div>
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<i>Because I am righteous, I will see you.</i><i>When I awake, I will see you face to face and be satisfied. (Psalm 17:15)</i></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">2. It actually was...getting me drunk.</span></b></div>
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Back in the day, I used a class system to determine my level of intoxication. </div>
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Good. </div>
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Tipsy. </div>
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Gettin’ there. </div>
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Drunk. </div>
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Wasted. </div>
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There. (Where am I?)</div>
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Surely, wine was just getting me…”Good.” Okay, tipsy. At best. As long as I’m not getting drunk, I’m good. Right?<br />
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I noticed, however, as I was drinking, my mood was changing. The way I made decisions – that changed too. It became difficult to make a truly sound decision. Wine was impairing my mental abilities, which turns out, is the exact definition of “drunk.”<br />
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Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. <br />
Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit <i>(Ephesians 5:18)</i></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">3. It was causing others to stumble.</span></b></div>
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My friends, who never even had the desire to drink wine, wanted wine all of sudden. Wait. But why.</div>
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Me to them:</div>
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My best friend felt like I was pressuring her to drink. <br />
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Her to me:</div>
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Long story short, it got in the way. </div>
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<i>It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble. <br />(Romans 14:21)</i></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">4. It paired nicely with...other bad habits. </span></b><br />
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When I cuddled up with a glass of wine, I wasn’t reading my bible. Nope. I was watching TV shows. Shows I wouldn’t have felt comfortable watching if I wasn’t…”Good.” (<i>Disclaimer:</i> Shows that I may or may not have used as animations to prove my point in this blog post. Ugh. Sue me.)</div>
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When I stopped drinking the wine. I stopped watching the shows. Looking back, I can't believe I even liked those shows. So weird. It's like I was...drunk...or something.<br />
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• • •</div>
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<b><i>If this post was at all decent, please feel free to share it! </i></b></div>
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<b><i>Do you have a similar (or totally different) testimony? I'd love to hear it. Let me know in the comments below!</i></b></div>
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<b>Never miss a post!</b></div>
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<b>Like Holly Loo Ya on Facebook.</b><br />
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This other post <a href="http://hollylooyablog.blogspot.com/2015/10/5-ways-we-normalize-sin.html" target="_blank">briefly mentions drinking wine</a>, if you're into this!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17926246099122885673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339383041102836061.post-34200938246698912172016-06-29T01:27:00.000-04:002016-06-29T10:08:10.264-04:005 Ways Sin Crept Into My Christian Relationship<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KtUHPfsOoXM/V3NXYdeGhRI/AAAAAAAAE80/hWU2cCf9Bi4EFptlErtqpV5sDHYc_ZzVgCLcB/s1600/SIN.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="334" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KtUHPfsOoXM/V3NXYdeGhRI/AAAAAAAAE80/hWU2cCf9Bi4EFptlErtqpV5sDHYc_ZzVgCLcB/s640/SIN.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>"Seems legit." - Me</i>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-63d76a57-99ff-4061-16da-8ff650fd0960"><span style="font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. God became “boring.”</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At least one person in the relationship was no longer satisfied in Christ. It wasn’t anything drastic, it was all very subtle, really.
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qxSNxbcb9GU/V3M1SUG0htI/AAAAAAAAE6s/HHCNKyrPdDMwDBx_BDBrhgozpJFrAa79gCLcB/s1600/mistaje.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qxSNxbcb9GU/V3M1SUG0htI/AAAAAAAAE6s/HHCNKyrPdDMwDBx_BDBrhgozpJFrAa79gCLcB/s1600/mistaje.gif" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">If you are not driven to live a life of righteousness, this may not be your time to think about marriage.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If the idea of waking up to commune with the Lord, does not excite you- you should not be in a relationship.
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7pQP1eG-dg0/V3Om73E7vbI/AAAAAAAAE9E/SYyMfkc7gisWQk57UuP79Gp02WUO91bWQCLcB/s1600/tumblr_mtcrmm2rt71sts1dho1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7pQP1eG-dg0/V3Om73E7vbI/AAAAAAAAE9E/SYyMfkc7gisWQk57UuP79Gp02WUO91bWQCLcB/s1600/tumblr_mtcrmm2rt71sts1dho1_500.gif" /></a></span></div>
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Because when God bores you, your flesh will search for something that excites you. Eventually that source of entertainment influences you, and at that moment, sin enters your heart.</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many people get bored after they have been saved for a while. It happens. God is faithful to always draw us back to Him. </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, from my experience:
boredom with Christ <b>+</b> relationship <b>=</b> absolute fail.
Trying to jump into a relationship, when the most important relationship in your life isn't thriving-
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NddS65ZJwJ8/V3M2-mzpAPI/AAAAAAAAE64/AymilKipx2sfnR-WvMhHcWRUgD1yQx0BgCLcB/s1600/smallroom13.gif.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NddS65ZJwJ8/V3M2-mzpAPI/AAAAAAAAE64/AymilKipx2sfnR-WvMhHcWRUgD1yQx0BgCLcB/s1600/smallroom13.gif.gif" /></a></span></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness;</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></i><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness. (Psalm 17:15)
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</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. We lacked direct mentorship.</b></span></span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
We didn’t have established mentors.
Did we have men and women of God in our lives who we looked up to and learned from? Yes. Did we have pastors and church leadership? Yes.
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WPXhMyyXsO0/V3M5xyK1REI/AAAAAAAAE7Q/AmMTRtvYK_kAn73eXiW0P7PgNrG_t1XvACLcB/s1600/of%2Bcourse.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WPXhMyyXsO0/V3M5xyK1REI/AAAAAAAAE7Q/AmMTRtvYK_kAn73eXiW0P7PgNrG_t1XvACLcB/s1600/of%2Bcourse.gif" /></a></span></span></div>
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But, was a there a <b>specific, individual couple</b> who mentored us? No.
I knew this was a thing people should have, but I didn’t take it serious enough. Looking back, I know that a mentor couple could have seen things in us that we were unable see.
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kb2fXeJpLOs/V3M6eUzAhtI/AAAAAAAAE7c/svDj60Z3MT8ZYtN3kBfuR2mnEWp1-lT1QCLcB/s1600/They-better-watch-out.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kb2fXeJpLOs/V3M6eUzAhtI/AAAAAAAAE7c/svDj60Z3MT8ZYtN3kBfuR2mnEWp1-lT1QCLcB/s1600/They-better-watch-out.gif" /></a></span></span></div>
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They could have been there to humble us, rebuke us and guide us with the wisdom of Christ. No one ever really had the opportunity to pour into us because they weren’t invited to- and for that, we paid. We made mistakes that could have been avoided and we chose to deal with the consequences alone.
<i>Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge,
But he who hates correction is stupid. (Proverbs 12:1)</i></span><i>
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3. We didn't have accountability.
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Unfortunately, I don't have many close friends.
I love people a lot. <b>I really do!</b> But I haven’t exactly proven that I am willing to sacrifice and give what it takes to build real, genuine friendships...yet. (This will change!)
With true friendship comes true accountability. People who care enough to know what you are doing and where you are doing it.
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Re5k87xqOpE/V3M8U6k0wFI/AAAAAAAAE7o/Avh5pbmaA9oUjoTii4_Da1IFITP9N9GGACLcB/s1600/Where_you_going.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Re5k87xqOpE/V3M8U6k0wFI/AAAAAAAAE7o/Avh5pbmaA9oUjoTii4_Da1IFITP9N9GGACLcB/s400/Where_you_going.gif" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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The lack of accountability gave us the “freedom” to do what we wanted...where we wanted to do it.
Even though you have a personal relationship with Christ, when you hold <b>yourself </b>accountable, you tend to compromise your standards a lot more than when <b>other </b>people hold you accountable- which is the definition of accountability.
Probably.
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><i>As iron sharpens iron,
So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. (Proverbs 27:17)
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</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. We kissed. </b></span></span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Is kissing inherently sin? Well...no. Do I ever want to do it again outside of marriage? NO.
(Sounds a lot like sin, which I also never want to do again...just saying. Whatever. I’ll just leave this here. K bye.) </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jACkyJgDGh8/V3M9MuXd5wI/AAAAAAAAE70/TbXXT4xst1Eze_zB8y5OclrgxmipXoYNgCLcB/s1600/tumblr_inline_mkiwg9zd5T1qz4rgp%2B%25281%2529.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jACkyJgDGh8/V3M9MuXd5wI/AAAAAAAAE70/TbXXT4xst1Eze_zB8y5OclrgxmipXoYNgCLcB/s1600/tumblr_inline_mkiwg9zd5T1qz4rgp%2B%25281%2529.gif" /></a></span></span></div>
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Refraining from sex can become so religious and legalistic that you forget why you are even doing it- it can literally become an idol.
So when you’re wearing abstinence like a badge of honor, it’s no wonder the rest of your standards fail miserably. The goal was to be made into His image now it's simply to not have sex.
I know that was a bit deep, so here's a simple verse-
<i>Claiming to be wise, they became fools. (Romans 1:22)
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><i><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R82WT1bcIoA/V3OtgcINzyI/AAAAAAAAE9U/mA7EzEDfBR4ICl617kibROB3AHfDZVw3ACKgB/s1600/giphy%2B%25281%2529.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R82WT1bcIoA/V3OtgcINzyI/AAAAAAAAE9U/mA7EzEDfBR4ICl617kibROB3AHfDZVw3ACKgB/s1600/giphy%2B%25281%2529.gif" /></a></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">5. We were led by temptation and not by God’s timing.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">
As Christians in this world, we are out of place. It’s uncomfortable- it’s one big contradiction.
But here we are.
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HSHi4gutl2E/V3M_itl0o4I/AAAAAAAAE8A/8VpUJGVxx_st0oeGsjiw0zI-jzhURsA-wCLcB/s1600/awk.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HSHi4gutl2E/V3M_itl0o4I/AAAAAAAAE8A/8VpUJGVxx_st0oeGsjiw0zI-jzhURsA-wCLcB/s1600/awk.gif" /></a></span></span></div>
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We each have our own story line to salvation, but (spoiler alert) they all have the same ending.
We were bad, God made us good.
We are called according to God’s plan, which He perfected before we were even born. Yet, we still make our own plans, because we are tempted. And the whole catch with temptation is- it’s the idea that something out there could ever be better than God’s plan.
And it can't! It never will!
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X-ePNSLnZMA/V3NN6f1zaQI/AAAAAAAAE8Y/d5qPIG_zBOgT37MTq9SozG2ZOq655DkSACLcB/s1600/NvbOGZm.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X-ePNSLnZMA/V3NN6f1zaQI/AAAAAAAAE8Y/d5qPIG_zBOgT37MTq9SozG2ZOq655DkSACLcB/s400/NvbOGZm.gif" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D8RufqOyeSQ/V3NNztWkBwI/AAAAAAAAE8Q/G_ocvMJVNtwUxu7kgYxjXb5e2SlDhRM7gCLcB/s1600/giphy.gif" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 14.6667px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D8RufqOyeSQ/V3NNztWkBwI/AAAAAAAAE8Q/G_ocvMJVNtwUxu7kgYxjXb5e2SlDhRM7gCLcB/s400/giphy.gif" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DJtTPYPEvKc/V3NOCHrNYHI/AAAAAAAAE8g/nan_KXTKqT0p02NhNtOQ8cGXPy4SE_fhQCLcB/s1600/LeBron-James-Blocks-Tiago-Splitter-Game-2-2013-NBA-Finals.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DJtTPYPEvKc/V3NOCHrNYHI/AAAAAAAAE8g/nan_KXTKqT0p02NhNtOQ8cGXPy4SE_fhQCLcB/s400/LeBron-James-Blocks-Tiago-Splitter-Game-2-2013-NBA-Finals.gif" width="400" /></a>
Nope.</span></span></span></div>
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The desire to be loved is real. Loneliness is real. <b><u>But just because two single Christians are on fire for the Lord and are compatible- it does not mean it is God’s plan for them to be together.</u></b>
<i>For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i>I know Christians everywhere are struggling with sin in their relationships- What has God shown you? I'd love to know :)</i></b></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17926246099122885673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339383041102836061.post-42842165925502385812016-06-10T06:49:00.000-04:002016-06-10T07:40:16.668-04:003 Things I Always Do When I Am Experiencing Contentment<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_c4DBiVMKMA/V1qkGjL8BHI/AAAAAAAAE6c/qAAYSYdgp90yv1IU86tBX_LPtNut4hTQQCLcB/s1600/CONTENTMENT.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="513" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_c4DBiVMKMA/V1qkGjL8BHI/AAAAAAAAE6c/qAAYSYdgp90yv1IU86tBX_LPtNut4hTQQCLcB/s640/CONTENTMENT.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="text-align: start;"><i>I'm not always content, but when I am-</i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">1. I plan and pray for today.</span></b><br />
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Sometimes I dream about the future. Not intentionally...I just do.<br />
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I think about the things God has revealed to me concerning my purpose and I begin to imagine different scenarios. I pray about those hypothetical moments and dwell on them until they consume a huge portion of my thought life.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MQM6Xf07-pg/V1kE6SVca3I/AAAAAAAAE5Q/tYJa8NUNHvk86JtqsifD1u3omT80yAWFwCLcB/s1600/rapunzel-dreamy-gif%252Cmedium_large.1456851346.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MQM6Xf07-pg/V1kE6SVca3I/AAAAAAAAE5Q/tYJa8NUNHvk86JtqsifD1u3omT80yAWFwCLcB/s1600/rapunzel-dreamy-gif%252Cmedium_large.1456851346.gif" /></a></div>
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There isn’t anything inherently wrong with praying about the future or even dreaming, by any means. In fact, the problem isn’t what I’m doing- it’s what I’m <b>not </b>doing.<br />
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Far too often, I am so consumed with what might be, that I ignore what already is.<br />
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I’m praying about a vision I have, but I totally neglect to surrender my will to Christ and submit my day to Him. I haven’t thanked Him, lately, for the job I already have or for my good health.<br />
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A true sign of contentment is when I have the self-control to focus on what the Lord is doing in my life, right now!<br />
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<i>But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:33-34)</i><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">2. I can rest.</span></b><br />
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Children are starving. There isn’t any clean water to drink. Christians are being killed. Abortion is normal. And apparently everything under the sun causes cancer. Also the sun. The sun causes cancer.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y3JphCTqD_Q/V1qDFnIs1UI/AAAAAAAAE5g/FTCHBWIbYKglgUe-YSoA-iSIgiM6iphCgCLcB/s1600/giphy%2B%252839%2529.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y3JphCTqD_Q/V1qDFnIs1UI/AAAAAAAAE5g/FTCHBWIbYKglgUe-YSoA-iSIgiM6iphCgCLcB/s1600/giphy%2B%252839%2529.gif" /></a></div>
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And with all these problems- Who has time for rest, am I right?<br />
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Well...God did.<br />
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God was busy creating the world when He decided to chill out for a minute. The entire world! How much more do we need rest as we exhaust our limited strength maintaining our own little worlds?<br />
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The ability to rest is a sure sign of contentment and trust in the Lord. It reveals that we are satisfied with what God already did, yet we will still continue to press on and be used as vessels for what He continues to do.<br />
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<i>And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. (Genesis 2:2-3)</i><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">3. I can commit to something.</span></b><br />
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I've learned that I am not as content as I'd like to think I am. Instead, I've used being "content in the Lord" as an excuse to not commit to much of anything.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Ym0z_DeYIM/V1qOZ26-kAI/AAAAAAAAE5w/vrp6NB0TqocK9C2TxvDNY4iQ0mZ5ADSFgCLcB/s1600/giphy%2B%252841%2529.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Ym0z_DeYIM/V1qOZ26-kAI/AAAAAAAAE5w/vrp6NB0TqocK9C2TxvDNY4iQ0mZ5ADSFgCLcB/s1600/giphy%2B%252841%2529.gif" /></a></div>
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While it's true that as everything around me changes, Christ is the one thing that remains the same- it doesn't mean everything should always be changing.<br />
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Real contentment is the ability to be responsible and maintain, non-religious, healthy routines that benefit my relationship with the Lord and fulfill His will for my life.<br />
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Contentment fuels the ability to do all things- and the only thing more rewarding than being able to do anything is being able to do exactly what God tells me to do.<br />
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<i>Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:11-13)</i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17926246099122885673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339383041102836061.post-73654962053484061012016-05-04T07:17:00.000-04:002016-07-18T11:35:37.923-04:003 Extremely Practical Things I Do To Host The Holy Spirit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7EHp33T2rn8/VymhQubxwOI/AAAAAAAAE44/0jdGlZVuJTk-mJ152321eNUdLfXkDXB4QCLcB/s1600/holy%2Bspirit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="334" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7EHp33T2rn8/VymhQubxwOI/AAAAAAAAE44/0jdGlZVuJTk-mJ152321eNUdLfXkDXB4QCLcB/s640/holy%2Bspirit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "arial";"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><i style="font-size: 14px;">I've learned that if I don't actively and intentionally pursue the Holy Spirit, there's only a matter of time before my flesh reclaims its former role, as ruler of my heart.These are a few of the ways I reinforce the power of the Holy Spirit in my life.
</i><b><span style="font-size: large;">1. Get enough sleep.</span></b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
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This isn’t always easy. Sometimes I get really busy with work, school or other obligations and I can’t exactly get a full night's sleep, but that’s not what I’m talking about here.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m referring to the nights I’m up, tirelessly scrolling through social media apps on my phone. The nights I have aimless conversations that drag on for hours after they were supposed to end. The days I spend more time procrastinating than actually doing. The nights, for one illegitimate reason or another, I simply do not get enough sleep.
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I am excessively tired, I have minimal energy and I become very un-alert. Naturally, the enemy jumps on the opportunity to take advantage of my unawareness and finds ways to influence my thoughts and even my decisions. Sometimes I can't even explain why I did what I just did.
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the flipside, when I get enough sleep I am cultivating a home (body) for the Holy Spirit that is ready and energized for the tasks at hand. By God’s grace I am watchful and have discernment to cast down thoughts and make choices that ultimately glorify Christ and benefit our relationship.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” - Exodus 33:14</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b> 2. Only listen to worship music.</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Music is powerful. Before I gave my life to Christ, I loved listening to Kendrick Lamar. I thought I could relate to the lyrics and themes of certain secular songs so much. I could. I didn’t have an active relationship with the Holy Spirit and the lyrics to secular songs described my lifestyle and my feels. I walked around creating problems in my head...that I didn't even have.
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Letting go of KL’s music was actually the very last thing the Lord told me to do, before I experienced freedom for the very first time in my entire life! If I knew what I was about to witness once I let go of secular music, I would have dropped it a loooonnnnnggg time ago.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I haven’t went back since. I don’t listen to any music that wasn’t specifically created to intentionally glorify Jesus Christ, alone. Not because I think it makes me holy (trust me, I’m the least of em) but because it’s the only sound that resonates with my Spirit. The Holy Spirit inside of me is in perfect unison with the Father and the Son, therefore I long to sing praises to the Lord. It literally revitalizes me.
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Besides, the Lord has made it very clear to me, personally, that when I play certain songs, I am inviting spirits in my home. It would be foolish to anoint my home, cover it with the blood of Jesus- then open the windows to welcome all sorts of spirits. That’s called insanity. And I honestly don’t have time for that right now. I need sleep, remember?
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<i><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let my mouth be filled with Your praise
</span></span><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">And with Your glory all the day. - Psalm 71:8</span></i><br />
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "arial";"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. Pray bible verses.</b></span></span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have you ever moved away from your hometown- or maybe went away to college- and been in a completely new environment? Then you randomly run into someone who is from the same place as you (or maybe went to the same school) and you immediately hit it off?</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even if, on any other day, you’d most likely never talk to the person, in that moment the two of you are totally in sync. You start name-dropping old places & people and suddenly there’s all this nostalgia.
All the feels!
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">That’s how I imagine the Holy Spirit feels when I pray bible verses. Even if thoughts have entered my mind throughout the day that are contrary to His word, when I pray God's word and promises, the Holy Spirit is basically like, "#Squaaaadddddddddddd."</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">On a practical level, praying bible verses is incredibly convenient when I simply don’t have the words to say. Because, frankly, I don't have the answers. Praying God's word positions my heart in a place of gratitude and confidence in the Lord.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>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. - Romans 8:26
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17926246099122885673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339383041102836061.post-37958639080006770812016-04-30T07:57:00.000-04:002016-05-01T02:18:37.115-04:005 Practical Tips That Will Transform The Way You Serve<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. Choose to be loving.</b></span><br />
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Sometimes we have bad days. And sometimes we have to serve on those bad days.<br />
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But we don’t have to react to every single emotion that we feel. When you’re having a bad day, but you’re committed to serve, pray that God will change your heart to view any hindering situations from His perspective. Ask Him to become your source of joy and strength. <br />
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Don’t be the greeter at church who never smiles.<br />
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When you could just not be a greeter at church.<br />
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Likewise, it's important to be energized and ready for the task. Making healthy eating choices and remaining active throughout the week, can pay off a ton when it's time to serve.<br />
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<i>Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; - Romans 12:10-11</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. Do it with a pure heart.</b></span><br />
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We can certainly trick people, but we will never get one over on God.<br />
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God sees the depths of our hearts and even understands the intention behind each of our thoughts.<br />
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Mind = blown, I know.<br />
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It’s important to ask God to cleanse your heart of impurities and selfish motives. He wants our hearts to be pure when we serve Him. And He wants us to serve out of our own free will.<br />
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<i>As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. - 1 Chronicles 28:9</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. Do what you’re good at.</b></span><br />
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I’ve done a lot of things that I shouldn’t have, but I will never ever ever, join the worship team. Let’s just say I’m not exactly "musically inclined." Don’t get me wrong, I love to worship and sing praises to Jesus...right...over...here.<br />
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We should ask God to reveal our gifts to us, so that we can serve appropriately and effectively. It is significantly more rewarding to serve in the areas where God has already blessed our hands.<br />
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Aside from prayer, we can think about our gifts in a practical way, by considering our strong suits, hobbies, interests, classes we excel in and the things we simply spend our spare time doing.<br />
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<i>As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. - 1 Peter 4:10</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. Serve as a choice.</b></span><br />
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There is absolutely positively nothing we can do to earn our salvation. So why try?<br />
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We are called to serve the Lord, not because we have to earn His love, but because He freely gave it to us.<br />
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The Lord gave us freedom, but with this freedom, we shouldn’t seek out opportunities to fulfill our fleshly desires. No, we should use that freedom to go out of our way to serve one another.<br />
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You don’t have to serve to be saved, but since you are saved, serve.<br />
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<i><br />For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. - Galatians 5:13</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. Lay down your life.</b></span><br />
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Even, the most holy Jesus Christ did not come down to earth to be served. Rather, He came to serve and to offer His life as a living sacrifice.<br />
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Jesus is calling us to lay down our lives for one another. Despite our differences, our flaws, our religious pet peeves, Christ is beckoning us to become humble, as He was (and is) and to present ourselves as a sacrifice.<br />
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<i>For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. - Mark 10:45</i><br />
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And the number one key to serving: always, always do it as to the Lord- and not to men.<br />
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<i>With goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men - Ephesians 6:7</i><br />
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Hopefully these points will help you dive into prayer and make some requests to God concerning your heart as it relates to serving. I know I personally need all the prayers!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17926246099122885673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339383041102836061.post-8714945101951320952016-04-26T07:25:00.000-04:002016-09-18T23:35:00.393-04:003 Fears We All Face (And What God Says About Them)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It is God's will for us to walk in love and not in fear. However, the enemy uses fear to cripple us and limit our potential to grow in the Lord. Here are three common fears many of us face - and what God has to say about them!<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /><br />1. The fear of rejection.</b></span><br />
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It feels good to be accepted.<br />
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Before I gave my life to Christ, I was in a relationship. He was a nice guy. Then I found out he was married- separated, but married. We broke up. He said he missed me. We got back together.<br />
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(I know what you're thinking.)<br />
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The devil took me a lot further than I wanted to go, and kept me a lot longer than I intended to stay. I was in his territory and he made it known. For months, years even, after the relationship ended, I was tormented. In my mind I believed the kingdom of darkness was far more powerful than the Kingdom of Heaven.<br />
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In 2012, I gave my life to Christ and I joined the best campus ministry under the sun, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BCF-University-of-Maryland-College-Park-553386521485287/" target="_blank">Bethel Campus Fellowship</a>. One night - though trembling, crying and completely in bondage - I gave my testimony for the first time. My new brothers and sisters in Christ held onto every word and, to my surprise, looked almost as relieved as I felt, to admit my shameful past. Greeted with hugs, smiles and praises of the Most High- I felt chains fall. Weight floated away. I was free.<br />
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I knew right then I belonged to a family. I was accepted.<br />
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Fast forward a couple years. I meet another group of Christians. Eager to share my testimony, I tell the same story. But this time it was different.<br />
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It wasn’t received very well at all. I was encouraged to...not share it anymore. I went from being “pure” to being filthy. I mean- who likes an adulteress, right?<br />
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My heart was broken. I couldn’t believe it. What about the cross? Am I not a new creation? Are you even a Christian, bro?!<br />
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I was rejected.<br />
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Rejection hurts. Acceptance feels good. And God gave His only Son, so that we would be accepted. Far too often, however, we become enslaved to fear- the fear that we won’t be accepted. Or that we won’t ever truly belong to a community of people who understand us, people who legitimately love the person God called us to be. It is not uncommon to experience the fear of not being accepted.<br />
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As Christians we do not have to be afraid of rejection, because we have a Father in the Lord. A Father who took us in and adopted us when the world left us as mere orphans.<br />
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<i>For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” - Romans 8:15</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">2. The fear of being alone.</span><br />
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Admit it- the best thing about an inside joke is the “inside” part. The situation may not even be all that funny, but the fact that you and someone else thought of the same exact thing, at the same exact time, is absolutely hilarious. <br />
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Sometimes doing things alone, just isn't quite the same. The fear of loneliness comes in all shapes and sizes. Fear that you’ll never get married or that your current spouse will never understand and appreciate you. The fear that you are too weak and tired to carry on by yourself.<br />
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Or the fear that you are alone in your suffering, totally isolated from everyone else.<br />
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The more you realize just how huge of a role God desires to play in your life, the less power, the fear of being alone, has over your life. God literally designed our lives in a way that forces our existence to depend on His. Not only does He long to be Lord over every area of our lives, but he sent His Holy Spirit to guide us each step along the way.<br />
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<i>Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. - Joshua 1:9</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">3. The fear of persecution.</span><br />
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Have you ever made someone mad just by being a Christian?<br />
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I remember the Lord told me to work a part-time job while I was in school. He specifically wanted me to be a light at my workplace and to reveal His love to a few co-workers. Ya know, an inside job.<br />
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It didn’t take long for me to realize who He had his eyes on. I began testifying of the Lord’s goodness and every day was a challenge. One particularly painful day, God allowed me to overhear two co-workers admitting what they wanted to do to me. It was so violent I couldn’t believe it. Why did God have me here? I was so uncomfortable!<br />
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I dreaded work, but the Lord met me in my secret place and I knew He could meet me in a restaurant too. The Holy Spirit led me to fast and pray for a co-worker who was in over her head with alcoholism and promiscuity. I was hungry and I didn’t want to miss meals for her, but by God’s grace, I did.<br />
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One day after the fast, I was at work serving tables as usual. I was entering an order when I heard my name, so I looked up from the screen- and that same co-worker was holding an open bible between her hands, and with tears in her eyes, she asked- “Where do I find salvation?”<br />
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God didn’t promise we wouldn’t be persecuted for doing exactly what He called us to do. It seems strange, really, when you think about it. The God of peace leads us to do things that hurt. But He knows better than me - and as sweet as they may be - nothing ever grows in comfort zones.<br />
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<i>But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” - 1 peter 3:14</i><br />
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Fear looks different to everyone. But it always creeps into our hearts in a way that intentionally plays on our individual insecurities and experiences. I encourage you to seek the Lord and rebuke the scary thoughts that enter into your mind daily.<br />
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<i>I sought the Lord, and He heard me, <br />And delivered me from <u><b>all</b></u> my fears.</i><br />
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<i>- Psalm 34:4</i><br />
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<i><b>If this post was helpful, be sure to share it on social media! </b></i></div>
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<i><b>I know Christians everywhere are battling fear- What has God shown you? I'd love to know :)</b></i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17926246099122885673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339383041102836061.post-79009411857176521062016-03-28T10:49:00.000-04:002016-10-22T10:34:11.015-04:005 Reasons It's OK To Talk About The Sin In Your Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">1. Sin won’t be able to deceive you.</span><br />
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Sin is a really good liar.<br />
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God says, “peace I leave with you.” Sin says, “peace I leave with you.” <br />
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God says, “You will find comfort in me.” Sin says, “You will find comfort in me.”<br />
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Sin wants so desperately, to be God. Don’t think so? Think about the temptation you're falling into these days?<br />
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Is it pride? Jealousy? Discontentment? Laziness? Overeating? Lying? Watching pornography? Having sex outside of marriage? Getting high? Getting drunk? Disrespecting your spouse? Listening to music that doesn’t glorify God? Watching TV shows that aren’t pleasing to Christ? Homosexuality? Harboring unforgiveness? Dishonoring your parents?<br />
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If you're any bit flawed like me, you can probably identify with something on that list. Think about that thing. (If you don’t think you fit any of those categories, just pick whichever one you can justify. That’s it. That’s the one.)<br />
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Think about that thing. Whenever you choose to do it, you are believing a lie. You are believing the lie that anything, something, somehow, can satisfy you- apart from Christ.<br />
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<i>In Psalm 107:9, God says that He satisfies our longing, hungry souls.</i> And when you’re up against a statement like that, you have to tell a pretty convincing lie to get someone to believe it.<br />
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None of theses things truly satisfy us, rather, they make us feel far from Christ. When you address sin, you expose its true intentions. If you recognize sin for what it is, a fraud, you don’t have to keep falling into the same cycle time and time again. <br />
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You almost had me, sin. Joke’s on you.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">2. You will be aware of the Holy Spirit.</span><br />
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The difference between us and Jesus is sin. He never sinned, we always have.<br />
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But He wants us to be more like Him. So we study the character of Jesus Christ and we cry out in desperation for Him to mold us into His image.<br />
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God loves us because of how good He is and, likewise, we are supposed to love Him because of how good He is.<br />
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But we fall short and we focus on other things besides His goodness, like what He can do for us. Then we get distracted and we think about our lives and how they should be so great and comfortable. So we adopt sinful ways to satisfy ourselves temporarily. But in Christ’s goodness, He recognizes our wandering and draws us back to Him again.<br />
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He wants us to turn from our wicked ways and choose Him so that we can be healed. So He showers us with His love and rebukes us by shining a light on the areas of our lives that don’t exactly reflect His.<br />
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If we don’t realize what He wants us to let go of, then we can totally miss out on the growth He wants us to experience.<br />
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As bitter as it seems, chastisement is really quite sweet.<br />
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<i>My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,</i></div>
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<i>Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;</i></div>
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<i>For whom the Lord loves He chastens,</i></div>
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<i>And scourges every son whom He receives.</i></div>
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<i>(Hebrews 12:6 NKJV)</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">3. If you don’t remind yourself, who will?</span><br />
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You probably don’t scroll through Facebook and see 100 videos on how you should turn from your sin and choose to live a life fully surrendered to Christ. In fact, for every 100 super encouraging posts you see, you’re fortunate to see one that’s actually convicting. Quite frankly, the message of repentance isn’t particularly popular these days.<br />
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It’s good to know when sin has crept into your life because if you don’t remain aware, you can’t exactly expect society to keep you in check.<br />
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<i>Your word I have hidden in my heart,</i></div>
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<i>That I might not sin against You.</i><i><br />(Psalm 119:11)</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">4. You can help people who are going through the same thing.</span><br />
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How many times will we believe the lie that our sin is so bad that we are the only ones dealing with it?<br />
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The enemy has been trying to make you feel isolated since you were a child. The truth is, other people are going through exactly what you are going through.<br />
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When you open up about your struggles, you create an environment of vulnerability and a community of hope in Christ.<br />
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You don’t have to go through it alone. This doesn’t mean you should keep doing it together, rather, that you can stop doing it...together!<br />
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There are most likely a ton of resources and may even be an entire ministry devoted to people facing essentially what you face each day. It is imperative that we stay connected to the body, and unity starts with honesty.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">5. You will ultimately glorify Christ.</span><br />
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There’s nothing like a testimony to point yourself and others back to the Father’s heart. Christ isn’t glorified when we pretend we don’t go through anything or we’re somehow the victim in every hardship we face.<br />
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Christ is glorified when we reveal the raw, unfiltered truth about just how much we can’t live without Him.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D5aI0Jr3qF0/Vvka3CVYkQI/AAAAAAAAEyY/jllmgrRy3Ysf6VDCAiLrGWYgcX1PJ4apQ/s1600/tumblr_m7kd5x4I3B1row2y8.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D5aI0Jr3qF0/Vvka3CVYkQI/AAAAAAAAEyY/jllmgrRy3Ysf6VDCAiLrGWYgcX1PJ4apQ/s1600/tumblr_m7kd5x4I3B1row2y8.gif" /></a></div>
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<i><i>He has put a new song in my mouth—</i></i></div>
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<i>Praise to our God;</i></div>
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<i>Many will see it and fear,</i></div>
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<i>And will trust in the Lord.</i></div>
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<i>(Psalm 40:3 NKJV)</i></div>
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Here's to accepting Jesus' victory over death without underestimating my total dependence on grace!</div>
<i> </i><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17926246099122885673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339383041102836061.post-64352026402001938352016-02-16T08:28:00.000-05:002016-05-06T11:09:05.076-04:005 Benefits of Setting Boundaries <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PDS3FK718-0/VsMiTw5GniI/AAAAAAAAEwE/jTNLK4VLRtw/s1600/boundaries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="334" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PDS3FK718-0/VsMiTw5GniI/AAAAAAAAEwE/jTNLK4VLRtw/s640/boundaries.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Because the Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. They will keep you from putting yourself in extremely tempting situations. </b></span><br />
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Everyone faces temptation. Literally. Even Jesus was tempted by Satan. <br />
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(Side note: When I think about Jesus facing temptation, I feel comfort in knowing I serve a God who was fully man and can completely relate to what I am going through.)<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3dbuLzCkyq4/VsMFwupk8NI/AAAAAAAAEuU/pKHLD75I_yE/s1600/tumblr_inline_nmukg3AqtC1snaskl_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3dbuLzCkyq4/VsMFwupk8NI/AAAAAAAAEuU/pKHLD75I_yE/s1600/tumblr_inline_nmukg3AqtC1snaskl_500.gif" /></a></div>
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But back to boundaries. One way we set boundaries is in our romantic relationships. For example, we know that before marriage, we shouldn't be having sex. But we also know...it's not that simple.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QuWP5kJQwjo/VsMKOvpRvjI/AAAAAAAAEu0/4VQMgQ5rZEA/s1600/Its-complicated-gif.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QuWP5kJQwjo/VsMKOvpRvjI/AAAAAAAAEu0/4VQMgQ5rZEA/s1600/Its-complicated-gif.gif" /></a></div>
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And that there's a lot of impractical advice out here, that makes pursuing purity sound like a walk in the park. But we don't ever buy it.<br />
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Ultimately, we have to fight for purity at any cost, so we set boundaries. Boundaries like, for example, no laying in bed together. The boundary itself doesn't have the power to keep us from falling, but it certainly creates a far less tempting environment.<br />
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Temptation is really just an attack on our faith. It is the lie that says there is no way God can satisfy us the way He promises. By creating boundaries, we are creating opportunities to drown out the lies of the accuser.<br />
<i><br />No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. <br />- </i><i>1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV</i><br />
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</b><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">2. They make you as productive and effective as possible.</span></b><br /><br />Setting boundaries at work or school or doing whatever you love, helps you to get stuff done. Setting a boundary starts with setting a goal. "Ok Holly, by 2:00 p.m. you will have the first 2 things checked off your to-do list."</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gtu-kH5UX_w/VsMQFcFhkfI/AAAAAAAAEvE/lE3ugjB_Uf0/s1600/giphy%2B%252837%2529.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gtu-kH5UX_w/VsMQFcFhkfI/AAAAAAAAEvE/lE3ugjB_Uf0/s1600/giphy%2B%252837%2529.gif" /></a></span></div>
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<br />So what does that mean? It means I have to limit the amount of time I spend well...staring at my computer screen thinking about lunch. Or if I'm doing schoolwork, I have to stop scrolling on Instagram and put..the...phone...down.<br /></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--i13ilESs80/VsMRPL-VSNI/AAAAAAAAEvQ/xiCbp9Dlk2w/s1600/tumblr_m9w416Gszf1rxblt1o1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--i13ilESs80/VsMRPL-VSNI/AAAAAAAAEvQ/xiCbp9Dlk2w/s1600/tumblr_m9w416Gszf1rxblt1o1_500.gif" /></a></span></div>
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<br />It is an amazing feeling when you actually accomplish what you set out to do and finish it without distractions. Because realistically, we are here to serve the Lord and everything we do is for Him, so doing our best truly pays off.</span><i><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /><br />Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. <br />- </span></span><span style="text-align: center;">Colossians 3:23-24</span></i><br />
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</b><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. They help you keep God first and eliminate idols.</b></span><br /><br />Friends can become idols. When we run and talk to them before getting on our knees before the Lord, we've made them idols. A healthy boundary in friendship is committing to talking to God about your situation, before you talk to people.<br /></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pYDFSeI4qgc/VsMUfLrmWxI/AAAAAAAAEvc/d98RQEIdKCk/s1600/tumblr_mkjrenwpxK1s2lngjo1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pYDFSeI4qgc/VsMUfLrmWxI/AAAAAAAAEvc/d98RQEIdKCk/s1600/tumblr_mkjrenwpxK1s2lngjo1_500.gif" /></a></span></div>
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<br />Like all boundaries, it's not always easy, but it's worth it. God wants to be first. It's kinda His thing.<br /></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"><i>(I just wrote an entire post about idols. <a href="http://hollylooyablog.blogspot.com/2016/01/5-signs-something-is-becoming-idol-in_54.html" target="_blank">Check it out here!</a>)</i></span><br />
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<br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">4. They keep you from getting too comfortable and developing unhealthy habits. </span></b><br /><br />It is even necessary to set boundaries with what we eat. I guess I should use this opportunity to confess I ate Frosted Flakes with no milk for breakfast, lunch and dinner yesterday, but let's be honest...I'm not the goal here. Give me a break.<br /></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eM_h7SPC_tE/VsMW_DmtJPI/AAAAAAAAEvo/LjG9H1AoiP0/s1600/Juno-please-dont-judge-me.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eM_h7SPC_tE/VsMW_DmtJPI/AAAAAAAAEvo/LjG9H1AoiP0/s1600/Juno-please-dont-judge-me.gif" /></a></span></div>
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<br />Speaking from experience (yesterday's) it is crucial to keep a healthy, balanced lifestyle. So creating boundaries for what you are going to refrain from eating, can help you develop healthy habits overtime.<br /><br /><i><span style="text-align: left;">All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. <br />- </span><span style="text-align: left;">1 Corinthians 6:12</span></i><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. They will force you to grow in intimacy with Christ.</b></span><br /><br />We even need boundaries in our prayer life. If we get in the habit of praying short, heartless prayers, we are only damaging our intimacy with God.<br /></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lMbE4D-Tvdw/VsMZ9LuKIwI/AAAAAAAAEv0/b9ZWtcRe52w/s1600/tumblr_inline_muuc4vTMNO1ryb0hd.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lMbE4D-Tvdw/VsMZ9LuKIwI/AAAAAAAAEv0/b9ZWtcRe52w/s1600/tumblr_inline_muuc4vTMNO1ryb0hd.gif" /></a></span></div>
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<br />A prayer life is called a prayer life because that's what is it...a life. Just like a social life. We have 5 different apps on our phones to talk to the same people 5 different ways because our social lives get boring. Our relationship with God can boring too. Very boring. Also dry.<br /><br />But God never changes, so it must be me and you. By setting boundaries in our prayer life we are saying, "God I refuse to lose the intimacy in our relationship. I am committed to staying close to you. I need your grace."</span><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /><br /><i>Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. - </i></span><span style="text-align: left;"><i>James 4:8 NKJV</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">(I have a post about rekindling your relationship with God too!<a href="http://hollylooyablog.blogspot.com/2015/11/5-practical-ways-to-rekindle-your.html" target="_blank"> Check it out.</a>)<br /><br /><i>If you think it's totally worth is to set boundaries, feel free to share this on social media. What have you learned from setting boundaries in your life?</i><br /></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17926246099122885673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339383041102836061.post-6689316613429714922016-02-03T10:31:00.000-05:002016-03-17T15:46:58.167-04:005 Ways to Overcome Burnout <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XBEflD3TfFo/VrIcqqWOuvI/AAAAAAAAEt4/0Ay6mM0a9CA/s1600/burn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="334" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XBEflD3TfFo/VrIcqqWOuvI/AAAAAAAAEt4/0Ay6mM0a9CA/s640/burn.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Because every fire loses its flame sometimes.</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. Fast.</b></span><br />
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Fast? I know what you're thinking. "Aren't we talking about being burnt out? If I was in the mood to fast, I wouldn't be here."<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-owFgEbejw3Q/VrGAxA9XRSI/AAAAAAAAEsY/4Hjn1g1iKgQ/s1600/tumblr_nocuwq4pTA1tmkt85o1_500%2B%25281%2529.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-owFgEbejw3Q/VrGAxA9XRSI/AAAAAAAAEsY/4Hjn1g1iKgQ/s1600/tumblr_nocuwq4pTA1tmkt85o1_500%2B%25281%2529.gif" /></a></div>
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Not so fast, ok. (hehe..."fast") <br />
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Jesus said, it's not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. Well, it's not the ones who are on fire who need to fast, it's the burnt out.<br />
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Fasting has a way of humbling us and putting us in position to receive from God. It changes our perspective to see what God truly offers us each day. Depriving your body of food forces you to literally rely on Jesus for strength and joy.<br />
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<i><b>“Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”</b></i></div>
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<i><b>(Joel 2:12 NKJV)</b></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. Repent.</b></span><br />
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Repent? I can probably guess how you feel about this blog post right about now.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rEVRH5n0U8o/VrGT7I2z97I/AAAAAAAAEso/giuaLR_O1I4/s1600/over-it-gif.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rEVRH5n0U8o/VrGT7I2z97I/AAAAAAAAEso/giuaLR_O1I4/s1600/over-it-gif.gif" /></a></div>
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But seriously. Maybe we aren't growing because we can't find much wrong with where we're at right now. Burnout comes from being in one place too long, and the only way to move forward in your relationship with Christ is to admit you're just not content with your current sinful ways.<br />
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<b><i>The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. </i></b></div>
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<b><i>(2 Peter 3:9 NKJV</i></b>)</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. Do a "religion" check.</b></span><br />
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Religion comes in all shapes and sizes. Repeating phrases you don't mean, going to church because you think it saves you or posting something on Facebook because it seems deep.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dHhdkPOGoUU/VrGXh1D7GfI/AAAAAAAAEs0/rhiQ02ySyEs/s1600/22e.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dHhdkPOGoUU/VrGXh1D7GfI/AAAAAAAAEs0/rhiQ02ySyEs/s1600/22e.gif" /></a></div>
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Well, our religiousness isn't just annoying our Facebook friends, it's wearing us out. God wants us to destroy all the boxes we've put Him in and allow Him to reveal Himself beyond what we imagine.<br />
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b><i>But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”</i></b></div>
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<b><i>(1 Corinthians 2:9 NKJV)</i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. Serve.</b></span><br />
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I guess I should start by saying- Congratulations on making it to number 4 of what could've also been titled: "The 5 worst things to tell someone who's burnt out." But, don't leave yet!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UBk5mw2bK8M/VrIVHwUa4RI/AAAAAAAAEtc/edui75DOWwQ/s1600/Dont-Afraid-Online-Dating.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UBk5mw2bK8M/VrIVHwUa4RI/AAAAAAAAEtc/edui75DOWwQ/s1600/Dont-Afraid-Online-Dating.gif" /></a></div>
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Sure, serving can be the very thing that caused us to get overwhelmed in the first place. But some of the stress could be avoided if we check the posture of our hearts. When we legitimately serve the Lord, we won't burn out.<br />
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The difference between working as if you are working for the Lord and working just to get the job done is like the difference between being tired because you had an amazing workout and being tired because you pulled an all-nighter and ate junk food all night.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4dmu8s7OIDY/VrGl3sgVGMI/AAAAAAAAEtE/Uc1n7vHAj9Y/s1600/tumblr_inline_n2ro0bNWQH1rnx6im.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4dmu8s7OIDY/VrGl3sgVGMI/AAAAAAAAEtE/Uc1n7vHAj9Y/s1600/tumblr_inline_n2ro0bNWQH1rnx6im.gif" /></a></div>
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<b><i>And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.</i></b></div>
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<b><i>(Colossians 3:23-24)</i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. Un-stimulate.</b></span><br />
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I have to be real with myself. If I can't sit down and study my word or listen to a nice, calm worship set without being distracted and nearly freaking out, I know my mind is totally over-stimulated.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SjY-ZdE8ajk/VrIWdauY1HI/AAAAAAAAEto/DsKBRtnHPJA/s1600/tumblr_mrv0wmh1du1sg7ck2o1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SjY-ZdE8ajk/VrIWdauY1HI/AAAAAAAAEto/DsKBRtnHPJA/s1600/tumblr_mrv0wmh1du1sg7ck2o1_500.gif" /></a></div>
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It's time for me to slow down, unplug and allow the Lord to comfort me and guide me with His peace. It's really the least I could do.<br />
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<i><b>Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.</b></i></div>
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<i><b>(1 Corinthians 6:19-22)</b><br /><br /><br />Like Holly Loo Ya on Facebook to keep up with new posts!</i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17926246099122885673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339383041102836061.post-27713904809870200352016-01-27T03:39:00.000-05:002016-01-27T20:01:58.851-05:005 Signs Something is Becoming an Idol in Your Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Because no one deserves that place.</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. You do it for God, but it comes before God.</b></span><br />
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Ok so this is basically the definition of idol, I know. But I want to put emphasis on the "for God" part. It is much easier to identify an idol that contradicts God's word (like certain music or drugs or money or *insert sin here*) than it is to recognize an idol that glorifies God.<br />
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Unfortunately, the things we do for God have just as much potential to become idols. Take my blog, for example. I do it for God, sure.<br />
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However when I write a post, but haven't spent time with God, my blog has become an idol. That might not be the case for everyone, but the Lord has convicted me in this area, so for me it is the case. Besides, I'm a scary person when I haven't spent time with God and am in no condition to be sharing my thoughts about anything anywhere ever at all.<br />
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It is not God's will for us to serve Him, without Him. We can do a lot of great things in Christ's name without ever experiencing true intimacy with Him. Something you're doing for God might be becoming an idol if you would rather do it than spend time with God.<br />
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<b><i>For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeit himself?</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Luke 9:25 ESV</i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. It has the ability to bring you up and down.</b></span><br />
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Up and down? You know like...ridiculously happy, then depressingly sad.<br />
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One of my favorite preachers, Mike Bickle, always says something along the lines of, "You will respond to someone's criticism with the same measure you respond to their praise." So if things are going really great and people keep reminding us that things are going really great, we might be tempted to think, "Wow, I have this under control. I'm so gifted. I have so much faith."<br />
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When truthfully, God deserves all the credit. Likewise, when something has the power to so drastically dictate our emotions, it might be taking the place of God.<br />
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<b><i>For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Luke 12:34 ESV</i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. If you check it before you pray.</b></span><br />
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This is similar to number one, except it doesn't have to be something we are specifically doing "for" God. It is simply what we check first. It could be Facebook...or SnapChat..or text messages...or Instagram. Anything. Well, except Twitter. Twitter can do no wrong.<br />
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Even Jesus woke up first thing in the morning to pray, and He's Jesus. There is something special about letting the Father's thoughts of you be the first opinion you hear all day.<br />
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<b><i>Now in the morning, having risen a long while before the daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Mark 1:35 NKJV</i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. If it causes you to do things outside God's will.</b></span><br />
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Have you ever loved someone so much that you would go along with whatever they say? (Well, "loved" in quotations. Real love tells the truth.)<br />
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Things (and people) in our lives can have the same effect on us. Sometimes we are so passionate about what we are doing, that we don't even realize we've compromised and stepped outside of God's will.<br />
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<b><i>But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Matthew 6:33 ESV</i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. You get defensive about it.</b></span><br />
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You know that one thing that comes to your mind when you read posts like these? Or when you hear a sermon, or when someone in your life says something that makes you self-reflect.<br />
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And you know you need to surrender it to God and put it back in its rightful place. But it's just so much easier to stand up for it and brush it off as "not a big deal."<br />
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So you keep coming up with some way to justify it because, well...because it's becoming an idol.<br />
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<b><i>Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.</i></b><b><i><br />1 Peter 5:6-7 ESV</i></b><b><i><br /><br /></i></b></div>
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(By the way, I wrote a post about 5 idols you NEVER seen coming, <a href="http://hollylooyablog.blogspot.com/2015/07/5-idols-you-never-seen-coming.html" target="_blank">check it out here!)</a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17926246099122885673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339383041102836061.post-42253650101465133112016-01-25T13:40:00.000-05:002016-01-25T22:37:33.477-05:005 Practical Tips to Help You Heal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Because we all feel pain sometimes.</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. Locate and secure your source of joy.</b></span><br />
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Your joy comes from the Lord. Sometimes, however, when we experience pain, there is a fine line between being hurt by something beyond our control and hurting because we accidentally made a person or situation our source of joy.</div>
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Our source of joy is not our relationships, our families, our jobs, our businesses, our education or whatever else simply "brings" us joy. So though we will surely feel pain, we have to continuously remind ourselves that our joy is indeed in the Lord.<br />
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The joy of the Lord heals. So locate, secure and reinforce your source of joy, then when you are legitimately feeling pain (and you will) the joy in your heart will lead you to healing.<br />
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<i>• A joyful heart is good <b><u>medicine</u></b>, </i><i>but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. •<br />(Proverbs 17:22 ESV)</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. Do not repay with evil.<br /></b></span><br />
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When someone hurts you it can be extremely tempting to hurt them back or even go around trying to prove your innocence to people.<br />
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We must refuse to lean on our own understanding and turn from evil, because it is then that we will be healed. If you keep falling in the same area, be prepared to go through it again and again until you learn to repent and accept dependence on the Lord.<br />
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<i>• Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be <b><u>healing</u> </b>to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. •</i><br />
(Proverbs 3:5-8 ESV)</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. Be honest.</b></span><br />
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The truth never, ever breaks its promise to ultimately set us free. We have to find out exactly where we were hurt and hand that burden over to the Lord. Continuing to hold it will only keep us in bondage.<br />
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Honesty is a major key because our minds can be filtered by endless lies and accusations. We have to rebuke those lies and know the truth. Sometimes you have to tell the enemy how you really feel.<br />
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(I just wrote an entire post on honesty, so I won't expand on this too much. <a href="http://hollylooyablog.blogspot.com/2016/01/7-ways-honesty-can-revive-your.html" target="_blank">Check the post out here!</a>)<br />
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<i>• And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. • (John 8:32 ESV)</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /><br />4. Make a verse real to you.</b></span><br />
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When is the last time one of God's promises has actually been...well...<i><u>real</u></i> to you?<br />
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Look up a verse that relates to your situation, memorize it, meditate on it and ask God to bring it to life for you.<br />
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Sometimes I just say, "God, I need Your word to breathe because I honestly don't have a lot left in me and if I stop breathing, at least one of us has to get these dry bones moving again. I'm all out of strength. I can't do this. I don't want to do this. Breathe for me."<br />
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It may sound dramatic but that's what pain does. And I'm sorry but I don't serve a God who is ALIVE, to just sit around trying to do this on my own.<br />
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<i>• For the word of God is <u><b>living</b></u> and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. • <br />(Hebrews 4:12)</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. Make healthy lifestyle choices.<br /></b></span><br />
This one can easily be overlooked. In the world, they might tell us to work out and look our best to overcome hurt, but in the Body of Christ we know that this too is vanity. However, I will not discredit the effect eating right and staying active can have on your life. It's a way of denying our flesh.<br />
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Sometimes when we don’t feel like we have the energy to spend time with the Lord, it might be because we...don’t. Eating fast food and greasy food that slow us down can really put a damper on our growth.<br />
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When we make healthy eating choices we fuel our bodies to overcome the journey that is each day.<br />
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Yet we always remember...<br />
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<i>• Man does live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. • </i><br />
<i>(Matthew 4:4 ESV)</i><br />
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What are some ways you've healed from pain?<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17926246099122885673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339383041102836061.post-54529507336120378502016-01-12T07:28:00.000-05:002016-01-24T22:08:34.880-05:007 ways HONESTY can revive your Christian walk.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sy0-J6aE1EA/VpSqkIk_z4I/AAAAAAAAEmA/mzA4_IF1L9g/s1600/honesty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sy0-J6aE1EA/VpSqkIk_z4I/AAAAAAAAEmA/mzA4_IF1L9g/s640/honesty.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />1. You can triumph over your trials.</span></b><br />
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When you are honest, you defend righteousness. On the contrary, standing up for <b><u>un</u></b>righteousness means loving your life. The bible teaches us not to love our lives or renounce our faith even when faced with death.<br />
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So we certainly shouldn't love our lives when we, well...<i>aren't</i> faced with death.<br />
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And again, loving your life is standing up for unrighteousness, which is dishonesty.<br />
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When we honestly share our stories, we are able to defeat our biggest obstacles. The areas where we struggle most are conquered by the blood of Jesus and our willingness to testify of His goodness. We boast in our weakness, to glorify His strength.<br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-a93473a9-33df-b12e-66d3-0657b29facec"><span style="background-color: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span>And it doesn't matter how you struggle. We all have issues.<br />
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<i>And they overcame and conquered him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, for they did not love their life and renounce their faith even when faced with death. (Revelations 12:11 AMP)</i></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">2. You can be healed. </span></b><br />
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When we admit our sins and pray for each other, our deepest wounds are healed. We are restored from the pain, suffering, heartbreak and tormenting that would otherwise cloud our minds and dictate our entire lives.<br />
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<i>Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (James 5:16 ESV)</i></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">3. It simplifies things.</span></b><br />
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When you're always blaming someone else, the situation becomes more complicated. Admitting our problems is a sure way to locate the root of the issue. It's simple.<br />
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<i>For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you. <br />(2 Corinthians 1:12 ESV) </i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. You don't have to find the words to say. </b></span><br />
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Honesty is the only language the Holy Spirit speaks. When you're not being truthful, you're not being used by God. </div>
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When you create an environment for Him, He will guide you. The key is allowing Him to reveal Himself in you and through you.<br />
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<i>For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. (Matthew 10:20 ESV) </i></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">5. You get to know Jesus. </span></b><br />
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When you identify what you're going through, you can identify what Jesus went through. Jesus gave us irrefutable evidence to prove we have an escape route for every temptation we face, so we do not have to keep falling into the same sin.</div>
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<i>For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness, but one who in every aspect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15 ESV)</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>6. Honesty leads to more honesty.</b></span><br />
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I remember learning as a kid that the problem with telling a lie is that you have to tell another one. When you're honest, the truth will guide you. You will not be destroyed by the consequences of lying.</div>
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<i style="line-height: 20.0727px;"><br /><br />The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. (Proverbs 11:3 ESV)</i></div>
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<span style="line-height: 20.0727px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>7. You will appreciate people more. </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.0727px;">Has someone ever told you what they're struggling with and you gain a whole new love for them? </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 20.0727px;"><span style="line-height: 20.0727px;">You probably never would have guessed if they didn't share their shortcomings with you. </span>We all fall short of the glory of God and we come in a wide array of dysfunctions. Our unique weaknesses are what makes us useful to one another. <br /><br />Let's refuse to live in fear of telling the truth. </span>ALL TOGETHER NOW! (But differently.)<br />
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<i><i>Therefore having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the 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 anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. (Ephesians 4:25 ESV)</i></i></div>
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</i><span style="line-height: 20.0727px;"> </span></div>
<iframe src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/likebox.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FHollyLooYaBlog&width&height=290&colorscheme=light&show_faces=true&header=true&stream=false&show_border=true" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; height:290px;" allowtransparency="true"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17926246099122885673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339383041102836061.post-77480212603852623702015-12-21T12:29:00.000-05:002016-03-01T15:31:58.259-05:0010 Facts That Prove Jesus is the Best Best-Friend Ever<div style="text-align: center;">
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<b><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">1. You can be completely vulnerable with Him. </span></b></div>
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Not only does God allow you to fully open up to Him, He encourages it. Your average best friend will accept your vulnerability, but we still only share what we are comfortable sharing. We usually won't reveal all our deepest secrets to one person. With Jesus, you have that liberty.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">2. He already knows everything we could possibly tell Him.</span></b><br />
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Unlike other friends, Christ already knows everything about us, He even knows our thoughts. When we truly grasp this, it becomes surprisingly easy to tell Him everything we are going through. There is no pressure to hide anything.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">3. He won’t stop fighting for us until we are free.</span></b><br />
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He wants to carry our burdens. The areas we struggle the most, are exactly where God will get the most glory. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Until we overcome those issues, God will not allow us to live comfortably with the negative consequences of our sin.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">4. His burden is light.</span></b><br />
<br /><br />It would be too heavy for a friend.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">5. He is the perfect hiding place.</span></b><br />
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When the world feels like it’s crumbling down...or even when it’s going great but you still end up overwhelmed, He is a secret place. A place to release everything. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">6. He will never embarrass you.</span></b><br />
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<b><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5YyRJ94Yqj4/VngkDH4MztI/AAAAAAAAEh8/u-eWYH9QaHs/s1600/Awkward-Unique.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5YyRJ94Yqj4/VngkDH4MztI/AAAAAAAAEh8/u-eWYH9QaHs/s1600/Awkward-Unique.gif" /></a></b></div>
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Your friends may walk away and leave you stranded. Or even convince you to do something very...interesting. But when Jesus calls you deeper, His intentions are always pure.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">7. You never have to be afraid.</span></b><br />
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<b><br /></b> Fear comes in many different forms, inability to trust people, insecurity about our lives or simply worrying something bad will happen. God literally refutes every thought that contradicts His feels. So fear doesn't stand a chance.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">8. He already knows the outcome of every possible action.</span></b><br />
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What friend can honestly say this? He already warned us which actions will lead to shameful or awkward results (i.e. Sin) and He is in the business of guiding your steps elsewhere.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">9. He is your father. </span></b><br />
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The father your father wasn’t. The perfect example for a child who is traveling through the journey of life.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">10. He is always there. </span></b><br />
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No one else can say this. No one.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17926246099122885673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339383041102836061.post-65453124335455992932015-11-25T07:48:00.001-05:002017-02-06T10:49:16.198-05:005 practical ways to rekindle your relationship with God<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><b><span style="font-size: large;">1. Tell yourself your testimony.</span></b></b></div>
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You are literally not the same person anymore. You were born again when you gave your life to Christ.</div>
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Still, even as new creations, we make mistakes. (Hence, Christian. Direct translation = I need Jesus.) But, everything we've ever experienced is going to glorify God as we pour into the lives of others.</div>
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So if we just messed up two weeks ago (or two hours) we can thank God for protecting us and for never withholding His perfect love. Reflecting on what the Lord saved us from is a sure way to fall in love with Him over and over again. </div>
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<i>I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;</i><br />
<i>I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and</i><br /><i>Your truth from the great assembly. [Psalm 40:10 NKJV]</i><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">2. Just start talking.</span></b><br /><br />God is standing at the door waiting for us to let Him in.</div>
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Starting a conversation with God is as simple as saying, "I need you right now." Then tell God exactly what is on your mind, and ask that His word and His Spirit direct your life.<br />
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Likewise<i> 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. [Romans 8:26 NKJV]</i><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">3. Go to church.</span></b></div>
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Some of us don't go to church every week. News flash: that's not right.</div>
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Don't believe the "doctrine" that says we don't need church.</div>
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Because, well...</div>
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As tempting and seductive (reach?) as the message sounds, God clearly instructed us to attend church regularly. Besides, it is a blessing that we even have the privilege to freely praise Jesus. Some people die...just to say "Amen."<br />
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<i>And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. [Hebrews 10:24-25]<br /></i><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. Scratch the old ways.</b></span><br /><br />They weren't working anyway.</div>
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If you’ve only met your goal, to pray daily at 6:00am, once in the last month, maybe it's not realistic for you. Maybe you should...pray at 8?</div>
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Sometimes our routines with God become a little religious and our time with Him is just another thing we can check off the list. Christ's love is so powerfully transformational and inconceivably unconditional that it should always dominate as the driving force of our entire life. Anything less is settling and completely selling ourselves short.<br />
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<i>Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,</i><br />
<i>Because His compassions fail not.</i><br />
<i> They are new every morning;</i><br />
<i>Great is Your faithfulness.</i><br />
<i> “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,</i><br />
<i>“Therefore I hope in Him!” [Lamentations 3:22-24]</i><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br />5. Challenge yourself.</b></span><br /><br />Whether it's getting a certain grade in a class, giving your job your undivided attention for a full day's work, or taking your kids to the park - there is something that challenges you.</div>
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Set out to do something that will demand you to rely on God's grace. Step out on faith and expect God to catch you.</div>
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He always will.<br />
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<i>Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”[Deuteronomy 31:6]</i><br />
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<i><br /><br /><b>How do you rekindle your relationship with Jesus?</b><br /><br /><br />Never miss a post! Like Holly Loo Ya on Facebook!</i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17926246099122885673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339383041102836061.post-53365096291372099212015-11-19T13:05:00.000-05:002015-11-19T13:07:30.496-05:00The biblical impact of music + $100 giveaway: An interview with J.Monty <span id="docs-internal-guid-993b8793-2021-0537-1371-277c77e4a1e6"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>
When I stumbled upon this viral <a href="https://www.facebook.com/teamdelorean/videos/10153844588089767/" target="_blank">video</a> with over 2.4 MILLION views (about 1 million at the time,) I immediately became a J.Monty fan. I bought his <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/album/id1052764777?ls=1&app=itunes" target="_blank">album</a> shortly after and let's just say...R.I.P to the assignment I was working on that night.
I was able to talk to J. Monty and ask him about his new album, Second Born. Below is part two of the conversation. If you missed part one, check it out <a href="http://hollylooyablog.blogspot.com/2015/11/how-does-god-reveal-his-word-to-you.html" target="_blank">here</a>.
*Naturally, it wouldn't be HollyLooYa if I don't include some of my reactions as well. (see: between paragraphs)
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Holly:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I read somewhere that the video for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQDzRFBoHV4" target="_blank">100 bars pt. 3</a> took over a year to make and you had to drive to Massachusetts from Atlanta, you must've been extremely tired.
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<b>Holly:</b> How did you know the specific vision for the video was worth holding onto?</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">J. Monty:</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> <i>[Laughs]</i> I didn’t know. There were plenty of times that I wanted to just give up. I actually grew completely sick of the concept. When it first came to me it was fresh I was like, “Oh my goodness, people need to hear this!” But a few months in, a few checks gone all the way to Massachusetts...I’ll never see em again. All of the thousands of dollars spent, all of the pain that me and my wife went through, I was like, "this isn’t even worth it." I wanted to give up. It was God who would not let me throw in the towel. He kept reminding me, He kept waking me up with that conviction in my Spirit, but I wanted to give up a long time ago. So, I didn’t know. That’s my answer.</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Holly</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: I read that “Second Born” is about being born again, not about being the second born child in the family line necessarily. Are you the second born?</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">J.Monty: </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeah, I’m the second born. So it works both ways.
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</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">H: </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Name something notable in your everyday life that has changed since you were born again?</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">J: </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Something that I noticed, that’s notable everyday, is actually...conviction. I feel convicted about things that before I was born again, I could care less about. I would do certain things, I would have certain thoughts and I would just be happy doing whatever I wanted to do. As everyone knows, there is temptation everywhere, it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been saved, nobody’s perfect.
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But since I’ve been saved,</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I actually have convictions now and I actually feel bad if my heart wants to go a certain way, if my heart wants to stray. And there was time when that stuff just did not matter to me. So probably conviction of my sin. Or an awareness of my sin for that matter.
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H:</b> As a musician, do you have any insight or revelation on why music has such a strong impact on us?</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>J:</b> I wish I had a bit more insight on it. But I will say this much, music, even psychologically, is just proven to have a deep impact on people. There are people who are like vegetables, they are almost brain dead and they’re in rehab, for example, trying to build themselves up. And they can’t talk, they can’t move, they can’t do anything. But if you play a certain song from their childhood, they know all the words. They can’t remember their own name, they can’t remember their own children, they can’t remember anything.
Like people with Alzheimer's can’t remember their own children or their own name, but if you just play a song that meant a lot to them, play their favorite song, they can sing along right with you.
Music is a lot more powerful than I think people want to recognize. And it’s easy for people to just kind of gloss over it and be like “music ain’t powerful, it’s all about the beats.” Because honestly music has transitioned to a plastic place where cats get in the studio and don’t even write stuff they just get behind the mic and young thug it out. And it’s just super simple so people are like “nah man music doesn’t do all of that” but really it does, it’s extremely powerful.
When you think about the fact that David was able to chase Saul's demons away by playing the harp. He would l</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">iterally be able to shake those demons out of Saul, </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">who would be in a trance and wanted to harm David, </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">just by playing a song. </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Music is extremely powerful, it has really, really deep spiritual connections.
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Babies start showing signs in the womb if you play a song and put headphones up to their mom’s stomach, they start getting excited. Music connects with infants who are oblivious to what is going on in the world, music is just something that connects with all human beings. I think at the end of the day, it is as at the core of our very being. I think it is a part of our DNA, like it’s just embedded in all of us and that’s why it’s one of the most powerful industries in the world, because that’s something that everybody needs. Nobody can say that they don’t listen or need some kind of music.
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<i>J. Monty is an up and coming Christian Hip-Hop artist out of Atlanta, Ga.</i></div>
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<i>known for his versatility, lyrical ability, and insane flow.</i></div>
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<i>Second Born can be found on:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_184037282"></span>iTunes<span id="goog_184037283"></span></a><br /><a href="http://goo.gl/MVEkRp" target="_blank">Amazon</a><br /><a href="https://goo.gl/rpG6MM" target="_blank">Google Play</a></i><br />
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<i>I love the album so much that I am giving away a copy. And in honor of 100 Bars I'm giving away $100 to Dunkin Donuts. Enter the giveaway below!</i></div>
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<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="e49ad3ea4" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e49ad3ea4/" id="rcwidget_m9dbxkfp" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/likebox.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FHollyLooYaBlog&width&height=290&colorscheme=light&show_faces=true&header=true&stream=false&show_border=true" style="border: none; height: 290px; overflow: hidden;"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17926246099122885673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339383041102836061.post-89875116264567463822015-11-16T14:51:00.000-05:002015-11-19T13:07:45.077-05:00How does God reveal His word to you? (An interview with J.Monty)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>When I stumbled upon this <a href="https://www.facebook.com/teamdelorean/videos/10153844588089767/" target="_blank">viral video</a> with over 2.3 MILLION views (about 1 million at the time,) I immediately became a J.Monty fan. I bought his <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/album/id1052764777?ls=1&app=itunes" target="_blank">album</a> shortly after and let's just say...R.I.P to the assignment I was working on that night.<br /><br />I was able to talk to J. Monty and ask him about his new album, Second Born. Below is part one of the conversation. Stay tuned for more topics later this week. <br /><br />*Naturally, it wouldn't be HollyLooYa if I don't include some of my reactions as well. (see: between paragraphs)</i></div>
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<b>Holly: </b>How does God reveal His word to you? And how do you know what to share through music?<br />
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<b>J.Monty:</b> I would say it varies. There have been times where I have gone to sleep and woken up with an entire song in my Spirit. And it’s literally laid out for me, the only thing I gotta do is make it rhyme.<br />
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But there’s also been times where I have to sit down and I have to plan out what I want to say. And I just start writing and then it just starts kinda coming to me. But every song is not like deposited into my spirit. I think God gives me the creative space and the liberty to sometimes just write what I’m feeling or write what I’m going through at the time to relate to other people and just to kinda be human.<br />
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Obviously Jesus left a place of glory. He came to earth so that He could identify with human beings and then rise again, eventually, to intercede on our behalf. He couldn’t intercede without being able to relate. So I think sometimes God does want us to just have a human experience and write what we’re going through. He doesn’t really interfere with that. <br />
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Sometimes He gives me the liberty to just do what I been doing and I been writing for 12 years. I think he can kinda...kinda trust me a little bit with the pen. <i>[laughs]</i><br />
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But again there are times like with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQDzRFBoHV4" target="_blank">100 Bars pt. 3</a>. Obviously, the latter half of the song, the two last verses, came from a deep place of prayer and tears, seeing the state of a lot of hip hop artists blaspheming the Lord and coming against and oppressing the church. It just really really burdened me because I saw very, very clearly how the influence of the body of Christ was being, in a sense, kind of stripped away from us. Legally politically, artistically, every way you could think of, the influence of the body of Christ was being stripped away.<br />
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And I’m an artist, so my first intention is to make sure that I can do whatever I can in my position to see to it that my God is revered and is feared. So I prayed and I asked God and he started to reveal to me in His scripture what was happening. And that's how I came up with the concept of the connection between Satan being a musician and going from heaven to Earth after likening himself to God- and artists doing the same exact thing on Earth, likening themselves to God, but leading humans from one place to a lower place of separation.<br />
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So it just really hit me and connected. A lot of it is just deep prayer, it comes from a place of deep burden, a deep concern for the state of our world, our country and the surrounding countries. Sometimes I go to sleep, wake up and it’s like, “Oh, I know what I need to do today.” <i>[laughs]</i><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>J. Monty is an up and coming Christian Hip-Hop artist out of Atlanta, Ga.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>known for his versatility, lyrical ability, and insane flow.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Second Born can be found on:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_184037282"></span>iTunes<span id="goog_184037283"></span></a><br /><a href="http://goo.gl/MVEkRp" target="_blank">Amazon</a><br /><a href="https://goo.gl/rpG6MM" target="_blank">Google Play</a></i></div>
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<i>I love the album so much that I am giving away a copy. And in honor of 100 Bars I'm giving away $100 to Dunkin Donuts. Enter the giveaway below!</i></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jSa-uzDL99M/VjBwdSTz1MI/AAAAAAAAEa0/LQnqobhhp8Q/s1600/NORMALIZE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jSa-uzDL99M/VjBwdSTz1MI/AAAAAAAAEa0/LQnqobhhp8Q/s640/NORMALIZE.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Because it doesn't have to be so normal.</i></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">1. We choose to expose ourselves to sin.</span></b><br />
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Ok sure. There is sin everywhere. We are all exposed to sin every single day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j-KilyPta3k/Vi2rkcyMIgI/AAAAAAAAEYo/euLwzW9Us08/s1600/oprahyouandyouandyoulego%2B%25281%2529.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j-KilyPta3k/Vi2rkcyMIgI/AAAAAAAAEYo/euLwzW9Us08/s1600/oprahyouandyouandyoulego%2B%25281%2529.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You're exposed to sin! You're exposed to sin!</td></tr>
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And even more than just being exposed to it, we fall into it too. (But we thank God for Jesus because He defeated sin and we are being transformed into His image daily.)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But anyway.</td></tr>
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When I say that we expose ourselves to sin, I'm talking about when we have a choice. Not when we are forced to be around someone cursing at work, but when we go home and watch shows with the same language.<br />
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We tell ourselves that even though we choose to watch it, we would never actually <i>do </i>it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OU6SwctmcIY/VjB5hJxN7QI/AAAAAAAAEbE/foAMdSv8gPA/s1600/of-course-not.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OU6SwctmcIY/VjB5hJxN7QI/AAAAAAAAEbE/foAMdSv8gPA/s1600/of-course-not.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who me?</td></tr>
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Sin becomes normal when we stop carefully guarding our hearts.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. <br />[Proverbs 4:23-27 NLT]</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">2. We simply leave the house.</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><br />Seriously, we don't have to look very hard to find what society says is normal. Our culture reinforces the sinful ideas we exposed ourselves to in #1, so the seeds we planted inevitably get watered.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">We literally have to fight our flesh to rid our minds of these ideas, anything less is practically accepting defeat.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flesh!</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">3. We put ourselves in tempting environments.</span></b></div>
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Any faith we have in our flesh is a recipe for disaster.</div>
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Not the tough situations God allows to experience to help us grow, the other ones. The times we go as far as we can go just to see how far we can go without ever actually...going. When we rely so heavily on the grace of God that even gravity couldn't hold us.</div>
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When we hang out alone with the person we like, knowing we shouldn't. When we choose to have a glass of wine instead of just going to sleep. Or when we go to a party, just to umm...see who's there?</div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">[Matthew 26:41 ESV]</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">4. We don't take our thoughts captive.</span></b><br />
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I mean it's just a thought. How much damage can it really do?<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s9Xrq8-tUMY/VjBii0uvjFI/AAAAAAAAEaE/h0gwuuT0Yfk/s1600/amiright.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s9Xrq8-tUMY/VjBii0uvjFI/AAAAAAAAEaE/h0gwuuT0Yfk/s1600/amiright.gif" /></a></div>
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Thoughts have power. Especially for people who think a lot more than they talk. We have to rebuke and repent for our thoughts, because we have the mind of Christ and the enemy can't have that space.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">You have the commandment that says, 'You must not commit adultery.' But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. <br />[Matthew 5:27-28 NLT]</span><b><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">5. We don't speak up for what we believe. </span></b><br />
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One of the best ways to convince our hearts to hate sin, is to defend righteousness at any cost. It's as simple as saying "yes" when someone at work asks if something that feels so good can really be so bad for you.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kEQHY1iQPRM/VjBmQBaPmqI/AAAAAAAAEaY/_l_lmNk-07M/s1600/giphy%2B%252829%2529.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kEQHY1iQPRM/VjBmQBaPmqI/AAAAAAAAEaY/_l_lmNk-07M/s1600/giphy%2B%252829%2529.gif" /></a></div>
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Or politely turning down an invite because though it sounds fun, nothing good can come out of going.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.<br />[Ephesians 6:14-15 ESV]</span><br />
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The sin in our lives doesn't become normal overnight. When we ignore the gentle voice of the Holy Spirit leading us to righteousness, we slip into unsafe territory. Only by remaining in God's word and staying grounded in truth, can we conquer the very thing we were all once slaves to: Sin.<br />
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Keep up with all new posts!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17926246099122885673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339383041102836061.post-16230628243144970932015-10-02T07:19:00.000-04:002015-10-02T10:57:11.876-04:008 things that inevitably happen when we worship<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aaOe3Ub4hYA/Vg3_S5L0SLI/AAAAAAAAEXI/fn5NJOQTsDo/s1600/inevit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aaOe3Ub4hYA/Vg3_S5L0SLI/AAAAAAAAEXI/fn5NJOQTsDo/s640/inevit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<i>Because things happen.</i><br />
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<b>1. God softens our hearts.<br /><br /></b></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FjR6cCRjtKc/VgrapaibDjI/AAAAAAAAESw/cQ4_Sk0jN6I/s1600/tumblr_m3hlzfCwBg1qid0xqo1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FjR6cCRjtKc/VgrapaibDjI/AAAAAAAAESw/cQ4_Sk0jN6I/s1600/tumblr_m3hlzfCwBg1qid0xqo1_500.gif" /></a></div>
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There is no longer any room for anger or bitterness. Our hearts become impressionable and receptive to the Spirit of God.</div>
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You can kiss those walls you built good-bye. They don't stand a chance.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VSPHWWx8Xu8/VgtMnAUKlnI/AAAAAAAAES8/10OOwKxcLKk/s1600/tumblr_mdt1v1XE9k1r2edti.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VSPHWWx8Xu8/VgtMnAUKlnI/AAAAAAAAES8/10OOwKxcLKk/s1600/tumblr_mdt1v1XE9k1r2edti.gif" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.<br />(Ezekiel 36:26)</span><br />
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<b>2. We feel some type of conviction.</b><br />
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Sometimes I can cruise through my day, conveniently ignoring God's voice, without ever admitting I feel any real conviction.</div>
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In worship however, our convictions immediately make themselves known. The Holy Spirit guides us to repentance.</div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">(Proverbs 28:13)</span></div>
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<b>3. We have peace.</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pp_gqjXIe_s/Vgzt9DCxOrI/AAAAAAAAEUo/wYSJWoN7T9U/s1600/FsJFFa6.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pp_gqjXIe_s/Vgzt9DCxOrI/AAAAAAAAEUo/wYSJWoN7T9U/s1600/FsJFFa6.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It means no worries.</td></tr>
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Life really sucks sometimes. It's biblical.<br />
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We say things we regret. Wish we said things we never did. Give in to temptation. Make mistakes we thought we outgrew. Feel pressure to be further ahead. Have anxiety about the future. Get lonely.<br />
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Try to run on our own strength. We burn out. We burn bridges. We cross oceans. We aren't as good of swimmers as we thought.<br />
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But in the presence of the Lord, we feel light enough to float.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.<br />(John 16:33)</span><br />
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<b>4. Specific people come to mind.<br /><br /></b>Sometimes we think of ALL the things we could be praying for, and the list seems completely unconquerable.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BYwv4b1ZH4I/Vg3JRx9oCNI/AAAAAAAAEVM/4Ib-yCHu3rQ/s1600/giphy%2B%252825%2529.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BYwv4b1ZH4I/Vg3JRx9oCNI/AAAAAAAAEVM/4Ib-yCHu3rQ/s1600/giphy%2B%252825%2529.gif" /></a></div>
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When we worship, the Holy Spirit places individuals on our hearts. Sometimes, those people and those situations are exactly what God wants us to pray about.<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br />Therefore I exhort first of all that supplication, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.<br />(1 Timothy 2:1-2)</span></div>
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<b>5. We get a sense of urgency.<br /><br /></b><br />
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When we cry out to God, we are essentially saying, "Change me now, God. I literally can't go on another day like this."<br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.<br />(Hebrews 4:16)</span><br />
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<b>6. We actually trust God.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>Just think, we could still be out trying to fix our problems right now.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ubRoGD8izao/Vg3Uh5gOM7I/AAAAAAAAEVs/QX8V-KjWol8/s1600/I-give-up-gif.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ubRoGD8izao/Vg3Uh5gOM7I/AAAAAAAAEVs/QX8V-KjWol8/s1600/I-give-up-gif.gif" /></a></div>
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When we choose to worship, we choose to surrender everything we're going through, to God.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Cast your burden on the Lord,<br />And He shall sustain you;<br />He shall never submit the righteous to be moved.<br />(Psalm 52:22)</span><br />
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<b>7. We make God a priority.</b><br />
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Even when we know spending time with God is the most important part of our day, it can be easy to make excuses. With a jam-packed schedule, it's convenient to find something else to do instead.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wU7qpwceGUg/Vg3bSG2VkII/AAAAAAAAEWE/d6r-E8Syqmg/s1600/tumblr_inline_nu5kdhaJm91qhe9xx_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wU7qpwceGUg/Vg3bSG2VkII/AAAAAAAAEWE/d6r-E8Syqmg/s1600/tumblr_inline_nu5kdhaJm91qhe9xx_500.gif" /></a></div>
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When we worship, we are putting God first. He becomes our<i> right now.</i><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br />But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.<br />(Matthew 6:33)</span><br />
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<b>8. Our faith is made stronger.</b><br />
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You may not have reflected Christ in everything you did this week, or even today. <br />
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But when you decided to kneel before the Lord, you trusted that He would make something beautiful out of your scattered ashes.<br />
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And that takes faith.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TQKr0KMOLBQ/Vg3p2z3tSUI/AAAAAAAAEW4/ydVFUCDKsvA/s1600/mbj11.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TQKr0KMOLBQ/Vg3p2z3tSUI/AAAAAAAAEW4/ydVFUCDKsvA/s1600/mbj11.gif" /></a></div>
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(I blogged about faith <a href="http://hollylooyablog.blogspot.com/2015/06/4-signs-you-have-ton-of-faith.html" target="_blank">here</a>.)</div>
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• • •<br />
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<i>*Check out my current favorite worship albums! I'm listening to <a href="http://unitedpursuit.com/music-projects/2015/8/6/simple-gospel" target="_blank">Simple Gospel</a> by United Pursuit & <a href="http://www.jayethomas.com/audio/hereismyworship/" target="_blank">Here is My Worship</a> by Jaye Thomas.</i><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
** If you're interested in enjoying some new music, my friend <a href="http://tobiraymond.com/" target="_blank">Tobi</a> is releasing her debut EP this month. She is an extremely gifted artist who refuses to limit what God can do through His children's worship and obedience. She dreams of seeing people healed through her songs.</blockquote>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gpb501A1sVc/Vg4XXCQ7XkI/AAAAAAAAEXg/TEmPpruQXn8/s1600/unnamed%2B%252812%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gpb501A1sVc/Vg4XXCQ7XkI/AAAAAAAAEXg/TEmPpruQXn8/s400/unnamed%2B%252812%2529.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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You can learn all about Tobi and be on the lookout for new music, by visiting <a href="http://tobiraymond.com/" target="_blank">her site.</a><br />
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• • •<br />
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What's your favorite thing about worship?<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17926246099122885673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339383041102836061.post-66470690123414402632015-08-26T18:23:00.000-04:002015-08-26T18:23:41.661-04:00The 13 stages of growing in humility<div style="text-align: center;">
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<i>From personal experience.</i><br />
<br /><br /><u style="font-weight: bold;">1. The </u><u style="font-weight: bold;"><i>"I got this"</i> stage.</u><br />
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Oh this sweet phase. When you think you've mastered something, anything.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wNo1SPfPBfU/Vd3vy2rcpXI/AAAAAAAAELE/9jgfj1oCGkA/s1600/bruce-almighty-ive-got-the-power-01.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wNo1SPfPBfU/Vd3vy2rcpXI/AAAAAAAAELE/9jgfj1oCGkA/s1600/bruce-almighty-ive-got-the-power-01.gif" /></a></div>
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And just like that, you kinda-sorta somehow manage to forget how desperately you need Jesus.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-59si62ki2A0/Vd3xrFum_NI/AAAAAAAAELQ/rdAZek4aPpQ/s1600/bruce-almighty-ive-got-the-power-02.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-59si62ki2A0/Vd3xrFum_NI/AAAAAAAAELQ/rdAZek4aPpQ/s1600/bruce-almighty-ive-got-the-power-02.gif" /></a></div>
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Naturally...something goes wrong.<br />
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">2. The victim stage.</u><br />
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Anyone or anything that disagrees with you is the enemy.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mhqkXEBFuoM/Vd4J2WbEd0I/AAAAAAAAELg/8f0d3c_Oag0/s1600/giphy%2B%25282%2529.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mhqkXEBFuoM/Vd4J2WbEd0I/AAAAAAAAELg/8f0d3c_Oag0/s1600/giphy%2B%25282%2529.gif" /></a></div>
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<b><u>3. The <i>"You and what army?"</i> stage.<br /></u></b><br />
And everyone who loves you is basically obligated to take your side.<b><u><br /></u></b><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D009QPTGC6w/Vd4NQ_zU3ZI/AAAAAAAAELs/UWY58Px7KQU/s1600/tumblr_inline_noej0iYwbr1rbra2d_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D009QPTGC6w/Vd4NQ_zU3ZI/AAAAAAAAELs/UWY58Px7KQU/s1600/tumblr_inline_noej0iYwbr1rbra2d_500.gif" /></a></div>
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">4. The lonely stage.</u><br />
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Turns out your loved ones don't even agree with you. Which leads you to feel neglected. Which leads you to question everyone's loyalty.<br />
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<i>"They said they would be here."</i><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xw5Gy2EJv-U/Vd4N9LvNb6I/AAAAAAAAEL0/rHPP_27Dm74/s1600/giphy%2B%25283%2529.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xw5Gy2EJv-U/Vd4N9LvNb6I/AAAAAAAAEL0/rHPP_27Dm74/s400/giphy%2B%25283%2529.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">5. The</u><i style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;"> attempting to seek the Lord for wisdom: part one</i><u style="font-weight: bold;"> stage.</u><br />
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Except you are still in denial and try to convince God to agree with you.<br />
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<i>"Dear God, show them I'm right. In Jesus name."<br /></i><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Do7LSz8jqkQ/Vd4SJKF7isI/AAAAAAAAEMA/EFAIzTuePI0/s1600/pray.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Do7LSz8jqkQ/Vd4SJKF7isI/AAAAAAAAEMA/EFAIzTuePI0/s1600/pray.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amen</td></tr>
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<u style="font-weight: bold;"><br />6. The <i>"Ok, I'm ready."</i> stage.</u></div>
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Now that you've prayed, you're good.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A4yMCmUNagw/Vd4diuPygVI/AAAAAAAAEMQ/HL5nrTd4NbI/s1600/Well%252Bdone%252B-%252BGood%252Bboy%252B.%252BMy%252Breaction%252Bwhenever%252Bpeople%252Buse_fe472d_4640690.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A4yMCmUNagw/Vd4diuPygVI/AAAAAAAAEMQ/HL5nrTd4NbI/s1600/Well%252Bdone%252B-%252BGood%252Bboy%252B.%252BMy%252Breaction%252Bwhenever%252Bpeople%252Buse_fe472d_4640690.gif" /></a></div>
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<b><u>7. The <i>not quite</i> stage.</u></b><br />
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Time to put your new-found understanding to the test.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TO6M0zikQfk/Vd4feFbScOI/AAAAAAAAEMc/T04EOeC-quQ/s1600/tumblr_lyni6f8dXK1r9qd2co1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TO6M0zikQfk/Vd4feFbScOI/AAAAAAAAEMc/T04EOeC-quQ/s1600/tumblr_lyni6f8dXK1r9qd2co1_500.gif" /></a></div>
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<b><u>8. The <i>epic fail</i> stage.<br /></u></b><br />
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">9. The </u><i style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">learning from your mistakes </i><u style="font-weight: bold;">stage.</u><br />
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This time around you are left with no option but to humble yourself and seek the Lord's face.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T2_pYprjVoc/Vd4qX0tHYmI/AAAAAAAAENc/teoYleURBhA/s1600/Forgive-me-GIF.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T2_pYprjVoc/Vd4qX0tHYmI/AAAAAAAAENc/teoYleURBhA/s1600/Forgive-me-GIF.gif" style="cursor: move;" /></a></div>
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">10. The</u><i style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;"> attempting to seek the Lord for wisdom: part two</i><u style="font-weight: bold;"> stage.</u><br />
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Except it actually works this time.<br />
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<i>"Dear God, I was wrong. Help me to see things the way You see them. In Jesus name."<br /></i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Do7LSz8jqkQ/Vd4SJKF7isI/AAAAAAAAEME/OGL9d9VKJlc/s1600/pray.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Do7LSz8jqkQ/Vd4SJKF7isI/AAAAAAAAEME/OGL9d9VKJlc/s1600/pray.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amen.</td></tr>
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<b><u><br />11. The <i>revelation </i>stage.</u></b></div>
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The part where God still cares enough to embrace you.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9X5zNc2bWps/Vd4tubDrO4I/AAAAAAAAENo/fsNVPsvwsc4/s1600/Supernatural-Dean.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9X5zNc2bWps/Vd4tubDrO4I/AAAAAAAAENo/fsNVPsvwsc4/s1600/Supernatural-Dean.gif" /></a><br />
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<u><b>12. The <i>conviction</i> stage. </b></u><br />
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You feel a little naive but mainly just really, really loved.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fpurkzbEg0o/Vd4vo4Jgt4I/AAAAAAAAEN0/_zjEwMK5phY/s1600/large.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fpurkzbEg0o/Vd4vo4Jgt4I/AAAAAAAAEN0/_zjEwMK5phY/s1600/large.gif" /></a></div>
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<b><u>13. The <i>final</i> stage.</u></b><br />
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Lesson learned. That's all that really matters right.<br />
It doesn't matter how, it only matters Who.<br />
And He loves you.<br />
Before the process.<br />
During.<br />
And way after.<br />
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Lastly, you apply what you learned and thank God for being right by your side.<br />
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At every single stage.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yea4cjbsC6Q/Vd4zlas2uHI/AAAAAAAAEOA/bPr38Smc0cQ/s1600/Jess-jessica-day-32526262-500-274.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yea4cjbsC6Q/Vd4zlas2uHI/AAAAAAAAEOA/bPr38Smc0cQ/s1600/Jess-jessica-day-32526262-500-274.gif" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.<br />[2 Chronicles 7:14]</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17926246099122885673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339383041102836061.post-64083117715268021472015-08-20T21:49:00.000-04:002015-08-20T23:33:09.453-04:00How to be vulnerable in a social media world<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7M_daXj6Q4Q/VdZ_jcLQk5I/AAAAAAAAEH8/AWi-o7eNhJM/s1600/vulnerable.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7M_daXj6Q4Q/VdZ_jcLQk5I/AAAAAAAAEH8/AWi-o7eNhJM/s640/vulnerable.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><i>Because no one ever said knocking down walls would be easy.<br />• • •</i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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Everyone's life is so perfect on social media. We have nice clothes, we do community service, we workout, we eat good and our friends are so much better than yours.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zBBJrXIIk2A/VdZCV9el0nI/AAAAAAAAEGE/sj4WL2GcZNo/s1600/tumblr_mceu6fy8n41rxa4z0.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zBBJrXIIk2A/VdZCV9el0nI/AAAAAAAAEGE/sj4WL2GcZNo/s1600/tumblr_mceu6fy8n41rxa4z0.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Subtle.</td></tr>
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It's pretty tough to compete out here. Thats why you shouldn't.</div>
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The first step in being more vulnerable is- <b>accepting that we don't need to have it all together.</b> And I know what you're thinking- you've read this post a thousand times before.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-THs6menGh1A/VdZOQ9ZP9OI/AAAAAAAAEGU/bzTVLxitASg/s1600/tumblr_mfumv8wr2a1r4iz5oo1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-THs6menGh1A/VdZOQ9ZP9OI/AAAAAAAAEGU/bzTVLxitASg/s1600/tumblr_mfumv8wr2a1r4iz5oo1_500.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spare you, I know.</td></tr>
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But it' true. It is still ok to be real. It's ok to admit your weaknesses, even when they aren't the "glorified sins" that only make you seem cooler.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3gowYmZ-iN4/VdZRzpi__bI/AAAAAAAAEGk/yWBEJ_kyJUI/s1600/tumblr_inline_nfyzsv6zOO1t2kp90.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3gowYmZ-iN4/VdZRzpi__bI/AAAAAAAAEGk/yWBEJ_kyJUI/s1600/tumblr_inline_nfyzsv6zOO1t2kp90.gif" /></a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pb7OyqkYXnQ/VdZRzUiqbwI/AAAAAAAAEGg/TQuZxLoy6pQ/s1600/Im-kind-of-a-big-dealanchor1.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pb7OyqkYXnQ/VdZRzUiqbwI/AAAAAAAAEGg/TQuZxLoy6pQ/s1600/Im-kind-of-a-big-dealanchor1.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But I mean, God's working on me.</td></tr>
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Christ is exalted most in those moments of raw, scary transparency. </div>
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It's ok to not have a deep, super spiritual quote to post as your Facebook status. And it's ok to not <i>get </i>the deep, super spiritual quote your friend just posted.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XIKGrLo6HBU/VdZTho0-KDI/AAAAAAAAEG0/ulDPs5XRUSA/s1600/I-Dont-Understand-It-Leslie-Knope-Parks-and-Recreation.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XIKGrLo6HBU/VdZTho0-KDI/AAAAAAAAEG0/ulDPs5XRUSA/s1600/I-Dont-Understand-It-Leslie-Knope-Parks-and-Recreation.gif" /></a></div>
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Another tip for being more vulnerable- <b>let people in.</b> It's hard to let people see the real you in this social media world, it's even harder to let them <i>know</i> the real you.<br />
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We send text messages instead of calling, Facetime but don't go visit and "like" opposed to appreciating. The idea of community is changing, but the need for it remains the same.<br />
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It's important to let people in and not keep all your secrets...a secret. Even if that means going out of your way to cultivate genuine relationships.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mc9jBtBYEs0/VdZlRhff1RI/AAAAAAAAEHU/ySI-xdCJqnI/s1600/tumblr_inline_mrfqv6q9lZ1qz4rgp.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mc9jBtBYEs0/VdZlRhff1RI/AAAAAAAAEHU/ySI-xdCJqnI/s1600/tumblr_inline_mrfqv6q9lZ1qz4rgp.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ok...see ya </td></tr>
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Community allows you to confess those ugly sins to other people so they can pray for you and remind you to repent and give the situation over to God.<br />
<br />(Remember when I blogged about the <a href="http://hollylooyablog.blogspot.com/2015/06/the-10-people-you-need-in-your-life.html" target="_blank">10 people you need in your life</a>.)<br /><br />
The last step I want to take to become more vulnerable is- <b>being open to go deeper in my faith. </b>I'm not talking deep like spooky deep.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7cIwK9t9sno/VdZ3TICyQiI/AAAAAAAAEHk/XDzRme6gtG8/s1600/tumblr_lxcnqxR8pa1qgg78vo1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7cIwK9t9sno/VdZ3TICyQiI/AAAAAAAAEHk/XDzRme6gtG8/s1600/tumblr_lxcnqxR8pa1qgg78vo1_500.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can I talk yo you about Jesus?</td></tr>
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There are plenty of things to learn about God that aren't mysterious. Striving to be more like Jesus by growing in love, righteousness, mercy and humility is complex enough. Admitting you've never heard of a certain verse or don't know the specific bible story, is not a sign of weakness, it is exactly the opposite.<br />
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There is always room to go deeper without compromising the gospel.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">He has shown you, O man, what is good;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And what does the Lord require of you<br />But to do justly,<br />To love mercy,<br />And to walk humbly with you God?<br />[Micah 6:8]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you have any tips for being vulnerble in a social media world? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(I need the tips. All the tips.)</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17926246099122885673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339383041102836061.post-17581306112926783582015-08-14T16:28:00.000-04:002015-08-14T17:58:32.522-04:00How to give gifts in a social media world<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Thank you<a href="http://myprayerpackages.com/" target="_blank"> Prayer Packages</a> for sending free products! All opinions are my own.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yewNtZrAQe8/Vc5We-YYN6I/AAAAAAAAEFo/GIf3B1Ji7yU/s1600/gg%2Bfin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yewNtZrAQe8/Vc5We-YYN6I/AAAAAAAAEFo/GIf3B1Ji7yU/s1600/gg%2Bfin.jpg" /></a></div>
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<i>Because technology.</i></div>
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I kind of feel like gifts are becoming a thing of the past. </div>
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I sure hope they aren't...I have a wedding coming up.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OqejYm2YBVw/Vc38bTX4k4I/AAAAAAAAECo/4wfiHPDLOE4/s1600/giphy.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OqejYm2YBVw/Vc38bTX4k4I/AAAAAAAAECo/4wfiHPDLOE4/s1600/giphy.gif" /></a></div>
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But anyway, this isn't about me. Unless of course you insist, in which case I do love gifts and I need a new phone. But I mean<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T-X-CY64EN8/Vc4AttXSERI/AAAAAAAAECw/MBQbohUf0iA/s1600/tumblr_niyp5tCmXY1tb8iyko1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T-X-CY64EN8/Vc4AttXSERI/AAAAAAAAECw/MBQbohUf0iA/s1600/tumblr_niyp5tCmXY1tb8iyko1_500.gif" /></a></div>
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Everyday is someone's birthday. Literally. Probably. I'm sure. You get on Facebook and you get a little red notification, "Hey it's so-and-so's birthday!"<br />
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Yay.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6pFHGxN-g3I/Vc4V-rObv7I/AAAAAAAAEDA/i-gWalggO-Y/s1600/nick-miller-gif.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6pFHGxN-g3I/Vc4V-rObv7I/AAAAAAAAEDA/i-gWalggO-Y/s1600/nick-miller-gif.gif" /></a></div>
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Now you are faced with two options:</div>
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<b>1. </b>Comment on their page. Add some kind words.</div>
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<b>2. </b>Post a picture of you together. Add kind words.</div>
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<span style="color: red;">(It is mandatory that </span><u style="color: red;">you</u><span style="color: red;"> look better than them in the picture!)</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VRQWQDJDyyU/Vc4YjduWbZI/AAAAAAAAEDM/3aPe3maEo6U/s1600/tumblr_n265rrtB3p1rd4558o1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VRQWQDJDyyU/Vc4YjduWbZI/AAAAAAAAEDM/3aPe3maEo6U/s1600/tumblr_n265rrtB3p1rd4558o1_500.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">say cheese sucka!</td></tr>
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With so many convenient options, sometimes I forget the importance of giving an <i>actual </i>gift. Like picking out something thoughtful, meaningful and even valuable.<br />
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The good thing is, social media and the world wide web also make it much easier to contact someone and ask for their address. I remember a few years back, a friend sent me a message on Facebook:<br />
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"Hey Holly, how are you? Could you send me your address, I'm trying to bring snail mail back!"<br />
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And just like that, she found an old friend from high school and got what she needed.<br />
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Come to think of it- I never did get that letter.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U1Nkp0TrikQ/Vc4_MqkkYBI/AAAAAAAAEDs/4fwyqOAFP_4/s1600/giphy%2B%25281%2529.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U1Nkp0TrikQ/Vc4_MqkkYBI/AAAAAAAAEDs/4fwyqOAFP_4/s1600/giphy%2B%25281%2529.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">it's all good tho, no pain no gain, am I right?</td></tr>
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There are a lot of neat ways to send gifts these days, but I want to talk about one in particular. I am a firm believer that the best gift you can ever give is the gift of prayer. And when you add a physical gift to that prayer...umm can you say best gift ever?<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XNB1HHU2chI/Vc5BvpKE3jI/AAAAAAAAED4/xEiPFKJWw-Q/s1600/Emma-Stone-Screaming-This-is-the-Best-Ellen.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XNB1HHU2chI/Vc5BvpKE3jI/AAAAAAAAED4/xEiPFKJWw-Q/s1600/Emma-Stone-Screaming-This-is-the-Best-Ellen.gif" /></a><br />
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Everything on earth will surely fade away, but prayer is a conversation with our eternal Father. Prayer is so important to God that He is waiting for you to cry out to Him so that He can answer. Not because He doesn't already know your thoughts but because He wants you to engage Him and grow in your relationship with Him (Isaiah 30 18:19.)<br />
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So, prayer is good.<br />
Gifts are good.<br />
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That's why when I received my <a href="http://myprayerpackages.com/" target="_blank">Prayer Package</a> in the mail, I was ecstatic!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7kphV3de9qg/Vc5IMbENiLI/AAAAAAAAEEI/dgSlAsC7fqc/s1600/pptran.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7kphV3de9qg/Vc5IMbENiLI/AAAAAAAAEEI/dgSlAsC7fqc/s400/pptran.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It came in this cute purple box with envelopes and fancy packaging. First things first, I read the "<i>please read" </i>card that gave me a heads up on what to expect inside. It said there would be a message written in the "I Am" voice of God. Mine read-<br />
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"There's a big world out there ready to be conquered. <b>I Am</b> here to support you as you dream big and turn limitations into opportunities."<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ugWgauT2wZs/Vc5JzTJsp0I/AAAAAAAAEEU/NCnpuGs_hxQ/s1600/anigif_enhanced-buzz-13096-1411572140-4.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ugWgauT2wZs/Vc5JzTJsp0I/AAAAAAAAEEU/NCnpuGs_hxQ/s1600/anigif_enhanced-buzz-13096-1411572140-4.gif" /></a><br />
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Honestly, that was my favorite part of the whole package. But there was certainly more.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C6E10kzVz10/Vc5KshqLm3I/AAAAAAAAEEo/V4hN-eaJnAo/s1600/openbox%2B%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C6E10kzVz10/Vc5KshqLm3I/AAAAAAAAEEo/V4hN-eaJnAo/s400/openbox%2B%25281%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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There was a bracelet.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPNlrrkv_zc/Vc5LCU5exxI/AAAAAAAAEEs/4qzHgYIhXdw/s1600/hand.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPNlrrkv_zc/Vc5LCU5exxI/AAAAAAAAEEs/4qzHgYIhXdw/s1600/hand.jpeg" /></a><br />
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A Target gift card! (How did they even?)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PkTz-X46SrE/Vc5LoTJ8gsI/AAAAAAAAEE8/nCbp7DyoGak/s1600/targetcoke%2B%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PkTz-X46SrE/Vc5LoTJ8gsI/AAAAAAAAEE8/nCbp7DyoGak/s400/targetcoke%2B%25281%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">coke not included</td></tr>
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And even a cute little token in a cute little bag.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a-0C8Qb_w4g/Vc5MYSFc5oI/AAAAAAAAEFM/zsOTKPLG1ac/s1600/IMG_4318%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a-0C8Qb_w4g/Vc5MYSFc5oI/AAAAAAAAEFM/zsOTKPLG1ac/s400/IMG_4318%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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My favorite thing about <a href="http://myprayerpackages.com/" target="_blank">Prayer Packages</a> is you can let someone know you are praying for them. My second favorite thing is you get to choose the gift inside the package. You can personalize it for the occasion and the individual.<br />
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If you are interested in sending someone a prayer package, the sweet founders are giving my readers $10 off! Just use the code <b>FREE10 </b>in checkout.<br />
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How do <i>you </i>send gifts in a social media world? Also- let me know what you think about <a href="http://myprayerpackages.com/" target="_blank">Prayer Packages</a>!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17926246099122885673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339383041102836061.post-16654093219356639332015-08-04T06:57:00.000-04:002015-08-04T14:36:45.237-04:005 people you need when you're going through a hard time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bG77pmUCvZY/VcCZRr0E3EI/AAAAAAAAD-g/QYGRgXrQ3IM/s1600/hardtimes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bG77pmUCvZY/VcCZRr0E3EI/AAAAAAAAD-g/QYGRgXrQ3IM/s640/hardtimes.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Because you can't hold it all in.</i></div>
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• • •</div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. The person who does not tolerate gossip.</span></u></b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bsK1VrG1kno/Vb9DiCWF0cI/AAAAAAAAD8M/-DlloQjfJXI/s1600/tumblr_n0fpjabors1ql5yr7o1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bsK1VrG1kno/Vb9DiCWF0cI/AAAAAAAAD8M/-DlloQjfJXI/s1600/tumblr_n0fpjabors1ql5yr7o1_500.gif" /></a></div>
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Not only do they refuse to participate in negative conversations, they won't let <i>you</i> either. </div>
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Sometimes when we vent about what we're going through, we get caught up in the hype. What was once just "blowing off some steam" turns into a full on session of bashing the one who hurt you.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2U0NA82ycZ0/VcAcqCIFVZI/AAAAAAAAD88/hHg7TwGl0rA/s1600/77d354c6012f34ec1a4216788cbc8ef8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2U0NA82ycZ0/VcAcqCIFVZI/AAAAAAAAD88/hHg7TwGl0rA/s1600/77d354c6012f34ec1a4216788cbc8ef8.jpg" /></a></div>
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The person who doesn't gossip will get you back on track when your words no longer glorify God. But don't worry, they will do it in the most loving way possible.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i5lXt05sZ3k/Vb9FSfXJkyI/AAAAAAAAD8Y/D5VdqRU3J9E/s1600/large%2B%25282%2529.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i5lXt05sZ3k/Vb9FSfXJkyI/AAAAAAAAD8Y/D5VdqRU3J9E/s1600/large%2B%25282%2529.gif" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.<br />[Ephesians 4:29]</span><br />
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<u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>2. The person who will disagree with you.</b></span></u><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d_fWb7XUE5o/Vb-EQFrdxlI/AAAAAAAAD8o/AyMqkMCcffY/s1600/tumblr_ma628lRwNr1rcg3xpo1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d_fWb7XUE5o/Vb-EQFrdxlI/AAAAAAAAD8o/AyMqkMCcffY/s1600/tumblr_ma628lRwNr1rcg3xpo1_500.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eh, not so much.</td></tr>
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When you're wrong...and you can be (total shocker I know) it is crucial to have someone who is comfortable letting you know. If you confide in a friend who agrees with 100% of what you say, they might neglect the truth just to reassure you.<br />
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Warning, the person who disagrees with you can be somewhat tough to accept. At first, they come off as a complete and utter traitor.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y7F5G2to7Dk/VcAeL67OzPI/AAAAAAAAD9U/RUgeJMU7tfI/s1600/howdareyou_zps733239fb.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y7F5G2to7Dk/VcAeL67OzPI/AAAAAAAAD9U/RUgeJMU7tfI/s1600/howdareyou_zps733239fb.gif" /></a></div>
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But the fact is they love you enough to tell you the truth.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head -- Christ.<br />[Ephesians 4:15]</span><b><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br />3. The person who is not condemning. </span></u></b><br />
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This person doesn't want you to feel bad for what you're going through. Your convictions will lead you to repentance, not their shaming.<br />
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They won't switch up on you when the going gets tough.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.<br />[Romans 8:1]<br /><br /></span><br />
<b><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. The person who <i>knows</i> you.</span></u></b><br />
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Not just someone you know, but someone who really, really knows you. This person may be a close or longtime friend or a family member, especially a parent.<b><u><br /></u></b><br />
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If you run to a stranger to share your problems, their advice will only be based on what you tell them about the situation. However, someone who knows you can also assess the situation based on your tendencies, preferences and even your dreams.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Therefore, confess your sins to one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.<br />[James 5:16]</span><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5. The person who prays.</span></u></b><br />
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This person's biggest agenda is to bring your situation before the Father. They want to contend on your behalf. They have witnessed firsthand the power of prayer and they pray like they believe it works.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me<br />[Romans 15:30]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Who's your go-to person after Jesus?</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17926246099122885673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339383041102836061.post-89092439582589524842015-07-29T10:41:00.001-04:002016-01-28T15:38:19.430-05:005 idols you never seen coming<div style="text-align: center;">
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<b><br /><br />Because they all seemed so harmless.<br /><br />• • •</b></div>
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<b><u>1. Your happiness. </u></b><br />
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"Do what makes you happy." I'm sure you've never heard that before.<br />
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The world is obsessed with happiness. So much so that it has become an idol.<br />
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As followers of Christ we know that our joy is in the Lord. Having joy does not mean you're always doing what makes you happy. It means you are hopeful and grateful for the eternal gift that is Christ's redemptive blood.</div>
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Sometimes you will be happy, sometimes you will be sad.<br />
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Joy isn't contingent upon either.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.<br />(Romans 15:13)</span></div>
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<u><b>2.Your heart.</b></u><br />
"Follow your heart."<br />
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Also sure you've never heard that.</div>
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If it moves you, it makes you, right? Wrong. Your heart can make some pretty naive decisions. Your heart can lead you down some super sketchy paths. </div>
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Your heart is in jeopardy of becoming an idol because it seems like God would want everything you want. But the truth is, some of the things we want, aren't best for us. Our hearts can misguide us, God can't.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">The heart is deceitful above all things,<br />And desperately wicked;<br />Who can know it?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">[Jeremiah 17:9]</span></div>
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">3. Your comfort.</u><br />
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Feeling comfortable becomes an idol when it gets in the way of your growth.<br />
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You know those days when you just...can't.<br />
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Those days are cool until they become habitual. Learning and growing take effort. When you're comfortable you are in jeopardy of becoming lazy.<br />
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This Christian walk is a lot of things, but it's usually not comfortable.<br />
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">4. Your identity.</u><br />
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We all want to contribute something. To be known for something.<br />
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But as we grow, our interests also evolve. Some things that used to interest you may make you cringe at the mere thought of your former fascination.<br />
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You may feel like you have no idea who you really are and that's totally fine.<br />
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Securing an identity in Christ assures us that the only standard we ever have to live up to, is His.<br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br />Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.<br />[2 Corinthians 5:17]</span><br />
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<b><u>5. Your relationships</u></b><br />
Relationships with other people are vital to our walk. Living in isolation can be very dangerous.<br />
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However relationships with people, even our spouse, don't compare to our relationship with God.<br />
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Reading a book about marriage is all in vain if you've abandoned God to focus on your relationship. God wants to be the center of every decision you make. He wants to guide you and lead you because after all, you are His creation.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the people who are all around you (for the Lord your God is a jealous God among you), lest the anger of the Lord your God be aroused against you and destroy you from the face of the earth.<br />[Deuteronomy 6:14-15]</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17926246099122885673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339383041102836061.post-59759395244236209452015-07-13T09:20:00.000-04:002015-08-17T13:39:43.044-04:004 things no one tells you about obedience<div style="text-align: center;">
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<em>Because I kind of wish they did.</em><br />
<b></b><br />
<b>1. It doesn't guarantee you're making the "best" choice.</b></div>
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Obedience is not about making the best choice, it's about making the right choice. If your boss tells you to write a 10-page memo by hand, you would probably think it was a joke.</div>
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You would say, "But there's a much better way to do this." Using a computer would make the same task 1000 times more efficient. Not to mention, it's 2015, I couldn't hand write 10 pages if I wanted to.</div>
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Chances are, your boss knows you could use a computer to complete the same task in a fraction of the time. And your boss even knows that <i>you</i> know that. However, in this particular (tedious) instance, writing the information out by hand is what's right. It's what works for your boss. And unfortunately, it's the task you were assigned.</div>
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No one tells you that your obedience might conflict with all logic and common sense known to man.<br />
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No big deal.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work.<br />(Titus 3:1)</span><br />
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<b>2. It feels good. </b><br />
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Like really good.<br />
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There's something about doing what's right. As born again Christians, we have the mind of Christ. We delight in the things He delights in.<br />
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Consequently, we seek to do His will. Since obedience is just that, God's will, it brings us pleasure and contentment.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments.<br />(Psalm 112:1)</span><br />
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<strong>3. It can make you seem weak.</strong><br />
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People may talk about you for "doing whatever people tell you to do."<br />
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They say, "If I were you I'd-<br />
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But their conviction may be different from yours. Also their employment status.<br />
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<b>4. The reward is not what you expect. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
It's so much better.<br />
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The problem with the 10-page handwritten paper isn't that it's a 10-page handwritten paper. It's the idea that it doesn't seem rewarding. I can see the outcome and it's just not special.<br />
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It's actually quite severely underwhelming. Borderline depressing.<br />
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But the truth is, we can't ever see the reward. We can't even imagine it. Our reward comes from the One we serve, Christ, who does exceedingly and abundantly above all that we could ask or think.<br />
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No one ever tells you that the reward for obedience is so...so much better.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.<br />(Colossians 3:23-34)</span><br />
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<em>What's something no one told you about obedience?</em><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17926246099122885673noreply@blogger.com16