As I read, watch, and listen, a host of thoughts, phrases, and “what-if’s” fill my mind. It depends on the tools at the moment how I recall them, relate to them, or even share them.
When I spend time just thinking about life, then many rabbit trails suddenly appear and I can wander down many mazes before I get to where I may have thought I was going. You never know where you will end.
Years ago, I started collecting tidbits of information that meant something then. Reading it today, the impact may be lost because I’m out of the moment. But at the time? It was powerful! It’s almost like waking up and not remembering something that your dream state thought very important.
Hence, I am making this post a collection point of other thoughts I get while researching for a blog post. It’s just a start, and I have hundreds, no, more like thousands, yet to come.
There’s no rhyme, reason, or order. Just the research of a thousand places that end up in my notes.
Penmanship: My writing (by pen) cannot keep up with the speed of my mind. Hence, my writing becomes scribble. Makes me realize that my speed writing is not readable, except by the form of the words on the page. Maybe I need to make better scribble marks.
Thinkers Thoughts
At the heart of the Christian Faith is not an image or a doctrine, but a COVENANT–a pact and promise (Exodus 40). Now with Jesus the center is the NEW COVENANT in Jesus’ blood and resurrection, active in us by the Spirit–a shared covenant of responsible grace. ~Howard A Snyder
Or, Jesus has always been the center of all covenants since he was God!? ~me
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John Madden had three famously simple rules for every team he coached:
1. Show up on time
2. Pay attention
3. Give it your all on Sunday
That’ll preach.
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“Lord,
I worry because I forget your wisdom.
I resent because I forget your mercy.
I covet because I forget your beauty.
I sin because I forget your holiness.
I fear because I forget your sovereignty.
You always remember me. Help me to remember you.
Amen…” ~@timkellernyc
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If you carry around the bricks of your past, you’ll build the same house anew.
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If you don’t have a relationship with the word of God, you won’t have a relationship with the God of the word. – Tim Zuniga
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At Bethlehem, He is GOD WITH US.
At Calvary, He is GOD FOR US.
At Pentecost, He is GOD IN US.
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“Students shouldn’t go out into life without the ability to communicate.
Your success in life will be determined largely by…
-your ability to speak,
-your ability to write, &
-the quality of your ideas,
**in that order**.”
-Late MIT Prof. Patrick Winston
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When “i” is replaced with “we”, even illness becomes wellness.
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Psalms teach us how to worship; Proverbs, how to behave; Job, how to suffer; Song of Solomon, how to love; and Ecclesiastes, how to live.
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Positive Discontent
Follow up:
What did you try?
How did it work?
What did you learn?
What will you do next time?
Positive discontent – When skills improve, expand the scope and raise the standard.
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3 tactics Satan used in the Garden of Eden:
1) question the Word of God – “did God actually say…(Gen. 3:1)?”
2) God is liar & can’t be trusted- “You will not surely die…(Gen. 3:4)”.
3) be you own God. “… and you will be like God…(Gen 3:5).”
He uses the same tactics today!
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To all I have become all things, that in any and every way I might save some.
1 Cor 13:1-3
Tongues – Love = Nothing
Prophecy – Love = Nothing
Knowledge – Love = Nothing
Faith – Love = Nothing
Unselfishness – Love = Nothing
Martyrdom – Love = Nothing
This is your daily reminder: Keep doing what you’re doing, but stop if you’re not motivated by love!
~Ari Prado
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You can approach life any way you want to, but you only approach salvation one way. There is no other way.
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The Strangers Along Sorrows Road
When healing doesn’t happen you don’t meet those who are administering your care
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Chewy Thoughts
- Deficit – Sleep, energy, time
- Get in and Get What You Need
- Out From The Crowd
- Everyone is not on the same schedule
- All you need is a good pillow
- There are not enough teats to go around.
- When drained you must take care of self
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To succeed in life, you need three things:
a wishbone
a backbone
and a funny bone!
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“Accepting Jesus… is the start of the journey; Eternity with Jesus… is the end of the journey; Getting to know Jesus… IS the journey.” ~Ranal Currie
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Wednesday Thoughts
- Counting up, Count Down, it takes little for God to change my circumstances.
- Reality of where I am over what pretend world I’ve placed myself into via gaming, social media? Even a phone call.
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“Our Lord unlocked my mind, sent me upon the sea, and gave me fire for the deed. Those who heard of my enterprise called it foolish, mocked me, and laughed. But who can doubt but that the Holy Ghost inspired me?”
–Christopher Columbus via Ken Gurley
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The early church was
• multiracial and unified
• community of forgiveness & reconciliation
• famous for hospitality to poor & suffering
• committed to sanctity of life
• sexual counterculture
—@TimKellerNYC
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What do you declare?
1 Corinthians 15:1 (KJV) Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
Psalms 9:11 (KJV) Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.
A good mentor will teach you how to think, not what to think.
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- “Going to church is not supposed to set the tone for the rest of the week. Being the Church during the week sets the tone for its gathering.” – Miguel Labrador
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- Good, better, best
Never let it rest
Till the Good gets Better
And the Better gets Best!
~Rev James L Kilgore
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“Everything I describe took place while I was watching it, but I do not believe that honest observation is enough. The emotions and behavior of the watcher are also facts, and they must be truthfully recorded.” ~J.A. Baker, The Peregrine
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If you sowed it in faith, don’t dig it back up in doubt. Leave it in fertile soil.
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Jesus can be both Father & Son (Is. 9:6) just as He is both the Lion (Rev. 5:5) & the Lamb (Jn. 1:29); Priest (Heb. 3:1) & Sacrifice (Heb. 9:28); Root & Offspring of David (Rev. 22:16); David’s son & Lord (Lk. 20:41-44); Alpha & Omega, Beginning & End, First & Last (Rev. 22:13).
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“Wisdom is nine-tenths a matter of being wise in time.” – Theodore Roosevelt
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“GOD HAS OUR BACK!”
“DO NOT FEAR, for I AM W/ YOU; don’t be dismayed, for I AM your GOD!
I’ll STRENGTHEN, HELP & UPHOLD you w/ my RIGHTEOUS right hand.
All who rage against you will surely be ashamed & disgraced & those who oppose you will be as nothing & perish!” Isa 41:10-11
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If our prayers don’t take us:
Beyond our mirror #PrayBiggerPrayers,
Beyond our front door #PrayBiggerPrayers,
Beyond our city #PrayBiggerPrayers,
Beyond our church #PrayBiggerPrayers.
Too many times we pray only within our sphere yet we serve an unlimited God! #PrayBiggerPrayers ~ Tammy Dyer Bauske
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- My faults are not God’s failure and my failures are not God’s fault.
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- The great preacher Charles Spurgeon, who suffered from depression and anxiety, said, “I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages
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How does God see us? What name does he use?
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David fought Goliath, and won in minutes…he fought Saul and won in years…he fought “self” his entire life with wins and losses throughout.
~Rick Wright
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God knows best❣️
Gallup Poll confirms only one group have improved mental health during this pandemic ~ those who ATTEND CHURCH WEEKLY!!!
The Bible affirms this ~
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” ~ Matthew 18:20
“I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.” ~ Psalms 35:18
“Exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly” ~ Psalms 107:32
“Let us go into the house of the Lord”~ Psalms 122:1
“Praise God in his sanctuary” ~ Psalms 150:1
“Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary” ~ Psalms 77:13
“To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.” ~ Psalms 63:2
“Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.” ~ Psalms 73:17
“Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord.” ~ Psalms 134:2
“As [Jesus’] custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day” ~ Luke 4:16
Acts 2:1 ~ “They were all…in one place.”
“They assembled themselves with the church” ~ Acts 11:26
“They…gathered the church together” ~ Acts 14:27
“When ye come together in the church” ~ 1 Corinthians 11:18
“The whole church be come together into one place” ~ 1 Corinthians 14:23
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” ~ Hebrews 10:25
“Gather the people, sanctify the congregation” ~ Joel 2:16
“Know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church” ~ 1 Timothy 3:15
“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house” ~ Malachi 3:10
“Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.” ~ Psalms 149:1
~Art Hodges
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- If we pray, “God, purify my mind, my heart, my motives,” we won’t have to pray nearly as many, “God, forgive my words and actions.” ~Lori Wagner
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The Power of No.
“What you permit, you promote. What you allow, you encourage. What you condone, you own.” -Unknown
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Jesus warned of the Sadducees.
Jesus rebuked the scribes.
Jesus called out the Pharisees.
Jesus reproved the priests.
But Jesus still wept over Jerusalem.
If we’re to be like Jesus, all critique must flow out of compassion.
~Dustin Benge
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Fear is a lot like faith, in that they both speak of things that are not as though were. But one blesses while the other destroys. Knowing this truth, it’s amazing that we often put faith in our fears and fear stepping out in faith. ~Jay Jones
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Today, I’m feeling an intense burden for my friends in ministry. Please know that prayers are being lifted on your behalf!
I generally wouldn’t do so, but for whatever reason I felt prompted to share something here. Last spring, as I wrestled with how to lead our church forward in the chaos of lockdowns, etc. here in IL, I read through 2 Chronicles ch. 20 again and scribbled down some insights that have helped guide me and our team over the last several months.
I don’t pretend to be an authority on leadership. I’ll defer that role to others. Honestly, it seems like the longer I lead, the less I know. But below are some very simple and foundational thoughts I’ve found helpful while leading and navigating in these uncertain times. When my head is swirling, I find myself coming back to and rehearsing this simple list. – Taken from 2 Chronicles 20
• Humble yourself and “seek the Lord” (v 3)
• Rehearse God’s sovereignty and faithfulness (vv 5-11)
• Stay focused on Him – “Our eyes are upon You” (v 12)
• Remember the battle is the Lord’s (vv 14-15)
• “Position” yourself and watch God fight for you (vv 16-17)
• Initiate/Lead in worship and praise (vv 18-19)
• “Believe” and be “established” (v 20)
My only goal with this post is to be an encourager to someone leading through uncertainty. If you have more questions than answers, you’re not alone. Give yourself some grace. Rest in Him.
I’m praying for you.
Blessings!
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“Don’t allow the enemy to confuse you into believing it takes a mountain of faith to move a mustard seed.” ~Morton Bustard
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What is the cause of spiritual barrenness, drought and sinfulness?
Broken altars.
Broken altars have always been the reason for our troubles.
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“When obedience falters, faith weakens. How can there be great faith, where there is little faithfulness?”
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Two turtles collided, the only witness was a snail. The officer asked what he saw? He said, “I don’t know, it all happened so fast.” What’s your lens? ~Stan Gleason
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“We love until we are betrayed. Jesus continued to the cross despite betrayal. We love until we are forsaken. Jesus loved through forsakenness. We love up to a limit. Jesus loves to the end.” -Dane Ortlund
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The Emotional Journey of Creating Anything Great
– This is the best idea ever!
– This is a lot of work.
– This sucks, I have no idea what I’m doing.
– Quick, let’s call it a day and say we learned something.
– Wait, wow.
– I’ve never been so proud! 😂
Anyone else relate? (Rebekah Radice)
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What it’s worth may not be equal to its value. (Value is how much a customer thinks something is worth to her/him. An item is worth something, when the market is willing to pay a price.)
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Listening is not only a biological function of acoustics; it is a spiritual skill of the Soul. ~Eugene Peterson
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Our pose in photos often speaks volumes about how we view ourselves and how we want others to think about us… the photographer knows how to stage your position to show off your best features.
I wonder how God feels about the “posed” position of the church as a whole. And of me, and you
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“What is an investment?
Usain Bolt won 8 gold medals in 3 Olympics, and he only ran for less than 115 seconds on the track, earning $119 million dollars. That’s an economy of effort.
But for those 2 minutes, he trained for 20 years. That’s an investment. Think long-term. Patience pays.”
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My trust is in Jesus.
My hope is in Jesus.
My joy is in Jesus.
My peace is in Jesus.
My faith is in Jesus.
My confidence is in Jesus.
My strength is in Jesus.
My salvation is in Jesus.
My identity is in Jesus.
My purpose is in Jesus.
My future is in Jesus.
~Christine Caine
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“Bartimaeus was healed years ago, we still call him “Blind Bartimaeus.”
RAHAB changed, but is still called “Rahab the Harlot.”
The son came home & is still called “Prodigal Son.”
When you encounter Christ, He only sees the Blood.
Don’t let others call you anything but redeemed
~Gary Randol
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Standard of Achievement
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When it comes to the devil, resist him and he will flee from you (James 4:7); but when it comes to temptations of the flesh, you do the fleeing (1 Cor 6:18; 2 Tim 2:22)!
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Moments in the Middle
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7 reasons to praise God on this Monday:
1. He redeems us (Rm 5:8)
2. He promises us a home (Jn 14:3)
3. He loves us forever (Ps 107:1)
4. He gifts us faith (Ep 2:8)
5. He gives us His Word (2 Ti 3:16)
6. He provides our needs (Ph 4:19)
7. He secures our joy (Rm 5:2)
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~Tom Trimble
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And the only tangible that a leader can bring people is hope! So every word matters. Every act matters. Every facial expression matters… we can destroy hope and not even realize it. ~Galen Walters
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Beware the idols of modernity & nostalgia. One claims God was sufficient for the past but not now. The other claims the old God isn’t powerful enough for today. He’s God enough no matter what the clock reads. Yesterday. Today. Forever.
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It took God one day to get Israel out of Egypt and 40 years to get Egypt out of Israel.
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Stop asking God questions. Job asked 1, God replied with 42 questions. ~Ken Gurley
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It’s all about the price point.
When the price goes up people quit buying.
Keep the price but lower the volume and people keep buying.
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Psalms 23:1-6 (KJV)A Psalm of David.
- The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
- He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
- He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
- Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
- Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
- Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
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Your greatest Saturday night trial can become your greatest Sunday morning victory.
It’s a valley that has an ending with the SON rise of the morning.
Healing in his wings.
Peace in his words.
Joy in presence.
Love to shine and show God’s working in your life!
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Yesterday, Today and Forever.
He is ever watchful and caring.
All the time.
He never fails.
He’s always on time.
Faithful.
Full of peace.
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At all times, we need to simply learn to let God Do What God Does! Let Go. Let God
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A foot in the door… something we all do to start the pathway to growth. Start with something small, prove yourself worthy of focus, and grow with the position. Another door will open, and another foot will be placed in the door.
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I’ve changed much from when I was young. But in what ways?
In youth, we learn; in age we understand. ~Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach
I’m now at the age of understanding!
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Second Life – Change is constant. Being ready for what the future unfolds in front of us tells me I must be ready to change! Go with the Flow! Gather no moss!
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Do you know why birds sing just before dawn? Scientists believe it’s to tell their mates that they made it through the night, as a way of saying, “I’m still here.” Maybe that’s why we sing, too, why we create art—as a way of saying, “I made it. I’m still here.”
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“I tremble when I remember that God is just.” ~Thomas Jefferson
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“Luke says
•while Jesus was Praying~the Spirit descended on Him
•after He spent night in Prayer~He chose the 12
•when He was dying Jesus was Praying for His persecutors
•when He was praying~He was transfigured.
There’s nothing more transfiguring than Prayer” ~Ravenhill via Joy Haney
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As I get to know the written word = Bible, I get to know the living word = Jesus.
Via Anthony Manshino
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The forge of faith is a funny place. We go in grumbling, “I don’t want this! Lord, don’t make me go” only to come out rejoicing, “Thank You, Jesus! That was the best thing to happen to me.”
Don’t let the heat, pressure, and process scare you – it is the secret of your success
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When Jeremiah was thrown into a cistern, it’s an Ethiopian who saves him
When imprisoned, it’s not the king of Israel, but the king of Babylon who orders that he not be harmed
For every path you see that could provide your breakthrough
God sees another you know nothing about
~Heather Thompson Day
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About the prodigal story:
The bad son was lost in his badness. But the good son was lost in his goodness. ~Mark Condon
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“Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” ~Winnie the Pooh
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The perfect church service would be one we were almost unaware of. Our attention would have been on God. ~C.S. Lewis
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The bridge between knowledge and skill is practice. The bridge between skill and Mastery is Time.
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A person’s gift will make room. A person’s character will keep them in the room. A person’s integrity will impact the room. A person’s faithfulness and longevity will forever change the room. ~Victor Jackson
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The world was waiting for a reformer, but what Jesus offered was a spiritual reformation. His focus was not on the condition of Israel in light of the conquerors… His focus was removing the barriers so we could be like him.
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Is it bad?
It’s very bad.
Is it ugly?
It’s very ugly.
Are the times wicked?
Very wicked.
But let’s stay focused.
John 2:10 says Jesus kept the best for last.
I’m holding fast to that..with God, the best is last.
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JESUS:
-never fails
-cannot lie
-does all things well
-knows the plans
-orders the steps
-is in front of me
-is with me
-is behind me
-loves me
-is the way out
-is the way in
-is the Father
-is the Son
-is the Holy Ghost
-wept
-died
-rose
-is coming again
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It seems Jesus understood many parables are not immediately understood. He was willing to let those who heard grasp the meaning later on. It’s like attracting fish with a minnow. Sometimes you have immediate results, and sometimes you think about the one(s) That got away. But in their thirst for understanding it simply means they get caught at a later time in life.
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“Stored up angst is simply ammunition that has dangerous consequences- mostly to self… Let it go…” ~Michael Gurley
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The first intellectual in the Bible was the serpent. The original casuist and sophist.
Most casual readers don’t even recognize that he was offering them something they already had.
He literally sold flight to birds and they bought it. Selling “God Likness” to mankind.
~Tsekot Kifle
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Exodus 25:8 (NKJV): And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.
Note— “that I may dwell among THEM” not “that I may dwell in IT”
#HolyWow
Not IT but US! God is about us.
~Tony Mansinho
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Lost ground
Higher ground
Fallow ground
Good ground.
Stoney ground.
Thorny ground.
Wayside ground.
Holy ground.
Into which ground are you leaving footprints? @JBSims
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“To improve your writing, write more.
To improve your public speaking, speak more publicly.
To improve your knowledge, teach more.
To improve your relationships, give more.
To build resiliency and optimism, do more.
To feel lighter and free of unnecessary stress, forgive more.”
~Vala Afshar
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One commitment can accomplish more than ten commandments. Follow Christ because you get to; not because you’ve got to. ~Morton Bustard
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It’s the fallen that show us how to get up.
It’s the tempted that show us how to overcome.
It is the desperate that show us how to pray.
It is the grateful that show us how to praise God. @JBSims
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A prayer life is a life of prayer.
Praying without ceasing. Pray in the car. Pray on the job. Pray in your home. Pray when you want to. Pray when you don’t want to. Pray at church. Pray on the mountain. Pray in the valley.
A prayer life is waking up to pray when you want sleep
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Suicide is never a solution. It is not the end of pain, it only transfers it to your loved ones. Agree?
You are not the sole owner of your life. Parents, loved ones, friends are also part of your life. Do think about them, before you make a wrong move.
✔ Depression is a mental illness. It can be cured.
✔ Problems can be solved with dialogues.
✔ Consult with experts. They can help you to get out of it.
Menu of Healthy Lifestyle👇
Eat Healthy
Meditation
Exercise
Spend Time With Family.
Sleep
Think Positive Thoughts
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If you want be a bridge you will have to be run over by both sides.
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“We inherently move towards that which attracts us. Jesus Christ should become and remain the great attraction of our life.” – JT Pugh
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What is characteristic of prejudice?
1. Prejudice is marked by self-centered pride. Esther 3:1–15
2. Prejudice is marked by blindness to the truth. Mark 6:1–13
3. Prejudice is marked by a lack of real love. Luke 10:25–37
“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” ~MLK
~Via Tony Manshino
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A razor blade is sharp, but it can’t cut a tree; the axe is strong but it can’t cut hair. Everyone is important according to their own unique purpose.
#youarevaluabletoGod ~Steve Ares
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Make way through the water
Walk me through the fire
Do what you are famous for
What you are famous for
Shut the mouths of lions
Bring dry bones to life and
Do what you are famous for
What you are famous for
~Tauren Wells
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“If ants get along, they can move an elephant”
~Proverb of Burkina Faso (West Africa)
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“Restrained from the missionary work he loved ~Paul built a new pulpit&from the place of bondage come sweet/helpful ministries. Precious messages of light come from dark shadows of captivity” ~S.C.Rees
Sometimes He takes you aside from the crowd~ What will you do with it? Mk7:33 (Joy Haney)
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“Being specialized in mathematics, I believed that everything was equal to the sum of its parts, until I started working with the teams. Then, when I became a coach, I realized that the whole is never the sum of its parts – it’s greater or lesser, depending on how its members manage to collaborate “
~Chuck Noll, former Pittsburgh Steelers manager
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“Take an idea. Think, dream about it. Let your brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body be full of this idea and isolate yourself from everything else. This is the way to success “
~Swami Vivekananda
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Lessons for Virtual Church from COVID19
Cut the fluff.
Get to the point.
Shorten the sermons.
Numbers do not impress.
Announcements are a drag.
Serve the text, people need Word.
Worship is about substance not style.
More prayer is needed, it’s harder to make an impact virtually.
~Gregg T Johnson
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King Saul failed – Apostle Saul prevailed
Simon Peter – Simon the sorcerer
Salome the dancer – Salome the anointer
Ananias the liar – Ananias the prayer warrior
Judas the betrayer – Judas the prophet
It doesn’t matter what your name is, it’s what you do with it that matters.
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Most want God’s will in their life, but in their timing
Is it still God’s will, if it is in your timing?
Most are willing to submit to the will of God, but can you submit to the timing of God?
When we ask for His will, it’s His timing as well
~Justin Henry (Gods will. Gods timing. Hand in glove. )
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What you focus on becomes how you feel about something.
We all have to decide what to focus on , or our survival brain takes over.
What meaning you give something, you will feel the emotion of it, and that directs the quality of your life.
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10 spies said, “We can’t!”
2 spies said , “ We can!!”
They were all right.
10 didn’t.
2 did!
Numbers 13
#faithoverfear #attitide
~Mark Foster
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5 Important Guidelines In Life: by @ricklgodwin.
1. When you are alone, Mind your thoughts.
2. When you are angry, Mind your temper.
3. When you are with a group, Mind your behavior.
4. When you are in trouble, Mind your emotions.
5. When God starts blessing you, Mind your ego!
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I must admit, I am very impressed how smart the Covid-19 virus really is… It doesn’t contaminate you at Walmart, Home Depot, Costco, Supermarkets, etc… But it will get you for sure at hair salons, church, restaurants and any other small business… and don’t forget the beach!
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- Two birds, the vulture and the hummingbird, traverse the same terrain. One sees carnage, rotting, smelly dead meat. The other sees little flowers, fragrant, colorful beauty. Traversing the same territory, each one finds what he is looking for. What am I feasting on today?
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Noah lived 350 years after the Flood
He lived longer after the flood, than he did before the flood.
There is life after the storm. #trust
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Hard work: Easy work:
create criticize
inspire complain
educate imitate
empower control
develop blame
finish give up
collaborate ignore
trust exaggerate
love fear
unite separate
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What does the Bible say about decaf coffee?
“having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such.” (2 Tim 3:5)
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Preachers: If Jesus walked in and handed you his most prized possession, He would hand you sheep and trust you to feed them. Let the weight of that sink in as you step to the pulpit because that’s exactly what the call to #ministry is. ~Rick Lovall
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It is said we can live 40 days without food, 3 days without water, 6 minutes without oxygen, and 1 second without hope.
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Progress is a double-edged sword… Kevin Costner, Hidden Figures
Progress leaps us forward, but it does not diminish our identity. We are humans with purpose and future. Progress around technology should leave no one out of the loop.
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Thinkers who are presenters must keep challenging their position with fresh insights so the modern world will relate to their position.
After all, your position is important! Do not let the modern world slay your stance.
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Life is lived on a multitude of fronts. Family. Career. Health. Etc. But leading the charge is my identity and belief system. I choose to be a Christian
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pickaback. Old word for piggyback.
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Holiness defined is different from each perspective. But Gods holiness is what I desperately need to follow
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People are people but sometimes people are not human.
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Doing battle is a lonely experience. No one else can fight your fight. Your Goliath is your Goliath. It’s your armor that must be worn. Many times God will strip you down to nothing but pure raw faith in Him, but in the end, we know that this battle belongs to the Lord!
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Blood has a voice. Abel’s cried for revenge, while the blood of Jesus cried forgiveness “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” The blood of Jesus spoke better things. Heb 12:24
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To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive, and the true success is to labour. – Robert Louis Stevenson
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Gideon needed only 300 YESes,
but it took 31,700 NOes to get them.
Don’t be discouraged by the NOes!
You are getting closer to your YESes everyday. ~Phil Munsey
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“Right—where did you learn that phrase?” “It was in one of the books MacArthur left behind. The reference was to sea power, but—” “Mahan,” Joyce said. “He wrote before space travel.”
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- Jesus was amazed twice in scripture. First by the lack of faith (Mark 6:5-6), and second by great faith (Luke 7:9). I wonder what he’s amazed by in me? ~Jay Jones
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A major scale has 7 notes. When creating a melody for a four syllable word, “hallelujah” the calculation for the number of unique melodies is 7P4 or 7!/4! Include the basic number of different beats of notes the number increases to 7P4*5P4 Which is 100,800 ways to sing one word. ~Keisha Shelton (Twitter)
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The miracle you’re waiting for starts with what’s in your hand.
A staff…
A pot of oil…
A sling and stones…
A loaf of bread and piece of fish…
Give him what you have, and watch God do the impossible!
~Jay Jones
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“What would happen if you praised God at the level of the attack from your adversary?”
-Josh Herring
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Your future is just one second away. Ready for it?
Most of us think about the future far down the road, but reality says it’s just a blink, a heartbeat and a breath away.
Preparing for that future moment is what a lifetime of preparation has been all about.
Surprised? Ready? It’s here!
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Learning to code in Assembler without a book, my instructor took time to deepen our understanding to know binary – bits and bytes.
It takes 8 bits to equal one byte.
I learned the importance of every binary bit to have a solid byte.
Small details matter!
Then, hexadecimal!
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3 reasons you get REJECTED:
And here’s how to avoid it….
Stop saying:
1. I am not; because you ARE.
2. I can’t; because you CAN.
3. I won’t; because you WILL.
It’s that simple. No rocket science.
It applies to EVERY aspect of Life.
Let others speak negatively about you; what do you care?
But NEVER do it to yourself!
You only have one shot at this Life.
Nail it!
Any thoughts, please?
~Kirsty Bonner
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An attractive couple—but there was something badly wrong between them. Faber was no expert on marriage, but his training in interrogation techniques had taught him to read the silent language of the body—to know, from small gestures, when someone was frightened, confident, hiding something, or lying. Lucy and David rarely looked at one another, and never touched. They spoke to him more than to each other. They circled one another, like turkeys trying to keep in front of them a few square feet of vacant territory. The tension between them was enormous. They were like Churchill and Stalin, obliged temporarily to fight side by side, fiercely suppressing a deeper enmity. Faber wondered what the trauma was that lay at the back of their distance. ~Ken Follett. Eye of the Needle
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📌 When a child is learning to walk and falls 50 times, they don’t think “perhaps it isn’t for me.”
Hmmm. How many give up after the first failure? I think I’m glad our inventions and inventors prove that we should never give up too quickly!
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The story of the Prodigal is not about realizing that home is a good place to be, but also dangers that exist everywhere, even at home. His trip to the wild side began in his heart/mind long before he walks out the door, fortunes in hand. It’s really a story about waking up. ~Me
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There are two ways to read Scripture – the way a lawyer reads a will and the way an heir reads a will. ~Alexander Whyte
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Three Kinds of Spiritual People:
Natural Man (1 Cor. 2:14): Unsaved, cannot receive spiritual things.
Carnal Man (1 Cor. 3:1-4): Born again, yet unspiritual, a babe.
Spiritual Man (1 Cor. 3:13): Compares spiritual things with spiritual.
~Daniel Bracamonte
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The true test of a Christ follower’s life is not successfulness but faithfulness on the human level of life ~Oswald Chambers #NutshellSermon
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You don’t become overweight by over eating once
You don’t live paycheck to paycheck by overspending once
You don’t have bad credit by missing a payment once
You don’t have relationship issues by not communicating once
Your actions become habits
Your habits become your reality. ~Rick Godwin
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Looking back does not help you move forward. Paul said “forget the past”…my (his) focus is moving forward. How about you? What anchors of the past are preventing you from victoriously moving forward?
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“he had won over nothing more than shadows within him.”
— Wolf and Iron by Gordon R. Dickson
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40 billion people have lived on this planet, and all but two of them were born, and yet out of 40 billion babies—ONE SACRED BABY changed it all!
Astonishing.
Amazing.
Stupendous.
Staggering.
Profound.
Bewildering.
Jesus.
Herod searched for the savior-child but couldn’t find him. Herod expected him to come through palace gates or gates of aristocracy or gates of royalty. It never occurred to Herod that the heavenly king would come through earth’s back gate and Bethlehem’s barn door. #jesusisborn
~Brett Jones