tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41261048396339814502024-02-19T07:29:52.275-08:00Christian ImpactIt is time for the believer to become purposed in his/her walk. It is time to impact the world around us. This site has been designed to provide a place to inspire, encourage, and empower believers for Kingdom work.Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316843029864516287noreply@blogger.comBlogger295125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126104839633981450.post-1286418963970405482014-03-26T03:19:00.005-07:002014-03-26T03:19:56.343-07:00Giving vs Tithing: Dispensations and Covenants<br />
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Giving vs.
Tithing <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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A lot has been
said and a lot of questions have been raised about the legitimacy of tithing in
the church age. Is tithing (as an obligatory action) a bona fide function for
the church-age believer? How are believers in the Church to give? What is the
foundation of Christian giving? This article will attempt to address each of
these questions, while providing a Biblical foundation that supports the proper
mindset and function of giving in the church-age. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8uj5rJqDA11hFZJO4JFoYQKqJx9yxN36pkpX5QqJMrbUGSIWNnqhdxoGvbWA8e_DhZlD2isAyw9d8yKxUlJNwtHbg3BTS9CKhlsVhWfJYvzza6ksdyMCRylgB2_49S0z6dySHsosPidzK/s1600/God%2527s+Will+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8uj5rJqDA11hFZJO4JFoYQKqJx9yxN36pkpX5QqJMrbUGSIWNnqhdxoGvbWA8e_DhZlD2isAyw9d8yKxUlJNwtHbg3BTS9CKhlsVhWfJYvzza6ksdyMCRylgB2_49S0z6dySHsosPidzK/s1600/God%2527s+Will+4.jpg" /></a>When addressing
the issue of giving and its function within the life of believers, it is
important to understand a couple of very important facts. First, God engages
mankind in unique and distinct ways during different periods throughout
history. In theology, these periods are known as dispensations. A dispensation
is a specific period in the history of mankind that can be defined in terms of
divine revelation. In each dispensation, God has chosen specific ways to
interact with His people. There was the Age of the Gentiles, The Dispensation
of Israel, The Dispensation of the Hypostatic Union (The Period in which Christ
walked the earth), the Dispensation of the Church, The Tribulation, and The
Millennium. <o:p></o:p></div>
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These
dispensations can be sub-categorized for the purpose of anatomization, but the
knowledge of their existence is all that is needed here. We simply want to
bring a sense of lucidity to the framework being presented. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Secondly, God
deals with His people through covenant. From the beginning of time, God has
instituted and administrated covenants with mankind. Each covenant is distinct
and exclusive in relation to those with whom God initiates the covenant. It is
a mistake for Bible students to apply covenants from one dispensation and group
to another. For instance, God’s covenant with Israel is often applied to the
Church, but this is an erroneous concept. God’s covenant with Israel has great
value to Church age believers because it reveals His essence and His character.
God’s essence never changes, for the Bible tells us that he is immutable.
Understanding this, we are able to observe His dealings in past dispensations,
through previous covenants and ascertain how He will deal with us. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The covenant
presents the specific details that outline what is expected between both
parties. Some covenants are conditional while others are non-conditional
(meaning that God will execute is promises regardless to what the believer
does). <o:p></o:p></div>
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Analyzing what
has been presented thus far reveals that giving has to be understood under the
light of the current dispensation and active covenant between God and His
people. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Giving for the
church-age believer is an act of worship that is executed through grace. For
giving to have any intrinsic value, it must be done from the platform of grace.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tithing<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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There have been
many arguments for tithing (the giving of a tenth of one’s earnings) being a
church-age requirement, but there is no biblical support to substantiate this
claim. Some argue that tithing existed before God’s command to the nation of
Israel. This is true. Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth, but this was not of his
earnings. It was a tenth of the spoils that he claimed in battle. It is
important to understand that Abraham did not do this because he was commanded
by God to do so. He did it because it was the custom of that time to pay the
King a tenth of all the spoils claimed in battle within the boundaries of his
kingdom. Melchizedek was the King of Salem, so Abraham was paying homage to
him. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Tithing as an
obligatory action, was commanded by God to the nation of Israel (Lev. 27:30-34).
This was done as a form of taxation. There were several tithes commanded. There
was a tithe allocated for the maintenance of the Levites because they did not
receive an inheritance of the land of Canaan (Num. 18:21, 24). There was a
tithe allocated to support the national feasts and the required sacrifices
(Deut. 14:22-27). There was also a tithe collected every third year for the
purpose of providing for those that were poor and destitute (Deut. 14:22-27).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3w6xs9k2uvpbtgAszmBPHjQ-XhEN6-KG8AsgrsJiBfUW4lmUduSM7LtJcLFwFRZZ-kAp0MUrTHzNb44-JfeCfptW5fuetToHLgNIzBulR5jOnWq-PUntjgrCRugTf0BFU_z2M4bp954GH/s1600/The+Sower2" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3w6xs9k2uvpbtgAszmBPHjQ-XhEN6-KG8AsgrsJiBfUW4lmUduSM7LtJcLFwFRZZ-kAp0MUrTHzNb44-JfeCfptW5fuetToHLgNIzBulR5jOnWq-PUntjgrCRugTf0BFU_z2M4bp954GH/s1600/The+Sower2" /></a>Those that
teach tithing as a bona fide Church-age requirement teach it in an all
encompassing fashion. They apply the requirement across the board; however,
this is not how the command to tithe was presented in the Old Testament. Not
everyone was commanded to tithe and a tithe was not demanded of all possessions
or earnings. The tithe was specific to cattle and crops (Deut. 14:22). The
ancient Jew calculated and paid his tithes only once every year. Tithes were
paid on the annual increase not on all transactions throughout the year. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Another point
of interest is the historical point of view of the Church concerning tithing.
Historically, there is no indication of the early Church paying tithes. Also
you would have to consider the teachings of the Apostle Paul to be a valuable
indication of where the early church stood on tithing. No one planted more
churches during the infancy of the church-age than Paul, and his ministry was
primarily directed towards gentiles (Non-Jewish believers). This is important
because the law was never given to gentiles; meaning that they had no advanced
knowledge of the requirement to pay tithes. Paul, who insisted that grace had
replaced the law, never taught obligatory giving. As we will soon find out,
Paul taught against giving out of any type of compulsion. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Here are a few
facts to ponder concerning tithing:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Tithing as commanded in the Mosaic Law was never
10 percent of all you earn.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->The Temple (which would be the church now) did
not receive all of the tithes that were paid by the Jews.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->The early Church did not command or observe
tithing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Because tithing is commanded by the law, the
prosperity associated with it can only be experienced by those that desire to
be justified under the law. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Grace Giving<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The most
extensive teaching on giving can be found in 2 Corinthians chapters 8-9. In
chapter 8 verse 3, Paul tells the Corinthian believers of how the church in
Macedonia gave out of their lack, but they gave of their own accord, not out of
compulsion or legal requirement. Paul then tells the Corinthians that they
should follow the example of the Macedonians, but he insures them that this is
not a command (verse 8). <o:p></o:p></div>
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When these
chapters are examined closely, you will be able to see that Paul did not have
confidence in the Corinthians to give graciously, so he laid out the principles
of grace giving. Step by step he presents the power in giving and its
relationship to the grace plan of God. The Corinthians were the recipients of
God’s grace and it was important for them to express that same grace through
their free-will giving. Giving is an act of worship, and worship cannot be
commanded or legislated, it must be freely given. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Even in the Old
Testament where tithing was commanded, there was also the bringing of a free
will offering. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Proper giving
requires the proper mental attitude toward giving. When the believer’s mindset
is antagonistic toward giving, their giving has no intrinsic value, because
true giving is a function of grace. <o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCkV602V3idikoS0VDrjuu75gK_inHrSSirKcWEvPFWLb7ur-NGT1Ak0FSXK-woJCJg39e3f-cMR-IyIHpULCCVwYns3-yVB_8wy7Vgj3HUA7U9IqvLr3O9aTAW2dTY2cqAsDh35rtdne/s1600/2013-03-12+10.51.34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCkV602V3idikoS0VDrjuu75gK_inHrSSirKcWEvPFWLb7ur-NGT1Ak0FSXK-woJCJg39e3f-cMR-IyIHpULCCVwYns3-yVB_8wy7Vgj3HUA7U9IqvLr3O9aTAW2dTY2cqAsDh35rtdne/s1600/2013-03-12+10.51.34.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr. Rick Wallace</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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It is in verse
6 of chapter 9 that Paul comes to the meat of the matter; when you sow sparingly
you will reap sparingly. No one can expect to reap a harvest beyond the seed
that has been sown. When you sow bountifully you will receive a bountiful
harvest. Verse 7 closes the door on the matter as Paul tells the believers in
Corinth that they are to give as their heart purposes, not out of compulsion or
begrudgingly. When a person gives out of compulsion their heart may not be in
agreement, and God is looking at the heart. The motive behind giving is more
important than what is given. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Paul goes on to
inform his readers that as they pour out into the lives of others through
grace, God is able to take what they have sown and multiply its return. <o:p></o:p></div>
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When Christian
leaders teach obligatory giving with the amount specified, as in a tithe
(tenth), they rob the believer of the blessings associated with free-will
giving. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Does this mean
that believers are to give less than a tenth? Church-age giving is based on
grace and grace is the higher standard in comparison with the law. So, if the
law required a minimum of 10 percent, how much more should be given under
grace?<o:p></o:p></div>
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For the sake of
clarity, there is nothing wrong with establishing a 10 percent baseline for
giving, as long as it is not based on a compulsion to adhere to Old Testament
law. ~ Dr. Rick Wallace<o:p></o:p></div>
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Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316843029864516287noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126104839633981450.post-85181910470212285482014-03-19T10:31:00.000-07:002014-03-19T10:31:38.982-07:00The Beatitudes: Three Observations<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Today's Insight - March 19, 2014</span></h1>
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<a href="http://www.insight.org/" style="cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><img alt="Today's Insight from Chuck Swindoll" height="100" src="http://media.salemwebnetwork.com/cms/CW/Publication-Images/Devotionals/3472-Todays%20Insight%20Swindoll%20Banner%202.jpg" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 4px;" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<h1 style="font-size: 29.600000381469727px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">The Beatitudes: Three Observations</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12px;">by Charles R. Swindoll</span></span></h1>
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<a data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Matthew 5.1–12" data-version="nlt" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nlt/Matthew%205.1%E2%80%9312" style="cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Matthew 5:1–12</span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">The introduction to Jesus's Sermon on the Mount is no doubt the most familiar section of His message (<a data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Matthew 5.1–12" data-version="nlt" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nlt/Matthew%205.1%E2%80%9312" style="cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Matthew 5:1–12</a>). Commonly called "The Beatitudes," this section is the most descriptive word-portrait of a servant ever recorded. Let's reread these immortal words slowly:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (<a data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Matthew 5.3–12" data-version="nlt" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nlt/Matthew%205.3%E2%80%9312" style="cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Matthew 5:3–12</a>)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Let me suggest three general observations. First, <em style="font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit;">these are eight character traits that identify true servanthood</em>. When all eight are mixed together in a life, balance emerges. It is helpful to realize this is not a "multiple choice" list where we are free to pick and choose our favorites. Our Savior has stated very clearly those qualities that lead to a different lifestyle that pleases Him. A close examination of each is therefore essential.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Second, <em style="font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit;">these traits open the door to inner happiness</em>. Here are the fundamental attitudes which, when pursued and experienced, bring great satisfaction. Jesus offers fulfillment here like nothing else on earth. Study how each begins: "Blessed are. . . ." This is the only time our Lord repeats the same term eight times consecutively. Those who enter into these attitudes find lasting happiness.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Third, <em style="font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit;">attached to each character trait is a corresponding promise</em>. Did you notice this? "Blessed are . . . (the trait) for . . . (the promise)." Christ holds out a particular benefit for each particular quality. And what great promises they are! Small wonder when He finishes the sermon we read:</span></div>
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<em style="font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes. (7:28–29)</span></em></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Never before had His audience heard such marvelous truths presented in such an interesting and meaningful manner. They longed to have those promises incarnate in their lives.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">So do we.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Excerpted from <a href="https://secure2.convio.net/ifl/site/Ecommerce?VIEW_PRODUCT=true&product_id=27381&store_id=1101" style="cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><em style="font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit;">Improving Your Serve: The Art of Unselfish Living</em></a>, Copyright © 1981 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. (Thomas Nelson Publishers). All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.</span></div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Our Gift to You . . .</span></strong></div>
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<h3 style="font-size: 16.799999237060547px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<em style="font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Three Years with Jesus: A Pictorial Journey Through the Ministry of Christ</span></em></h3>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">In appreciation of your support of Insight for Living Ministries, you can choose to receive this resource when you donate today.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">This 72-page coffee table book includes stunning, full-color photographs, devotional reflections from Chuck Swindoll, and a chronological look at events in Jesus' ministry.Travel the places Jesus walked, converse with the people He healed, and witness evidence of Deity in human form.</span></div>
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<a href="https://secure2.convio.net/ifl/site/Donation2?df_id=3440&3440.donation=form1&set.PremiumID=35601&s_src=topic-jesus" style="cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Learn More</span></a></div>
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<em style="font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Used with permission. All rights reserved.</span></em></div>
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Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316843029864516287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126104839633981450.post-32100395024327816552014-03-18T07:24:00.001-07:002014-03-18T07:24:19.416-07:00The Integrity of God: God’s Point of Reverence vs. His Point of Contact<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxR-_-J0SNQC9LHfQVBClbefbIDqJ6ilG0cWVIScYdWDesgG0t1d8hgRZxW-FMJQPez7-v25kZlBX4hzeHHudWeTF5kPsczORZX5MwHM-Pndb652CI_si-4IDVWnUu8jddN_nUqoPrAK6b/s1600/Faith+1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxR-_-J0SNQC9LHfQVBClbefbIDqJ6ilG0cWVIScYdWDesgG0t1d8hgRZxW-FMJQPez7-v25kZlBX4hzeHHudWeTF5kPsczORZX5MwHM-Pndb652CI_si-4IDVWnUu8jddN_nUqoPrAK6b/s1600/Faith+1.jpeg" /></a>One of the most common mistakes of believers is the
cultivation of the misconception that God is somehow sentimental or moved by
emotions. This ostensibly small misconception has an immense potential to
confuse and mislead believers into believing that God can be swayed through
sentimentality or that He rules from an impetus of anger. God is not and has
never been capricious in his actions. One of God’s primary attributes is
immutability — meaning that he does not change or waver in his character. His
dealings with His creation is always just. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Many believers have been taught about God from two polar
extremes that present Him as either a sentimental softy or an easily angered
tyrant. The former is the base teaching of what I call the “love” movement.
These erroneous doctrines focus on the love of God without giving any
considerations to His complete essence. Thereby creating the fallible
expectation that God will deal with his human creation from a position of
emotional sentimentality — creating the belief that God could never sentence
those that he loves to eternal damnation or allow them to suffer as a
consequence for their wayward actions. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The latter assumption is derived from the fire and brimstone
preaching that creates a situation in which people are falling in and out of “salvation”
incessantly, accompanied by a belief that God is sitting on high waiting for
them to make a mistake so that he can lower the boom. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We must understand that although God is love, His love is
not his point of contact with humanity, it is His point of reference. His love
and the fact that He is love (1 John 4:8), reveals why he engages us, but it is
no longer His direct point of contact. When God created Adam and placed him in
the Garden, His point of contact with Adam was is perfect love. Because man had
not yet sinned, God could allow His love to be the point for contact without
concern of the compromise of His holiness. However, after man sinned God’s
justice replaced His love as the point of contact between Him and mankind. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Justice is the attribute of God’s essences that stands guard
over all of the rest. God’s essence is expressed through 10 primary attributes:
veracity, love, eternal life, omnipotence, omnipresence, omniscience,
immutability, sovereignty, righteousness and justice. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In order to avoid misunderstanding how God deals with
humanity, we must understand how His justice guards His integrity. The word “holy”
is used incessantly among evangelicals; however, if you were to ask the average
believer to define holiness, you would get some pseudo-spiritual, asceticism,
straight-laced, self-righteousness or some other form or pseudo-spirituality. <o:p></o:p></div>
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When the Bible speaks of being holy, it is definitely not speaking
of self-righteousness or self-denial. The word holy is like any other word in
any language; it evolves, changes and loses its original meaning — becoming
anachronistic. The English language over the last 400 years (the length of time
it has been since the original King James Version of the Bible was written and
the English term “holy” introduced) has been no exception to the rule of
etymological development. The word “holy” does not carry the same connotation
that it did in 1611. We must also keep in mind that English is not the original
language of the Bible so there is no reason to get sentimentally attached to a
particular word that was simply used to express the meaning of another word in
a completely different language, especially when there is a much better word
that clearly provides the lucid understanding of the term. That word is “integrity”.
When the Bible speaks of God’s holiness, it is speaking of His unwavering
character and integrity as it relates to His absolute standard of righteousness
— simply meaning that God never deviates from His standards for no reason
whatsoever. His integrity is absolutely impeccable. What He has promised He
would do, He will do. <o:p></o:p></div>
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With this understood, you are able to see that God does not
allow emotion to dictate his behavior. When the bible speaks of God’s anger, it
simply provides a clear understanding that God was displeased with a wrongful
action or misdeed that had been committed. The action that will follow will be
dictated by God’s standard of righteousness and executed by his justice. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCkV602V3idikoS0VDrjuu75gK_inHrSSirKcWEvPFWLb7ur-NGT1Ak0FSXK-woJCJg39e3f-cMR-IyIHpULCCVwYns3-yVB_8wy7Vgj3HUA7U9IqvLr3O9aTAW2dTY2cqAsDh35rtdne/s1600/2013-03-12+10.51.34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCkV602V3idikoS0VDrjuu75gK_inHrSSirKcWEvPFWLb7ur-NGT1Ak0FSXK-woJCJg39e3f-cMR-IyIHpULCCVwYns3-yVB_8wy7Vgj3HUA7U9IqvLr3O9aTAW2dTY2cqAsDh35rtdne/s1600/2013-03-12+10.51.34.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr. Rick Wallace</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Allow me to explain. Imagine all of God’s attributes in a
box, and at the bottom of the box there is a hole that services a funnel to
mankind. Everything that God does concerning his creation passes through this
one hole. Standing guard at this hole is God’s justice. Contrary to many
teachings, the justice of God is impartial and neutral. It does not act on its
own, but carries out what the righteousness of God demands. What God’s
righteousness approves, God’s justice blesses. What God’s righteousness
condemns, God’s justice curses. What this means is God’s justice ensures that
God will never rule as a tyrant because his righteous dictates that he not, but
it also ensures that God will not become emotionally sentimental and allow sin
to go unaddressed. <o:p></o:p></div>
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To elucidate the principle here, I will simply say that God’s
integrity ensures that His actions are completely fair and just. This should
provide the spiritual equilibrium that is necessary to live an effective
Christian life. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The integrity of God ensures that He is the one constant in
the entire universe. Although humanity continues to change, God’s expectation
and standards have not changed. God is perfectly cognizant of our fallibility
and imperfection — providing the means to bridge the gulf that these
imperfections created between He and His creation — accomplished through the
magnanimous gift provided through Christ at Calvary. While this is true, we
must never take the approach that God’s love will allow Him to ignore sin. The
moment that He ever does that, He will cease being God and immediately His
integrity would come into question. God’s justice will execute what His
righteousness demands. ~ Dr. Rick Wallace <o:p></o:p></div>
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Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316843029864516287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126104839633981450.post-2573020897764910632014-03-17T04:12:00.000-07:002014-03-17T04:13:49.435-07:00The Inspirational Story of One Woman's Second Chance<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">
AMAZING STORIES</span></h6>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">
A Visit to the Steps of Heaven</span></h1>
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By Jewel Taylor<br /><i>The 700 Club</i></span><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0em;">
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Original Air Date: December 8, 2010</span></h5>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span class="source"><a href="http://www.cbn.com/" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">CBN.com</a> – </span>Deerinda Lowe never saw it coming. A semi-truck ran the red light and plowed over the top of her car. The 18-wheeler barely missed her head but practically severed her arm. Her legs were caught underneath the engine. The car literally collapsed around her, trapping her inside.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">EMT Jay Scott describes Deerinda’s condition when he arrived on the scene. “We could tell right away that both of her arms were broken. We knew at least one of her legs was broken and possibly the other one. Plus we were pretty sure she had some internal injuries to go with that. It was a low percentage on whether she was going to make it or not. She definitely had life threatening injuries.”</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Rescue workers tried for 45 minutes to get Deerinda out of the car. Finally, she was life-flighted to Methodist hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Dr. Renn Crichlow says, “It was very grave. She had lost a lot of blood when she first came in. The fractures that she had were all very serious. Then when you throw on top of it that she had all these injuries and all these other lacerations and tears in the skin... she had a ruptured spleen and a ruptured liver. She was in a very, very serious condition.”</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">For two weeks, doctors tried to put Deerinda back together. She had to be resuscitated twice and suffered a massive stroke. She had seven different surgeries, but remained in a coma. Doctors offered little hope for her survival. Deerinda’s mother didn’t move from her daughter’s bedside. Even though she wasn’t a Christian, she begged God to save her life. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"> “When I first woke up,” Deerinda shares, “the only thing I remembered was seeing God. I was on the stairway of heaven, and we were standing at the bottom and God was holding me in His arms. I was held like a baby. I can remember hearing the voice behind me talking to me saying, ‘It’s okay. You’re fine. You’re safe now.’ I knew that God was there. I just knew it. I did not see His face, but I knew He was holding me in His arms. I knew He had saved me. I needed it. I was never saved. I wasn’t a Christian. I never knew how to actually ask God to forgive me for all of my sins.”</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Deerinda had a long and hard physical recovery ahead of her. She remained bed ridden at home for three more months. She had to learn how to do everything again.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"> “I was just so scared. I thought I would never walk. I had a physical therapist at home that worked with me and stuff. So I learned to walk on a walker. Then on the 24th they took the walker from me, and I was walking on my own. They were watching me and I just couldn't believe it. I was crying, like ‘Oh my gosh, I am walking.’”</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Deerinda has surpassed all expectations for her recovery.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"> “They said that I would probably never use the right arm ever again. They didn’t know for sure if I would ever walk right again. But, I do walk and I do use my right arm.”</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Dr. Renn Crichlow says, “A lot of times we see patients with bad bone and joint injuries. But to see somebody with a number of bone and joint injuries and the abdominal injuries that she had, the belly injuries and the stroke, to have come back like this, it’s really phenomenal. It is an exceptional recovery. Absolutely.”</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Even more than a second chance at life, Deerinda is thankful God saved her for eternity.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">“There is a God out there. He will listen to you if you want to talk to Him and have Him come into your heart. I’m lucky that I’m here and I got a second chance that I did not die, and got to accept Him into my heart. He forgave me for all my sins.”</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><strong style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Can God change your life?</strong><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">God has made it possible for you to know Him and <a href="http://www.cbn.com/stepstopeace/index.aspx" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">experience an amazing change</a> in your own life. Discover how you can <a href="http://www.cbn.com/stepstopeace/index.aspx" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">find peace with God</a>.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Courtesy of CBN</span></div>
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Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316843029864516287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126104839633981450.post-42821961179662991102014-03-14T08:15:00.000-07:002014-03-14T08:17:16.141-07:00Faith and Fuel - How faith works<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><br /></span>
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<strong style="font-weight: bolder;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Faith and Fuel – By Shea</span></strong></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"> James 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">The word “work” in the scripture and context means action. In the NIV the word work is actually replaced by the word action. You see action is a good measure of faith. If you have faith, and do not act upon your faith, your faith cannot work.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">This is easy to understand in the analogy where faith is seen as fuel. Faith is the potential to do mighty things, just like fuel has the potential to burn. However, it takes action and not just fuel to ignite a fire. We must act upon our faith in order to see results.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">If you want to see a mountain move, push it.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">If you want to see people healed, pray for them.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">You still must believe and have faith -the reverse is true too (action without faith is dead)</span></div>
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<strong style="font-weight: bolder;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Some Faith Bible Verses</span></strong></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">I'd like to share with you a few verses to help increase your faith and understanding of how God can do mighty things through you.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">2 Corinthian 5:7 "For we live by faith, not by sight."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">The leason here is to worry about how things may appear to be, or how we feel, or the fears we have, we are to walk by faith and not by feelings, fears, or thoughts. Just trust God and do not allow anything to break your focus.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">James 2:17 "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">If you want to see your faith do mighty things you have to put it into action.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Romans 10:17 "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Faith comes by reading the word of God and believing the word of God and His promises to us. However, remember faith without works is dead, so it is up to take the word of God and your faith and start acting upon it.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Please feel free to republish this content on your website, all we ask is you publish a My Faith Works link with it. <a href="http://www.myfaithworks.me/" style="text-decoration: underline;">http://www.myfaithworks.me/</a> </span></div>
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Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316843029864516287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126104839633981450.post-78935033706619756042014-03-13T17:43:00.000-07:002014-03-13T17:44:44.537-07:00Christianity is a Love Relationship<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br /></span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">
christianity is a love relationship</span></h1>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">You cannot love someone that you do not know, and you cannot know someone that you don’t spend quality time with.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">To know Jesus is to love Him. To love Him is to trust Him. To trust Him is to obey Him. To obey Him is to be blessed. It begins with a daily, quality communication with the Lord.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Why is it best to spend time with the Lord in the morning? Because you are getting ready to go on a road trip through life. You don’t take the trip and then read the map, do you?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">How are you starting your mornings? With a cup of coffee and the paper? Or with the pure milk of the Word and the light of His presence?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><em style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my sighing.<br />Listen to my cry for help,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.<br />In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait in expectation.</strong></em> -- Psalm 5:1-3</span></div>
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Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316843029864516287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126104839633981450.post-26897395003137414962014-03-13T06:58:00.002-07:002014-03-13T06:59:26.302-07:00An Interview With God (Something to Contemplate)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3;">
an interview with god</span></h1>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3;">Author Unknown</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I dreamed I had an INTERVIEW WITH GOD.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"So, you would like to interview me?" GOD asked.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"If you have time," I said.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">GOD smile. "My time is eternity... what questions do you have in mind for me?"</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"What surprises you the most about humankind?"</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">GOD answered...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"That they get bored with childhood, that they rush to grow up, and then long to be children again."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"That they lose their health to make money... and then lose their money to restore their health."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the present, such that they live in neither the present nor the future."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"That they live as if they would never die, and die as though they had never lived."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">GOD's hand took mine... and we were silent for a while.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And then I asked, "As a parent, what are some of life's lessons you want your children to learn?"</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">GOD replied, "To learn they cannot make anyone love them. All they can do is let themselves be loved."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to others."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"To learn to forgive by practicing forgiveness."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open profound wounds in those they love, and it can take many years to heal them."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"To learn that a rich person is not one who has the most, but is one who needs the least."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"To learn that there are people who love them dearly, but simply do not yet know how to express or show their feelings."</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"To learn that two people can look at the same thing, and see it differently."</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"To learn that it is not enough that they forgive one another, but they must also forgive themselves."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Thank you for your time," I said humbly.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Is there anything else you would like your children to know?"</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">GOD smiled, and said... "Just know that I am here. Always."</span></div>
</div>
</div>
Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316843029864516287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126104839633981450.post-21866254074751026182014-02-24T05:22:00.001-08:002014-02-24T05:22:58.768-08:00The Hidden One<br />
Many came to him and began to say, “John performed no miraculous sign, but everything John said about this man was true!” (John 10:41)<br />
<br />
You may be very discontented with yourself. You are no genius, have no brilliant gifts, and are inconspicuous for any special faculty. Mediocrity is the law of your existence. Your days are remarkable for nothing but sameness and insipidity. Yet you may live a great life.<br />
<br />
John did no miracle, but Jesus said that among those born of women there had not appeared a greater than he.<br />
<br />
John’s main business was to bear witness to the Light, and this may be yours and mine. John was content to be only a voice, if men would think of Christ.<br />
<br />
Be willing to be only a voice, heard but not seen; a mirror whose surface is lost to view, because it reflects the dazzling glory of the sun; a breeze that springs up just before daylight, and says, “The dawn! the dawn!” and then dies away.<br />
<br />
Do the commonest and smallest things as beneath His eye. If you must live with uncongenial people, set to their conquest by love. If you have made a great mistake in your life, do not let it becloud all of it; but, locking the secret in your breast, compel it to yield strength and sweetness.<br />
<br />
We are doing more good than we know, sowing seeds, starting streamlets, giving men true thoughts of Christ, to which they will refer one day as the first things that started them thinking of Him; and, of my part, I shall be satisfied if no great mausoleum is raised over my grave, but that simple souls shall gather there when I am gone, and say,<br />
<br />
“He was a good man; he wrought no miracles, but he spake words about Christ, which led me to know Him for myself.”<br />
—George Matheson<br />
<br />
“THY HIDDEN ONES” (Psa. 83:3)<br />
<br />
“Thick green leaves from the soft brown earth,<br />
Happy springtime hath called them forth;<br />
First faint promise of summer bloom<br />
Breathes from the fragrant, sweet perfume,<br />
Under the leaves.<br />
<br />
“Lift them! what marvelous beauty lies<br />
Hidden beneath, from our thoughtless eyes!<br />
Mayflowers, rosy or purest white,<br />
Lift their cups to the sudden light,<br />
Under the leaves.<br />
<br />
“Are there no lives whose holy deeds—<br />
Seen by no eye save His who reads<br />
Motive and action—in silence grow<br />
Into rare beauty, and bud and blow<br />
Under the leaves?<br />
<br />
“Fair white flowers of faith and trust,<br />
Springing from spirits bruised and crushed;<br />
Blossoms of love, rose-tinted and bright,<br />
Touched and painted with Heaven’s own light<br />
Under the leaves.<br />
<br />
“Full fresh clusters of duty borne,<br />
Fairest of all in that shadow grown;<br />
Wondrous the fragrance that sweet and rare<br />
Comes from the flower-cups hidden there<br />
Under the leaves.<br />
<br />
“Though unseen by our vision dim,<br />
Bud and blossom are known to Him;<br />
Wait we content for His heavenly ray—<br />
Wait till our Master Himself one day<br />
Lifteth the leaves."<br />
<br />
“God calls many of His most valued workers from the unknown multitude” (Luke 14:23).<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316843029864516287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126104839633981450.post-83685981395416380932014-02-14T13:51:00.000-08:002014-02-14T13:51:23.964-08:00Character or Chemistry<div id="fb-root"></div> <script>(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>
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Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316843029864516287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126104839633981450.post-5811090744275844342014-02-13T03:52:00.000-08:002014-02-13T03:52:29.473-08:00Why I Don’t Love My Fiance<br />
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<a href="http://michaeljpittman.wordpress.com/2014/02/11/why-i-dont-love-my-fiance/" rel="bookmark" sl-processed="1" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="7:23 pm"><time class="entry-date" datetime="2014-02-11T19:23:52+00:00" pubdate="" style="font-size: 1.4rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">February 11, 2014</span></time></a></div>
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<div class="entry-content" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: 'Droid Sans', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 1.4rem; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.814em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.814em; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://michaeljpittman.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/1010544_4684502604430_1473329789_n.jpg?w=300&h=288" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><img alt="1010544_4684502604430_1473329789_n" border="0" height="288" src="http://michaeljpittman.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/1010544_4684502604430_1473329789_n.jpg?w=300&h=288" style="height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="300" /></span></a><span style="background-color: black; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">In 130 days I’m getting married, and a friend recently asked me why I love my fiancé. I wanted to share a deeper perspective on Amanda and I’s relationship, so before I answered why I love her, I had to first explain to him the reasons I don’t love my future bride to be.</span></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">I came to two conclusions:<br />First is, I don’t love Amanda for what’s on the <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">outside</em>. I know. It sounds cheesy, it sounds sappy. This perspective is not a novel idea by any means. How many times have you heard someone say, “I don’t love you for what’s on the outside. I love you for what’s on the inside.” But that brings me to my second conclusion.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">I don’t love Amanda for what’s on the <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">inside</em> either.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Now don’t get me wrong, there are many things on the inside <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">and</span> outside that I love <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">about</em>Amanda. Here’s a short list.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">1. On the outside, she’s the most beautiful person I’ve ever met.<br />2. She has soft, almond shaped brown eyes.<br />3. She has gorgeous, versatile hair that can be really curly sometimes and smooth and straight other times.<br />4. She’s a beast at make up. She does it in a way that enhances the beautiful qualities that she already has, without being too overbearing.<br />5. She has a smile that can light up a room and brighten anyone’s day.<br />6. She values health and fitness and this shows through her wonderful figure and physique.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Guys are visual creatures, and it’s refreshing to know that I have an incredibly beautiful woman that will be my wife one day.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">But it doesn’t stop there because on the inside, she’s exponentially more valuable.<br />7. She loves God more than anything else, and her relationship with Him is what she values most.<br />8.She is always looking for opportunities to serve others. Last week, I had a long week at school, and when I walked into my room, she had straightened up, she was making my bed, and she greeted me with a really big hug. It doesn’t get better than that.<br />9. She values the importance of a positive mindset, which encourages myself and others around her during times of trials and difficulties.<br />10. She is someone with purpose in mind. She doesn’t want to live an ordinary life. She wants to live a life of significance, not for her own recognition but to truly spread the love of Christ and the gospel.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Amanda is <strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">awesome</strong>. Seriously. I couldn’t have asked for a better teammate.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">I love these things <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">about</em> her, but this is not <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">why </em>I love her. As I said before, I neither love her for what’s on the outside, nor do I love her for what’s on the inside.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">I love her because I choose to.</span></strong></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">In 130 short days, I will be Amanda’s husband. And at that moment, I will have a big responsibility on my shoulders — to love my wife as Christ loves his church.</span></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Ephesians 5:25 – Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. </span></em></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">So I thought about the love Christ has for me and the rest of His church. It’s unconditional on what I have done and it’s unconditional on what I do in the future. When I accept Christ, I’m in his family. Romans 8:38 tells me that <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">nothing can ever separate me from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate me from God’s love.</em></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">So just as Christ loves the church unconditionally, I as a husband will have to love my wive the same.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">And let’s be honest. Christ doesn’t love me for what’s on the outside and he doesn’t love me for what’s on the inside either.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Honestly I’m not good enough.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">In fact, no one is good. In Luke 18:19, <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A ruler questioned Jesus, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” </em>And Jesus said to him<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.”</em></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">And so if God doesn’t love me for what’s on the outside, and if I’m no good on the inside, then why does <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">He</em> love <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">me</em>?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Because He chooses to.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">It’s not sexy. It’s not flashy. It’s countercultural. But God’s always choosing people. Whether it be Old Testament or New Testament, the Bible is jam packed of people that were chosen by God.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">In Isaiah 43, God says <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“You are my witnesses,…,and my servant whom I have chosen”</em></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">In Ephesians 1, I learned He chose me “<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">in Him before the foundation of the world.”</em></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">In John 15, Jesus says <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“You did not choose Me but I chose you.” </em></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">So what my love boils down to is not Amanda’s beautiful brown eyes, Amanda’s positive mindset, or the fact that she is incredibly good looking. My love boils down to a choice to pursue a covenant relationship with her and only her. By choosing Amanda, and saying “yes” to her, I’m also saying “no” to everyone else.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">My marriage vows won’t say “I’ll love you through sickness and health…as long you keep working out, and stay below this weight….and keep your hair long….and remain gentle and genuine.” In 30 years, Amanda and I will look different, act different, and be different than we are now at the age of 21 and 20 years old.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Things change. </strong>But my marriage vows won’t. They’re modeled after the love of Christ, and His love is unconditional.</span></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">But Michael, what if she goes <strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">crazy</strong>? </span></em></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">What if she cuts off all her hair?</span></em></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">What if her heart of <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">gold</span> turns into a heart of <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">stone</span>?</span></em></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Quite frankly, it doesn’t matter. I gotta love through it. When I commit to a covenant relationship in 130 days, I’m committing myself to a choice to love without conditions.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">That’s how Jesus loves me.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">And if you don’t know Christ, I encourage you to explore what it means to have a relationship with Him. He is the truest example of love that we have.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">I love you guys, and I’ll talk to you soon.</span></div>
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Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316843029864516287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126104839633981450.post-55653119970902063752014-02-10T15:34:00.001-08:002014-02-10T15:34:55.324-08:00Straight from the Lab Installment 1 (Kingdom Power)<iframe width="520" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/hIVw18x3v2w?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316843029864516287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126104839633981450.post-73296457676425149702014-02-08T15:45:00.000-08:002014-02-08T15:45:57.798-08:00Walking By Faith<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">One year at our annual Charis Bible College <i>Expand Your Vision Weekend, </i>as I was worshiping the Lord, I just knew in my heart that the Lord had entered the room. I didn't feel it, I just knew it. I knew He had walked into the auditorium through the left front doors and right up in front of the stage. He stood there next to me for a moment, then He turned and started down the middle aisle and toward the back of the room.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">I know the Lord promised He would always be with us and, in fact, lives within us. But there was a tangible manifestation of His presence. Very simply put, I believe what we call the anointing is just a manifestation of what is already true in the spirit realm. The Lord is always with us, but His presence isn't always tangibly manifest. This time it was.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">The presence of the Lord was so real, I opened my eyes to look and see if I could see Him. Within moments, people began to drop to their knees and worship the Lord in the same sequence that I had sensed Him walking through the room. People were rejoicing and sobbing out loud. It was a powerful time of being in the manifest presence of the Lord.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><u>But here is the thing that was so special to me</u>: <b>I didn't physically see or feel anything extraordinary. I didn't need to. I knew it by faith.</b> By the Spirit, I knew what was happening before I opened my eyes and saw any confirmation of the Lord moving through the meeting and touching people. I was just as satisfied to know these things by the Spirit as if I had been physically overwhelmed and pinned to the floor under the power of the Holy Spirit.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">As the meeting continued, there were many people touched by the manifest presence of the Lord. It was one of those times that people want to build three tabernacles and just camp there (Matt. 17:4). Although I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, <b>I've come to the place where faith when God's presence is not manifest is just as real as the special times when feeling confirms what faith believes.</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">That night I ministered from Luke 24 where the two disciples of Jesus were walking to Emmaus. As they walked along the road, the resurrected Jesus joined them, but they didn't recognize Him.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">The scripture says,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><i>"And it came to pass, that, while they communed [together] and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him."</i>(Luke 24:15-16)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">These were Jesus' disciples, and yet they didn't know Him. How could that be? How could you not recognize a person you had lived with for over three years? Mark's account of this same instance gives us the answer. Mark condenses this whole encounter into one verse and says,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><i>"After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country"</i>. (Mark 16:12)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">The reason Jesus' disciples didn't recognize Him was because He was in another form. This doesn't mean He looked like another person and had different physical features. That same day, just minutes after this encounter with the disciples on the road to Emmaus, Jesus appeared to His disciples in Jerusalem and showed them the print of the nails in His hands and feet (Luke 24:39). This was the same Jesus they had intimately known before. He bore the marks of crucifixion in His resurrected body. <i>But they didn't know Him because He was no longer in a physical body. He was in a spiritual, glorified body. </i>They were looking with physical eyes that could only see physical things, and Jesus was in a spiritual body that could only be fully recognized with spiritual eyesight.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><u>Here is an amazing truth:</u> <b>Spiritual things can only be perceived by our spirits.</b> Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:6,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><i>"That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit"</i>.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">What Jesus was saying was, flesh is flesh and spirit is spirit. You cannot perceive the spirit through the senses of the flesh. They are totally different worlds, or realms, of reality.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">The Apostle Paul made this same point in 1 Corinthians 2:14 where he said, <i>"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned"</i>.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">The physical senses can't discern spiritual things. This isn't speaking only of understanding spiritual truths with our minds; this also applies to seeing spiritual realities with our eyes or feeling spiritual things with our emotions. Of course there are exceptions where God opened physical eyes to enable people to see angels and even heaven, but normally the only way to access the spirit realm is through our spirits by faith.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Although special times of the manifest presence of the Lord do occur when we can feel in the natural what is always true in the spiritual, this is the exception rather than the rule. <u>We are not to be more excited when we feel something than when we are just walking by faith in the promises of God. That’s a radical statement</u>!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">The Lord began to teach me this very early in my walk with Him. On March 23, 1968, the Lord manifested Himself to me in a tangible way. For four months, I was physically aware of the Lord's love and presence with me in a way that took virtually no faith. I could feel it. It was awesome. But then that physical sensation left. Shortly thereafter, I was drafted and found myself in Vietnam. The absence of Christian fellowship and everything I was used to made my desperation for the Lord's love and presence even more acute. I could truthfully say that I was desperate for God in the worst sense of the word.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Then one day, I woke up and felt like God was totally gone. I had no sense of His presence. Hopelessness and a fear came over me that I had never known. I remember someone coming into my bunker, and I hid under a stack of clothes. I was so afraid, I just couldn't face anyone. I felt exactly like Ephesians 2:12 says, "That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">It felt like God had died or at the very least deserted me. For three days I did everything I knew to do to try and regain God';s presence. I fasted and prayed and studied the Word constantly. Nothing seemed to make any difference. Then on the morning of the third day, I woke up and found myself kneeling beside my cot praying. Nothing special was happening, but the simple presence of the Lord was back. Or maybe it was simply that the fear and hopelessness was gone. Whatever it was, I had my normal peace back.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">I know according to the Scriptures that the Lord never leaves us nor forsakes us, so I believe that this was only my perception that the Lord left me. However, this taught me a wonderful lesson. I discovered that I had taken for granted the everyday peace that the abiding presence of the Lord produces. I believe the Lord was tired of me begging for some special emotional experience. He was wanting me to start walking by faith instead of feeling. So, He removed my awareness of His presence and let me feel what hell (the total absence of God) must feel like. It had a profound impact on me.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">I quit asking for some epiphany and just started thanking God for what I had. I got into the Word of God and began to believe that the Lord was with me and loved me, not because of what I felt, but because He told me so in His Word. I began the transition from feelings to faith, carnality to spirituality, immaturity to maturity. This is how I was relating to the Lord that night at our CBC <i>Expand Your Vision Weekend</i>.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">I perceived the presence and ministry of the Lord apart from feelings. It was just a revelation from the Lord that I accepted by faith. When the manifestations confirmed what I knew by faith, I wasn't more certain of His presence than I was before physical confirmation came. I wasn't dependent on some physical experience. I had the everyday love, joy, and peace that I walk in, but I had faith that let me know God's presence and love was with me in an infinitely greater way than anything I could feel or see.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">I've had some awesome encounters with the Lord, and doubtless, I will have more. But regardless of what wonderful experiences you or I have with Him, they are limited. We've only scratched the surface or touched the tip of the iceberg of God's great love and awesomeness. What we have inside is infinitely more powerful and wonderful than we can grasp, and it's always that way. You may not always perceive God's presence and peace with you, but it is. Even in the times when circumstances are yelling at you and affecting your emotions, God's glory is right there inside of you, giving you love, joy, peace, and all the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><b>You won't always feel God's presence.</b> <i>That may come as a shock or disappointment to you, but that's the way it is</i>. <u>And if you are believing, unrealistically, for a constant tangible manifestation of His love and presence, you are out of step with God and setting yourself up for disappointment. That's not the way He is. The Lord loves to work in subtle ways that only faith perceives.</u></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Look at the way Jesus came to earth. He didn't come in some grandiose style. He came humbly, as a child born to poor parents. His birth wasn't announced to Caesar or Herod the king. It was heralded to lowly shepherds. Even Jesus' physical body wasn't exceptional. Isaiah 53:2 says "he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">When people looked at Jesus' physical body, it took faith to believe that He was God. He wasn't beautiful. He was natural. He wasn't extraordinary. And when Jesus rose from the dead, He never showed Himself to a single person who wasn't already one of His disciples. We would think He missed a great opportunity. Thousands had seen Him crucified just three days before. All He would have had to do was walk down the streets of Jerusalem or into Pilate's judgment hall, and people would have been forced to bow their knees and acknowledge Him as the Christ. But that's not the nature of God. Hebrews 11:6 says, "But without faith it is impossible to please him."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Our God is a God of faith, and it takes faith to please Him. He could make a bird come sit on your shoulder and tell you He loves you every minute of every day. He could write your name with instructions on every cloud that passes over. He could have angels come visit you every morning and night to affirm to you that what He says in His Word is true. But that's not faith, and that's not God. Second Corinthians 5:7 says, "For we walk by faith, not by sight."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">We don't just walk by faith until we get the sight we really desired. We walk by faith, period. When sight comes, we praise God and keep walking by faith.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">The things I've tried to share with you in this article are profound. Not everyone will realize the importance of them. But faith is as far superior to feelings as true love is to lust. There really is no comparison. Yet lust seems to be more common and easier to come by than true love. Likewise, dependence on our feelings is more common among Christians than faith. We know what God said in His Word, but we don't feel it, and therefore, we don't believe it. That's all wrong. Faith comes before feelings and always trumps feelings. Faith will produce feelings, not every time, but sometimes, and we need to enjoy them when they come. But being controlled by feelings is a BIG hindrance to true faith. We need to get to the place where God's Word is proof enough without emotional confirmation.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">I've made an audio teaching on this from Luke 24 entitled <i>"Walking by Faith."</i> In this teaching, I share about this experience at the <i>Expand Your Vision Weekend</i> and my Vietnam story I shared in this article. I go into a lot of detail on this subject that I think could really make a big difference in your life. There is much more to this than I was able to convey in this article.</span></div>
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Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316843029864516287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126104839633981450.post-15034181407382266152014-02-08T08:10:00.000-08:002014-02-08T08:10:35.732-08:00Twelve Audacious Faith Confessions<br />
Twelve Audacious Faith Confessions<br />
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1. I am fully forgiven and free from all shame<br />
and condemnation.<br />
Romans 8:1–2; Ephesians 1:7–8; 1 John 1:9<br />
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2. I act in audacious faith to change the world<br />
in my generation.<br />
Joshua 10:12–14; John 14:12<br />
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3. I have no fear or anxiety; I trust in the Lord<br />
with all my heart.<br />
Proverbs 3:5–6; Philippians 4:6–7; 1 Peter 5:7<br />
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4. I am able to fulfill the calling God has placed<br />
on my life.<br />
Exodus 3:9–12; Psalm 57:2; Colossians 1:24–29<br />
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5. I am fully resourced to do everything God has<br />
called me to do.<br />
Deuteronomy 8:18; Luke 6:38; Philippians 4:13<br />
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6. I have no insecurity, because I see myself the<br />
way God sees me.<br />
Genesis 1:26–27; Psalm 139:13–16; Ephesians 5:25–27<br />
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7. I am a faithful spouse (if you’re single, you<br />
can slip future in there) and a godly parent—<br />
our family is blessed.<br />
Deuteronomy 6:6–9; Ephesians 5:22–25; Colossians 3:18–19;<br />
1 Peter 3:1–7<br />
SUN STAND STILL<br />
114<br />
Sun Stand Still pages:Master 6 x 9 7/28/10 9:46 AM Page 114<br />
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8. I am completely whole—physically, mentally,<br />
and emotionally.<br />
Psalm 103:1–5; Matthew 8:16–17; 2 Corinthians 5:17;<br />
1 Peter 2:24<br />
<br />
9. I am increasing in influence and favor for the<br />
kingdom of God.<br />
Genesis 45:4–8; 1 Samuel 2:26; Acts 2:37–47<br />
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10. I am enabled to walk in the sacrificial love<br />
of Christ.<br />
2 Thessalonians 2:16–17; 1 John 3:16; 4:9–12<br />
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11. I have the wisdom of the Lord concerning<br />
every decision I make.<br />
2 Chronicles 1:7–12; Proverbs 2:6; Ecclesiastes 2:26; James 1:5<br />
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12. I am protected from all harm and evil in<br />
Jesus’ name.<br />
Genesis 50:20; Psalm 3:1–3; 2 Thessalonians 3:2–3<br />
<br />
by Steven Furtick (author of Sun Stand Still)<br />
Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316843029864516287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126104839633981450.post-58172654415527248922014-02-07T13:33:00.003-08:002014-02-07T13:33:54.096-08:00Dump the Dead Weight <iframe width="520" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/EOT2695-xAw?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316843029864516287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126104839633981450.post-75121732271652355302014-02-07T08:38:00.000-08:002014-02-07T08:38:16.279-08:00Religion and Destruction <div id="fb-root"></div> <script>(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>
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Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316843029864516287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126104839633981450.post-51122264136042715802014-02-06T10:14:00.001-08:002014-02-06T10:14:23.711-08:00Gaining Spiritual Awareness of Your Purpose<div id="fb-root"></div> <script>(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>
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Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316843029864516287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126104839633981450.post-39355240075652297612014-02-06T06:40:00.000-08:002014-02-06T06:40:20.008-08:00Always in the Fight<div id="fb-root"></div> <script>(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>
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Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316843029864516287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126104839633981450.post-83512155355226314532014-02-05T17:19:00.000-08:002014-02-05T17:19:19.604-08:00Dr. Myles: CAUTION!This video IS NOT for RELIGIOUS...<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/nypngKmfI8Y?feature=player_detailpage" width="520"></iframe>Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316843029864516287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126104839633981450.post-8821851753893804062014-02-05T04:15:00.001-08:002014-02-05T04:15:37.639-08:00Check Your Corner<iframe width="520" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/3Ch9drC77Io?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316843029864516287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126104839633981450.post-216420653849931942014-02-04T10:35:00.000-08:002014-02-04T10:35:08.473-08:00Grammar Quiz 101: Find the Conditional Clause<br />
Okay -- Grammar 101 Quiz:<br />
To all husbands and wives and those men and women aspiring to be husbands and wives<br />
<br />
Assignment: Please find the conditional clause located in the scriptural passage; the sanctity and productivity of your marriage depends on it.<br />
<br />
25 (BB)Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and (BC)gave Himself up for her, 26 (BD)so that He might sanctify her, having (BE)cleansed her by the (BF)washing of water with (BG)the word, 27 that He might (BH)present to Himself the church [q]in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be (BI)holy and blameless. 28 So husbands ought also to (BJ)love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; 29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, 30 because we are (BK)members of His (BL)body. 31 (BM)For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. 32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to (BN)love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she [r](BO)respects her husband. (Ephesians 5:22-33, NASB)<br />
<br />
<br />
Answer: There is no conditional clause in this passage of scripture which was written by the Apostle Paul addressing a common result of the fall in the garden -- women treating their husbands with contempt and attempting to control them through different methods of manipulation (c.f. "The Woman's Desire" by Susan T. Foh) and the Husband treating his wife in an unloving and selfish manner.<br />
<br />
There is no conditional clause here. It does not say, 'Wives, if you feel your husband deserves respect" or "husband if your wife behaves in a loving way". It gives explicit command to wives to live in a submissive (not subservient) way with their husbands as if unto the Lord (meaning submit unto him as he is the direct representation and the authority bearer of Christ's power in the home). It tells the husband to love his wife to the point of death. This does not represent only physical death, but points more emphatically to death to self. He is to nourish (Greek ektrepho - meaning to rear up to maturity, cherish and train) and cherish (Greek thalpo -- meaning to brood over and protect with high regard an high value assessed) her.<br />
<br />
Wives it is time to give your husbands the honor that God has assigned to him, not what you feel he deserves. Husbands, it is time to lay down your life, it is no longer about you. You now stand as a direct representative of Christ to your wife and children. When you return home this evening from your days work, leave self outside the door and don't pick it up again.<br />
<br />
In summation, I leave both husbands and wives this one simple message -- it is not about you. ~ Dr. Rick Wallace<br />
#marriage #christianmarriage<br />
<br />
Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316843029864516287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126104839633981450.post-27594225758967622332014-02-01T14:19:00.001-08:002014-02-01T14:19:08.753-08:00What does Glory Mean In Hebrew?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://trailer.web-view.net/Links/0X96C95170C5A4F019B6076E91570E4BE0B1BED84F893893E12C4E00FF413F728528AECB8E222622BB3D6B3A310704911AF0BBD0C67B242C1BAA2B360F230739B416F95EB13E48CCAB.htm" target="_blank"><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">What does Glory mean in Hebrew?</span></a></span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"><br style="max-width: 100%;" />
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> <br style="max-width: 100%;" />
<span style="max-width: 100%;">To answer this question, we need to recall the
story of the dedication of Solomon’s Temple.<br />
<br />
In response to Solomon’s prayer, God’s glory filled the newly built and
dedicated Temple in Jerusalem (<em><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">2
Chronicles 6-7</span></em>). While there are also other words for glory in
Jewish tradition, the phrase used in this particular text is <strong><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Kavod Adonai</span></i></strong>.
This word for Glory also means honor and is connected with the general idea of
being “<strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">heavy</span></strong>”.
The verb is <strong><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">LeKabed</span></i></strong>
to honor, therefore, carries the idea of making something heavy vs. making
something light.<br />
<br />
The opposite word is <strong><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">leKalon</span></i></strong>
that is connected with the word “<strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">light</span></strong>”
(kal) and is used in Biblical Hebrew in connection to shame and dishonor.
(Making light of something, and therefore devoid of glory).<br />
<br />
Today I invite you to symbolically enter the Temple of the Hebrew Bible through
a new gateway.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="background-color: black; max-width: 100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="background-color: black; max-width: 100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Gaining a deeper knowledge of our Lord and we travel this ethereal journey.....</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="background-color: black; max-width: 100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"></span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Check out some additional resources by
Dr. Rick Wallace </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">1.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/54632"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">The Invisible Father: Reversing the Curse of a
Fatherless Generation</span></a><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> - Dr. Wallace examines the destructive force of absentee
fatherhood in America from a biblical Perspective<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">2.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/143411"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Renewing Your Mind: The Dynamics of
Christian Transformation</span></a><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> - Dr. Wallace discusses the power of your
thought process to completely transform your life<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">3.</span><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/145133"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-decoration: none;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Elevation through
Revelation</span></a><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> - This book was written to encourage and inspire you as you
travel through life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">4.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/345266"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">When Your House is Not a Home</span></a><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> - Dr.
Wallace engages the enigmatic issues that face marriage in America -- from a
biblical perspective.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">5.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/392782"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">The Power of Healing Affirmations</span></a><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> -- This
short book goes straight to the matter of how you word and thought affect
healing in your life. (A must read)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
Blogs<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">1.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://theinvisiblefather.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">100 Men of Purpose</span></a><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> --
Encouraging and teaching men to rise up in their God ordained design<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">2.</span><a href="http://dietsolutionunveiled.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-decoration: none;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Master Fitness 21</span></a><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> -- This
site focuses on believers living healthy lives spiritually and physically<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">3.</span><a href="http://anointedinspirations.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-decoration: none;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Anointed Inspirations</span></a><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> -- A
little something to get your day going.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">4.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://focusedchristian.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Christian Impact</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"> -- The
revelations of God that reveal the call and ability of believers to impact the
world around them.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316843029864516287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126104839633981450.post-66252786828268328902014-01-31T07:00:00.002-08:002014-01-31T07:00:43.325-08:002014 Forecast<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/E8OnMc9P54M?feature=player_detailpage" width="520"></iframe><br />
<br />
I want to thank everyone for their prayers and words of encouragement. You are truly a blessing. It is now time to move forward so that we may impact the culture around us. This video outlines just a view things that will be taking place in 2014 -- more to come. ~ Dr. Rick WallaceRick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316843029864516287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126104839633981450.post-32158487636123287802014-01-31T06:39:00.000-08:002014-01-31T06:39:16.996-08:00Self-Examination<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Self-examination<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Socrates once passed on to his student – Plato – an
unshakeable truth, “a life unexamined is not worth living.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">The Apostle Paul iterated that believers should examine
themselves to whether we are of the faith (2 Cor. 13:5)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFvXN7ZziV3PFBX3FhM3WL1YC-JYbu8gZwbt-oLdeqwlYMGEdWOnZ_WAGU2EOexF8pZ13Q3wU5GIXadCFCWjCNG4p3d0BBvyKM7xmTPpSNv1sYZEvL-5PKwczMmBUwEAaRiot-xL518LnM/s1600/Stop+Drop+and+Roll+4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFvXN7ZziV3PFBX3FhM3WL1YC-JYbu8gZwbt-oLdeqwlYMGEdWOnZ_WAGU2EOexF8pZ13Q3wU5GIXadCFCWjCNG4p3d0BBvyKM7xmTPpSNv1sYZEvL-5PKwczMmBUwEAaRiot-xL518LnM/s1600/Stop+Drop+and+Roll+4.jpeg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Let me explain something about this introspective
examination that is integral to an effective way of living. Examining one’s
self is about uncovering the truth, measuring yourself against the Word of God,
using it as mirror to analyze the progress that you have made. The problem is
that many believers look for their failures in their examination, without being
willing to acknowledge their progress. You are not to measure yourself off of
the reflected appraisals of others, but by the Word of God. In this examination,
you must see the truth, both in your failures and your accomplishments.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Just because others only choose to acknowledge your
shortcomings and not your progress doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t. If all you
ever consider is what you have done wrong and what you have not accomplished,
you will develop a mindset that is fatalistic. You are not perfect, stop
judging yourself on a scale of perfection. Instead judge yourself by your level
of conviction. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Are you convicted to follow Christ? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Are you convicted when you stumble?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Are your convicted to make an impact? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahn7639fM4RSkEggotWxuimlvxAcnSzTFNvghWB5PhM7Hrs3nmKS3b-0UkYQop97E9cR_NY31CH1lvJFX3AkSK1oO4IuHtAYM8JIeERNeqeIQff7X9BgGWWd0nw0ladXWicbkDKgJ_KWB/s1600/296335_214509025273917_100001444639431_651354_6263302_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahn7639fM4RSkEggotWxuimlvxAcnSzTFNvghWB5PhM7Hrs3nmKS3b-0UkYQop97E9cR_NY31CH1lvJFX3AkSK1oO4IuHtAYM8JIeERNeqeIQff7X9BgGWWd0nw0ladXWicbkDKgJ_KWB/s1600/296335_214509025273917_100001444639431_651354_6263302_n.jpg" height="200" width="129" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr. Rick Wallace </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">True conviction will drive your actions. It does not mean
that you are perfect, but it does mean that you are striving for perfection. In
life, no matter what we are doing. We never truly attain perfection. No one has
the perfect body, but many are striving for it. No one is perfectly astute in
finance, but many are striving toward. What we have discovered is that the
moment you stop striving, you regress. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">David is the perfect example that God is not looking at our
level of perfection, but the level of conviction (the condition of the heart).
If there was ever a screw-up, it was David. The thing is that the moment that
David became aware of his wrong, he sought God – he was convicted. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">For believers, perfection is positional for now. This means
that our perfection is attained through the expiating work of Christ at
Calvary. Simply by being in Him we are accepted as perfect. Our conviction, because
of this truth, drives us through experiential sanctification (striving toward
perfection) and it will be culminated in eternal sanctification when are leave
this life to be with the Lord.</span></div>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Stop beating yourself up over the reality of your
fallibility and start striving toward your destiny. ~ Dr. Rick Wallace <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">#reallife #convicted&committed #strivingforgreatness
#empowered<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;">http://focusedChristian.blogspot.com</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316843029864516287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126104839633981450.post-78515616049664740542014-01-29T14:26:00.000-08:002014-01-29T14:26:43.526-08:00A Peace that Transcends All Understanding <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/3bP4eVxpQ5A?feature=player_detailpage" width="520"></iframe>
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<b><img border="0" src="http://media.salemwebnetwork.com/Crosswalk/SpirLife_DevoHeaders/StreamsInDesert_2011Header.jpg" height="100" id="_x0000_i1025" width="400" /></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
</span><em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;">God
is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that
right early (</span></em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><a href="http://www.crosswalkmail.com/vryjvmfgjrjnfygtnkbzqndqfmnypbbyrhfqvvtpjprvvmk_ldgjkkhzzdkw.html">Psalms
46:5</a></span><em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;">)</span></em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;"><br /></span></em>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;">"Shall
not be moved"--what an inspiring declaration! Can it be possible that we,
who are so easily moved by the things of earth, can arrive at a place where
nothing can upset us or disturb our calm? Yes, it is possible; and the Apostle
Paul knew it. When he was on his way to Jerusalem where he foresaw that
"bonds and afflictions" awaited him, he could say triumphantly,
"But none of these things move me."</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;">Everything in
Paul's life and experience that could be shaken had been shaken, and he no
longer counted his life, or any of life's possessions, dear to him. And we, if
we will but let God have His way with us, may come to the same place, so that
neither the fret and tear of little things of life, nor the great and heavy
trials, can have power to move us from the peace that passeth understanding,
which is declared to be the portion of those who have learned to rest only on
God.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;">"Him
that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God; and he shall go
no more out." To be as immovable as a pillar in the house of our God, is
an end for which one would gladly endure all the shakings that may be necessary
to bring us there!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;">
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">--Hannah Whitall Smith</span></em></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;"><em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></em></span>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;">When God is
in the midst of a kingdom or city He makes it as firm as Mount Zion, that
cannot be removed. When He is in the midst of a soul, though calamities throng
about it on all hands, and roar like the billows of the sea, yet there is a
constant calm within, such a peace as the world can neither give nor take away.
What is it but want of lodging God in the soul, and that in His stead the world
is in men's hearts, that makes them shake like leaves at every blast of danger?<br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">--Archbishop Leighton</span></em></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;"><em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></em></span>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;">"They
that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but
abideth forever." There is a quaint old Scottish version that puts iron
into our blood:</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;"><br /></span>
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;">Who
sticketh to God in stable trust</span></em><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
</span></i><em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;">As
Zion's mount he stands full just,</span></em><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
</span></i><em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;">Which
moveth no whit, nor yet doth reel,</span></em><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
</span></i><em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;">But
standeth forever as stiff as steel!</span></em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;"><br /></span></em>
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;"><br /></span></em>
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;">Get the entire electronic <a href="http://rapbank.com/go/1030/18575" target="_blank">Bible Research Library Here! </a></span></em>Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316843029864516287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126104839633981450.post-8353781492281733062014-01-24T16:54:00.001-08:002014-01-24T16:54:57.331-08:00Understanding Delay is Not Denial<br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">But the dove found no
rest for or the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him... And the dove
came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf (</span></em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><a href="http://www.crosswalkmail.com/sjcsrlbksjstbpkdtcfhztwzbltpvffpjmbzrrdvsrjcrcr_wwvglljffwln.html">Genesis
8:9-11</a><em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">).</span></em><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">God knows just when to
withhold from us any visible sign of encouragement, and when to grant us such a
sign. How good it is that we may trust Him anyway! When all visible evidences
that He is remembering us are withheld, that is best; He wants us to realize
that His Word, His promise of remembrance, is more substantial and dependable
than any evidence of our senses. When He sends the visible evidence, that is
well also; we appreciate it all the more after we have trusted Him without it.
Those who are readiest to trust God without other evidence than His Word always
receive the greatest number of visible evidences of His love.<br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">--C. G. Trumbull</span></em><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></em></span>
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Believing Him; if
storm-clouds gather darkly 'round,</span></em><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">And even if the heaven seem
brass, without a sound?</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">He hears each <a href="http://www.crosswalkmail.com/vrpjvmfgjrjnfygtnkbzqndqfmnypbbyrhfqvvtpjvrkvkp_wwvglljffwln.html">prayer</a>
and even notes the sparrow's fall.</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">And praising Him; when
sorrow, grief, and pain are near,</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">And even when we lose the
thing that seems most dear?</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Our loss is gain. Praise
Him; in Him we have our All.</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Our hand in His; e'en though
the path seems long and drear</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">We scarcely see a step
ahead, and almost fear?</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">He guides aright. He has it
thus to keep us near.</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">And satisfied; when every
path is blocked and bare,</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">And worldly things are gone
and dead which were so fair?</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Believe and rest and trust
in Him, He comes to stay.</span></em></span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></em></span></i>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Delays are not refusals; many
a prayer is registered, and underneath it the words: "My time is not yet
come." God has a set time as well as a set purpose, and He who orders the
bounds of our habitation orders also the time of our deliverance.<br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">--Selected</span></em><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></em></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>How often have I said that delay does not mean denial. The believer must learn perseverance. Not every battle is won expeditiously, in fact, most battles call for patience and perseverance. They demand that we execute faith, and faith is only required when pragmatic and empirical evidence is not forthcoming. We look for signs when faith does not require them. We allow the vicissitudes of life to set the atmosphere of our existence, when our faith should dictate our position. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>God is still God in the midst of our darkest moment. Our circumstances don't confound or surprise Him. We must learn that theconceived machinations of the enemy is not the end, but the beginning of the movement of God on our behalf. It is your perseverance -- sustained by your audacious and radical faith -- that transfers you from the depths of darkness to the middle of a move of God. ~ Dr. Rick Wallace </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>***********************************************************</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i></i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Check out some additional resources by
Dr. Rick Wallace </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">1.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/54632"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">The Invisible Father: Reversing the Curse of a
Fatherless Generation</span></a><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> - Dr. Wallace examines the destructive force of absentee fatherhood
in America from a biblical Perspective<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">2.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/143411"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Renewing Your Mind: The Dynamics of
Christian Transformation</span></a><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> - Dr. Wallace discusses the power of your
thought process to completely transform your life<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">3.</span><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/145133"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-decoration: none;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Elevation through
Revelation</span></a><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> - This book was written to encourage and inspire you as you
travel through life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">4.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/345266"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">When Your House is Not a Home</span></a><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> - Dr.
Wallace engages the enigmatic issues that face marriage in America -- from a
biblical perspective.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">5.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/392782"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">The Power of Healing Affirmations</span></a><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> -- This
short book goes straight to the matter of how you word and thought affect
healing in your life. (A must read)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
Blogs<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">1.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://theinvisiblefather.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">100 Men of Purpose</span></a><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> --
Encouraging and teaching men to rise up in their God ordained design<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">2.</span><a href="http://dietsolutionunveiled.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-decoration: none;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Master Fitness 21</span></a><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> -- This
site focuses on believers living healthy lives spiritually and physically<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">3.</span><a href="http://anointedinspirations.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-decoration: none;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Anointed Inspirations</span></a><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> -- A
little something to get your day going.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">4.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://focusedchristian.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Christian Impact</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> -- The
revelations of God that reveal the call and ability of believers to impact the
world around them.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</i></span><br />
Rick Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18316843029864516287noreply@blogger.com0