Monthly Archives: May 2012

KWT Paraphrasing, Questions

Curious

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I am curious as to what you think about these two thieves? I am curious if you see mankind represented in them and why.

39 One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!”
40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?
41 And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”
42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!”
43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”
via Luke 23 NASB – Jesus before Pilate – Then the whole – Bible Gateway.

One thief went to paradise. One went to Hades. Why? Both thieves got the same sentence; both were hanging on a cross, one on one side of JESUS and one on the other side of JESUS. Both heard JESUS speak the same words; both were in pain; both thirsty and dying – what do you think made the difference in their approach (response) to JESUS?

Like I said, just curious. And preparing for Sunday School — :)

Will be thinking about you this weekend. Find your way to a place of corporate worship with other Bible believing-practicing Christians.

We have the God-given Right to do right in this wrong World,

Christian Living

Burglar Bars

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And I understand some distributors now call them ‘Window Grills’. 

This evening as I was attempting to get my 10,000 steps in for today (which I did and plus some) I saw the lone house in our neighbor equipped with ‘window grills’.  As I mulled over the reason for these window adornments I thought, ‘not only do they keep out, they keep in’; and then I was off and running.  That is my thoughts were.

Homes, offices and businesses are not the only edifices equipped with burglar bars. How often do we erect barriers?  We throw up walls around our hearts to protect ourselves. To keep others from getting too close. To protect our emotions from assault and harm.  And I understand. I’ve done it myself. 

And yet I must admit when we place those ‘burglar bars’ around our hearts to keep others out, we are locking ourselves in.  However elaborate we dress up the barriers, calling them whatever pretty names we like the effect is the same – keeping others out and locking us in.

And what do we miss while we are locked in and others are kept out? What do you see on the other side of the window?   Pretty obvious, isn’t it?

May the HOLY SPIRIT make it just as obvious to us what we are missing locked away behind our ‘heart bars’ and may we have the courage to allow Him to help us uninstall them.

2 Corinthians 10

Tearing Down Barriers

1-2And now a personal but most urgent matter; I write in the gentle but firm spirit of Christ. I hear that I’m being painted as cringing and wishy-washy when I’m with you, but harsh and demanding when at a safe distance writing letters. Please don’t force me to take a hard line when I’m present with you. Don’t think that I’ll hesitate a single minute to stand up to those who say I’m an unprincipled opportunist. Then they’ll have to eat their words.

3-6The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.
via 2 Corinthians 10:2-4 MSG – Tearing Down Barriers -And now a – Bible Gateway.

ABBA, I trust that Your Word will not return void. Thank You for grace and mercy, for safety and protection given to each of us this day.

We have the God-given Right to do right in this wrong World,

(Please do not equate heart barriers with healthy boundaries – Healthy Boundaries are another animal entirely.  :))

Assurance - Promise, Christian Living, Guests, Theme Praying

Reading

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I’ve been reading this morning. I was determined to finish before I laid it down again. And I did. And I am recommending it to you.  The Traveler’s Gift by Andy Andrews.

Allow me to give you an excerpt from page 160:
“Sometimes when I sit with our Father and watch the movements of your civilization as the time shifts, I am astounded at the arrogance I see displayed in your people. On several occasions, I have asked permission to teach you a lesson, but so far, His patience has greatly exceeded my own. ”

And how about this on page 103:
“My life–my personality, my habits, even my speech–is a combination of the books I choose to read, the people I choose to listen to, and the thoughts I choose to tolerate in my mind. . . . “

And page 155:
“Circumstances are rulers of the weak, . . . “but they are weapons of the wise.”
“Circumstances do not push or pull. they are daily lessons to be studied and gleaned for new knowledge and wisdom.”

One more. Page 149: “All men are driven by faith or fear . . .    Faith or fear is the expectation of an event that hasn’t come to pass or the belief in something that cannot be seen or touched.
“Faith is to believe what one has not seen. The reward of faith is to see what one has believed.”

I am reminded of something Joyce Meyer has said many times. Fear is

False
Evidence
Appearing
Real

And just off the top of my head — does this work?  Faith is

Finding
Assurance and peace
In
The
Here and now (for what will be because our GOD said so.)

17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
via Romans 10:16-18 KJ21 – But they have not all obeyed the – Bible Gateway.

18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.
via 1 John 4:17-19 NASB – By this, love is perfected with us, so – Bible Gateway.

Philippians 3:13-15 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;
via Philippians 3:13-15 NASB – Brethren, I do not regard myself as – Bible Gateway.

And there you have it.

Blessings to you this Wednesday. I have prayed for each of you by name, email or blog name (whichever way you have identified yourself).

ABBA, thank You for servants who write so well and give us insights and much to ponder. And thank You for Your Word that is TRUTH and able to set us free. I pray this day for TRUTH to prevail in the lives of all my people. That Truth will take hold in their hearts and minds and hold sway over our lives, be believed and will set free and transform each one in JESUS name. And as before we bring our sick and afflicted, Dori and Sheila, specifically, along with others named, asking You to heal them. And as always until it be seen we pray for the rebellious for grace and space to repent. Amen and       .

We have the God-given Right to do right in this wrong World,

Assurance - Promise, You Tubes

I am Reminded

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this morning the Joy of the LORD is your strength! And mine!

Nehemiah 8:10 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
10 Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
via Neh 8:10 NASB – Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the – Bible Gateway.

So let us get up, rejoice and allow the heaviness to fall away, eat of the LORD’s portion for you (and me) this day, drink in His sweet and satisfying Water, and give of what we have to others who have little – be not grieved, but rejoice – for in the rejoicing, in the JOY of JESUS we are stronger!

Sing along and be stronger! 

We have the God-given Right to do right in this wrong World,
Praying (PFT)!

 

ABBA, thank You. Thank You for Your kind reminders to me, to us! We love you, we praise You in JESUS name. And we forget not to bring our sick and afflicted asking You to heal and restore them and for our wayward and rebellious we ask for mercy and grace and space to repent. We pray for the peace and security of Israel; we pray for revival for the Body of Christ. Amen and             .