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Christian Living

Anybody for Radical?

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This portion of Psalm 119 just seems right for our Thursday time together.

Psalm 119: (Amplified Bible)
161Princes pursue and persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of Your words [dreading violation of them far more than the force of prince or potentate].
162I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great spoil.
163I hate and abhor falsehood, but Your law do I love.
164Seven times a day and all day long do I praise You because of Your righteous decrees.
165Great peace have they who love Your law; nothing shall offend them or make them stumble.
166I am hoping and waiting [eagerly] for Your salvation, O Lord, and I do Your commandments.
167Your testimonies have I kept [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying them]; I love them exceedingly!
168I have observed Your precepts and Your testimonies, for all my ways are [fully known] before You.
169Let my mournful cry and supplication come [near] before You, O Lord; give me understanding (discernment and comprehension) according to Your word [of assurance and promise].
170Let my supplication come before You; deliver me according to Your word!
171My lips shall pour forth praise [with thanksgiving and renewed trust] when You teach me Your statutes.
172My tongue shall sing [praise for the fulfillment] of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteous.
173Let Your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen Your precepts. 174I have longed for Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my delight. 175Let me live that I may praise You, and let Your decrees help me.
176I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek, inquire for, and demand Your servant, for I do not forget Your commandments.
via Ps 119:161-176 – Passage Lookup – Amplified Bible – BibleGateway.com.

I see His part, our part in this. Some things God just does with or without our faithfulness; but most often it’s a two party deal; our radical obedience brings on His radical blessings.

Free Dictionary dot com defines radical this way:Departing markedly from the usual or customary; extreme via radical – definition of radical by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

Anybody for Radical? It beats mediocre, don’t you think?

Mediocre: Moderate to inferior in quality; ordinary.via mediocre – definition of mediocre by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia..

PRAYING FOR THESE

Help us to pray, help us to obey, especially when we are tired and worn. I commend to You now, ABBA, Jenny, Karen, Sonny and Cameron, Elaine, Beth C., JP and family, Julee and Bridgett and others — only Your Best, ABBA. Only Your best in JESUS Name.

Blessed to Bless,
Kathie

Assurance - Promise, Christian Living

In the Making!

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Still nursing a sinus episode so perhaps our Monday time together will be brief.

I have spent much of today reading, that is when I was not sleeping.

One of my reading choices has been Radical by David Platt. It’s not a speedy read for me as it has required pondering, note taking and praying. I do not know what the outcome of reading it will be — I pray it’s RADICAL.

I also read a bit in Judges.

Judges 6: (New American Standard Bible)
12 The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, “The LORD is with you, O valiant warrior.”
13 Then Gideon said to him, “O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”
14 The LORD looked at him and said, “Go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?”
15 He said to Him, “O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.”
16 But the LORD said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat Midian as one man.”
17 So Gideon said to Him, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who speak with me.
18 “Please do not depart from here, until I come back to You, and bring out my offering and lay it before You.” And He said, “I will remain until you return.”
19 Then Gideon went in and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour; he put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, and brought them out to him under the oak and presented them.
20 The angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And he did so.
21 Then the angel of the LORD put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight.
22 When Gideon saw that he was the angel of the LORD, he said, “Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face.”
23 The LORD said to him, “Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.”
24 Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and named it The LORD is Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
via Judges 6:12-24 – Passage Lookup – New American Standard Bible – BibleGateway.com.

And there is much more in this passage than I am not going to touch on tonight as time is ticking.

Please note how the LORD addressed Gideon: 12 The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, “The LORD is with you, O valiant warrior.”

O valiant warrior.

That is not how Gideon saw himself as shown by verse 13.

Perhaps the LORD is seeing more in you than you are seeing in yourself.

I appreciate and enjoy verse 14: “The LORD looked at him and said, “Go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?”

THE LORD LOOKED AT HIM AND SAID.

What more would we want than for the LORD to look at us and speak to us?

In the beginning of our Text Gideon is afraid, even thinks of himself as cowardly; but JESUS doesn’t.  And by verse 24 neither does Gideon.

Gideon said: “The LORD is Peace.”

Yielding to and knowing JESUS is our very own PEACE does not mean we will never be afraid but it does mean we are valiant warriors in the making!

Thank You for this Passage and for the encouragement You give us in it, ABBA, and I pray, HOLY SPIRIT, for You to take this offering and minister it as You will. You know the precious souls on own minds. Thank You for the healing You are continuing to bring. Thank You for Who You are to us. Thank You for our IDOK Troops, keep them safe and protected we pray. Amen and amen in YOUR NAME, LORD JESUS.

Blessed to bless,
Kathie

A Quick Hello, Assurance - Promise, Christian Living

Flat Out … :)

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Hmmmm.    A blank page.

I’ve been thinking I want something light and entertaining for our Friday time together — where’s that humor my friends tell me I have when I need it?!! Especially when it’s 8:38 PM!!

I’ve had fun today.  But if I told you what was fun about, it could be construed as bragging.  So I’ll just share parts.

Truth is doing life with JESUS is just flat out fun!

Texting with my niece, seeing a picture of her ‘new Friend’ all the way from South Africa; hearing good news that my grand-nephew is going to church now.

Meeting new friends in Blog Land — that actually live in the Philippines.  She has a well setting view of Heaven. I enjoyed reading her work today.  Crown of Beauty Perhaps you’d like to visit too.

Chicken vegetable soup and cornbread for supper.  Pretty fine stuff, if I do say so myself.

I’ve spoken true words over myself today — a fine thing you know to speak true words to yourself.

I scratched the back of an old dog and he thoroughly enjoyed it and I enjoyed pleasing him.

The digits on the bathroom scale are going down.  :)

A pot of green tea in the afternoon helps curb the appetite — 3 bite size cookies are a sweet treat.

The house is quiet — no intruding television — the hum of a ceiling fan: gives a Girl reasons to smile.

A beloved hubby who is just flat out a good man.

Flat out — I’ve come to just flat out like those two words.   :)

Okay. Time to reign this in.

Psalm 108: (New American Standard Bible)
1 My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing, I will sing praises, even with my soul.
2 Awake, harp and lyre; I will awaken the dawn!
3 I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the peoples, And I will sing praises to You among the nations.
4 For Your lovingkindness is great above the heavens, And Your truth reaches to the skies.
5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, And Your glory above all the earth.
via Ps 108:1-5 – Passage Lookup – New American Standard Bible – BibleGateway.com.

PRAYING FOR THESE

Thank You, ABBA, for the privilege and the responsibility of reviewing and praying for those on our list. Thank You for seeing each name, each soul; thank You for meeting their needs. Thank You for silly times, thank You for allowing us to do life with You. I pray for each Dear IDOK that they will enjoy Your Presence today; that their love for You will be strengthened today and this day will not pass without each expressing to You that You are Awesome and worthy of praise. And we remember our IDOK Troops for safety, protection, blessings of peace and hope. And speaking of peace and hope — I pray for the peace of Israel.

Many other matters too, without giving them  specific voice here, still we bring them to You; thank You for hearing; thank You for answering in JESUS Name. Amen and amen.

Until Then + + +
Kathie

The invitation is still open to enter the drawing for a free copy of Leah Adams’ Legacy Study Book.  Click HERE to be directed to the proper page for posting a reply.

Assurance - Promise, Christian Living

Choose

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I am eager for each Wednesdays with Beth segment that is to come.  A new series began today (3/15/11).  A Story Fit For A Song. Click HERE and check out the first installment.

One of the things I’ve thought about since viewing the segment today is and I am quoting Beth as closely as I remember: “Do you believe Me more than what you see?”

And for me, ABBA could just as surely say to me, “Do you believe Me more than you believe what you are FEELING?”

You see when I look around and see those situations and relationships and events and this or that not coming together the way I think they should, all kinds of feelings begin to arise.

Fear

Doubt

Rejection

Inferiority

Accusations of Stupidity

Accusations of Dull, boring

Unloved

Unwanted

Abandoned

And the list could go on and on.  Yet all of those feelings can be summed up in one: insecurity – not knowing who we are in CHRIST JESUS.

When by faith we rely upon the FACT that we belong to JESUS; that we have been made whole and pure and lovely in Him, and when circumstances or situations attempt to draw us into those familiar feelings, we can refuse them and choose to believe what JESUS says about us. We can choose to believe we have the Mind of Christ. We can choose to believe that He will never forsake us or leave us. We can choose to believe that to Him we are all together lovely. We can choose to believe that He is supplying every need we have. We can choose to believe He is rejoicing over us. We can choose to believe that in Him we are more than conquerors!

It takes practice. There will be times we will resist those lying feelings quickly; other times it will take a bit longer. And that’s okay as long as we keep practicing.

Romans 8:(Amplified Bible)
37Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.
via Romans 8:37 – Passage Lookup – Amplified Bible – BibleGateway.com.

2 Corinthians 5: (New King James Version)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
via 2 Corinthians 5:17 – Passage Lookup – New King James Version – BibleGateway.com.

Jeremiah 31: (New International Version, ©2011)
3 The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.
via Jeremiah 31:3 – Passage Lookup – New International Version, ©2011 – BibleGateway.com.

Philippians 4: (New International Version, ©2011)
19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
via Phil 4:19 – Passage Lookup – New International Version, ©2011 – BibleGateway.com.

Philippians 4: (New International Version, ©2011)
13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
via Phil 4:13 – Passage Lookup – New International Version, ©2011 – BibleGateway.com.

2 Timothy 1: (Amplified Bible)
7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.
via 2 Timothy 1:7 – Passage Lookup – Amplified Bible – BibleGateway.com.

Deuteronomy 31: (New International Version, ©2011)
6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
via Deuteronomy 31:6 – Passage Lookup – New International Version, ©2011 – BibleGateway.com.

Psalm 37:25 (New Living Translation)
25 Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread.
via Psalm 37:25 – Passage Lookup – New Living Translation – BibleGateway.com.

Zephaniah 3:17
17 The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.
via Zep 3:17;Is 62:5;ps 45:11 – Passage Lookup – English Standard Version – BibleGateway.com.

Psalm 45:11 (New International Version)
11 The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord.
via Psalm 45:11 “The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is…” NIV – Online Bible Study.

James 4:(The Message)7-10So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.
via James 4:7 – Passage Lookup – The Message – BibleGateway.com.

PRAYING FOR THESE

Thank You, ABBA.  We accept Your Word, surrendering to You, for You to do Your holy work within us for Your glory and for our own well being.  In particular from our list I am continuing to remember Jenny, Julee, Bridgett, my friends Karen and Elaine, Penni, Pam and Todd, along with each and every case as You know so well; thank You even before we see the good and perfect acts You are doing on behalf of each. Amen and amen in JESUS Name.

Please remember the Give-A-Way.  Click HERE for details.

Perhaps Today + + +
Kathie