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sammyblep · 3 years

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i'd love to hear your thoughts on sam too!

thank youuuuu also sorry in advance this is gonna get so long--

(edit: also sorry about the formatting tumblr said fuck this post in particular)

How I feel about this character

sam is one of my most favorite characters of all time. the first time i watched spn i was an unapologetic dean girl (gnt) but now i am FULL sam girl (gnt.) This is a character who is told that the world is a dark and dangerous place and that no matter how hard he tries he’s going to become one of the monsters that inhabits it and makes it worse. he’s raised on the leash held by his father and in the shadow of his brother (a shadow that protected him) and he just wants to be able to love them both but they won’t let him. he wants to be able to love and nothing will let him!!! He wants to be able to experience the world in a way that isn’t blood and gunsmoke and pain and he just wants so desperately that he’s willing to rip himself away from what little he’s known to do it.

and the thing is, the world proves him right! he IS a monster. he lets the devil free, the people he loves die endlessly, he chooses a demon over his brother, he allows himself to become demonic for the sake of revenge, because that endless love he has was twisted against the world he wanted to love and used to wound it. and the fact is - it WAS his decision. it’s a decision he has to live with forever and deal with the consquences of. the world proves him right - zachariah’s voicemail, dean telling him to pick a hemisphere, the angels using dean to warn him off his demon blood path, the murder of an innocent woman to kill lilith (cindy I think) - those are all monstrous things.

and sam, after all that - when he realizes what his love has been used for, the hurt and irreversible damage its caused, he takes it back for himself. he realizes he was wrong, and he - the boy who wanted nothing more than to love the world and be loved by it in return - offers up his love to that same dark horrible world that he ruined further. and he does it with no expectations, just determination to make it right. that love overpowers the devil and destiny and the writing of god himself. the same way cas’s love for dean overwrote chuck’s writings in 4x22, sam’s endless love and belief that the world is worth fighting for averts the apocalypse.

this is a man who ruined the world, and willingly; and this is a man who saw what he did and ruined himself, wilingly, endlessly, because he believed in fixing his mistakes. because he believed there was still love and good in the world that tried to kill him over and over. because sam winchester wants nothing but to be free to love anything and everything, and to have even a sliver of that love returned to him.

basically: i love him. i love him so much. sam winchester THE character of all time for me. (him and ned chicane and merle highchurch but that’s another thing-)

All the people I ship romantically with this character

Eileen the love of my life Eileen Leahy!!! She’s badass and understanding and CHOSE to love Sam, and that’s truly what he needed and wanted more than anything else. She’s just - KAJDFNSKAJF i love eileen so so SO much and I think she and her wife Sam Leahy are head over heels in love. They love learning from each other and teaching each other and defending each other with the full knowledge that they can cover their own ass totally fine but that’s not the point the point is that they want to show their love and in their lifestyle this is a good way to do so. I think Sam is absolutely utterly disgustingly in love with Eileen and they want to constantly make that clear to the world and I think Eileen is completely wholly sickeningly in love with Sam and wants to make that clear to Sam. I think they’re neat and I think they’re perfect and I think they’re in love and I love them

Rowena - I haven’t seen a single episode with Rowena but i adore her energy and I think Sam being a sucker for the 600-yr-old queen of hell Rowena MacLeod is INCREDIBLE. Sam sees an incredibly powerful woman with knowledge and experiences beyond his understanding and says ‘is anyone gonna fall in love with her’ and doesn’t wait for an answer.

Gabriel! From the first time I saw Tall Tales I crackshipped him and sam, fun fact. I think there’s a LOT of complexity and nuance to any potential relationship of theirs (which is further complicated by any potential s-13 sabriel bait you wanna incorporate into your own personal good version (i haven’t seen it yet but love and light to y’all)) but I ALSO think too many people lose Gabriel’s characterization in order to make him palatable to Sam. And like no that’s not the point the POINT is they’re enemies-with-instant-tension to lovers! This is the ‘hedonist meets repressed man and they are instantly attracted but also hate each other and have to navigate that’ dynamic that I so rarely see done properly. However the MOST important part of Sabriel for me (as with any ship) is that it’s fun and DOES have a lot of cute potential. (Hedonistic-hugger Gabriel with touchstarved Sam my BELOVED)

Also Sabrieleena is fantastic I am a poly truther for a lot of things

Sarah Blake my first gay crush Sarah Blake... she deserved better and also she and Sam would have been a fantastic wlw relationship

I’m sure there’s more but I’ve forgotten them because it’s been ages since I saw past s5 and I frankly don’t remember much after the beginning of s6!

My non-romantic OTP for this character

I think he and Cas should have been best friends more. Also I *DO* wish we’d gotten a better Sam&Crowley dynamic but alas j*rpad couldn’t step up to the plate :/// fuckin coward

My unpopular opinion about this character

I’m both a Tall!Sam truther and a Tiny!Sam truther... I don’t think either of these concepts are unpopular but idk anyone else who loves them both like i do. Then again I also don’t know many people in spndom sfkjnjkfjaks

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

WE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN TO SEE SAM HAVING A HORRIBLE BREAKDOWN AT SOME POINT. I HAVE OPINIONS ON WHEN AND WHERE BUT THIS MAN MADE OF LOVE FEELS EMOTIONAL PAIN SO HARD AND WHEN THE LOVE HE’S FILLED WITH IS TURNED AGAINST HIM I SIMPLY THINK HE WOULD HAVE LOST IT.

this is technically not him butttt I wish Max Miller had lived so he and Sam could have been best friends (I have s1e14 Nightmare derangement syndrome)

ok i know this said ONE thing but also like you said and like i said in the tags of your response for sam. HE SHOULD HAVE KEPT HIS POWERS.

(send me a character and I’ll break their asses down)

#ask meme #sam winchester #spn #eileen leahy #rowena macleod #spn gabriel #sarah blake #castiel #spn crowley #max miller #longpost #this is so much text i'm so sorry laskfjsd #nevidimochka #edited for formatting

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faithpeacehopejoy · 5 years

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When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.

Isaiah 43:2 (NLT)

but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

— Psalm 1:2-3

Be Careful What You Think

Adapted from the resource Battlefield of the Mind Devotional - by Joyce Meyer

In the early days of computers, they used to say, “Garbage in, garbage out.” That was a way of explaining that the computer only worked with the data put into the machine. If we wanted different results, we needed to put in different information.

With computers, most people have no trouble grasping that concept, but when it comes to their minds, they don’t seem to get it. Or perhaps they don’t want to get it. So many things demand their attention and beg for their focus. They’re not just sinful things. The apostle Paul said that although everything was lawful for him, not everything was helpful (see 1 Corinthians 6:12).

If you are going to win the battle of the mind and defeat your enemy, where you focus your attention is crucial. The more you meditate on God’s Word, the stronger you’ll become and the more easily you’ll win the victories.

Too many Christians don’t realize the difference between meditating on the Bible and reading the Bible. They like to think that whenever they read God’s Word, they’re absorbing the deep things of God. Too often people will read a chapter of the Bible, and when they get to the last verse, they have little idea of what they’ve read. Those who meditate on God’s Word are those who think—and think seriously—about what they’re reading.

They may not put it in these words, but they are saying, “God, speak to me. Teach me. As I ponder Your Word, reveal its depth to me.”

Psalm 1 begins by defining the person who is blessed, and then points out the right actions of that person. The psalmist wrote that those who meditate—and do it day and night—are like productive trees...and everything they do shall prosper.

The psalmist made it quite clear that meditating on and thinking about God’s Word brings results. As you ponder who God is and what He’s saying to you, you’ll grow. It’s really that simple. Another way to put it is to say that whatever you focus on, you become. If you read about and allow your mind to focus on God’s love and power, that’s what operates in you.

The apostle Paul says it beautifully in Philippians 4:8: ...whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart] (AMP).

It’s sad, but most Christians don’t put much effort into their study of the Word. They go to hear others teach and preach, and they may listen to sermons online and read the Bible occasionally, but they’re not dedicated to making God’s Word a major part of their lives.

Be careful what you think about. The more you think about good things, the better your life will seem. The more you think about Jesus Christ and the principles He taught, the more you become like Jesus and the stronger you grow. And as you grow, you win the battle for your mind.

Prayer Starter: Lord God, help me think about the things that honor You. Fill my life with a hunger for more of You and Your Word so that in everything I may prosper. I ask this through Jesus Christ, Amen.

Psalm 103:12

12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

The Purpose of Frustration

By Rick Warren

“When a fool is annoyed, he quickly lets it be known. Smart people will ignore an insult” (Proverbs 12:16 GNT).

You will encounter people who create so much frustration that you ask God, “Please help me show them extra grace.” Who are these people in your life?

The slow driver in the fast lane?

The coworker who refuses to apologize?

The ungrateful friend?

The rude and obnoxious neighbor?

The demanding, demeaning, and disapproving family member?

Many people have developed unhealthy responses to frustration. They might avoid difficult people, but denial only delays the problem. It doesn’t solve it. They might try to make them happy, but some people will never be happy. No matter what they do, it’s not good enough.

How can you respond like Jesus?

Consider the fact that God has put these people in your life to be “heavenly sandpaper.” Although you are irritated, God is using them to take off your rough edges. God is more interested in your character than your comfort.

Learn to look past their behavior to see their pain. Hurt people will often hurt others. They’re full of fear and insecurity. Maybe they’re shouldering a pressure you don’t know about.

Instead of dismissing these frustrating people from your life, look at them as a gift from God to help you become more like Christ. Frustration reveals something in you, and you can give this to God by having a change of heart.

“God, help me to be more patient.”

“God, help me to be better at apologizing.”

“God, help me to be more thankful.”

Frustration also gives you the opportunity to show grace to others. One of the reasons God has forgiven you is so that you can reflect this forgiveness to others. That can’t happen if you don’t get frustrated!

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk About It

How can you respond in a more Christlike way to people you find frustrating?

What have you discovered when you looked at the reasons behind someone’s behavior?

How does your own pain influence your behavior?

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destinyclass-blog · 6 years

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Hello fam,

So, I am back from the “dead.” Praise God!

I had a terrible cough and nose bleeding for a week. And traveling didn’t make it any easier. But it wasn’t all cough, blood, and tears. I met, connected with and drove with a wonderful young man for 10 hours from Redding, California to Los Angeles.

Meet Landon from Idaho.

…

He is an organic farmer (7 years running), world traveler, and extreme hiker from a wonderful family. Plus, he is only 23. Our drive was fun.

Landon shared his passion for storytelling, script writing, film, and production. But, he had questions and these questions was the sign “from heaven” to share with you.

Initially, I felt that it was premature to share this, but Landon inspired its release.

Exception: I like writing short posts. But, because of the weight and life changing nature this will be slightly long. But, it will benefit you greatly. It will change your life. I will try to be brief. (That said…)

Here’s the deal –

We all have God-given gifts and talents. Let’s call these cluster of gifts and talents – your circle of competence. They are your strengths and can cause you to blossom.

“The gift makes way for the man.”

But –

Having gifts and talents does not mean you will succeed. Finding them doesn’t mean you will automatically grow.

However –

Understanding the lifecycle of your gifts and talents (circle of competence); and understanding where you are in that lifecycle can help you to – become clear, find peace in your search for meaning, and enable you to grow intentionally and effectively on your journey toward destiny.

And this understanding is which I share with you below is what I shared with Landon.

The Lifecycle

I found this insight from my study of the biblical account of King Solomon’s life. After King David died and Solomon became King, God visited him and asked him what he wanted.

“That night the LORD appeared to him a dream and asked him, “What would you like me to give you?” – 1 Kings 3:5

King Solomon asked for wisdom to rule wisely. God was pleased and blessed Solomon with wisdom and wealth. Then, in the following chapter (1 Kings 4), King Solomon is displays his wisdom when he solves a problem between two harlots fighting over a baby.

Here’s is where I think there is a misconception and where the unraveling of the parable begins –

I often thought that since God gave King Solomon wisdom, Solomon instantly became wise. I was wrong. Solomon was given wisdom BUT NEVER INSTANTLY became wise

Being given wisdom by God was –

The Gift.

The gift (your gift/talent) is the profound ability to easily understand huge chunks of data in that particular field because God has wired your mind that way. It is also the capacity to easily absorb huge chunks subject matter in the field your gift is related to without becoming overwhelmed.

Though the gift is both capacity and ability, ability is dormant because the capacity is zero. That is, there is no knowledge for the ability to work on. Or the knowledge you have is little for your ability to dissect and find insight to problems, mysteries and enigmas.

Hence, the capacity first has to be filled with some knowledge for the gift ability to have fun deciphering insights, thoughts, ideas, processes, formulas, logistics, and simplistics of that knowledge (data) as it relates to that particular field.

Therefore, initially, the gift is only the capacity NOT the ability. This capacity is like a deep empty well. Key word – EMPTY!

This emptiness is like dryness and causes a thirst. Anything that is empty desires to be filled.

The Desire

This empty well and its emptiness awakens in you the thirst “to want to know” facts, laws, rules, expectations, truths…in the field that gift is related to. That is, it awakens the desire to search for “water” to fill that empty well.

The waters represents the brand/taste of knowledge (answers) that the empty well desires. The desire is to know the mechanics of how “things” work all the way to the core.

The unrest you feel, and the thoughts about that dream/vision/calling/field you are always having is ignited because of the deep desire to learn and know more: know intricate details of how something work in that field (or area of life or sphere of influence).

Feeling the unrest and having those numerous thoughts means that somehow, if you are not already aware, you perceive your gift, talent, and God-given destiny to an extent.

and, if you perceive it, it means

It about time. God is calling you from the future to take action. Its time to explore. Its time to grow. Its time to walk on ahead. Its time to take risks NOT take care. Its time to have faith.

Passion

Your quest to engage in learning in order to acquire the brand of knowledge (answer, waters) to fill the empty well is what we then refer to as Passion. When you put actions and efforts behind your quest to acquire a lot of information (as it relates to your interest) to fill the empty well and quench that insatiable desire, people observing you will describe you as Being Passionate.

And by the way,

That action and effort behind your quest to engage in learning in order to know…is all the faith you need. That’s it. That’s the first step.

Now! Because of the capacity and ability your gift creates, when you acquire knowledge, you will be able to easily understand. Thus, learning and acquiring understanding in less time so you can know and do more.

The ease with which you can learn and understand in that particular field which your gift is relates to is what you feel or and people will describe as –

“This thing (topic, subject, theory, law, algebra, cooking, painting, dancing…) comes naturally to you.”

Referring Back to King Solomon’s Story

Solomon was given wisdom.

Wisdom, was the gift to Solomon. It gave him the ability to understand mysteries about how the world really functioned (The Mystery of Life and Existence). But, he was young when God gave him the gift of wisdom.

He had little knowledge of life and little r no life experience to work with. His capacity was still an empty well that needed filling. Sure, with God’s help, he could solve some problems. But not the majority. Thus, his unfilled capacity invoked the empty well feeling.

This empty well caused a thirst and a hunger in Solomon to explore life. It ignited a desperate desire to know the the truth about existence. He searched for answers to the questions –

Who am I? Why am I here? How then should I live?

Thus, on his quest to know (to fill the empty well), he made efforts to learn and research in order to know what he needed to know (Passion). Solomon didn’t instantly become wise.

As it says in Ecclesiastes, a book about life which King Solomon himself wrote,

“I, the Philosopher…I determined that I would examine and study all the things that are done in this world…I know what wisdom and knowledge really are. I was determined to learn the difference between knowledge and foolishness, wisdom and madness (Ecclesiastes 1:12 GNT).”

Note the words – examine, study, determined, and difference – in the verse above.

These words describe someone seeking to now, find answers, and discover patterns. Plus, no one become a philosopher without extensive reflection, study, and research across several disciplines of life. Won’t you agree?

This was why Solomon was almost obsessed with knowing more about life. That feeling of unrest to know

Because Solomon now acquired vast chunks of data about life, love, laughter, death, work, people…etc, he was now able (gift ability) to process and understand what he knew (gift capacity filled).

He was now ready through gathering insight from his understanding to apply himself and his reasoning/answers to difficult questions/problems and invent solutions.

In a sense, King Solomon received Inspired Wisdom from God. But through taming that inspired wisdom, Solomon turned Inspired Wisdom into Established Wisdom & Real Life Counsel.

Finally,

Regardless of the industry Solomon branched into or tried his hand in, Solomon succeeded because he centered his efforts only around his core gifts and talents (circle of competence).

“God gave Solomon unusual wisdom and insight and knowledge too great to be measured…He was the wisest of all men…He composed 3000 Proverbs and more than a thousand songs…Kings all over the world heard of his wisdom and sent men to listen to him (1 Kings 4:29-34).”

Wisdom – gift

Insight – capability to understand chunks of specific subject matter

Knowledge – learning and research (student, botanist, philosopher)

3000 proverbs (writer, leader, teacher, professor), over a thousand songs (music, entertainment, poetry), and people came to learn from him (life coach, counselor, business consultant)

Now think this through.

…

This is what I picked up during my quiet times with Jesus. It is what I shared with Landon.

So, what do you think? Where are you on the lifecycle and what do you think you need to be doing in order to grow? Can you see God in the process?

Have you found yourself interested in something that you just want to read more, know more, or do more without anyone influencing it? It may not be related to your current field of work or study. Often, this is the case. How often are you on wikipedia and what are you researching?

Do you now see why Solomon was almost obsessed with knowledge of life? He was feeling that unrest in his soul. Yes! you can trace your steps back from your quest, desire, and obsession to your gift (physical and spiritual).

But…

Come back Friday for the final piece of the Post (Demonstrated Application)

Wishing you all good health and prosperity.

One Love – One Spirit,

Ish’mael A. Ngu

Landon is searching for a good training program that specializes in storytelling, script writing, film, and production. If you know of any in California, NY, etc…add a comment with the name of the program/institution.

CIRCLE OF COMPETENCE: YOUR GIFTS & TALENTS Hello fam, So, I am back from the "dead." Praise God! I had a terrible cough and nose bleeding for a week.

#celebrity #competence #Faith #Gifts #Growth #Inspiration #LIFESTYLE #revelation #strengths #Success #Talent #Travel

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nolimitsongrace · 4 years

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2020 Virtual Victory Campaign (May 28-30): Strife -The Destroyer of Drea...

4 Ways to Clear a Path to Your DreamsAugust 27, 2020

Have you hit some road trouble on the path to your dreams?

Potholes and boulders, and dead ends and ditches.

Construction and traffic and sudden lane switches. Slow drivers making us come to a halt.

These are a few of our least favorite things!

What about the path to your dreams? Does it ever seem like you’re trudging along while facing one obstacle after another?

As you know, you have an enemy. And he has no intention of letting you drive straight to your dreams without any opposition. But…there’s good news! Unlike natural roadways, you have control over spiritual obstacles. You can actually force them out of your way with a simple (yet not always easy) spiritual strategy.

Here, we’re sharing 4 Ways to Clear the Path to Your Dreams that you can put into practice today!

1. Stay Out of Strife to Clear a Path to Your Dreams

“For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” –James 3:16 (KJV)

This verse sums it up. If you’re in strife, you’ve invited every evil work into your situation. So to clear a path to your dreams, you must stay out of strife.

Everything you need and everything you want can be obtained with the power of the force of faith. But faith is disarmed in an atmosphere of strife.

Let’s look at the company strife keeps. Romans 1:29 says, “They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice” (NIV).

Strife destroys dreams. That’s why “every…house divided against itself will not stand” (Matthew 12:25). When people are in strife, the devil runs away with their lives because their lives were handed to him free of charge. Strife acts as the worker holding the stop sign at a construction site who never seems to turn the sign around.

It’s just not worth it.

Watch as Kenneth and Gloria Copeland teach you why increasing your love during trials is your way out!

2. Refuse to Argue to Clear a Path to Your Dreams

“It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.” –Proverbs 20:3 (NIV)

Strife is the killer of dreams, and one way strife rears its ugly head is through arguing.

For some people, arguing is a habit. It’s the constant need to defend yourself or be right. At heart, it is prideful. Worse, it stops the love that fuels the faith you need to achieve your dreams. Even more critical? Arguing stops the anointing from operating in your life.

We see that truth played out in Luke 9 when Jesus gave His disciples “power and authority to cast out all demons and heal all diseases.” Yet in verse 40, we find that they could not use this anointing to deliver a demon-possessed boy. The reason, Jesus said, was because “this kind only goes out by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17:21, RGT).

Why did Jesus say this?

Fasting doesn’t change demons, and it doesn’t change God. Fasting changes the one who fasts. Had the disciples been drawing closer to the Lord, instead of arguing about who would have the greatest position, the anointing to empower their authority would have been active.

You can clear the path to your dreams by refusing to argue with anyone about anything. When you find yourself at odds with someone, don’t waste a minute. Go to that personand get things straight. Do whatever it takes to preserve the bond of peace between you (Ephesians 4:3). If they insist you’re to blame for the whole problem, don’t argue. Agree with them. Be spiritually big enough to take responsibility for the entire situation. Humble yourself and say, “I’m at fault, and I want to make it right. I love you, and more than anything else, I want to be in harmony with you again.”

Arguing and strife kill the manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit, kill the anointing and destroy dreams. Learn to respond in agape love—which is a choice, not a feeling. Arguing will cause a traffic jam on the road to your dreams. Keep the pathway to your dreams clear!

3. Don’t Hold Grudges to Clear a Path to Your Dreams

“[Love] does not keep a record of wrongs.” –1 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV)

His brothers, Potiphar’s wife, Potiphar, the baker and the cupbearer. Joseph had a long list of betrayers. But what if he would have held a grudge against all those who had wronged him?

If Joseph had focused on holding grudges and feeling bitter, there would have been no room for the supernatural to promote him to a powerful place. A grudge is a refusal to forgive, and faith cannot work in an unforgiving heart.

That’s why we have to get away from the feeling syndrome. Your feelings will lie to you and keep you in bondage. It doesn’t matter if people have accused you of all kinds of things, cost you your job, cost you your relationships—your job is to forgive!

Don’t hold grudges.

You don’t have to feel good about it, but God said you have to do it! Why? Because if you don’t forgive, He can’t bless you. And He’s all about providing all your needs and wants. He doesn’t want anything—especially holding grudges—to keep you from receiving all He has for you. Grudges are the potholes on the road to your dreams.

Green pastures and still waters are waiting for you. Don’t let a grudge keep you from getting there. Let go of grudges and clear the path to your dreams!

4. Love Others—Even When It’s Tough

“Faith…works through love.” –Galatians 5:6, (GNT)

Not everyone is easy to love. In fact, many people will put your love walk to the test! God never said it would be easy, but He did say that it is impossible to please Himwithout faith. Faith won’t work in an unloving heart. Faith works by love.

Let’s say that again.

Faith. Works. By. Love.

You can’t have it both ways. You can’t have faith and be angry at someone at the same time. You can’t stand in faith while you’re bitter about Sister So-and-So and her gossiping ways. You can’t obtain God’s promises by faith when you’re holding a grudge against Mama, Grandma and your siblings over an inheritance.

(Discover 8 Ways to Make Your Home a No-Strife Zone HERE.)

You clear the path to your dreams when you love others—even when it’s tough.

It’s too dangerous—too risky—to refuse to show love to all people in all situations.

This includes politicians!

Clear the path to your dreams by responding in love—even when it’s tough. How do you know if you’re responding in love? You follow the recipe in 1 Corinthians 13 and make sure you are:

• Patient

• Kind

• Not boastful

• Not rude

• Not envious

• Not selfish

• Not easily angered

• Not keeping a record of wrongs

• Believing the best in others

Love never fails. That means, if you’re walking in love, you can’t fail, and the path to your dreams will remain clear.

These 4 ways to clear the path to your dreams may not be the first things you think of when you’re working toward a vision God has put in your heart, but they are nonnegotiable. It’s time to clear the path of all potholes, traffic jams, dead ends and the like. Steer clear of strife, jump-start your faith, and push the pedal to the metal on your dreams!

Watch as Kenneth Copeland teaches you why strife is the killer of dreams.

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prettygirlprays · 5 years

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To be or not to be being unequally yoked

Are you unequally yoked in your friendships/relationships etc? The Bible states “Do not try to work together as equals with unbelievers, for it cannot be done. How can right and wrong be partners? How can light and darkness live together? How can Christ and the Devil agree? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? How can God's temple come to terms with pagan idols? For we are the temple of the living God! As God himself has said, “I will make my home with my people and live among them; I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” And so the Lord says, “You must leave them and separate yourselves from them. Have nothing to do with what is unclean, and I will accept you. I will be your father, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.””

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭6:14-18‬ ‭GNT‬‬

Jesus says of Himself: “I do not receive honor from men.” John 5:41. Paul writes straight out—without a shadow of doubt: “Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits.’” 1 Corinthians 15:33.

This goes for everything!! How are you saved and still mixing yourself with sinners and not think you'll be tempted with the sins they still practice?? Someone needs to hear this. 🗣🗣light and darkness can't live together. Now granted yes! Jesus did go amongst the sinners! But he went amongst the sinners to preach, and teach about the Kingdom of His Father. He wasn't a sinner with them! He didn't mix with them to be pleasing with them. That's why after a while you have to slowly but surely break away from those worldly ideas, desires and yes sometimes people.

Uniting ourselves to people who do not love, follow, or submit to Christ is direct disobedience.

When you choose to follow Jesus wholeheartedly, He offers you the way to overcome sin as He did and become free and filled with joy. (John 10:10) When you are faithful, you will become His bride and coworker throughout all of eternity. (Revelation 3:21) But are there human relationships that can jeopardize this highly exalted calling?

For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.” Mark 3:33-35. Jesus valued the will of God above all earthly bonds.

“But what if I want to win them for Christ?” You may wonder. “How can I do that if I break off my relationship with them?” Paul’s testimony can help clarify this: “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all that I might win the more …” 1 Corinthians 9:19.

Paul had to first become free from people before he could then be strong enough to try to lead them to Christ. It is important that we are honest with ourselves in such matters because it will often have a disastrous effect if we try to help those we are not truly free from. As we see in the case of Solomon who married foreign wives: “For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David.” 1 Kings 11:4.

If, for the sake of preserving our relationship with God, we break off, limit or prevent a human relationship in our lives, God will more than compensate for this faithfulness. “So Jesus answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time…’” Mark 10:29-30.

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thedietgroove-blog · 7 years

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The Big Lemon Question

What gets you going in the morning: a cuppa workman’s or a shot of coffee? Both work for me, and on a Monday especially, I need both. But recently, I’ve been drinking warm lemon water first thing. Until now most of the lemon I've drunk has been heavily diluted with gin but I’ve heard so much recently about its benefits that I thought I should check it out. As Gwyneth Paltrow would tell you, it wakes you up, provides you with vitamins, rejuvenates the skin, helps you lose weight and (the one everybody talks about) it detoxes the body.

So does it? Well, it’s not as cranky as I’d feared. As long as you squeeze enough juice from your slice there’s a pleasant, energising taste. It’s where the zest in ‘zest for life’ came from after all. And, perhaps it helps you feel a bit more virtuous, which might stiffen your resolve to eat well for the morning at least. The bright sharp taste does encourage the idea that you’re doing yourself some good. Which reminds me of a joke.

An unmarried woman is confessing to her priest:

"Father forgive me," she says, "for I have sinned."

"Tell me your sins, my child," says the priest.

"Father, last night I had sex with my boyfriend seven times.”

The priest thinks for a while; "Go home and drink the juice of seven lemons," he says.

"Will this cleanse my soul?" she asks.

"No. But it'll wipe that smile off your face."

But I digress.

There’s no doubting lemon's role as a source of vitamin C – good for the immune system – plus it’s full of calcium, iron and potassium too. It’s refreshing and, at least unlike tea and coffee, it’s not a diuretic so it does hydrate you. Yes, just like water.

On the weight front, there’s nothing to declare. More calories than the none in a glass of water but not far off those in a cuppa, depending on the colour of your milk bottle top. Either way no big deal. But how it’s supposed to help you lose weight makes no sense. It all seems to be attached to the alluring promise of detox.

This, I understand, is appealing. The promise of flushing out bad stuff. Purging and purifying seems so likely to wipe out the bad effects of all those ‘toxic’ things you’ve eaten. But as I’m sure you’ll already know deep down, this is nonsense.

What I also understand is that the use of the word detox came from the treatments that people had to suffer to rid themselves of slightly more toxic substances. Like heroin.

‘Detox’ was coined in clinics where addicts suffered withdrawal symptoms when trying to kick various nasty habits. And because bad stuff is cool, it inevitably became something we all liked the sound of. Plus of course the clinics were all in LA and filled with Hollywood stars.

So now we ‘detox’ after sausages and cream buns. For goodness’ sake. We detox from our consumption of sugar, caffeine, red meat, alcohol and, heaven forbid we forget, gluten.

Now I’m not going to join the debate about which of these foods cause people problems or not. I’m not a nutritionist. But I do appreciate is that a two day detox or less still a morning glass of lemon juice isn’t going to do a better job than what my body is doing already. If you’ve got a functioning liver and kidneys then the trick to digestive health is eating good foods and not eating or drinking rubbish. The body has its own amazing detoxifying processes and there is no scientific evidence that you can make it detox harder by adding special supplements. Either cut out the toxins or let your body deal with them. Your choice. But don’t pretend you can detox from whatever toxins you eat by adding special supplements or procedures. Coffee enema? Really? Only if it's arabica.

What’s more if you do drink a bit and enjoy the odd cream bun, no end of lemon juice is going to help you lose weight. Detoxing does not remove any of the fat you’ve stored as a result of all the cream buns. The only reason you might lose weight on a five day detox is because you don’t eat much. It’s not because you spend hundreds of pounds on pre-bottled, cold pressed, vegetables.

So coffee, tea or lemon? It’s not going to cleanse your soul or detox your body, but maybe it helps you start off with slightly better intentions of a Monday morning. And remember, when life gives you lemons, at least you’ve got a slice for your GnT. And it gives you coffee I recommend that you drink it.

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faithpeacehopejoy · 4 years

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Your Timing Is Everything

By Rick Warren

"There is a right time and a right way to do everything, but we know so little” (Ecclesiastes 8:6 GNT).

As you look ahead to the start of a new year, take some time to reflect on your life. What needs to stay the same? What needs to change?

One of the most important things to consider is how you can stay tuned in to God’s timing. Every great accomplishment involves timing. A successful football catch requires incredible timing between quarterback and receiver. In business, good timing in the market—particularly decisions about hiring and expanding—can mean everything. If you sing, you know how important it is to keep time with the other musicians.

Many years ago I wrote a book called The Purpose Driven Church. In the first chapter I compare leadership to surfing. No surfer says, “Let’s go make some waves today.” Surfers can’t create waves in the ocean. Only God can do that. Surfers wait for the waves that God creates.

That means surfers spend a lot of time waiting. Sometimes they might see a wave and let it go, knowing it’s not the right time. Then the surfer sees just the right wave, starts paddling faster and faster, catches the wave, rides the wave, and gets off the wave without wiping out. Surfing looks easy, but in reality it requires a lot of skill.

The same is true in life. You have to develop the skill of timing. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 8:6, “There is a right time and there is a right way to do everything, but we know so little” (GNT).

There’s a rhythm to life. Learning to do the right thing at the right time takes skill. Christians often call that skill “walking in the Spirit.” The more you grow as a follower of Christ, the better you get at walking in the Spirit. Sometimes God’s Spirit leads you to run fast. Sometimes he leads you to walk slowly.

For the next several days we’re going to look at when God usually wants you to speed up and when he might want you to slow down. You can enter the new year trying to make your own waves. Or you can learn to see and catch the waves God is making all around you.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk About It

When has your timing—maybe in a business decision or in a relationship—been just right? When has it been wrong?

Have you ever felt yourself walking in God’s Spirit? What did that feel like?

God offers you salvation. And today is the day to accept it.

When you say, “Not yet,” you’re actually saying no to Christ. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 6:2, “Right now God is ready to welcome you. Today he is ready to save you” (TLB).

How do you accept salvation? You turn from yourself to God. You trust Christ to come into your life, forgive your sins, and make you who he wants you to be.

If you’re ready to accept God’s salvation, you can pray a prayer like this:

Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive you as my Savior and Lord. Thank you for forgiving me of my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of my life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be.

If you just prayed to accept the gift of salvation through Jesus, please email me at [email protected] and let me know about it. I’d like to send you some free materials to help you start your journey with Jesus.

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation.

— Psalm 42:5

No Hope?

Adapted from the resource Battlefield of the Mind Devotional - by Joyce Meyer

“What’s the use?” Jeff said to me. “I’ve tried many times to work for God and to accomplish great things. No matter what I do or how hard I work, I end up failing.”

“I vowed that I would set aside time for God every day,” Pam said. “That was my only resolution for the year.” She shrugged. “It’s now April, and I stuck with my plan for about three weeks. I never complete most of the important things in my life.”

Jeff and Pam are only two examples of people who feel hopeless. They know what they want to do, but they still don’t accomplish what they desire.

There is no one way we can explain all failures, but both of these believers had reached the place of hopelessness. They were sure they couldn’t do it. “I’ve tried before, and I failed,” they each said. They saw no point in trying again.

“Okay, so I try again and then I fail again,” Jeff said. “I already feel bad; why would I want to feel worse?”

He didn’t realize that negative thoughts and words were the cause of his own failure. Satan was there to attack and discourage him, but he did most of the work himself through an attitude of hopelessness.

“I end up failing.” Those were Pam’s words. “I never complete most of the important things in my life,” is the way she said it.

By their own words, Jeff and Pam had prepared themselves to fail. And their words weren’t the only thing that doomed them. It was the thoughts behind the words.

Discouragement destroys hope. Failure easily leads to more failure. And once we allow our minds to say, “This is the way it will always be,” Satan has won a victory over us.

I urged Jeff and Pam to examine their thought life. “For now,” I urged, “don’t focus on the outcome or the result of your action. Go back to your attitude and your thought processes.”

As we talked, it became obvious that Jeff expected to fail. Satan had already enslaved his mind. Of course, he failed. He got just what he expected. The same was true for Pam. Both of them thought failure and focused on failure. They expected nothing else. They were afraid they would fail right from the beginning, and the Bible says that what we fear comes upon us (see Job 3:25).

“Ask yourselves,” I said, “what kind of thoughts have you been thinking?” If we change our thoughts, we can change our outcome. Jeff and Pam both believed they would fail, but I wanted them to believe they could succeed.

Jeff made great progress over the next few weeks. Whenever he started on a new project he would say, “Things are going a little slow, but I’m making progress. Yesterday was difficult, and I started to feel discouraged. I even felt a little sorry for myself. But that was because I chose wrong thinking.”

The same was true for Pam. She said, “I now refuse to be discouraged. Last Tuesday night as I crawled into bed, I realized I had rushed so fast all day that I had taken no time to spend with God, and I was too tired then.” She asked God to forgive her, adding, “Help me not to give up.”

Pam realized that she had failed once last week and twice the week before. She reminded herself that she had been faithful the other days. That gave her hope. “It’s not 100 percent victory, but it’s a lot better than zero.”

Both Jeff and Pam finally realized a powerful truth, and we need to understand it, too: Jesus does not condemn us; we condemn ourselves. We allow discouraging, disheartening thoughts to fill our minds. Now we need to be aware that we can push those thoughts aside and say, “With Your help, Lord Jesus, I can make it.”

Prayer Starter: Lord Jesus, with Your help, I can make it. With Your help, I won’t be discouraged and feel hopeless. With Your help, I can defeat every wrong thought that Satan slips into my mind. Thank You for victory. Amen.

#life #love #hope #peace #joy #scripture #bible study #study #joycemyersministries #dailyhope #character

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faithpeacehopejoy · 5 years

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Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.

Luke 19:38 KJV

https://bible.com/bible/1/luk.19.38.KJV

Acts 2:32-33

32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear

Two Ways the Holy Spirit Guides You

By Rick Warren

Teach me, LORD, what you want me to do, and lead me along a safe path” (Psalm 27:11 GNT).

It may seem obvious, but one thing that can keep you from knowing God’s will is not asking him about it. James 4:2 says, “You do not have, because you do not ask” (ESV). God knows the details of your life more than you do. So engage your “guidance counselor” by asking specific questions. He will guide you through your circumstances and feelings.

Think about it: You don’t just have the guidebook, the Bible. You also have the author speaking in your ear. When you became a believer, God placed the Holy Spirit within you, and he’s been teaching you ever since to listen and respond to the Holy Spirit’s counsel. He knows every step of the journey and understands the blessings and dangers ahead. He knows where you’ve been and where you’re going, and he knows the best path to take.

The primary way the Holy Spirit guides you is by reminding you what you’ve read in the Bible. That’s why we memorize Scripture. It stores his Word in our minds, and the Holy Spirit helps us remember.

The other way God guides you is by impressions. God gave you a brain, and he wants you to use it. God will not control you; he’s given you free will. But he will give you an idea, and when you respond to it, he then begins to fill in the details.

When God gives you an idea, that’s called inspiration. When the Devil gives you an idea, that’s called temptation. When you need to know the difference, ask, “Teach me, Lord, what you want me to do, and lead me along a safe path” (Psalm 27:11 GNT).PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk About It

What Bible memorization techniques do you use? If you aren’t memorizing any verses, what is one simple way you can start this week?

Why do you think God wants you to respond to his leading before he fills in all the details of an impression?

What is something you’ve needed but haven’t asked God for?

We believe God is going to deliver us, but even if He does not, we are not conforming to your image of what you think we ought to be. We are going to do what God is telling us to do. You can do what you want to with your furnace. But whatever happens to us, we will have peace.

— Daniel 3:17-18 (Paraphrased)

God Will Meet You in the Fire

Adapted from the resource Trusting God Day by Day Devotional - by Joyce Meyer

God Will Meet You in the Fire

Adapted from the resource Trusting God Day by Day Devotional - by Joyce Meyer

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship the golden idol that King Nebuchadnezzar constructed, and as a result were thrown into the fiery furnace (see Daniel 3). These three young men had no idea what would happen to them, but they were willing to put their lives on the line instead of disobeying God. We need people today who will take a stand for righteousness, for what is right according to God’s Word. If this does not happen, our world will be in serious trouble.

Many times, people fail to stand up for righteousness because they are afraid of what will happen when they do. Will they lose their jobs? Will they lose their friends? Will God abandon them? In situations such as these, when we do not know what the outcome or result of a situation will be, we need to trust God and press forward to do what we believe is right. Even if we are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, God’s Word says we are blessed (see Matthew 5:10). Those three Hebrew boys would’ve never experienced their incredible miracle if they weren’t willing to trust God as they stood in that fire.

The world desperately needs men and women who will trust God even in the midst of the fires of persecution and outside pressure. God can put us in better places than people could ever put us if we trust in Him and if we are people of integrity and excellence. We need people who will put everything on the line and say, “Even if I lose what I want, I will not compromise and do what I know in my heart to be wrong.” We need to fear the Lord above all else, and to trust Him at all times, in every situation, every day of our lives.

Trust in Him. Don’t be afraid to stand up for righteousness, because you know He’ll never leave you or forsake you.

Prayer Starter: Father, when the “fire” is turned up in my life, help me to stand strong and be a good representative for You. Help me to walk in integrity and do what’s right, even when it’s not popular. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

#heavenlyfather #Jesus #dailyhope #daily devotional #dailywords #dailybread #joy #hope #peace #love #life #messages #scripture #bibleverses #bible study #study #mind of christ #christian #health

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faithpeacehopejoy · 5 years

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And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Galatians 6:9 KJV

https://bible.com/bible/1/gal.6.9.KJV

Are You Looking for Provision in All the Wrong Places?

By Rick Warren

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23 NIV).

Psalm 23 explains the ways God wants to show his goodness in your life. All of these benefits are available to you not because you’re good, but because God is good. When you truly understand God’s goodness as revealed in Psalm 23, it will strengthen your faith. You will be able to say:

God will meet all my needs; there’s no reason to worry.

God will help me rest and find peace.

God will refresh and replenish me when I am drained.

God will guide me to make right decisions.

God will be with me on my dark and fearful days.

God will protect me and keep me safe.

God will support me, even if I am surrounded by conflict.

God will give me his favor.

God will fill me with more blessing than I can imagine.

God will secure my future and take me to heaven one day.

When Jesus came to Earth and died for our sins on the cross, he opened the door for us to receive all the benefits of God’s goodness. That’s why we call it Good Friday. It was good for you and me! Good Friday certainly wasn’t good for Jesus. It was painful. It was torture. He willingly said, “No one takes my life away from me. I give it up of my own free will” (John 10:18 GNT). Sending the Messiah to die for you is the ultimate expression of God’s goodness.

Jesus said, “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep” (John 10:10-11 NLT).

Everybody needs what God has to offer. But are you looking for it in all the wrong places? Many people expect those 10 needs to be met by their careers, bank accounts, friendships, romantic relationships, children, or family. God is saying to you, “No, I’m it. I’m the source of all goodness in your life.”

The biggest cause of stress in your life is the lack of focusing on God’s goodness. When you choose to trust in God’s goodness, you’ll be able to face your struggles with hope and renewed faith.PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk About It

Spend a few minutes every day this week reciting Psalm 23 and working to memorize it. How can knowing this Scripture from memory help you?

Look through the list of ways God provides for you. To whom or what besides God have you been looking for any of these needs to be met?

How does focusing on God’s goodness give you hope?

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

— Jeremiah 29:11

God’s Vision for You

Adapted from the resource Battlefield of the Mind Devotional - by Joyce Meyer

God’s plan for the people of the nation of Israel was only for their good. Yet they wandered around in the wilderness for 40 years on what was actually an 11-day journey. Why? Was it their enemies, their circumstances, the trials along the way, or something entirely different that prevented them from arriving at their destination in a timely manner?

God called the children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt to go to the land He had promised to give them as a perpetual inheritance—a land that flowed with milk and honey and every good thing they could imagine—a land in which there would be no shortage of anything they needed—a land of prosperity in every realm of their existence.

But the Israelites had no positive vision for their lives—no dreams. They knew where they came from, but they did not know where they were going. Everything was based on what they had seen in the past or what they could presently see. They did not know how to see with “the eye of faith.”

We really shouldn’t view the Israelites with astonishment, because most of us do the same thing they did. We keep dealing with the same problems over and over again. The disappointing result is that it takes us years to experience victory over something that could have and should have been dealt with quickly.

I come from a background of abuse. My childhood was filled with fear and torment, and my personality was a mess! I built up walls of protection to keep people from hurting me, not realizing that while I was locking others out, I was also locking myself in. I was filled with fear and believed that the only way I could face life was to be in control so no one could hurt me.

As a young adult trying to live for Christ and follow the Christian lifestyle, I knew where I had come from, but I did not know where I was going. I felt that my future would always be marred by my past. I thought, How could anyone with a past like mine ever be all right? It’s impossible!

But Jesus had a different plan. He said, The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon Me…to preach the good news (the Gospel) to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed [who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity] (Luke 4:18 AMPC).

Jesus came to open the prison doors and set the captives free—and that included me. However, I did not make any progress until I started to believe that I really could be set free. I had to get rid of my negative thinking and replace it with a positive vision for my life. I had to believe that neither my past nor my present could determine my future. Only then could Jesus free me from the bondage of my past—and free me, He did. What a marvelous miracle!

You may have had a miserable past; you may even be in current circumstances that are very negative and depressing. You may be facing situations that are so bad it seems you have no real reason to hope. But I say to you boldly: Your future is not determined by your past or your present!

Most of the generation the Lord called out of Egypt never entered into the Promised Land. Instead, they died in the wilderness. To me, this is one of the saddest things that can happen to a child of God—to have so much available and yet never be able to enjoy any of it.

Start believing that God’s Word is true. Mark 9:23 assures you that with God all things are possible. Because you serve a God who created everything you see out of the unseen realm (see Hebrews 11:3), you can give Him your nothingness and watch Him go to work on your behalf. All you have to do is have faith in Him and believe His Word—He will do the rest!

Prayer Starter: Dear Father, I thank You for loving me and having a vision—a good plan—for my life. I pray that You will help me overcome any negative thoughts of problems, past or present, that come against my mind, and make my life what You want it to be. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

#God #heavenlyfather #Jesus #scripture #holy spirit #newlife #life #joy #hope #peace #love #dailyhope #daily devotional #dailybread #joycemeyerministries #christ #inspirtation #vitamin

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faithpeacehopejoy · 5 years

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"You Are Part Of God's Inner Circle & Take A Laugh Break" 💕🌴

Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord , I will joy in the God of my salvation.

Habakkuk 3:17‭-‬18 KJV

https://bible.com/bible/1/hab.3.17-18.KJV

John 3:16

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

You Are Part of God’s Inner Circle

By Rick Warren

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15 NIV).

The original Greek word for friend in this verse does not mean a casual acquaintance but a close, trusted relationship. The same word is used to refer to the best man at a wedding (John 3:29) and a king’s inner circle of intimate, trusted friends. In royal courts, servants must keep their distance from the king, but the inner circle of trusted friends enjoy close contact, direct access, and confidential information.

That God would want me for a close friend is hard to understand. But the Bible says, “He is a God who is passionate about his relationship with you” (Exodus 34:14 NLT).

God deeply desires that we know him intimately. In fact, he planned the universe and orchestrated history, including the details of our lives, so that we could become his friends. The Bible says, “He made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him” (Acts 17:26-27 The Message).

Knowing and loving God is our greatest privilege, and being known and loved is God’s greatest pleasure. God says, “If any want to boast, they should boast that they know and understand me . . . These are the things that please me” (Jeremiah 9:24 GNT).

It’s difficult to imagine how an intimate friendship is possible between an omnipotent, invisible, perfect God and a finite, sinful human being. It’s easier to understand a Master-servant relationship or a Creator-creation relationship or even Father-child. Yet God wants us as his friends, and that’s an incredible honor.PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk About It

How do you react to the truth that the Creator of the universe desires an intimate friendship with you?

In what ways are you pursuing a deeper relationship with God?

What evidence of passion for God do you see in your relationship with him—and where do you see reminders of God’s passion for you?

Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”

— Psalm 126:2

Take a Laugh Break

Adapted from the resource My Time with God Devotional - by Joyce Meyer

We need to laugh more. It is good for the soul and adds health to our body. One of the reasons we may not laugh more is because we think too much about things that have no ability to bring joy.

Thinking of what I have lost in life is not a joy-bringer, but thinking about what God has done for me and His promise to do even more does bring joy.

Thinking about the people who have hurt us in life is not a joy-bringing thought, but thinking about the grace God has given us to forgive and trust Him for vindication makes us want to laugh (at least it does me).

God often reminds me to laugh more. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get too serious and I need to have a “laugh break.” There are lots of things to laugh at or about if we will just take the time to do it.

I believe laughter is much more important than we may realize. We aren’t too old or too busy, nor do we have too many problems to laugh! Start paying attention to how much you laugh and try to do it as often as possible.

Prayer Starter: Father, I believe You gave me the ability to laugh for a reason, and I want to take advantage of all the benefits of laughter. Help me take every opportunity to laugh and to make others laugh too. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

#God #heavenlyfather #Jesus #dailyhope #joycemeyerministries #love #life #joy #peace #hope #daily devotional #scripture #bible study

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faithpeacehopejoy · 5 years

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"Not everything you feel is right" & "Faith To Faith"

Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord , and whose hope the Lord is.

Jeremiah 17:7 KJV

https://bible.com/bible/1/jer.17.7.KJV

Ephesians 4:22-24

22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Not Everything You Feel Is Right

By Rick Warren

“To be controlled by human nature results in death; to be controlled by the Spirit results in life and peace . . . Those who obey their human nature cannot please God” (Romans 8:6, 8 GNT).

Learning to manage your emotions is the key to peace of mind.

I want to share with you four important reasons from God’s Word why you need to learn to deal with what you feel.

You need to learn to manage your emotions because they are often unreliable.

Your gut is often wrong. Your intuition is often flawed. Your emotions often lead you down a blind alley. You can’t depend on everything you feel!

Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death” (NIV). You don’t have to accept everything you feel, because not everything you feel is right or authentic or will lead you in the right direction.

You need to learn to manage your emotions because you don’t want to be manipulated.

If you don’t control your emotions, they will control you, and you will be manipulated by your moods. And if you’re always guided by your feelings, other people are going to take advantage of you. Worst of all, negative emotions are Satan’s favorite tool. He will use fear, resentment, and worry to wreak havoc in your life.

The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (NIV).

You need to learn to manage your emotions because you want to please God.

God cannot rule your life if emotions rule your life. If you make your decisions based on how you feel, then you’ve made your feelings god, and then God can’t be God in your life.

Romans 8:6, 8 says, “To be controlled by human nature results in death; to be controlled by the Spirit results in life and peace . . . Those who obey their human nature cannot please God” (GNT).

You need to learn to manage your emotions because you want to succeed in life.

Study after study has shown that your emotional quotient is far more important than your IQ when it comes to success. How many people do you know who ruined their reputation because of something said in anger? Or missed a job opportunity because of their lack of self-control?

The Bible says in Proverbs 5:23, “[People] get lost and die because of their foolishness and lack of self-control” (CEV).

When you choose to follow Jesus, that decision includes your emotions. So when you say, “I gave my heart to Jesus,” you gave your emotions to him so he could manage them. Jesus wants to be Lord of how you feel, not just what you think and do. He wants to be Lord of your emotions.

“From now on, then, you must live the rest of your earthly lives controlled by God’s will and not by human desires” (1 Peter 4:2 GNT).PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk About It

How much do you base your decisions on your feelings? How do you know if a “feeling” is right or wrong?

Why is it important to learn to listen to the Holy Spirit? How do you do that?

What about your emotions do you need to surrender to God today?

For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed in a way that awakens more faith]. As it is written and forever remains written, “THE JUST and UPRIGHT SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”

— Romans 1:17 (AMP)

From Faith to Faith

Adapted from the resource Battlefield of the Mind Devotional - by Joyce Meyer

Faith is a word the apostle Paul used often in his writing. When writing to the Thessalonians, he wanted to know about their faith.

While the word faith means belief or absolute trust, it’s more than that—the word also implies loyalty and commitment.

Faith means being convinced that something is true. In 1 Corinthians 15:17, the apostle told the Corinthians that if Jesus did not rise from the dead, their faith was meaningless. He was saying that all they believed was utterly useless. True faith acknowledges that the message of Jesus’ death and resurrection is true.

True faith begins when we’re receptive—when we’re willing to listen. It starts with a kind of mental assent—it seems reasonable that it’s true. But that’s not true faith. True faith happens when we say, “Not only does it make sense to me, but I’m willing to stake my life on it.”

Paul quoted from Habakkuk 2:4, saying that the just—the righteous—shall live by faith. One way to think of the just is to think of those who were “justified,” or made right, by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross.

If we are justified, it means that God treats us as though we are not and have never been sinners. He treats us as His own—His beloved children. Instead of being God’s enemies, we’re His friends. Instead of fighting Him, we serve Him.

When God calls us just, or righteous, we enter into a relationship of love, confidence, and friendship. We need not fear or worry because there is no punishment for us.

When Paul says the just and upright shall live by faith, he means that those of us who have been made right with God live by our faith. That is, we live by our trust in the God who reaches out to us.

This is where many must fight the wiles of Satan. Instead of focusing on all God has done for us, they listen to the devil whisper, “Do you remember when you lost your temper?” “You’re worried about paying your bills, and if you worry, you don’t have faith, right?” “If you’re supposed to be a Christian, how could you have said what you did?”

The torments are there, and Satan never passes up the opportunity to remind us of past failures. All have failed, and we will continue to fail, but when we do, we can repent and move on.

I went through a particularly difficult time several years ago when there was absolutely no joy or peace in my life. Unhappiness filled most of my days. I repeatedly asked the Lord what was wrong with me, really wanting to know what my problem was. I was working so hard to please the Lord and trying to be the kind of Christian I thought I should be, but I certainly didn’t feel like any progress was being made.

Then one day, I came across Romans 15:13 (AMPC) in a box of scripture cards: May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope. That was it! I got it!

I had plunged into doubt and unbelief, allowing the enemy to torment me with his evil lies. As a result, I had become negative, grouchy, short-tempered, and impatient. I was making myself miserable, and Satan was thrilled at the stronghold he had over me!

This scripture changed all of that old thinking! I knew the answer. Jesus loved me so much that He not only forgave all my sins of the past, but He also looked ahead and forgave me for those moments of weakness when I’d fail in the future. I’m not referring to deliberate sin, but to human weaknesses, those times when I just don’t live up to all the truth I know.

“Just think,” I told my husband, “two thousand years ago Jesus not only died on the cross for all my sins before I even knew Him, but for all of my sins and failures until the day I meet Him face to face.” That was such a powerful thought to me.

Then I pondered the words of Paul in Romans 1:17. I finally understood the concept of living from faith to faith. I don’t have to allow Satan to sneak in with questions or unbelief. I can live every moment moving from faith to more faith to more faith.

Prayer Starter: Lord Jesus Christ, I am in awe of Your love for me, which is so great and so powerful that You not only died for all my sins before I was born, but You’ve provided for all my weak moments in the future. I am so thankful to You for Your love, and I rejoice in Your holy name. Amen.

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destinyclass-blog · 6 years

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Hello fam,

So, I am back from the “dead.” Praise God!

Meet Landon from Idaho.

…

He is an organic farmer (7 years running), world traveler, and extreme hiker from a wonderful family. Plus, he is only 23. Our drive was fun.

Landon shared his passion for storytelling, script writing, film, and production. But, he had questions and these questions was the sign “from heaven” to share with you.

Initially, I felt that it was premature to share this, but Landon inspired its release.

Here’s the deal –

We all have God-given gifts and talents. Let’s call these cluster of gifts and talents – your circle of competence. They are your strengths and can cause you to blossom.

“The gift makes way for the man.”

But –

Having gifts and talents does not mean you will succeed. Finding them doesn’t mean you will automatically grow.

However –

And this understanding is which I share with you below is what I shared with Landon.

The Lifecycle

I found this insight from my study of the biblical account of King Solomon’s life. After King David died and Solomon became King, God visited him and asked him what he wanted.

“That night the LORD appeared to him a dream and asked him, “What would you like me to give you?” – 1 Kings 3:5

Here’s is where I think there is a misconception and where the unraveling of the parable begins –

I often thought that since God gave King Solomon wisdom, Solomon instantly became wise. I was wrong. Solomon was given wisdom BUT NEVER INSTANTLY became wise

Being given wisdom by God was –

The Gift.

Therefore, initially, the gift is only the capacity NOT the ability. This capacity is like a deep empty well. Key word – EMPTY!

This emptiness is like dryness and causes a thirst. Anything that is empty desires to be filled.

The Desire

The waters represents the brand/taste of knowledge (answers) that the empty well desires. The desire is to know the mechanics of how “things” work all the way to the core.

Feeling the unrest and having those numerous thoughts means that somehow, if you are not already aware, you perceive your gift, talent, and God-given destiny to an extent.

and, if you perceive it, it means

It about time. God is calling you from the future to take action. Its time to explore. Its time to grow. Its time to walk on ahead. Its time to take risks NOT take care. Its time to have faith.

Passion

And by the way,

That action and effort behind your quest to engage in learning in order to know…is all the faith you need. That’s it. That’s the first step.

The ease with which you can learn and understand in that particular field which your gift is relates to is what you feel or and people will describe as –

“This thing (topic, subject, theory, law, algebra, cooking, painting, dancing…) comes naturally to you.”

Referring Back to King Solomon’s Story

Solomon was given wisdom.

This empty well caused a thirst and a hunger in Solomon to explore life. It ignited a desperate desire to know the the truth about existence. He searched for answers to the questions –

Who am I? Why am I here? How then should I live?

Thus, on his quest to know (to fill the empty well), he made efforts to learn and research in order to know what he needed to know (Passion). Solomon didn’t instantly become wise.

As it says in Ecclesiastes, a book about life which King Solomon himself wrote,

Note the words – examine, study, determined, and difference – in the verse above.

This was why Solomon was almost obsessed with knowing more about life. That feeling of unrest to know

Because Solomon now acquired vast chunks of data about life, love, laughter, death, work, people…etc, he was now able (gift ability) to process and understand what he knew (gift capacity filled).

He was now ready through gathering insight from his understanding to apply himself and his reasoning/answers to difficult questions/problems and invent solutions.

In a sense, King Solomon received Inspired Wisdom from God. But through taming that inspired wisdom, Solomon turned Inspired Wisdom into Established Wisdom & Real Life Counsel.

Finally,

Regardless of the industry Solomon branched into or tried his hand in, Solomon succeeded because he centered his efforts only around his core gifts and talents (circle of competence).

Wisdom – gift

Insight – capability to understand chunks of specific subject matter

Knowledge – learning and research (student, botanist, philosopher)

3000 proverbs (writer, leader, teacher, professor), over a thousand songs (music, entertainment, poetry), and people came to learn from him (life coach, counselor, business consultant)

Now think this through.

…

This is what I picked up during my quiet times with Jesus. It is what I shared with Landon.

So, what do you think? Where are you on the lifecycle and what do you think you need to be doing in order to grow? Can you see God in the process?

But…

Come back Friday for the final piece of the Post (Demonstrated Application)

Wishing you all good health and prosperity.

One Love – One Spirit,

Ish’mael A. Ngu

CIRCLE OF COMPETENCE: YOUR GIFTS & TALENTS Hello fam, So, I am back from the "dead." Praise God! I had a terrible cough and nose bleeding for a week.

#celebrity #competence #Faith #Gifts #Growth #Inspiration #LIFESTYLE #revelation #strengths #Success #Talent #Travel

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