tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37879189763393274962024-02-19T10:26:20.709-06:00Bible Memos From MimiTo help us live spiritual lives from moment to moment.......Meredith Roark Childresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08679162395739617212noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3787918976339327496.post-25474797662636467022021-07-28T13:03:00.003-05:002021-08-11T17:26:22.050-05:00The Blood of Jesus Saves Us<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWg92IZcq7M5Lfbn2TIU8hddgHNb4GHaee5tnNPe5o_jYupUO6jk75hwUKHQr8n1nY2X1X20mIcG32yavbWBrkBHupHiH7ZU6g79lJa6gwWv0firOnIzmNDlMXrlDx76kxbsJwjmrAng/s500/photo-1593193583532-16cd0ff62768.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWg92IZcq7M5Lfbn2TIU8hddgHNb4GHaee5tnNPe5o_jYupUO6jk75hwUKHQr8n1nY2X1X20mIcG32yavbWBrkBHupHiH7ZU6g79lJa6gwWv0firOnIzmNDlMXrlDx76kxbsJwjmrAng/w400-h300/photo-1593193583532-16cd0ff62768.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: justify;"> </span><b style="font-size: 16pt; text-align: justify;"> </b><span style="font-size: 16pt; text-align: justify;"> </span></div></span></b></div></div></span></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>This blog was precipitated by the baptism of one of my granddaughters this year. I wanted her to have a clear understanding of the mystery of communion with God, and what it means to us as Christians. Toward that goal, I offered the following scriptures and commentary. Now I'm sharing these thoughts with the hope that a deeper meaning in communion will be found by others.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-indent: 28.8px;"><span><span> </span><span> </span> </span>Almost from the beginning of creation, mankind needed a way to be reconciled to God. It was Abel, the son of Adam and Eve, who first worshipped God by taking a perfect firstborn lamb of his flock for sacrifice to God. God was pleased with this offering of blood from Abel, but He was not pleased by his brother Cain’s offering from the fruit of his field. </span><span style="text-indent: 28.8px;">Hebrews 11:4 says: <span style="color: #cc0000;">"</span></span><i style="text-indent: 28.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it, he being dead yet speaks."</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i style="text-indent: 28.8px;"><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-indent: 28.8px;"><span> <span> L</span></span>ater, when God found mankind to be continually evil, He decided to send a flood to destroy every man and beast, including every living creature on the earth. But Noah found favor with God and was given instructions for building an ark to save himself and his family, along with many creatures on earth. Noah endured taunting and ridicule while building the ark in a dry land. But it was his turn to show his wisdom when it began raining and didn't stop for forty days and nights, eventually covering the tops of mountains with water. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-indent: 28.8px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-indent: 28.8px;"> <span> <span> </span> </span>After flood waters receded enough for Noah and his family to leave the ark, Noah offered a burnt offering, including the blood of the sacrificed animal. Genesis 8:30 says: </span><i style="text-indent: 28.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">"Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings to the Lord."</span></i><span style="text-indent: 28.8px;"> In this instance, the Lord God gave His blessing for a new beginning for the earth and for mankind after the flood.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-indent: 28.8px;"><span> <span> </span> The story continued when</span> God chose Abraham to father a nation of people through which the Savior of the world would come. Thus God made a covenant with Abraham, which had to be established with the shedding of blood. Amazingly, God told Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac. So Abraham took his son to the top of Mount Moriah to sacrifice him. But an angel intervened to keep him from taking Isaac’s life and a ram was provided in his place</span><span style="text-indent: 28.8px;">.</span><span style="text-indent: 28.8px;"><span> </span>Genesis 22:13b says: </span><span style="color: #cc0000; text-indent: 28.8px;"><i>"So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son." </i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-indent: 28.8px;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-indent: 28.8px;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>Sacrificing his son</span><span style="text-indent: 28.8px;"> couldn't have made sense to Abraham, because Isaac was the child of promise, born to his aged parents. What were the chances that another son could be born to this old couple? Sarah was 90 years old and Abraham was 100. But Abraham's faith was strong enough to follow God's instructions, and God blessed him because of it. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-indent: 28.8px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-indent: 28.8px;"><span> <span> When the </span></span>children of Israel were ready to leave Egypt after 430 years, Moses told them to take the blood of a sacrificed lamb and sprinkle its blood on the doorposts of their houses. This sign of faith meant that they wouldn’t die when the angel of death passed over the land, bringing death to the sons in every Egyptian household. </span><span style="text-indent: 28.8px;">Exodus 12:13 says: </span><i style="text-indent: 28.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">"Now the blood shall be a sign for you in the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you.</span></i><span style="text-indent: 28.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span>And Hebrews 11:28 says: </span><i style="text-indent: 28.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">"By faith, he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them." </span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-indent: 28.8px;">They were in a hurry to get away, having been told to dress and to have with them precious gold and other valuables from the Egyptians. And not having time to make leavened bread, they were told to carry unleavened bread with them. And the Israelites followed all the directions given by God. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-indent: 28.8px;"><span> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-indent: 28.8px;"><span> </span><span> </span>Abel, Noah, Abraham and Moses believed God and kept his commandments. They all had a covenant with God that required a sacrifice with the spilling of blood. It was the blood that sealed each covenant. </span><span style="text-indent: 28.8px;">The children of Israel came out of Egypt and were living in the wilderness when God commanded that a tabernacle be built, so that He could live in their midst. </span><span style="text-indent: 28.8px;"><span> </span>Exodus 25:8 says: <span style="color: #cc0000;">"<span><i>And</i> l</span></span></span><i style="text-indent: 28.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">et them build Me a sanctuary, that I may live among them."</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i style="text-indent: 28.8px;"><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-indent: 28.8px;"><span> </span><span> </span>The details of the tabernacle and everything pertaining to it were given by God. And as a sign of the covenant between God and the Israelites, Moses sprinkled the blood of sacrificial animals on the altar and on the book of the covenant for God’s side of the covenant, and on the people for their side, declaring: <span style="color: #cc0000;">"</span></span><i style="text-indent: 28.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has made with you concerning all these words."</span></i><span style="text-indent: 28.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span>Exodus 24:8; Hebrews 9:19.</span><span style="text-indent: 28.8px;"><span> </span>And Leviticus 17:11 says:</span><span style="background-color: #ffe599; text-indent: 28.8px;"> <span><b><sup><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="color: #800180;"> </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">"</span></span></sup></b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #cc0000;">For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul."</span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; text-indent: 28.8px;"><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black;"><br /></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; text-indent: 28.8px;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; text-indent: 28.8px;"><span> </span>The blood of animals was a sufficient sacrifice until Jesus came to earth to die on the cross as the sacrificial lamb for the sins of all mankind. Only the blood of Jesus contains the power of God Himself to forgive our sins and make us whole. </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; text-indent: 28.8px;">John 12:27 says:<span style="color: #cc0000;"> "<i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour</span></i></span></span><span style="color: #cc0000; text-indent: 0.3in;"><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">? But for this purpose I came to this hour."</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"> </span></i></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span>Jesus knew that His purpose for coming to earth was to be the blood sacrifice for our sins.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span> </span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span> </span> <span> </span> Looking at the death of Jesus brings up questions about why Jesus’ blood, flowing from his body on the cross, was shed for our salvation. Death is punishment for sin, so to have life, there must be atoning blood.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span> </span>Romans 6:23 says:<i> <span style="color: #cc0000;">"<span>For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."</span></span></i><span style="color: #800180;"> </span> Jesus' death fulfilled God’s requirement of a blood sacrifice in order to have relationship with Him.</span><a name="_Hlk50719810" style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span> </span></span>What is the power in the blood? It is <span style="color: #cc0000;">life </span>that is in the blood. Through partaking of the Lord's Supper, wherein the bread is the body of Christ and the fruit of the vine is His blood, the Spirit revitalizes and sustains our soul and gives us renewed strength and courage to sustain our faith as we go through our lives. </a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a name="_Hlk50719810" style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><br /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a name="_Hlk50719810" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span> </span>To understand how drinking the blood of Christ works in the body, compare it to water. When washing with water, there is cleansing on the outside, but when drinking it, it is sustaining and refreshing. It gives life because you cannot live without it. It's the same with drinking the blood of Christ in communion. Drinking it, we're given life through the Spirit. Because sin separates us from God, it takes His blood to
cleanse us and make it possible for us as sinners to have a relationship with Him. We don't do this alone. We commune with our fellow saints, with God, with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. If we take the body and the blood in true communion, the power of God is within us. </a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a name="_Hlk50719810" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><br /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a name="_Hlk50719810" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="text-indent: 28.8px;"><span> </span>I Corinthians 10:16 says:</span><span style="color: #cc0000; text-indent: 28.8px;"> <i><span>The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? </span></i></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffe599; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; background: rgb(255, 229, 153); color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">John 6:35 has
Jesus in the synagogue in Capernaum<i>: </i></span><i><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">A</span><span style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">nd Jesus said t</span></span></span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="color: #cc0000; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">o them, “I am the Bread of Life.
He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never
thirst.</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; text-indent: 0.3in;">There’s
no access by sinful man to a holy God except by the blood of Jesus being
applied to our lives. For reconciliation, for cleansing, for sanctification,
for union with God, for victory over Satan and for eternal life, we must be
redeemed by the blood of Jesus. <a name="_Hlk50798367"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></a></span></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk50798367;"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">We
drink His blood, symbolized by the fruit of the vine, and eat His body,
symbolized by the unleavened bread, in communion with God and the saints. A</span>t the last meal Jesus ate with his
apostles, He told them to remember the sacrifice He was about to make. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="text-indent: 0.3in;">Beginning in Matthew 26, the scripture says: <span style="color: #cc0000;">"</span></span><span style="color: #cc0000; text-indent: 0.3in;"><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span>And
as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and
broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, ‘</span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;">Take, eat;</span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;">this is My body.</span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">’<b><sup> </sup></b>Then He
took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘</span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;">Drink from it, all of you.</span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"> <b><sup> </sup></b></span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;">For</span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;">this is My blood</span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;">of the</span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;">new covenant, which is shed</span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;">for many for the</span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;">remission of sins.</span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"> <b><sup> </sup></b></span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;">But</span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;">I say to you, I will not
drink of this fruit of the vine from now on</span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;">until that day when I drink
it new with you in My Father’s kingdom</span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">’</span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;">."</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; text-indent: 0.3in;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Jesus’ death came after He was wrongly accused and convicted, suffered
beatings, humiliation, crowned with thorns and nailed to a cross. His
side was pierced with a sword and blood and water flowed out. The Son of God
gave His life, shedding His blood, so that we might have eternal life with the Father. It
is only through the blood of Christ, our Savior, that we can stand sinless before
God. Our communion with Him through eating His body and drinking His blood while
on this earth makes that possible. We are to observe the Lord’s Supper, understanding that spiritual refreshing and renewal comes with partaking
of the bread and the fruit of the vine in communion with God and all the saints,
while remembering His suffering and His sacrifice with</span><span style="color: #800180; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><span style="color: #cc0000; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">reverence, thanksgiving, and awe</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Meredith Roark Childresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08679162395739617212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3787918976339327496.post-17634592426421014322020-08-18T22:08:00.005-05:002022-07-07T15:12:54.182-05:00Jesus, the Diety called Immanuel <p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /> "Behold the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, 'God with us'." Matthew 1:23 </span><span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_yTe3R-POXM_FKFmfivJ9YWCno-OB30qzZ9Q6QeMaHVbRrC2OuXaVUpDlIaPc5iLMUcDKjv-uff7uxdEhyNDgMSZT1M-Wie6ra5jfnPl2Jzm3jL3ROrj7_A867__d9kmNBbqvL5q3pyc/s534/birth-of-jesus.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="501" data-original-width="534" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_yTe3R-POXM_FKFmfivJ9YWCno-OB30qzZ9Q6QeMaHVbRrC2OuXaVUpDlIaPc5iLMUcDKjv-uff7uxdEhyNDgMSZT1M-Wie6ra5jfnPl2Jzm3jL3ROrj7_A867__d9kmNBbqvL5q3pyc/w274-h257/birth-of-jesus.jpg" width="274" /></a></span></span></span></b></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Reading the prophet Isaiah 7:7-14 gives us a picture of Ahaz, </span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span>king of Judah, who at that moment was being besieged <span style="color: black;">by two of his
enemies, Syria and Israel, who had joined forces and were threatening to take his kingdom. He could only see loss, despair, and all the chaos of war for himself and his nation. Can you
imagine how depressed and desperate he was, struggling to find an answer to his
dilemma? He needed a way to save </span>himself and </span><span style="color: black;"><span>his
nation from devastation and ruin. But he had nowhere to turn until Isaiah came to him and told
him about Immanuel, meaning "God with us." He was speaking of Jesus, who would come to earth 700 years later, because it was through Him that the House of David would continue. Syria and Israel were eventually overrun
by Assyria, but Judah was saved.</span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">As Co</span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">lossians<span style="color: black;"> 1:15 says:
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: #00b050;">“</span><span style="color: black;">H</span><span style="color: black;">e is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn </span>over<span style="color: black;"> all creation.” This verse tells us that Jesus is God on
earth. It means that </span><span>H</span><span style="color: black;">e lived like we live. He suffered like we suffer</span><span style="color: #00b050;">;</span><span style="color: black;"> He went through grief </span>and
pain <span style="color: black;">and loss like we do</span><span style="color: #00b050;">.</span><span style="color: black;"> He was</span> poor and
<span style="color: black;">hungry and </span>tired<span style="color: red;"> </span>like
we are<span style="color: black;">. Whatever challenges and difficulties you have
in your life, Jesus had them too. But as Immanuel, He is with you in everything you
think, everything you feel, and everything you do. </span>He understands what you're going through, because he came to earth and lived a life with the same kind of problems that we have. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">(Heb 2:10-18)</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span> </span>Matthew 1:22</span><span style="color: #00b050; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">-</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">23</span><span style="color: #00b050; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">repeats the promise of salvation, which says that</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"> <span style="color: black;">Jesus came to earth </span>to live as a man and die as
a man to save us from our sins. The text says; "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, 'God with us'." The text is saying that we </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">are promised that Jesus will comfort us no matter what we
are goi</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">ng through in our lives. And in knowing Jesus, we come to know God in a
more personal and intimate way. Because God has done everything through His
Son, Jesus, God Himself is revealed. Colossians 1:17 says </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“And He is before all things, and in Him all
things consist.” Our transcendent God is making <span style="color: black;">Himself
known to us through Jesus</span>. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">(John 14:7-11)</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span> </span>But if you’re expecting God to force you to accept His gift
of Jesus Immanuel, you'll be disappointed. You must choose to acknowledge and
accept God’s gift. God wishes to live among us through His beloved children and
His Son. And He has given us a way to have Jesus with us as we live on this
earth. You are not alone. You can have help going through all your anxious
moments and problems. Jesus will be with you. Faced with problems brought on by
a godless society, the greediness of those who govern you, and those who employ you is hard enough. But perhaps you're feeling a lack of caring from your friends, your family, and even people you worship with each week, and it's devastating to you. When you're feeling overwhelmed by the world around you, rest assured that<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus Immanuel is there to face all your problems and disappointments with you. His love, His care, and His compassion will comfort you. And His grace, His mercy, and His power will give you the strength and courage to carry on and deal with every trial that comes into your life. The Gift of Jesus is yours, if you will accept it. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #660000; font-family: arial;"><i></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Meredith Roark Childresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08679162395739617212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3787918976339327496.post-49708870329405329252012-10-03T08:59:00.000-05:002015-12-14T19:14:13.967-06:00Introduction to the Book of Ruth<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWBOw3zrMI2L_-Atcj5mp9zPsm25J6u4zh87T26_05JQAbObyyv2fenZrFG2hdY0QePvVHp9NhIJxCJKkQ7YRVSqrglMBU02AOgiTvBhRXPJSWy90P4CzB04NorJxVGIhO6Ld7AQyloe4/s1600/imagesCA3CNF1Y.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWBOw3zrMI2L_-Atcj5mp9zPsm25J6u4zh87T26_05JQAbObyyv2fenZrFG2hdY0QePvVHp9NhIJxCJKkQ7YRVSqrglMBU02AOgiTvBhRXPJSWy90P4CzB04NorJxVGIhO6Ld7AQyloe4/s400/imagesCA3CNF1Y.jpg" width="205" /></a>For this introduction to <em><strong>Ruth</strong></em> , I'm sitting here wondering how to give you the important points of this book without making it boring--because it isn't boring at all. But when facts are lined up in a row, it can be more than anyone is willing to read. Hopefully, you'll take the time to look closely at these facts--so here goes.<br />
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1) The name "Ruth" most likely comes from a Moabite and/or Hebrew word meaning "friendship."<br />
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2) Ruth arrived in Bethlehem as a foreigner (2:10), became a maidservant (2:13), married wealthy Boaz (4:13), and was included in the physical lineage of Christ (Matt. 1:5). <br />
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3) Jewish tradition credits Samuel as the author of the book of <em><strong>Ruth</strong></em> and the book most likely appeared shortly before or during David's reign in Israel (1011-971 B.C.), since David is mentioned but Solomon isn't. <br />
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4) Goethe labeled the book of <strong><em>Ruth</em> </strong>as "the loveliest, complete work on a small scale." <em><strong>Ruth</strong></em> is to literature what Venus is to statuary and the Mona Lisa is to paintings. <br />
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5) The book of <em><strong>Ruth</strong></em> begins in Moab--a country east of the Dead Sea and a perennial enemy of Israel. This country originated when Lot fathered Moab by an incestuous union with his oldest daughter (Gen. 19:37).<br />
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6) Balak, king of Moab, opposed the Jews through the prophet Balaam. Moab oppressed Israel for 18 years during the time of the judges. Saul defeated the Moabites while David seemed to enjoy a peaceful relationship with them. Moab later troubled Israel again, and was eventually cursed by God because of their idolatrous worship of Chemosh. <br />
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7) This story takes place during the time "when the judges ruled," and the period of <em><strong>Ruth</strong></em> would most likely be during the judgeship of Jair (1126-1105 B.C.). <br />
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8)<em><strong> Ruth</strong></em> covers about 11 or 12 years when broken up this way: 10 years in Moab, several months in Boaz's field, one day in Bethlehem and one night at the threshing floor, and a year in Bethlehem. <br />
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9) Genealogically, <em><strong>Ruth</strong></em> looks back almost 900 years to events in the time of Jacob and forward about 100 years to the coming reign of David. <em><strong>Ruth</strong></em> focuses on the lineage of David back to the patriarchal era. <br />
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10) At least 7 major theological themes can be taken from <em><strong>Ruth</strong></em>:<br />
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<li>Ruth the Moabitess illustrates that God's redemptive plan extended beyond the Jews to Gentiles.</li>
<li>Ruth demonstrates that women are co-heirs with men of God's grace and salvation. </li>
<li>Ruth portrays the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31:10.</li>
<li>Ruth describes God's sovereign and providential care of seemingly unimportant people at apparently insignificant times which later prove to be monumentally crucial to accomplishing God's will. </li>
<li>Ruth, along with Tamar, Rahab, and Bathsheba, stand in the genealogy of the messianic line.</li>
<li>Boaz, as a type of Christ, becomes Ruth's kinsman-redeemer. </li>
<li>Christ's right as the Messiah is traced from David's right to the throne of Israel through Judah.</li>
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There are other facts and details which I'm leaving for you to look at on your own, but these are interesting thoughts on <em><strong>Ruth</strong></em> that make us aware of its message for us today. May God bless our hearts and minds with the willingness to absorb the teachings of the book of <em><strong>Ruth</strong></em>. <br />
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Blessings...Mimi</div>
Meredith Roark Childresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08679162395739617212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3787918976339327496.post-77136799756973499382012-10-01T11:01:00.000-05:002012-10-03T08:01:51.106-05:00Thoughts on Studying the Book of Ruth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been a while since I've written a blog based on the Bible, but in studying for a ladies' Bible class that begins this week, I want to share some of the thoughts which came to me while reading the introduction to the book of Ruth. I must say that on this very first morning of looking at this book, I'm once again completely and utterly impressed by the way God's design for saving the world shows up in His Word.<br />
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The reason I decided to write this blog--and the only reason for writing any blog--is to help us improve our own lives. And, as I was reading over the intro to the book of Ruth, I was struck by questions that I couldn't answer. Maybe you can. Remembering that Ruth had no idea that she was to become a part of the lineage of the Messiah when she made the decision to go with her mother-in-law Naomi, ask yourself: What would I have done, if faced with Ruth's choice? Would I have taken the easy way out and asked for help from my own people--staying in a familiar place where I felt safe and secure? And ask yourself: Right now, in my life, am I choosing the path that means no deep thinking, no added difficulties, no further action needed? I realize that I choose the easy way out most often because I'm already dealing with life itself, and I'm absolutely sure that's quite hard enough.
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And you know that the way life works is that just when you think you've got all your bases covered, something unexpected happens, and you're unexpectedly trying to cover another base. This may even include other people, which moves things way out of your control. Oh, you don't like that at all! You may say: Why me? I try so hard to organize and plan, to declutter and give away those meaningless items, and keep myself on some sort of schedule. Now this unexpected thing has come along and I'm all out of sync. I know, I know...it's not as bad because I'm doing all the right things...most of the time...but it feels really jarring--and really irritating. Go to a foreign country and start over? I'm not sure at all that Ruth's choice would be mine. Why in the world did she make that choice anyway? Did she just feel a need for change? Was she running away from something? Or was it her belief in God? <br />
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The only way to answer some of the big questions is to study about people who made the right choices--not because they knew what the result would be, but because their trust was in God. And we should all ask ourselves occasionally where our trust is placed. Does the faith you profess show up in your trust in God? Whew! The questions may be too difficult to answer honestly in a short time, but answer them you must if you want to make Satan flee from you. There must be time for contemplation and assessment of where you are in your spiritual life, or Satan will fool you into making more work for yourself on the physical plane than you could ever finish. I have a sneaking feeling that just when we feel good about ourselves because our house is all clean and bright (a good thing, no doubt), Satan is feeling good about the way he maneuvered us into doing one more thing besides studying God's Word.
I suppose this is where I must say that if you schedule time to study the Bible, you'll be there. And you won't feel that you're taking time away from shining your sink.<br />
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In any case, I'm going to study the book of Ruth and hope you'll look at it seriously as well. In my next blog, I'll do what I intended to do today--talk about the introduction to the book of Ruth. The elements are all presented, allowing us to see the working out of God's plan for the salvation of the world. Wow! That's amazing!
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Blessings...Mimi
Meredith Roark Childresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08679162395739617212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3787918976339327496.post-55685600473000895012012-04-16T11:55:00.003-05:002021-08-03T23:55:26.265-05:00Providence: Redemption from the Valley of Gehenna<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Good morning! Here is the second part of a lesson from <b>Meeting God in Holy Places</b> by F. LaGard Smith. It's hard for us to grasp the kind of people who sacrificed their children in a fire to the false god Molech. The place of sacrifice was the Valley of Gehenna--or the Valley of Hell--in Jerusalem, which became a continuously burning refuse heap that was turned into a more pleasant place when tourists began visiting the area.<br />
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When we picture the place where the disobedient to God end up, a place called hell, we remember that Jesus refers to it in the New Testament. You may be wondering how a loving God could permit anyone to be thrown into such a place of destruction. And you may wonder whether even those who sacrificed their children deserve such a harsh punishment. You may even be reminded that God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac on an altar.</div>
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It seems clear that the testing of Abraham in the sacrifice of Isaac was used precisely because it was so indescribably horrible to God. In fact, God said, "nor did it enter my mind." It's hard to imagine parents so insensitive to the screams of their children that they ignored them. It was the ultimate test of Abraham's faith, which caused him to say to Isaac when he asked where the sacrifice was: "The Lord will provide." </div>
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Ouch! That hurts, we respond. But he goes on to say: "Is there no mercy, no hope, for sinners all--including you and me--whatever the grievous sins we may have committed?" <i>That </i>is something to think about!</div>
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Now what comes to LaGard's mind, while standing in the Valley of Gehenna with all its dark history and scriptural associations with hell, are the words of Abraham, "The Lord will provide." And in our case, the Lord has provided us with a way of escape. But at great cost: the sacrifice of God's own Son. God listened as His Son cried out on the cross, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" And the drums of heaven were beating very loudly because "the earth shook and the rocks split." So we know that even with all of our sinfulness, God provides for us! </div>
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What can we learn from the Valley of Gehenna? We can learn that, as LaGard says, "Hell is not centrally about torture and pain, fire and flames, but...lives wasted and destroyed. It's about the burning stench of eternal spiritual death that will render meaningless any life lived in open rebellion to God, that has refused to accept the mercy of God, and that has shown abject contempt for the only child sacrifice ever made necessary." In our daily lives, we can gratefully remember--as Abraham once did--that God provides!</div>
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To those who read this, I pray it will remind you, as it has me, how blessed and fortunate we are that God provides for us in every way. </div>
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Blessings...Mimi</div>
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Meredith Roark Childresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08679162395739617212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3787918976339327496.post-50067092555383348382012-04-15T12:23:00.000-05:002012-04-16T10:33:43.324-05:00Providence: the Valley of Gehenna"God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son." John 3:16<br />
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Good morning! Just a few thoughts from Chapter 3 of <b>Meeting God in Holy Places</b> by F. LaGard Smith, which talks about God's providence in giving His Son as a sacrifice for our sins, in order to save us from hell.</div>
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The worshipers of Molech offer a different kind of sacrifice. The picture on the right is of people in ancient Israel who sacrificed their sons and daughters to their god Molech in the Valley of Hinnom (now the Valley of Gehenna). These people believed that there were gates to pass through to be in the presence of their god.</div>
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Lagard describes the ritual: "The sacrifice of a pigeon permitted the worshiper to pass through the first gate, a sacrificed goat through the second, and so on. But only the sacrifice of a son or daughter permitted a man to pass through the seventh and last gate into the very presence of Molech. This pagan practice had the worshiper kiss his child and place it into the red-hot arms of the idol, inside of which was a continually burning fire. To muffle the screams of the children who were 'passing through the fire,' onlookers would frenetically beat loud drums."</div>
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Referring to these Molech worshipers in Israel, God spoke through Jeremiah to say: "They have built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to burn their sons and daughters in the fire--something I did not command, nor did it enter my mind." Topheth, at the southeast end of the valley, takes its name from the root word toph, meaning drum. God's anger was so great against this practice that He declared a punishment on these people: "The days are coming...when people will no longer call it Topheth or the Valley of Ben Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter, for they will bury the dead in Topheth until there is no more room." God's prophecy is fulfilled when Josiah destroyed the altars, broke apart the idol Molech, and burned the bones of its priests, dumping them into the valley.
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The valley from that time became a garbage dump for Jerusalem, and the refuse thrown into it fueled a constantly burning fire. Jesus refers to a place of fire where "their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched," completing the picture where bodies are "thrown into hell" to be burned up. And again, Jesus speaks of hell as a place of punishment, banishment, and destruction, when he says: "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell."</div>
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We've all heard jokes about "cold days in hell" and "hell freezing over," but eternal punishment, eternal destruction, and eternal banishment from the presence of God is not a laughing matter.</div>
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I thought this blog could be finished in one, but tomorrow I'll give the redeeming part of the picture. Have a good day!
Blessings...Mimi</div>Meredith Roark Childresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08679162395739617212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3787918976339327496.post-58658379463051669132012-04-08T10:43:00.003-05:002012-04-15T10:06:39.943-05:00Bonding with Jesus in The Holy Sepulchre: Resurrection<b>"Where, O grave, is your destruction?" Hosea 13:14<br />
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The second part of this lesson from <b>Meeting God in Holy Places </b> by F. LaGard Smith looks at what Jesus's resurrection means to us. When we think about the tomb of Jesus, we think of an empty tomb that has the stone rolled away from the entrance. We remember with awe and wonder that Jesus came out of the tomb, having been raised from the dead. We praise God that our Savior is a risen Lord!<br />
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LaGard asks whether we, in our rejoicing, might have missed something important about Jesus's burial, as well as our own. What did Paul say to us? He said: "We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." <br />
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We all have our own spiritual tombs with a stone against the entrance. To roll away the stone, we must be buried with Christ. To identify with Jesus in life, we must identify with Him in death. What does it mean to be buried with Christ? "Don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?" <br />
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The symbolism of baptism is a means of identification with God, since God identifies with the darkness in our lives, we must also identify with the darkness of the tomb where He was laid. And this act of identification can be called <b>bonding</b>. Having died to the world, our former selves are buried in the tomb of Christ. Only by being buried with Christ can we rejoice in a resurrection. <b>Resurrection always requires a burial.<br />
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You may remember the story of a young prophet who was sent to warn King Jeroboam that he was about to be punished for his idolatrous behavior. Having been instructed not to eat, drink or return the same way, the prophet went on his way. An old prophet lied to him and told the young prophet that an angel had said that he should eat with him. Believing the lie, the young prophet eats with the old prophet and is later killed by a lion. <br />
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When the old prophet hears of the young prophet's death, he claims the body and buries it in his own tomb, distraught and weeping over his deception. He says to his sons, "When I die, bury me in the grave where the man of God is buried; <b>lay my bones beside his bones</b>...for the message he declared...will certainly come true." The message for us is that there is life in being buried with Christ...bone to bone with the Son of God!<br />
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When God spoke to Ezekiel in his vision of the dry bones, He said: "I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will show that I am the Lord." This isn't a picture of shrouds and sepulchres, death and decay. It's the opposite! He isn't describing a <b>TOMB</b>, He's describing a<b> WOMB</b>!<br />
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The little group realized as they stood in the tomb, the connection to the womb. They sang "Abide with Me" and went out of the tomb...bone to bone with Jesus forever.<br />
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Have a beautiful Lord's Day!<br />
Blessings...MimiMeredith Roark Childresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08679162395739617212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3787918976339327496.post-18857193942697632342012-04-07T11:44:00.006-05:002012-04-15T10:05:06.107-05:00Bonding with Jesus in The Holy Sepulchre ~<b>"Where, O grave, is your destruction?" Hosea 13:14</b><br />
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Can you imagine viewing the tomb of Jesus? In the second chapter of <b><i>Meeting God in Holy Places</i></b>, F. LaGard Smith gives us his thoughts and observations about his visit to "Jesus's tomb" in the city of Jerusalem. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgetGVH1WYulQ_BiCZb9Sp6xlZ6T2rP7wZBhUdXwliC3xe2AmG58Ce3jBwvpeg23PJmUlfETyTrhkwES2lC2plHuo211QQVXQafMdKuhjycOF746jND-cIQlx4YY4PBCZwGYcR8gZ2rtnA/s1600/sepulchre6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="197" width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgetGVH1WYulQ_BiCZb9Sp6xlZ6T2rP7wZBhUdXwliC3xe2AmG58Ce3jBwvpeg23PJmUlfETyTrhkwES2lC2plHuo211QQVXQafMdKuhjycOF746jND-cIQlx4YY4PBCZwGYcR8gZ2rtnA/s320/sepulchre6.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Upon entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, visitors are met with an ostentatious scene filled with a mixture of Crusader and Byzantine styles, along with pretentious religious trappings. Five sects fight over jurisdiction of the shrine, and all of them contribute to maintaining it. One observation is that if the Church of the Holy Sepulchre sits on holy ground, shouldn't there be more respect for it? The Jews fear walking on the Temple Mount lest they should walk on ground that is holy. Quiet viewing from a distance seems more appropriate for the tomb of Jesus, if their claims are true. ~<br />
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In any case, millions of pilgrims and tourists for centuries have flocked to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in hopes of touching the essence of their Christian faith from cross to tomb. And even though the immediate scene with it's lavish decorations, smells and bells was offensive, the guide took the group behind the "official tomb" to a cave-like tomb which would have been like the tomb where Jesus was buried. <br />
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~ Suddenly the little group was squeezed into a darkened tomb, where the tiny light from a match went immediately out, and they were left in a close and claustrophobic darkness. The smell and coldness only added to the atmosphere. A stone at the entrance was all they needed to feel completely trapped.<br />
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~ These pictures are probably more like Jesus's tomb than any others. But we don't have proof of either. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIMOwBe1d7C0WtJwO7Tm8mV1fVxYfNPJF6585uOM_OZnSJickNBhwtMIZ25J5IgMVBo0r6UXgmVgyLOOHstIrnSQFvq9AofdkU4kj0mdMm6TgMouIyAsxsOfxb3emGKsdB4rOQqxqLpI/s1600/tomb2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="225" width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIMOwBe1d7C0WtJwO7Tm8mV1fVxYfNPJF6585uOM_OZnSJickNBhwtMIZ25J5IgMVBo0r6UXgmVgyLOOHstIrnSQFvq9AofdkU4kj0mdMm6TgMouIyAsxsOfxb3emGKsdB4rOQqxqLpI/s320/tomb2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Astonishingly, two things rushed to Lagard's mind: "the Lord of heaven and earth was actually buried in such a place.... And, who knows, perhaps this very place!" These thoughts took him from reading <i>about</i> Jesus's death and burial to feeling His very presence closely and intimately, as if He were lying right there wrapped in a linen cloth next to him! Remembering that Jesus said to Thomas, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed," LaGard felt blessed to have seen in this special way. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYXURmqzeiVGSCc29tPzq0__lagJvMBX2vATw8L90hsr2R-9aH946O7hbwcQV2kOVPHsSxHeoGpgnuB-X8vcBwqJNdA8KUrVbATa30USq6vd7FR42LlSPbbMpvJ1eTQbphQtdcKctSjEo/s1600/tombbody.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="225" width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYXURmqzeiVGSCc29tPzq0__lagJvMBX2vATw8L90hsr2R-9aH946O7hbwcQV2kOVPHsSxHeoGpgnuB-X8vcBwqJNdA8KUrVbATa30USq6vd7FR42LlSPbbMpvJ1eTQbphQtdcKctSjEo/s320/tombbody.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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And what can we take from this experience? For one thing, it reminds us that our lives can be swallowed up in darkness and despair. You can be slowly suffocating in a job you hate. Or some of you may be trapped in a lifeless marriage. For us, remembering that "God in human flesh allowed himself to be trapped in the suffocating darkness of a cold, musty tomb, as if to say, <b>'Wherever you are, I'll be with you. I've been there before'." </b> <br />
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There is a second part to this blog, which I'll bring to you tomorrow. My last Bible blog was in August of last year. Life has been as crazy for me as it has for you, but I hope that I can manage to blog more often now. I hope you have a wonderful weekend. <br />
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~ Blessings...Mimi<br />
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Chapter 2: The Holy Sepulchre--John 20:29; Romans 6:3-4; I Kings 13:1-32; 2 Kings 23:16-18; Numbers 19:16; Ezekiel 37:1-14; Matthew 26:30.Meredith Roark Childresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08679162395739617212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3787918976339327496.post-41184805541405581332011-08-28T13:18:00.023-05:002012-04-16T23:53:29.291-05:00Bethlehem: A God of Surprises<b>"Tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you." Joshua 3:5<br />
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<span style="color: #134f5c;"><strong> <span style="color: black;"> Good Sunday evening!</span></strong></span><span style="color: black;"> This is the second part of the first chapter from the book <strong><em>Meeting God in Holy Places</em> </strong>by F. LaGard Smith. As I've explained, this book is a result of LaGard's visits to the Holy Land. You may have to go back to my blog yesterday to pick up the thread of thought for this one, but putting the two together made it much too long! If you remember, the point of this chapter is that God does everything differently from the way humans would do things because<strong> HE IS GOD</strong>. He surprises us with the<strong> </strong> amazing ways He brings about His will. We--human beings that we are--would have used a more mundane and unimpressive way! So to continue with "A God of Surprises."</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><strong> Being a God of surprises,</strong> He gives us a different kind of story that turns our thinking on its head. No "Breaking News" alert. No bright cameras and lively interviews. Just an announcement from an angel to lowly shepherds that the Savior of the world was born! But what rejoicing by the heavenly hosts!</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><strong> Now think about it:</strong> When a writer in Hollywood comes up with the idea for a script depicting the true story of the birth of God's Son, would it be the same scene? Lowly shepherds. Humble Bethlehem. Obscure virgin girl from Nazareth. Does this sound like a script you or I would write? God's divine drama is meant to grab our attention! It's meant to change our realities! It's meant to turn our values and preoccupations upside down! And surprise us! With God, almost nothing is as it seems.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><strong> There are several people in the Bible</strong> who were surprised by joy: Abraham and Sarah, Hannah, and, of course, Mary, the mother of Jesus. Can you imagine the astonishment that Mary and Joseph felt? A virgin who was pregnant! And being the mother of the Savior, did she expect Him to be born in a dark, smelly pit in the earth? His bed a manger? Hearing his first cries, any disappointment she might have felt turned to immeasureable peace and joy! And joy is almost always a surprise--and almost never what we expect!</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><strong> What the unlikely circumstances of Jesus's birth</strong> tell us is that the God of surprises delights in bringing us unexpected joy. Whether it's in the middle of a crisis, or in the middle of our mundane days, God is likely to surprise us with a special gift, wrapped in a way that surprises us. Think about God's greatest gift, Jesus, who was the Son of God wrapped in ordinary human flesh, a gift which allows you and I to become extraordinary! Far from gold, burning tapers and treasured icons, the birth of Jesus was surprisingly unworldly. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"> <b> </b><b> LaGard says:</b> "But then, that's what is so fun about being one of God's children: just when we least expect it, God surprises us with pearls of joy gift-wrapped in plain brown paper!"</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">I hope you all have a wonderful week!</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Blessings...Mimi</span>Meredith Roark Childresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08679162395739617212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3787918976339327496.post-73771220493334413092011-08-25T11:25:00.031-05:002012-04-15T10:22:03.015-05:00Bethlehem: Surprise<div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em><b>"Tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you." Joshua 3:5</b></em></span></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #134f5c;"> </span> As I explained in my last blog,</b><strong><em> </em></strong>I'm going to be using<em> <b>Meeting God in Holy Places: A Devotional Journey</b> </em>by F. LaGard Smith to lift our spirits from time to time. I made an explanation for my long absence from my blogs on my regular blog: </span><a href="http://memosfrommimi.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">http://memosfrommimi.blogspot.com</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">, so I won't repeat it here. But at this point, I'll remind you that this book gives us an inside look at the HOLY LAND. The first site is Bethlehem, and the chapter is titled "Surprise."</span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">~</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipaIg1ifILcShZYmYQmwl9mTHfVK5w8aarMp8yAWiDCxLYQZ-B0SZ3VmDgkmna3hx0G8gGJ1lkXgT6wQ52MNzzYhVxD8C3JM_eREYRayaxy7lKqlx7fNuPYg_ZSFlCUzHn9JbA79i8cQ0/s1600/2a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipaIg1ifILcShZYmYQmwl9mTHfVK5w8aarMp8yAWiDCxLYQZ-B0SZ3VmDgkmna3hx0G8gGJ1lkXgT6wQ52MNzzYhVxD8C3JM_eREYRayaxy7lKqlx7fNuPYg_ZSFlCUzHn9JbA79i8cQ0/s400/2a.jpg" width="295" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipaIg1ifILcShZYmYQmwl9mTHfVK5w8aarMp8yAWiDCxLYQZ-B0SZ3VmDgkmna3hx0G8gGJ1lkXgT6wQ52MNzzYhVxD8C3JM_eREYRayaxy7lKqlx7fNuPYg_ZSFlCUzHn9JbA79i8cQ0/s1600/2a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span></a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #134f5c;"> </span> Our God is a God of surprises. </b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Just when we think we've got Him figured out, He gives us what we least expect. I'm talking about the humble birth of Jesus. Read on to learn of some things that may surprise you. First, you'll be surprised to hear that when LaGard first saw the little town of Bethlehem, he was not only surprised, but disappointed. After seeing the town where Jesus was born beautifully illustrated on cards at Christmas time all his life, seeing the real city wasn't anything like those pictures. Bethlehem is a city which isn't sitting in a pretty little valley in stillness, but a city set above steps cut into a hill of olive groves. Buses, cars, tourists, noise and congestion are the main characteristics of this Israeli town. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">~</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b> Many tourists were there to visit </b>the "massive, fortress-like Church of the Nativity." And even though no one knows exactly where Jesus was born, it was most certainly somewhere close--a fact "to take your breath away in anticipation." But going into the church through it's low doorway (built to keep marauding Turks on their horses out), there are some beautiful and ancient mosaic tiles on the entrance floor. The church's antiquity is impressive as it is the oldest church anywhere, constructed by Constantine and his mother in A.D. 325. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">~</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #134f5c;"> </span> But is that the point?<span style="color: #134f5c;"> </span></b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">For Christians who make the pilgrimage, the point is to see the manger where Jesus was born. But there isn't an inn, or a manger, or straw and not even any gentle animals. Like the icons dripping with gold in the entry to the chapel, the place shown as Jesus's place of birth is a gaudy white, marble-lined niche in a cave wall that is dimly lit by hanging lamps, strange to those who had an entirely different picture in mind from reading the description in the Bible.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">~ </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> <b>But more to the point,</b> there may be some real surprises in regard to other ideas about Jesus's birth. It will disappoint those who haven't already learned that December 25 is not a likely time of year for the Savior's birth. The sheep grazing in the green fields and being watched by shepherds would have been there in the spring. And even though we speak of three wise men because there were three gifts, we don't actually know how many wise men came to visit the new king. And they didn't visit the manger, but went to visit the king six months later when the family was in a house. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">~</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #134f5c;"> </span> Now, if these details disturb you,</b> think of King Herod's surprise when he was asked by the Magi about the newborn king. He knew nothing about Micah's prophecy that Bethlehem would be the Savior's birthplace. Not only was he surprised by this news, but threatened. He didn't know anything about the God who fills our lives with surprises.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">~</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #134f5c;"> </span> Now think of the shepherds in the field,</b> how they were surprised by the appearances of the angel and the heavenly host! Their fear turned to joy when they found the baby "wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." They went from surprise, shock, fear, disbelief, hope, trust, and confirmation to--finally--indescribable joy!<b><span style="color: #134f5c;"> </span>God came near,</b> and these lowly shepherds were there to witness it. Lowly shepherds were the first witnesses to the one birth that gives meaning to all other births! Does that surprise you? Would you have presented this important event the way God did?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #134f5c;"> </span> Enough for today<span style="color: #134f5c;">...</span></b>I'll finish up this chapter tomorrow. I hope you're having a wonderful week!</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Blessings...Mimi</span><br />
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<em></em></div>Meredith Roark Childresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08679162395739617212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3787918976339327496.post-85356151525533615442011-08-01T18:02:00.017-05:002012-04-15T10:27:31.502-05:00The Journey Begins...Meeting God In Holy Places ~<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHF371TazjgX0OVeB9bw8umNGL6jgIqt8QsNV2mTpk7xv6WbkMPeJjSwLGczAALC4xiYKbgfo9LyiBBxjmbiy21kXc1-tt_TCWkE22gE1IePFTxU874V5HmWgyWCX9wB1h4GG9RxNMKmc/s1600/Mt_of_Beatitudes_hillside_in_spring%252C_75-35tbwr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHF371TazjgX0OVeB9bw8umNGL6jgIqt8QsNV2mTpk7xv6WbkMPeJjSwLGczAALC4xiYKbgfo9LyiBBxjmbiy21kXc1-tt_TCWkE22gE1IePFTxU874V5HmWgyWCX9wB1h4GG9RxNMKmc/s400/Mt_of_Beatitudes_hillside_in_spring%252C_75-35tbwr.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>"Israel was holy to the Lord." Jeremiah 2:3</strong></span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's been a while since I posted on this blog, but as I'm sure you know, I'm still working on a novel that I began last November. I have wanted to do something here that gives all of us an uplifting few minutes during our week. This time I'm going to summarize each chapter of the second devotional book by F. LaGard Smith called<em> </em><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong><em>Meeting God in Holy Places: A Devotional Journey,</em></strong> <span style="color: black;">so that it's easier to understand. </span><span style="color: black;">LaGard made several visits to</span><span style="color: black;"> the Holy Land, and the sites and sounds of those trips are shared with us through this devotional book. Once again, </span></span><span style="color: black;">I'll be</span> summarizing the chapters for you, as I did over a long period of time with <em><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>Meeting God in Quiet Places: The Cotswold Parables</strong></span></em>. I'm partial to these two devotional books, and I feel close to all of you as I'm sharing them here. I hope you feel the same way.<br />
~</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The first picture on here is of the Mount of Beatitudes in the Spring. It is one of the places which we read about in the Bible, and one of the places that LaGard visited. He says: "Stand on the Mount of Beatitudes on a lovely spring day, and you're surrounded on every side by the 'lilies of the field' and 'birds of the air' of which Jesus spoke. Why, indeed, should we worry? Are you not much more valuable than they?" </div><div style="text-align: justify;">~</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Today I just want to give you the introduction and a few words about this book. It takes time to read and summarize, but it's just these kind of spiritual thoughts that I want to share with you. I usually take two blogs for each lesson because they are long and have so many gems of encouragement in them. I'll be hoping to put on a chapter a week, but that may get sidetracked until I finish the novel! <br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Mount of Beatitudes with view of Plain of Genesseret</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoa6R9pPTmBHwPtwpdjVjt9JEBM1IjLpfpR3BivXb0-l-lpVpRnpd4Zg9TZxLhD85qmhvoXx9hM6DaT-8b_I0mJJAQyUKpt6Rgm8uwBhsTZr_3l0ArNkeyUbE_nXAaPP-ZQghKS5wp8bU/s1600/Mt_of_Beatitudes_view_to_Plain_of_Genesseret_tb_n011500_wr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoa6R9pPTmBHwPtwpdjVjt9JEBM1IjLpfpR3BivXb0-l-lpVpRnpd4Zg9TZxLhD85qmhvoXx9hM6DaT-8b_I0mJJAQyUKpt6Rgm8uwBhsTZr_3l0ArNkeyUbE_nXAaPP-ZQghKS5wp8bU/s400/Mt_of_Beatitudes_view_to_Plain_of_Genesseret_tb_n011500_wr.jpg" width="400" /></a>~</div> On the inside cover, there is a description which lets you know what is in the contents of the book: </div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Imagine walking through the Holy Land, the people and places of Scripture coming vividly to life. Touch the stories in the valley where the boy David defeated the mighty Goliath. Visit the pool of Bethesda and ponder the healing power of Christ. Come closer to Jesus as He prays in agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. As these meditative parables lead you gently into the land of God's great promises, you'll discover a deep peace that comes from walking in a place like no other--a place that Jesus called home." <br />
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I find the Table of Contents very interesting, as it contains such topics as Bethlehem, The Holy Sepulchre, the Valley of Gehenna, The Wailing Wall, The Dead Sea, The Ossuary, the Pool of Bethesda, Masada, Mount Carmel, Passover, Gethsemane, Mount of Olives, Judean Desert, Sea of Galilee, Jordan River, Mount of Beatitudes, Dome of the Rock, and the Bell Caves, along with a few others. If you love the Bible and places where its history took place, this is a way of connecting to those sites in a way that also moves your heart. We can meet God in holy places without actually making the trip! <br />
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From Jerusalem, the City of David, to places of biblical events, such as the pools of Siloam and Bethesda where Jesus performed at least two of his many miracles of healing, to the Way of Sorrows, where Jesus walked to his crucifixion, and on to the tomb where He is believed to have lain. And there are also the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane. And who wouldn't want to visit the city where Jesus was born? The city where "God came into our world so that we might enter into his." And, in fact, the Holy Land is the place where God chose to reveal himself to us. It is a breathtaking pilgrimage through history--God's and ours. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">~</div><div style="text-align: justify;">If any of this sounds interesting to you, stay tuned. I'll get the first lesson on here for you to read very soon. In the meantime, keep God in your hearts and minds as you make this walk on earth!</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Blessings...Mimi</div>Meredith Roark Childresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08679162395739617212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3787918976339327496.post-91969114849462345602011-06-17T15:30:00.014-05:002011-08-01T00:30:47.865-05:00The Hill of Obedience ~<span style="color: blue;">But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. James 1:22</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA65BIe11rWAZqwAHpM0-eGFGKwGNWiuD3cYa1CKcwide1fYajtWQZP-1Pxb2Wrbvge9EeTNQqjVbqgRO2nFc4HR2nBlSPGHVT1_FAC3IlczUm4yJtDX-vessr4KeSQFCIFx1BZ4JnBhQ/s1600/Mt_of_Beatitudes_hillside_in_spring%252C_75-35tbwr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA65BIe11rWAZqwAHpM0-eGFGKwGNWiuD3cYa1CKcwide1fYajtWQZP-1Pxb2Wrbvge9EeTNQqjVbqgRO2nFc4HR2nBlSPGHVT1_FAC3IlczUm4yJtDX-vessr4KeSQFCIFx1BZ4JnBhQ/s400/Mt_of_Beatitudes_hillside_in_spring%252C_75-35tbwr.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>After being away from this blog for a couple of months, I'll simply say that my explanation is on my regular blog, if you'd like to read it, that is:<br />
<a href="http://memosfrommimi.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://memosfrommimi.blogspot.com</span></a><br />
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This morning I want to continue with our metaphor of climbing hills, and this one is the <strong><span style="color: blue;">Hill of Obedience</span></strong>. This is an important hill to climb because without it, climbing the hills of faith, love and hope is pointless. Ask yourself: What does God require of me?<br />
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And the answer is found in Matthew 5:21-23: <span style="color: blue;">"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness'!"</span> We must learn to recognize the difference in <strong>saying</strong> and <strong>doing</strong>. <br />
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There are so many people today who claim to be Christians, but who don't reflect the characteristics most often applied to Christians by God's word. These are the same people who are offended if you so much as imply that their attitude or behavior is surprisingly the opposite. This group has grown bigger and louder over the last few decades. <br />
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But James 2:24 speaks the truth:<span style="color: blue;"> "You see then that a man is justified by <strong>works</strong>, and not by<strong> faith</strong> only." </span>SAYING you're a Christian and BEING a Christian can be two different ways of living your life. If you say you're a Christian, but you don't OBEY God rather than your own worldly thoughts, desires and ideas, you aren't pleasing to God. It isn't me saying this...it's God's word. <br />
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And now that we're seeing how necessary it is to<strong> obey</strong> God, let's see how our obedience brings salvation. Beginning in James 5:8-9, you can read:<br />
<span style="color: blue;"> "...though He was a Son, yet He learned <strong>obedience</strong> by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who <strong>obey</strong> Him...."</span><br />
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What did Christ suffer? He suffered the betrayal, pain, anguish, and sorrow of the cross for our sakes. How does the suffering of Christ compare to your suffering? Perhaps in our culture today we balk at a word like <strong>obey</strong>. And even if we don't balk at it, do we ignore it because we can? Who is going to say that you're being<strong> disobedient</strong>? And if a fellow church member, neighbor, or family member tells you that you're wrong, what is your response? It's important for us to understand the sincere and earnest nature of <strong>obedience</strong> whether we always maintain it or not.<br />
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Romans 8:16 gives us the assurance of salvation if we obey God:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFsTd2Mad4CX5_R5pEeiTERnFln7wSpNUacgrqcS1UZTlfJ2sS4TTvyuEZHMISbugvcGZ5BvmOaug-zmPB6YKw_kJhBIhgv_KWR1rE6AqwfZViwmeNcitFuxy58Ci2Ur2bmjwvL9Hlro0/s1600/090515_lede_GettingUpEarly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFsTd2Mad4CX5_R5pEeiTERnFln7wSpNUacgrqcS1UZTlfJ2sS4TTvyuEZHMISbugvcGZ5BvmOaug-zmPB6YKw_kJhBIhgv_KWR1rE6AqwfZViwmeNcitFuxy58Ci2Ur2bmjwvL9Hlro0/s320/090515_lede_GettingUpEarly.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: blue;">"The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together."</span><br />
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Does that mean doing our own thing? Does that mean deciding how we feel about a matter and ignoring the destruction we leave in our wake? Does that mean being unkind when we've decided the person before us is in the wrong? Are you the one suffering, or do you cause suffering in others? Do you create a more stable environment or a less stable one? <br />
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These are questions for you to ponder. Only you can know your heart and mind, therefore, only you can answer the questions. I have no doubt that those around you would be willing to put in their two cents, but that might throw you off balance. It is important for us to think about spiritual things as the world is coming unglued. God is showing us His power. Who controls the world and everything in it? We should give time to acknowledging the power of God and praying for His mercy. We should make sure that our obedience is full and complete. And we should take time to examine our hearts, so that we can know whether our lives are <strong>obedient</strong>. Do it for yourself! Do it for your loved ones! Do it for your country! Do it so that you may be pleasing to God!<br />
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I hope you've had a good week and will have a wonderful weekend.<br />
Blessings...Mimi<br />
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</div>Meredith Roark Childresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08679162395739617212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3787918976339327496.post-43643044094704080742011-04-15T23:58:00.016-05:002011-06-05T15:03:28.868-05:00The Hill of Hope ~<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><em><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: #38761d;">"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." </span></span><span style="color: #38761d;">Romans 15:13</span></em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNdrw3g4-N5d9PsqMWCKLjuM2FTjcrB0bF2k_mfCs3wNuCWv-QgRuq7OgY428Sws1G7DBXXkzA-Jmz4JH3iZr0UwrvZT89wx_KGZLI1NHlkHfUNiouOXsyyN2W1zjpwoRTqzI1wc4N79A/s1600/imagesCAA4IZLL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNdrw3g4-N5d9PsqMWCKLjuM2FTjcrB0bF2k_mfCs3wNuCWv-QgRuq7OgY428Sws1G7DBXXkzA-Jmz4JH3iZr0UwrvZT89wx_KGZLI1NHlkHfUNiouOXsyyN2W1zjpwoRTqzI1wc4N79A/s320/imagesCAA4IZLL.jpg" width="320" /></a>Who is the source of eternal hope? Of life? Of Salvation? God is! And how do we receive the Holy Spirit? Through His word! Ephesians 1 tells us: <span style="color: #38761d;">"In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in who also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory."</span> God's own Spirit comes to dwell within the believer, securing and preserving his eternal salvation. How wonderful does that sound to you? It infuses us with hope, which we basically must have to continue a faithful walk on this earth. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">My brother, Ron, has this to say about hope: "Hope involves both desire and expectation. Some people desire to go to heaven who really have no basis for expecting it. A person shows a proper attitude [Had you forgotten that these lessons are also a discussion of right attitudes?] toward God when his hope is laid up in heaven. To anyone who has this hope, Ephesians says that it is an <span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>anchor of the soul</strong></span>, both sure and steadfast; it is a hill to look up to in time of trouble to help one to maintain his faith firm to the end. Doubt, fear, anxiety, etc., may be erased completely by hope. Let us<strong> <span style="color: #38761d;">'</span></strong><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: #38761d;">l</span>ay hold of the hope set before us'."</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now let's look at some verses which tell us that Christ is our hope. 1 Timothy 1 introduces the apostle Paul as<span style="color: #38761d;"> "an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope."</span> It's because Christ bought our salvation with his own blood that Christians have hope. His death covers believers from the cross in both directions. I didn't know that until fairly recently--or at least I hadn't thought of it in that way. It's so comforting to know that anything and everything pertaining to our being saved has been thought of by our Father in heaven.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAOSfaFpa1igcY3fyLATIHSOih2qVDTXjIBXrwpeVUsLqcqQqnWB7GGjmTZ7tjeDkDDMe4FH7wvsD-e8ziAKTEcT0nKpbKmkUB4jmyJo_5ZJLqCF0oWeGJW5XfouA2fKpXDwDQBaMAIx8/s1600/imagesCA0V3862.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAOSfaFpa1igcY3fyLATIHSOih2qVDTXjIBXrwpeVUsLqcqQqnWB7GGjmTZ7tjeDkDDMe4FH7wvsD-e8ziAKTEcT0nKpbKmkUB4jmyJo_5ZJLqCF0oWeGJW5XfouA2fKpXDwDQBaMAIx8/s400/imagesCA0V3862.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
There is a message of hope in Luke 24, which tells us that<span style="color: #38761d;"> "thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." </span>This is often referred to as the Great Commission. Who better to preach the message of hope than the witnesses to all that had happened? Together at this time were several of the disciples and apostles and the Christ stood in the middle of them as proof of His resurrection. The result was Paul's exclamation in Romans:<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: #38761d;"> "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek."</span> </span>And so the message was carried to all the then-known world by those who believed on the name of Jesus Christ. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
There is much more to be said about the<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong> </strong>Hill of Hope</span>, so we can look forward to another time together for the deepening of our faith. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
Have a good weekend! </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Blessings...Mimi </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div>Meredith Roark Childresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08679162395739617212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3787918976339327496.post-59772071690542593712011-04-13T21:21:00.025-05:002011-06-05T15:00:31.852-05:00The Hill of Love ~ My Love for God and Jesus<div class="separator" style="border: currentColor; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8vqePyhrHrclnGKYNgn2RH9v6bwrP2SpQ1Hk1FaPKmJEAbyfUXZ6H0LeV9HOjmwHuRDpD-LHJfrysZQ2fZ42dSPwfWDNwjuFCpEe-3Gd6H5H3t6mghS5H-EcZWdqmUkVualUYbm0Vx3c/s1600/imagesCA1R7TQ2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8vqePyhrHrclnGKYNgn2RH9v6bwrP2SpQ1Hk1FaPKmJEAbyfUXZ6H0LeV9HOjmwHuRDpD-LHJfrysZQ2fZ42dSPwfWDNwjuFCpEe-3Gd6H5H3t6mghS5H-EcZWdqmUkVualUYbm0Vx3c/s400/imagesCA1R7TQ2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="border: currentColor;"><span style="color: black;">I'm going to pick up right where I left off some time ago. Life sometimes gets in the way of writing blogs, and although I'm not sure that I'm ready to continue full bore, I'll do my best. I apologize for leaving you hanging from one post to another, but hopefully we'll continue our climb up the <span style="color: #38761d;">Hill of Love</span>. It might help to go back and read my last post to refresh your memory. </span><span style="color: black;">When you think about the fact that God IS love, you'll realize that this is the most important part of your thinking and application, love being the guidance system for your behavior, both as a child of God and as a Christian. </span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;">~<br />
</span><span style="color: black;">Just to remind you, we looked at God's love for man, and Jesus' love for man, and I began talking about how we can and must show our love for God and Jesus, as well as our fellow man. Let's look at 1 John 2:3-6, where a test for knowing God is given: </span><span style="color: #38761d;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">"Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, 'I know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #38761d;">~<br />
</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So what are these verses about? They are all about testing our geniune fellowship with God and with Christ through obedience and worship. You can call yourself a Christian--and many do--but there are proofs of Christianity which will tell your story. If you love God, you will keep His commandments. If you're a follower of Christ, you will be an obedient servant and love your fellow man. How can we show that we love our fellow man? One way is found in Mark 9:41:<span style="color: #38761d;"> </span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: #38761d;">"For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward."</span> </span><span style="color: black;">Matthew 10:42 uses these same words. The point of these verses is that we show our love of Christ and fellow man by providing people with their needs--whether food, clothing or shelter. Our country was a better place when churches provided for the poor and needy on a larger scale. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"> ~ </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;">And what about our own thanksgiving, which comes from a grateful heart? 1 Timothy 4:3-5 talks about receiving all food created by God<span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="color: #38761d;">"with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer." </span>In other words, we're all to be grateful for our food, which has been given to us by God. Do you say a prayer of thanksgiving before you eat? You may already know that some Jews bless their food before and after the meal. That practice takes piety a step further, but sometimes we need to shake up our idea of showing how very thankful we are. </span><br />
~</div><div style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;">One of the rewards for showing love for God by keeping is commandments is that He gives us a helper. John 14:15-18 says: </span><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: #38761d;">"If you love me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you." </span> </span><span style="color: black;">What encouragement for all of us! I think we forget sometimes that God is very interested in us and our lives here on earth. And His promises are always fulfilled. He promised a Savior and He sent His own Son. We cannot imagine giving one of our children to save someone else. But God did it for us.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuWthysbhBa56FUcrC9MJ6xzj-KXy4k08badw8Hz3yOVvNUOuiA2HEEtSMpe15_c5pWoKlAgDjNTF_8ejlhL7qAzl7ekgQVaFKP8OOLQzRjFYn-rsUhnVJ_6pTMZ6FdEYgpHBOGCUzRQM/s1600/11rainbow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: left; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuWthysbhBa56FUcrC9MJ6xzj-KXy4k08badw8Hz3yOVvNUOuiA2HEEtSMpe15_c5pWoKlAgDjNTF_8ejlhL7qAzl7ekgQVaFKP8OOLQzRjFYn-rsUhnVJ_6pTMZ6FdEYgpHBOGCUzRQM/s400/11rainbow.jpg" width="400" /></a>~</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"> In fact, 1 John 4:19 reminds us: </span><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: #38761d;">"We love Him because He first loved us."</span> </span><span style="color: black;">How much clearer could that message be!? It is a stunning gift from God to save us from our sins. The very least we can do is to be thankful and love Him in return. And we're told in Romans 12:1-2 that a part of that love and thankfulness is seen when we offer ourselves as living sacrifices. In these verses, Paul says:</span><span style="color: #38761d;"> "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."</span></div><div style="border: currentColor; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="border: currentColor;"><span style="color: black;">To get a good picture of what that meant in Jesus' day, read Luke 9. In this chapter, the twelve are sent to preach, five thousand are fed, Peter's confession of faith is given, and before the transfiguration of Christ is described, a description of the true cost of discipleship is given. You've probably heard these words many times in your life:</span><span style="color: #990000;"> <span style="color: #38761d;">"Then He said to them all, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? For whoever is </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYfb4JFkno5ur7UP8IubUUND9sgb6YGPLDEqSgICOrXucIeuk_9wOdhFqZI70ASl2P_CuFRp7G_Fvj84LBdPzqy20P3wx_IRf3-iN0yXNVczQXbf6hAVWmIXREWLUsjXzN16Wp7jZSy4o/s1600/imagesCA4984J0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #38761d;"></span></a></span><span style="color: #38761d;">ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels'." </span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="border: currentColor;"><span style="color: #990000;"> ~ </span></div><div style="border: currentColor;"><span style="color: black;">Hmmm...it seems to me that most folks<em> are</em> trying to gain the whole world! So it would seem a good idea to reflect on your life to see where your treasure lies. Hebrews 10:30-31 reminds us that we know Him who said,</span><span style="color: #38761d;"> "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord. And again, 'The Lord will judge His people.' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." </span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">~</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;">It may be that we no longer fear God as we should. Only you can answer for yourself, as we all must. I am always praying that something said will touch your heart and cause you to look at God's will for us who are His children in a fresh light. Remember that 2 Corinthians 8:8 tells us that God is testing the sincerity of our love for Him. May we all meet that test! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">~</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;">Blessings...Mimi </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="border: currentColor; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Meredith Roark Childresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08679162395739617212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3787918976339327496.post-25413435887533279702011-03-23T22:18:00.030-05:002011-04-19T15:36:41.364-05:00The Hill of Love ~<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlPp6DmvvF0UEgf6UmRy7x99wtEYU8QzQEZPQCN8SzmnX67a4lh4Pg8zgUxS380aHabySk5xxBWgNP5HptbwUse8KIoOgXrjBQ1In-OMoG-c5RvnuRdX-2CISJjepwwfuIoGxPk-iRpg/s1600/imagesCA0V3862.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlPp6DmvvF0UEgf6UmRy7x99wtEYU8QzQEZPQCN8SzmnX67a4lh4Pg8zgUxS380aHabySk5xxBWgNP5HptbwUse8KIoOgXrjBQ1In-OMoG-c5RvnuRdX-2CISJjepwwfuIoGxPk-iRpg/s400/imagesCA0V3862.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Good evening~ I feel that you and I are making this long journey together through the valleys and up the hills of life. This study takes us up the <strong><span style="color: #38761d;">Hill of Love</span></strong>, a hill which has many challenges even though we may assume it's an easy one. As always, we take a deep breath as we make the plunge into a deeper spiritual life. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">You may be surprised</span> if I ask you, "What is the greatest gift?" And you already know that the answer is <strong><span style="color: #38761d;">love</span></strong>. In one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible that question is answered. And even though you've heard it many times, I wouldn't let any conversation about <strong><span style="color: #38761d;">love</span></strong> go without mentioning it. It's in 1 Corinthians 13, which says:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not<strong> love</strong>, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not<strong> love</strong>, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not<strong> love</strong>, it profits me nothing.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">~</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Love</strong> suffers long and is kind;<strong> love</strong> does not envy;<strong> love</strong> does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.<strong> Love</strong> never fails....And now abide faith, hope,<strong> love</strong>, these three; but the greatest of these is <strong>love</strong>." </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Those words speak a definite conclusion as to what is the greatest gift. This is such an important subject because I'm not sure there is much true<strong><span style="color: #38761d;"> love</span></strong> in the world today. And without going into all the reasons why I feel that way, I'll simply say that<strong><span style="color: #38761d;"> love</span></strong> has to be practiced and practiced again. It isn't always easy to show <strong><span style="color: #38761d;">love</span></strong> or to give<strong><span style="color: #38761d;"> love</span></strong>, but doesn't it seem to you that it is--at the very least--a requirement for following Christ? And in an effort to give us another look at the way<strong><span style="color: #38761d;"> love</span></strong> behaves, it may help us to look at some scriptures on<strong><span style="color: #38761d;"> love</span></strong>. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdmmFW2ZwaitUYcJxDPcpzRWUnD9wJ7s0r3d9ojHvVWTRqGR7ObOR9h0J6fMBvzIhoVdDVY-EzhAhMTnuNE8itYEaeI6j11-8oc0B7LD0eTRxZcrO1WIy2QFsjvHmUMpFeogWfW71j9uY/s1600/imagesCA4EO73E.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="285" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdmmFW2ZwaitUYcJxDPcpzRWUnD9wJ7s0r3d9ojHvVWTRqGR7ObOR9h0J6fMBvzIhoVdDVY-EzhAhMTnuNE8itYEaeI6j11-8oc0B7LD0eTRxZcrO1WIy2QFsjvHmUMpFeogWfW71j9uY/s400/imagesCA4EO73E.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">First, let's look at some thoughts about <strong><span style="color: #38761d;">God's love for man</span></strong>. Ron has something to say about this:<span style="color: #38761d;"> "God has demonstrated His<strong> love</strong> for us. What a hill to look up to as we walk through the valleys of life! How uplifting to our spirits! Some things about which we are concerned become so trivial when compared to what God has given for us. Often we must meet someone with greater problems than our own before we appreciate the blessings we have, e.g., the man who had only one hand met a man who had no legs." </span>This graphic mental picture reminds us to count our blessings every day. And Ron has also been with people in Russia, South America and Mosambique who have few choices in food, or places to live, or ways to stay warm. We are truly blessed! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Then looking at Ephesians 3, beginning with verse 17, it says:<span style="color: #38761d;"> "...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in<strong> love</strong>, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the <strong>width and length and depth and height</strong>--to know the<strong> love of Christ</strong> which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." </span>Now what exactly does all that mean to us<span style="color: black;">? Width refers to the fact that God is available to everyone who believes in Him. Length refers to how far God would go for our sakes: to the extent of giving His only begotten Son. Depth refers to the fact that our very souls are pulled out of hell so that we will not perish. And height refers to how high we may rise: we will</span> be exalted to heaven's glory and to eternal life. Breathtaking in its simplicity and profound in it's message! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now let's look at <strong><span style="color: #38761d;">Jesus' love for man</span></strong>. Besides the verses in Ephesians we just looked at, which include comprehension of the<strong><span style="color: #38761d;"> love</span></strong> of Christ, we can look at John 15:13:<span style="color: #38761d;"> "Greater<strong> love</strong> has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends."</span> And that's what Christ did for us. He gave the ultimate gift of Himself! Matthew 27:35 tells us:<span style="color: #38761d;"> "Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: 'They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots'." </span>Jesus died for you and He died for me. Not in the lap of luxury or convenience, but among criminals and thieves. Christ paid for our sins. What are we willing to do for Him? Are we <span style="color: #38761d;">"looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith"?</span> It was Jesus<span style="color: #38761d;"> "who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." </span>While Jesus was on earth, He endured poverty, humiliation, insults and pain so unjustly. All of this, He did for us because of His <strong><span style="color: #38761d;">love</span></strong> for us. And now that He is in heaven, we can look up to Him for salvation. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqAVb08-tUzVNPa5twSR-5r1cueVb3DgZSjCCrHUe0lJCGgLYOVjYwTTBHNULKlwdVpnl2cj3fa8pWmsfKdNRQMf1QbjYWtOgEMef-HaDws7QJqMGTVxGOHE24dS5TGg2jJwQhGavBuV4/s1600/imagesCAU18M1W.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="217" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqAVb08-tUzVNPa5twSR-5r1cueVb3DgZSjCCrHUe0lJCGgLYOVjYwTTBHNULKlwdVpnl2cj3fa8pWmsfKdNRQMf1QbjYWtOgEMef-HaDws7QJqMGTVxGOHE24dS5TGg2jJwQhGavBuV4/s320/imagesCAU18M1W.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now we've looked at the<strong><span style="color: #38761d;"> love</span></strong> that God and Jesus have for man. What is involved in showing our<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong> love</strong></span> for God and Jesus? We take for granted that our inward man must <strong><span style="color: #38761d;">love</span></strong> God completely. How many times have you read these words: <span style="color: #38761d;">"Jesus said to him, 'You shall<strong> love</strong> the lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall<strong> love</strong> your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."</span> Everyone who is a child of God must embrace its meaning and live by it. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And that's not quite all we need to be doing to show our<strong><span style="color: #38761d;"> love</span></strong>. 1 John 1:3 says that we should have fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. Later, in verse 6, he says, <span style="color: #38761d;">"If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." </span>So, basically, it's sharing our lives with the Holy Ones. And not only do we have fellowship with God and Jesus, but we have<strong><span style="color: #38761d;"> love</span></strong> for others. Later on in 1 John, it says: <span style="color: #38761d;">"If someone says, 'I <strong>love </strong>God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not<strong> love</strong> his brother whom he has seen, how can he<strong> love</strong> God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who<strong> loves</strong> God must<strong> love</strong> his brother also."</span> Almost everyone I know believes it's different for them...God won't notice that they don't get along with others--perhaps feeling self-righteously that God will understand because it is them. Do they have a right to feel the way they do? Haven't they been wronged and mistreated? We should all give more thought to our relationships.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Because this study is getting too long, I'm going to stop and say more later--perhaps giving a more complete idea about how we can more easily show our<strong><span style="color: #38761d;"> love</span></strong> for God and Jesus, as well as other people. Climbing the<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong> Hill of Love</strong> </span><span style="color: black;">sounds easy and familiar to us because we hear the word <strong><span style="color: #38761d;">love</span></strong> so often, but practicing true<strong><span style="color: #38761d;"> love</span></strong> is harder when we look at it from a deeper context.</span><span style="color: black;"> More on this another time.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
<span style="color: black;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Have a wonderful day!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Blessings...Mimi</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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</span></div>Meredith Roark Childresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08679162395739617212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3787918976339327496.post-22671681258210578572011-03-17T22:45:00.008-05:002011-04-19T15:38:04.466-05:00The Hill of Faith: Trusting in Jesus ~<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNY6DNzDo3uAjDC3v7sQiom_-wJ72H_A3EZIQpOluoDov9HjtRoOZbZ-UWdosSDeX1NPhEopdeodZ5fLExxzlKTd0HOavJHMp49OjQYAcgLvJlyt2k1sTrTC7nvhHtGdoqEUpp08JJNNQ/s1600/imagesCAHV96HB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNY6DNzDo3uAjDC3v7sQiom_-wJ72H_A3EZIQpOluoDov9HjtRoOZbZ-UWdosSDeX1NPhEopdeodZ5fLExxzlKTd0HOavJHMp49OjQYAcgLvJlyt2k1sTrTC7nvhHtGdoqEUpp08JJNNQ/s640/imagesCAHV96HB.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Hello again~ We've looked at scripture about having faith in God, and I mentioned having faith in Jesus, but in this lesson, I want to wrap up our thoughts about climbing the<span style="color: #990000;"> Hill of Faith</span> by looking at a few scriptures which specify faith in Christ. Jesus, as the promised Messiah, qualifies as the perfect object for our faith. And there are wonderful connections to be made between the Messiah and the psalmist David. In Romans 15:12, that tie is given to us in poetic form:<span style="color: #990000;"> "There shall be a root of Jesse; And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, In Him the Gentiles shall hope." </span>David was the son of Jesse, whose lineage runs straight through to Jesus the Christ. </div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">What does this mean to us? It means David foreshadowed Jesus the Messiah. As I said in a blog I wrote over a year ago, the magnitude of his life is hard to grasp. No king before or after him loved God as much. He was a man after God's own heart. And when he failed to please God and sinned, he was humble and contrite, begging forgiveness. But David was not only a king, a warrior and a ruler, he was also a prophet. In II Samuel 22:23, as David was about to die, he spoke these words: <span style="color: #990000;">"The spirit of the Lord hath spoken by me and his word by my tongue." </span>The importance of David and his forshadowing of Christ is seen in these 10 facts about his prophecies. </div><ol><li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;">David's prophecies are Messianic.</span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;">David's prophecies refer to the suffering of Christ.</span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;">David's prophecies refer to the persecution of Christ.</span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;">David's prophecies refer to the triumphant deliverance of Christ.</span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;">David's prophecies refer to the hereditary rights given Jesus by the Father.</span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;">David's prophecies were written 1,000 years before Christ, but many make reference to and foreshadow Him.</span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;">David was a king after God's own heart; his qualities are of the Messiah.</span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;">Two facts that foreshadow Christ: David & Christ both born in Bethlehem; David's shepherd life points to Jesus, the Good Shepherd.</span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;">Both David and Christ were betrayed by friends and had to make a sad passage.</span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;">The Davidic Psalms are clearly typical of the future Messiah, of which David was a type.</span></div></li>
</ol><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizr6vRTyHDAjx-2poZb8f3ilHzuIBJFjBdGN_RKMuWmZCV4smbE_Hzy8ObqbgW0QLJmURPp37Y9HwanQEkj5kiKpSE-iY0UeAwyGJDChIAS0IuoK8fKFb0Eu84kc1u4zYd9jliwpEoyZM/s1600/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizr6vRTyHDAjx-2poZb8f3ilHzuIBJFjBdGN_RKMuWmZCV4smbE_Hzy8ObqbgW0QLJmURPp37Y9HwanQEkj5kiKpSE-iY0UeAwyGJDChIAS0IuoK8fKFb0Eu84kc1u4zYd9jliwpEoyZM/s400/Picture1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">As I said, David's last words acknowledge that he was a prophet. Many of the 100 direct references to Jesus in Messianic passages of the Psalms are quoted in the New Testament. They are used to explain the character and message of Jesus as Messiah and refer to all of the above. When we think of David, we should think of him as a man after God's own heart, and a type of the Messiah. Does it create faith and trust in your heart when you hear such amazing details as these? It does for me! </div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <br />
And it doesn't stop there. John 20:30-31 gives us the reason the book of John was written: <span style="color: #990000;">"...but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." </span>Why did Christ come? We would all answer that question by saying that Christ had to come and die on the cross so that we could have forgiveness of our sins. And, as I've gotten older, I have begun to realize that it isn't quite as easy to have the kind of faith and trust we need as I once thought. When you get down to the truth that is presented in the New Testament, we have been trained to accept it from our youth. But sometimes I find that if it isn't getting stronger, with a deeper understanding, then we're missing the boat. So I'll suggest that maybe we all need to scrutinize our beliefs from time to time. If a Muslim jehadist told you to reject Jesus or have your head cut off, what would you do? What would you say? We haven't been persecuted for our beliefs very much--maybe an argument with an opposing brother or neighbor. It might do us some good to challenge our faith and see whether we're trusting in Jesus. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Gq5blvdhm0UdJ6njX95lDuhgD3hOIySK3IojvkmInyC-x8rT_ZX3NQDtYl-zTah-WPS_YP2NMNUcZCS28ldVWHlhxMWxhV5kvekPRGB4sMxRKb79HZ0HjZ6u8Ig952zdNlfE3DScGCU/s1600/imagesCA4984J0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Gq5blvdhm0UdJ6njX95lDuhgD3hOIySK3IojvkmInyC-x8rT_ZX3NQDtYl-zTah-WPS_YP2NMNUcZCS28ldVWHlhxMWxhV5kvekPRGB4sMxRKb79HZ0HjZ6u8Ig952zdNlfE3DScGCU/s400/imagesCA4984J0.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">In John 8:22-24, there is a revealing sequence. Jesus is misunderstood by the Jewish leaders. So the Jews said, <span style="color: #990000;">"Will He kill Himself, because He says, 'Where I go you cannot come'? And He said to them, "You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for<strong> if you do not believe that I am He</strong>, you will die in your sins." </span>In my simplified view of these words, it's relevant for us to grasp the message that the fatal, unforgivable sin is rejecting Christ. The Messiah had finally come, but was mostly rejected by the Jews. I say mostly because some of the Jews accepted Him--even some of the priests, who helped to teach and preach the gospel with all their wisdom and understanding. Should we do less?</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">And so we can look at the One who gives us strength. One of my favorite lines in the Bible is the first part of Jeremiah 20:11, which says:<span style="color: #990000;"> "But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior...."</span> When I come home alone from my daughter's, and it's late and dark outside, those words go through my mind over and over. I have to trust that God is with me or I would be too fearful to leave the house. And in that same vein, 2 Thessalonians 3:3-5 says, <span style="color: #990000;"> "But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we</span><span style="color: #990000;"> command you. Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ." </span>This time the protection is from Satan and his angels, but we can rest in this guardian presence. When we are following Christ, trusting in His ability to lead us, guide us, and guard our hearts and minds, then our lives will be what God planned for us from the beginning of Creation!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyJ66zKNyg9HtbcrBhCs4AKEdox-OuPOQdXByxanrCm2apWqnkiR28vA3-mcH0xAu2YbuyAbrUm4JIHiUIXt4BwpBGQZO9L9lqLhsx7mV7TRoEbT6FT1McsROTmepm-wisRyGuvr3OLZs/s1600/imagesCAMI4TLJ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyJ66zKNyg9HtbcrBhCs4AKEdox-OuPOQdXByxanrCm2apWqnkiR28vA3-mcH0xAu2YbuyAbrUm4JIHiUIXt4BwpBGQZO9L9lqLhsx7mV7TRoEbT6FT1McsROTmepm-wisRyGuvr3OLZs/s1600/imagesCAMI4TLJ.jpg" /></a></div> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And because I love the parable of the mustard seed, I'll remind you once more that: <span style="color: #990000;">"If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."</span><span style="color: black;"> If you believe this statement, you are climbing the<span style="color: #990000;"> Hill of Faith</span>!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Blessings...Mimi </div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Meredith Roark Childresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08679162395739617212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3787918976339327496.post-72941862056108005642011-03-15T16:03:00.013-05:002011-04-19T15:39:34.456-05:00The Hill of Faith ~ Trusting in God & Jesus Christ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmUSimxtbx4Z_hYKhkQzksZhy5T90_GghmCtHRsNzedcXrgWjTiwqW5hdbrlESu8xBVb9Titq1lc1tFGpDIWmve9ur39wbtvvjEl6NOtXfWXaufI6tj3gBCnM-STSs86Kk6kI62sB368/s1600/untitled.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmUSimxtbx4Z_hYKhkQzksZhy5T90_GghmCtHRsNzedcXrgWjTiwqW5hdbrlESu8xBVb9Titq1lc1tFGpDIWmve9ur39wbtvvjEl6NOtXfWXaufI6tj3gBCnM-STSs86Kk6kI62sB368/s400/untitled.bmp" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;">You will keep him in perfect peace, </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;">Whose mind is stayed on You,</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;">because he trusts in You,</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;">Trust in the Lord forever,</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;">For in YAH, the Lord, is</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;"> everlasting strength.</span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">You put your trust in all kinds of things--yourself, money or the money market, and even false idols--which can range from sports to rock stars--or simply other people, as I talked about in the last lesson. And since we've looked at the things you can't put your trust in, then the question becomes, where should you put your trust? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnY2b57v_DkC6627xUaH8mrvH7KqCT889kCeMD0j3EDCSPHKEKtVs7ncDjK2s6d7cfbI0FoEQsaG4TV9oQmTNIm3qRptSXwAmuze_QDg4T6h1-3rWgkSg9tc6ou0WHsm5w_IPfIA3CdPw/s1600/imagesCAQPCDQA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnY2b57v_DkC6627xUaH8mrvH7KqCT889kCeMD0j3EDCSPHKEKtVs7ncDjK2s6d7cfbI0FoEQsaG4TV9oQmTNIm3qRptSXwAmuze_QDg4T6h1-3rWgkSg9tc6ou0WHsm5w_IPfIA3CdPw/s1600/imagesCAQPCDQA.jpg" /></a></div>Looking at the words of the psalmist in Psalm 141:8, he tells us: <span style="color: #990000;">"But my eyes are upon You, O God the Lord; in You I take refuge: do not leave my soul destitute." </span>Does that give you an idea what's in David's heart and mind? It isn't difficult to see that David depends on God completely. As in Psalm 118:8-9, he says,<span style="color: #990000;"> "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes." </span>Did you hear what David says to us from across time and space? In loud and clear terms, he says, don't trust man, trust God. Don't trust princes, trust God. And what are we told in Proverbs 28:25 from the man of wisdom: <span style="color: #990000;">"He who is of proud heart stirs up strife, but he who trusts in the Lord will be prospered." </span>So the conclusion from David and Solomon is: <span style="color: #990000;">Trust in God! </span><br />
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And, of course, Christians are always willing to listen when Jesus speaks. And so we look at what Jesus says in Matthew 6:19-21 about this subject:<span style="color: #990000;"> "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." </span>How's that for a way to cut through all of our protesting and look at trusting in heavenly blessings!? And before you think smugly that you don't trust in earthly things, make a reality check. Not for me or anyone else, but for yourself. Be honest with the way you look at where your fears and anxiety have taken you. There is usually a way to improve upon our attitudes, and that's partly what this series is about. Climbing the <span style="color: #990000;">Hill of Faith</span> is all about learning to depend totally on God and Christ--not just in what you say, but in what you do.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BuqxeXgSLvSxeKfSbm_JQu6gcLI0jK-QuMjtUa6gblZDmyz9MuJlD2gltwr0lauPo0JGEtDrecql-1B2N75H7xknUU-2alk6Tt4e5seobQdA0MW-Xrd1UgrFWG6nbe3jtTnwQ9m-Huo/s1600/imagesCADDSBXX.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BuqxeXgSLvSxeKfSbm_JQu6gcLI0jK-QuMjtUa6gblZDmyz9MuJlD2gltwr0lauPo0JGEtDrecql-1B2N75H7xknUU-2alk6Tt4e5seobQdA0MW-Xrd1UgrFWG6nbe3jtTnwQ9m-Huo/s320/imagesCADDSBXX.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <br />
So I'm going to give you one more lesson on the <span style="color: #990000;">Hill of Faith</span>, which involves our trusting in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Think about these ideas as you make decisions in your everyday life. There is no point in reading about biblical principles, if we don't give them a place in our decisions. No, it isn't easy to question our motives or our attitudes or our decisions, but if you want to be a follower of Christ, it is an absolute MUST! Remember that if you have faith as a mustard seed, you can move mountains! And we're promised that nothing will be impossible to us--now that isn't anything to take for granted, is it? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I hope and pray that your week is going well. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Blessings...Mimi </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Meredith Roark Childresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08679162395739617212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3787918976339327496.post-84673985638976831832011-03-11T12:13:00.044-06:002011-04-19T15:48:29.250-05:00The Hill of Faith ~<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoSoTafjRYqgfP6qwMm7Koijg6zV31N0GuLtvHRuj0MgL_NrhsM7XHoXQvwAc-YU9vFiv0mV7WCr316MXVNyIVMeAt5-foHn_ybw_zekmXFXuQ5aYKHoUfHKBOwMJQTLv5hDLxj4DL_q8/s1600/imagesCA0V3862.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoSoTafjRYqgfP6qwMm7Koijg6zV31N0GuLtvHRuj0MgL_NrhsM7XHoXQvwAc-YU9vFiv0mV7WCr316MXVNyIVMeAt5-foHn_ybw_zekmXFXuQ5aYKHoUfHKBOwMJQTLv5hDLxj4DL_q8/s400/imagesCA0V3862.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #38761d;">If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. Matthew 17:20</span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Hello everyone! This picture is appropriate because these are mustard trees growing below a hill, representing both of my thoughts today. Friday always feels good to me, and today is especially good because my brother Ron has returned from Russia. I'm thankful to God and want to hear about his trip. As I've said, I'm using Ron's material to generate these blogs, but I'm writing them myself. </div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">And it's also a good Friday because we're moving out of the valleys and climbing into the hills of the Christian life. Today you and I will begin climbing the <span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>Hill of Faith</strong></span> together, and there will be other hills which will lead us toward a victorious life. Here, I want to quote what Ron says about the<strong><span style="color: #38761d;"> Hill of Faith</span></strong>: <span style="color: #38761d;">"Man is confronted with many problems and difficulties in this life: 'Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He comes forth like a flower and fades away; he flees like a shadow and does not continue.'</span><span style="color: #274e13;"> </span>(Job 14:1-2) Does this seem to be pessimistic? Man faces valleys in life which are not pleasant: discouragement, depression, persecutions and trials, and death, etc. But let us remember that God has promised a time when there will be no tears or sorrows--<span style="color: #38761d;">'There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.' </span>Hebrews 4:9 says that life on this earth is brief (of few days)."<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_IwJSAWT2rirmlzvtwyD8DD9db0Oy0KdNG19yNApyOCEOicpAVy4pyld-b89hJ_8ecY4Z4l94Wz0QNQY6_BV0XEMuH1phtlFCFVM3r5uKpbHVPIWGhnUlArV7Zh7kUny9kJwWHOc3WP4/s1600/mountain.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_IwJSAWT2rirmlzvtwyD8DD9db0Oy0KdNG19yNApyOCEOicpAVy4pyld-b89hJ_8ecY4Z4l94Wz0QNQY6_BV0XEMuH1phtlFCFVM3r5uKpbHVPIWGhnUlArV7Zh7kUny9kJwWHOc3WP4/s320/mountain.gif" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">And he continues:<span style="color: #38761d;"> "Therefore, we should walk wisely through the valley of decision. We are able to do this by lifting up our eyes to the hills and receiving the help which the Lord provided for us.<strong> WE MUST TRUST IN HIM AND TRUST HIM!</strong> </span><br />
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Job 15:11 asks,<span style="color: #274e13;"> </span><span style="color: #38761d;">"Are the consolations of God too small for you?"</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br />
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<span style="color: black;">And, simplified, Job 11:13-20 says:</span></div><ol><li><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Prepare your heart~</span></div></li>
<li><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Stretch out your hands toward Him~ </span></div></li>
<li><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Then you could lift up your face without spot~</span></div></li>
<li><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #38761d;">You could be steadfast, and not fear~</span></div></li>
<li><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #38761d;">You would be secure~</span></div></li>
<li><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Because there is hope!</span> </span></div></li>
</ol><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZM-NnjeAr3KpsRO45oCuhXq-wGGTwe4p5XulPX-s5CIikO7HbgCK3Ns2e__wv7tq_lMfy7LFkjrz9wIrGo_rLOcrw-9KpoEfOlCVCy8qNHxgsKHEMK2YqeJ7jBey2p1PO_2rdGcaA1ZE/s1600/imagesCA4984J0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZM-NnjeAr3KpsRO45oCuhXq-wGGTwe4p5XulPX-s5CIikO7HbgCK3Ns2e__wv7tq_lMfy7LFkjrz9wIrGo_rLOcrw-9KpoEfOlCVCy8qNHxgsKHEMK2YqeJ7jBey2p1PO_2rdGcaA1ZE/s320/imagesCA4984J0.jpg" width="320" /></a>No wonder we're ready to climb out of the valleys and into the hills! But just to remind us of our inclinations, let's look at where we place our trust and confidence. Even though we may not realize it, we often put our trust in the things<em> <strong>in</strong></em><strong> </strong>and<strong> <em>of</em></strong> the world. This is something we should all consider carefully, because we tend to believe that we are above this kind of behavior. </div></div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><ol><li><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">Trusting in<span style="color: #38761d;"> <strong>SELF</strong></span>. Proverbs 28:26 says that <span style="color: #274e13;">"He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered." </span>And in Luke 18:9-14, Jesus uses the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector to show what attitude we should have. Listen to this:<span style="color: #38761d;"> "Also He spoke to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 'Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, "God I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess." And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." </span><span style="color: black;">Have you actually given some thought as to your arrogance or humilty toward your spiritual life? We should all take time to examine our deeper concepts and beliefs. No one is fooled but you if you're wrong.</span></div></li>
<li><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;">Trusting in<span style="color: #38761d;"> <strong>OTHERS</strong></span>. Sometimes it's easier for us to trust in others rather than in God. Remember what Paul says in Acts 20: 28-31--that after he was gone, savage wolves would come in, not sparing the flock? And he warned that men would rise up and teach perverse things that would draw away the disciples of Christ. So his advice is to watch for these false teachers. See also Colossians 2:18-23 and 2 Peter 2:1-3. And remember that false teachers might be reaching you on a television screen. Sometimes in this chaotic world, we turn to those who sooth our anxiety. But be careful about giving them your heart and mind without seeing their true position. Be mindful that they may be trying to draw you away. </span></div></li>
<li><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">Trusting in<strong><span style="color: #38761d;"> IDOLS/FALSE GODS</span></strong>. And I'm sure you remember Elijah when he came to all the people and said:<span style="color: #38761d;"> </span><span style="color: #274e13;">"How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him. But the people answered him not a word." </span>And then the contest between God and Baal was carried out, so that all the people knew that the Lord was God. And as to the futility of false gods, read Psalm 115:2-8. False gods or idols can be found in surprising places. And they don't necessarily have the look that we expect. Money, position, fame, sports, and even food or entertainment can become something we worship. Watch your interests!</div></li>
<li><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">Trusting in <strong><span style="color: #38761d;">RICHES</span></strong>: The Proverbs always provide you with wisdom, and in 11:28, it says:<span style="color: #38761d;"> "He who earnestly seeks good finds favor, but trouble will come to him who seeks evil." </span>And looking in 1 Timothy 6:17, there are some instructions to the rich: <span style="color: #38761d;">"Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy." </span>And in Luke 12:16-21 is the parable of the rich fool who saw that his barns weren't big enough, and so he determined to build bigger barns. What does he say to himself? He says:<span style="color: #38761d;"> "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry."</span><span style="color: #274e13;"> </span>But God said to him:<span style="color: #38761d;"> "Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?" </span>And then you can see that <span style="color: #274e13;">"So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." </span><span style="color: black;">Again, you reach the end of the point and find that it's up to you...your choice to serve God or yourself.</span></div></li>
</ol><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfgxP5obdMsm-C1npvAi4RQZELPD9vJGEBLbHWQ0IGdL3Erf8LilAOQ5K8xhq9C4ou2biTU-RdqXshGR_sXtQGAH3los8aw9KjIQMcjmPmkGVc65VWIVHXPsgDKHeFB6cpd0fCGykVfw/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfgxP5obdMsm-C1npvAi4RQZELPD9vJGEBLbHWQ0IGdL3Erf8LilAOQ5K8xhq9C4ou2biTU-RdqXshGR_sXtQGAH3los8aw9KjIQMcjmPmkGVc65VWIVHXPsgDKHeFB6cpd0fCGykVfw/s1600/images.jpg" /></a>I've given you enough to think about today. Next, as we climb the <span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>Hill of Faith</strong></span>, there are some passages about trusting in God and in Jesus Christ. It's where faith the size of a mustard seed comes in. It doesn't have to be all that big to become something that grows and matures into a faith that influences the world. What you might think about is how your faith affects you, your life, your family, and your friends. Is it deep enough to change your attitudes, your decisions, and your way of life? </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">Blessings...Mimi </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Meredith Roark Childresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08679162395739617212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3787918976339327496.post-71811057072201499352011-03-06T13:29:00.026-06:002011-04-19T15:51:44.629-05:00The Valley of Death ~ 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjP4YbvcHlrUx8HTJEeLsgbSLv0Est_neVK0Tyz-BX-YuQIejwI4ZrnyMbBeioV1IHIZ4sYG2CF7hCfwAN2Sru6J8ZRk7dPXp8E1CJ3Nr-Vku0nO37bN1Deflq0a_Zv5lbYTomPqDAeY/s1600/imagesCAQPCDQA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjP4YbvcHlrUx8HTJEeLsgbSLv0Est_neVK0Tyz-BX-YuQIejwI4ZrnyMbBeioV1IHIZ4sYG2CF7hCfwAN2Sru6J8ZRk7dPXp8E1CJ3Nr-Vku0nO37bN1Deflq0a_Zv5lbYTomPqDAeY/s320/imagesCAQPCDQA.jpg" width="199" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me: Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Psalm 23:4</strong></span><br />
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There are so many people in the Old Testament who came to a bad end--not only individuals, but whole nations at times. So let's look at someone who came to a good end. David is a man whose sin changed the course of his life, but not his inevitable death. David is the shepherd boy who fought and killed the giant Goliath, because he had so much faith in God. When Saul told David that he was too young to fight a man of war, he said:<span style="color: #990000;"> "The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." </span><span style="color: black;">Faith and trust are two of David's strongest characteristics.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And when Saul was struck with depression, it was David who played the harp and brought him out of it. Saul's advisors had told him that<span style="color: #cc0000;"> <span style="color: #990000;">"the Lord is with him."</span> </span>And when Saul, as the first king of Israel, decided to follow his own way instead of God's, God rejected him as king and chose David. As king, David began building the greatest empire that had ever existed, but because there were so many enemies to conquer, which put blood on his hands, God wouldn't allow David to build the temple. But David didn't sit on his hands--he collected money, materials and plans for the building of the temple. There are so many significant facts about David, but for our lesson, we want to look at his death. Here are a few of his last words, which can be found in 2 Samuel 23. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJcOy4OiW5k75k9oWXvSPqlB64tOEmfz0dpvBWkvCKWAsqmdCr2Xm-VVB67-G9UdL5lCi3quWEmFdm_gnrLPk9hF2Ifr6AM1K0B40v9sJOC7SDmdhEjgWCB_jJuhoYLpTA5M4mnoxRAIs/s1600/imagesCACH00TS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #990000;"><img border="0" height="200" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJcOy4OiW5k75k9oWXvSPqlB64tOEmfz0dpvBWkvCKWAsqmdCr2Xm-VVB67-G9UdL5lCi3quWEmFdm_gnrLPk9hF2Ifr6AM1K0B40v9sJOC7SDmdhEjgWCB_jJuhoYLpTA5M4mnoxRAIs/s200/imagesCACH00TS.jpg" width="126" /></span></a><span style="color: #990000;">The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, </span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;">And His word was on my tongue. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;">The God of Israel said,</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;">The Rock of Israel spoke to me:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;">He who rules over men must be </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;"> just, </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;">Ruling in the fear of God. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">All of his last words are there, if you want to read them. I simply wanted to reflect the fact that David was within God's embrace at the time of his death. In fact, David left a legacy which continues, and which I list in a blog written September 21, 2010<span style="color: #990000;">--10 Things You May Not Know About David & Prophecy. <span style="color: black;">He was truly</span> "a man after God's own heart." </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJsz7HPtVuj0k91dRT_l0yUc-g1MlaPujGHSnN9M_hmSmo8NGXEJeLlQxGmu-WUltQI26qkHaOCSl3pK0-n-PATkzeI5mnzrz3fM34PkudKJRNg9ChiVC-SrmF0QQ9zP6mxlv14Jvnc9U/s1600/7a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJsz7HPtVuj0k91dRT_l0yUc-g1MlaPujGHSnN9M_hmSmo8NGXEJeLlQxGmu-WUltQI26qkHaOCSl3pK0-n-PATkzeI5mnzrz3fM34PkudKJRNg9ChiVC-SrmF0QQ9zP6mxlv14Jvnc9U/s200/7a.jpg" width="200" /></a>Now let's move to the New Testament, where you can learn about the life and death of Jesus and the apostles. Jesus was born in Bethlehem and grew up to be a carpenter, but he was a child who spent time in the temple, talking to the scribes and Pharisees. When Jesus was ready to reveal His purpose as the Son of God, John the Baptizer was sent to make way for Him. He chose 12 apostles to spead His gospel, and He had many disciples. Jesus had multitudes of people following Him as He taught them and healed them, and sometimes even fed them. Jesus had a message that had never been heard before--a message of hope, love, mercy, and victory in life and over death. And when His words and deeds proved that He was the Son of God, it made the leaders of the Jews indignant, and they decided He had to die. </div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeBJwXZhWuuHNQVa3WYiCrWfeiBtcgowsgNZzR5u-DqqcVcYqvL6jQz8lNdBIpjgpavuvc_16hXtFjlKN8fERhS9Gh5l_fMttBGQDFOVX42nDalcikis3HsMXgP3fVZegdqCM5RV-NmKc/s1600/31a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeBJwXZhWuuHNQVa3WYiCrWfeiBtcgowsgNZzR5u-DqqcVcYqvL6jQz8lNdBIpjgpavuvc_16hXtFjlKN8fERhS9Gh5l_fMttBGQDFOVX42nDalcikis3HsMXgP3fVZegdqCM5RV-NmKc/s320/31a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>When it came time for Jesus to die, and after the supper with His apostles, Jesus went into Gethsemane and prayed:<span style="color: #990000;"> "O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." </span>The agony that Jesus suffered is impossible for us to imagine, but by His willingness to die for our sins, we can have that same hope and trust in God's will to save us.<br />
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And when He died on the cross--a miserable, criminal death--He cried out to His Father. And at the moment of His death, the veil in the temple was split in two pieces, and there was an earthquake. Then He triumphantly rose again and was seen by His disciples, some of whom watched Him ascend into heaven. Our Savior's death was full of anguish, bitterness and sorrow, but he bore it all for you and for me. These truths, which show the love of God and His Son, should give you pause. God's great love should create a desire in you to live with Him forever. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Now after the death of Jesus, His apostles continued to teach, even though they were commanded by the Jewish council not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. But they ignored the Jewish leaders and were persecuted because of their belief and teachings. In Acts 4:19-20, Peter and John answered the council's commands, saying:<span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="color: #990000;">"Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." </span>They were threatened and let go because the miracle they'd performed made the people glorify God. And the leaders were afraid of the people. Then the disciples came together, and Acts 4:31 says:<span style="color: #990000;"> "And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness." </span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2DzDo2MIVCZ7S0SY6C9k_zl9XSwN7oj72rFBF4_9ieZwevzQkDC3UNzAo1RP4DryiUtOH59nrtYeOClH0bC-knw6DY6QRghp1oGiy67nvLnwcsXnQ8vsBkiLlIe05uehzlSGrVqB7Gp4/s1600/imagesCAJ8W8SH.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2DzDo2MIVCZ7S0SY6C9k_zl9XSwN7oj72rFBF4_9ieZwevzQkDC3UNzAo1RP4DryiUtOH59nrtYeOClH0bC-knw6DY6QRghp1oGiy67nvLnwcsXnQ8vsBkiLlIe05uehzlSGrVqB7Gp4/s320/imagesCAJ8W8SH.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And when the apostles were again brought before the Jewish council, Peter was asked why he had continued to teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and the other apostles said:<span style="color: #cc0000;"> <span style="color: #990000;">"We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him."</span> </span>Naturally, this infuriated the council and they determined to kill them. All of the apostles except John died because of persecution.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And Paul willingly went to Jerusalem, knowing that<span style="color: #990000;"> "the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me."<span style="color: black;"> But what did Paul say as he faced his own death: </span>"...nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." </span>What an attitude! And, of course, that's just the smallest example of Paul's life preaching Christ. He traveled and taught the gospel of Christ until his death, which he knew was coming, and accepted with the knowledge that his home was in heaven. Something for us to contemplate. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is a grand subject, which I have rather butchered in order to give you some thoughts to chew on. I encourage you to read and study further to strengthen your knowledge on the subject of death. While you are still living, you have the chance to enhance your life and prepare for your death through the study of God's word.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I hope you're all enjoying a beautiful Sunday afternoon with your family!</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Blessings...Mimi </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Meredith Roark Childresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08679162395739617212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3787918976339327496.post-86760308452728600522011-03-05T14:17:00.015-06:002011-04-19T15:50:22.866-05:00The Valley of Death ~<span style="color: #990000;">Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me: Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Psalms 23:4</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZB2x3ZA1QkTBshBe5nYkU-J_iuVAwHHTvhMHKNsOcfeMLC3gKlecftUyYeDLDNa-EJJ4HhueH8dtUyiV4rRe0DEGP6JYEOojVsx6zpRrqAivzbM-K8oIUy4xSw_pL9as_IZjh2TN8Dyg/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZB2x3ZA1QkTBshBe5nYkU-J_iuVAwHHTvhMHKNsOcfeMLC3gKlecftUyYeDLDNa-EJJ4HhueH8dtUyiV4rRe0DEGP6JYEOojVsx6zpRrqAivzbM-K8oIUy4xSw_pL9as_IZjh2TN8Dyg/s400/images.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">No one wants to think about death! And yet, death is one of the great realities of life, so shouldn't we think about it, talk about it, and plan for it? The question is: Are you prepared to walk through the <span style="color: #990000;">Valley of Death</span>? You and I can be, but it doesn't happen by chance. It happens because we look at the truth in the scriptures and take steps to make sure that we can bravely face the<strong> </strong><span style="color: #990000;">Valley of Death</span>. Remember that we weren't created to live on earth eternally; we were created for another place, a place of the spiritual, a place for the soul. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Son of God came to earth to make it possible for us to live eternally with God. And because we're too sinful without the blood of Christ, He was crucified so that our sins could be forgiven. Remember what 1 Corinthians 15:56-57 says:<span style="color: #990000;"> "The sting of death is<strong> sin</strong>, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."</span> So with this in mind, we boldly look at the subject of death!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">How many times have we looked at the conclusion of the whole matter with Solomon in Ecclesiastes 12:14? But it applies so fundamentally that I don't want to leave it out of this lesson: <span style="color: #990000;">"Fear God and keep His commandments, </span><span style="color: #990000;">For this is man's all. </span><span style="color: #990000;">For God will bring every work into judgment, </span><span style="color: #990000;">Including every secret thing, </span><span style="color: #990000;">Whether good or evil." </span>That should get your attention every time! And Ecclesiastes 9:5 says that while we're still living, knowing that we're going to die, why not take advantage of that fact and prepare. The living still have hope! And Solomon gives some thought to the fact that we don't know <em>when </em>we're going to die, so we should prepare and not be taken unaware. And that is the point of our lesson. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">Why don't we look at some people who were caught off-guard--not because they weren't warned, but because they just didn't believe their ears. Most of us have heard the story of Noah, how he built an ark to God's specifications when he was being jeered and ridiculed for building a boat when there was no rain. It must have looked ridiculous to the people in Noah's world. But why did God destroy most of His creation? Because <span style="color: #990000;">"Then the Lord saw th</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7JysL9yNNMswtig7e7y8EIKAwIAJEDUu2rx-fH5MSIdXGSjrUlPz_Vimi6h7dk_a1vRlQRdt1OTwmq6e1rdYZK5SMtyG10wtwXtQR9Fd4c10eU7HogyJ_4N-dat_0dVENZr1A-EMRu0/s1600/untitled.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #990000;"></span></a><span style="color: #990000;">at the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart."</span> Do you think that Satan has the ultimate weapon in television--that it provides an opportunity for "evil continually?" I'm not saying don't watch television, but I AM saying that you should take care as to which programs you watch. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7JysL9yNNMswtig7e7y8EIKAwIAJEDUu2rx-fH5MSIdXGSjrUlPz_Vimi6h7dk_a1vRlQRdt1OTwmq6e1rdYZK5SMtyG10wtwXtQR9Fd4c10eU7HogyJ_4N-dat_0dVENZr1A-EMRu0/s1600/untitled.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7JysL9yNNMswtig7e7y8EIKAwIAJEDUu2rx-fH5MSIdXGSjrUlPz_Vimi6h7dk_a1vRlQRdt1OTwmq6e1rdYZK5SMtyG10wtwXtQR9Fd4c10eU7HogyJ_4N-dat_0dVENZr1A-EMRu0/s400/untitled.bmp" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">That is very strong commentary on the people in Noah's day, isn't it?<span style="color: #990000;"> "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." </span><span style="color: black;">I know we're</span> living many centuries after God saved Noah and the eight other people with him, but do you think we might be grieving the Lord today? Can you say that God is<em> NOT</em> sorry He made you? God put this in your hands. He established a beautiful covenant with mankind--a rainbow that appears in the clouds after a rain--a promise to us that every living thing would not be destroyed again as in the flood. That is a sign that should make everyone marvel at God's grace and mercy!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">And do you know about Korah and those who rebelled with him? In Numbers 16, he and 250 leaders of the congregation rose up and said to Moses and Aaron: <span style="color: #990000;">"You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?" </span>Now Korah was of the tribe of Levi, the ones chosen to lead the people. But here he gathered men from other tribes, as well as some of the priests, to say to Aaron that he and other priests were <span style="color: #990000;">"taking too much upon themselves."</span> But in saying this, they were setting themselves against the Lord. Moses had Korah and those with him to come before the Lord at the tabernacle. God was going to consume the whole congregation, but Moses asked God to punish only those men who had sinned. So all the men who rebelled with Korah--these were of the tribe of Reuben and had complained that they'd been brought out of Egypt only to die in the wilderness--were swallowed up by the ground on which they stood. And the 250 Levites who rebelled, and who were offering incense at the time, were consumed by fire. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">And so Moses and Aaron were proven to be the chosen ones to lead the people. Rebellion is a behavior that we don't take seriously sometime. Maybe you just can't believe that you're rebellious. But do you realize that each time you choose your way rather than God's, you ARE being rebellious! Korah and all the people that rebelled with him were self-righteous--wrongly believing they were right. And they died because they didn't actually believe God. So it's worth examining your heart and mind to see if you're guilty of rebelling against the God you profess to believe in.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">There are many acts of rebellion in the Old Testament beginning with Adam and Eve, Cain killing his brother Abel, and all the rebellions of the children of Israel. But what about the Christian age? Are there any examples of a rebellious spirit? We can look at what Paul says in Colossians 1:21-23 to see something of those who were once rebellious, now being brought back to God. Paul says: </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;">"And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight--if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister." </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0w3nuVS5-Em1GkDEIpfwNg43S53cXwYUum1Rz3VMxL3T21B0HVh6JxcsGPeJKMfUFlbyd937agQSLGzPMpxOQwnAzl8P-Her7uirdAI2jKERvVlLM9keMlZP-0AMDNHrG_TjiKiUklTo/s1600/imagesCA1R7TQ2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0w3nuVS5-Em1GkDEIpfwNg43S53cXwYUum1Rz3VMxL3T21B0HVh6JxcsGPeJKMfUFlbyd937agQSLGzPMpxOQwnAzl8P-Her7uirdAI2jKERvVlLM9keMlZP-0AMDNHrG_TjiKiUklTo/s400/imagesCA1R7TQ2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"> <br />
Is that your wish...to be always reconciled to God so that you can live with Him eternally? Then think on these things! What does Hebrews tell us: <span style="color: #990000;">"Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called 'Today,' lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: 'Today, if you will hear my voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion'."</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">Knowing the tendency of mankind to rebel and follow their own heart and mind, God has given us examples of those who turned from their wicked ways to listen to God. Sometimes we may forget that God <em>wants</em> us to be saved; He wants us to be <em>perfected</em> so that we can live with Him. God has prepared a place for us and wants us to enter His rest. The people of God should hear this: <span style="color: #990000;">"Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." </span><span style="color: black;">The message is: you</span> can't escape. You'll enter His rest or you'll never live with Him. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">God has done His part in giving us the way of life. And if we follow God's plan for us, we'll be pleasing to Him, and we'll be so much happier being full of faith. So what does all of this have to do with death? <span style="color: #990000;">We have to understand that if we want to face death fearlessly, we must be pleasing to God. </span>So tomorrow, we'll look at some examples of those who were prepared to face death, knowing that God was with them. These include David, Jesus, the apostle Paul, as well as the other apostles.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">Have a beautiful Saturday!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">Blessings...Mimi </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Meredith Roark Childresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08679162395739617212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3787918976339327496.post-75601172866485695002011-03-01T00:08:00.055-06:002011-03-18T20:06:08.177-05:00The Valley of Persecutions & Trials ~ Perfecting Our Faith<div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilf0VT1ppYb-9coh3ARxQ7RQBSBbg59CQIXGhg7q6SOTmkHz-Ox81zTv7WuXWNFeqEz_3RXbR5xYDnrA6PLx0KsJvc7IB2hWyaaM7e8z2qAPub4YXCwUNBytkGoAMihmK3m9AgX_zHSa4/s1600/imagesCAU78FT5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilf0VT1ppYb-9coh3ARxQ7RQBSBbg59CQIXGhg7q6SOTmkHz-Ox81zTv7WuXWNFeqEz_3RXbR5xYDnrA6PLx0KsJvc7IB2hWyaaM7e8z2qAPub4YXCwUNBytkGoAMihmK3m9AgX_zHSa4/s400/imagesCAU78FT5.jpg" width="400" /></a><strong><span style="color: blue;">Do not fear any of the things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you in prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life. Revelation 2:10 </span></strong></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">You and I often walk in the torturous <span style="color: blue;">Valley of Persecutions and Trials. <span style="color: black;">These are</span> </span><span style="color: black;">times in our lives when we feel off-balance and fearful, because we've been attacked in a way that feels especially unkind or even vicious. We're caught off-guard because trials can come unexpectedly from anywhere, and are often </span>caused by people we know, even family or friends. But trials are also caused by a lack of money, food, clothing or shelter--what we call "the necessities" of life. Many trials are caused by sickness, misery and pain. And then there are trials caused by the more subtle influence of Satan and his demons in their unseen world. <br />
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But my point is, wherever trials and tribulations come from, we must face them and deal with them, because our eternal destiny depends on it. You can expect your faith to be tested and tried by sorrow, illness, or persecution, along with many other unexpected strivings and stresses in your life. You and I must be ready to fight through all of these in order to have eternal life with God.</div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">We aren't used to suffering for our beliefs in this country, but we are living in unsettled times. At any time, we may be subjected to a surprisingly hateful effort by those who don't believe as we do. And so I want to remind you of what Peter said to those followers of Christ:<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: blue;"> "...you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom not having seen you love."</span> B</span>efore the trials come, we should already know how we'll deal with them. And, as always, that means we should be filling our hearts and minds with the word of God. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXyaQXHlPh7DlRMEH_S0LourAnLQnfkiBAcgFQ1G-R8wHDOhEtub5xYQKM6bDKMgLtrYqjInVDNSwSrxtRV1-1MZg7vNV5D1zBiW3uzEaLJtWkancByMBs8wWpI5Ksvif1PIuBzpdq2k/s1600/imagesCARPPDE0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXyaQXHlPh7DlRMEH_S0LourAnLQnfkiBAcgFQ1G-R8wHDOhEtub5xYQKM6bDKMgLtrYqjInVDNSwSrxtRV1-1MZg7vNV5D1zBiW3uzEaLJtWkancByMBs8wWpI5Ksvif1PIuBzpdq2k/s320/imagesCARPPDE0.jpg" width="320" /></a>I'm sure you're familiar with the Beatitudes listed in Matthew 5. Verses 11 & 12 say: <span style="color: blue;">"Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." </span><span style="color: black;">Remember that we're the salt of the earth, a city set on a hill, and a lamp that shines before men. Our<span style="color: blue;"><em> </em></span><span style="color: black;"><strong>physical</strong></span> trials can help us keep our saltiness, can help us be a shining example, and help us be a lamp of enlightenment! </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">We are to show those who are lost and hurting the way of life. If we suffer in the process, our reward is greater. Big words, I know, but they're true. All the apostles except John were killed while standing <em>for</em> Christ and <em>with</em> Christ, openly proclaiming His gospel. We aren't likely to lose our lives, but are we even proclaiming the gospel?</span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">So what more can trials do for us? The Christians in I Peter were suffering escalating persecution, so Peter was writing to show them how to live victoriously in the middle of hostility--without losing hope or becoming bitter--while keeping their trust in their Lord, and looking to His second coming. So we can look at trials as giving us a purpose for our earthly existence, while helping us to appreciate God and our blessings. And trials also help to bring our faith to perfection by alleviating doubt, fear, anxiety, depression, and discouragement--all those emotions and feelings we find so disturbing. As believers, we are constantly exposed to a world in which Satan and his demons hold sway. But, like the Christians Peter was addressing, we too can live victoriously.<br />
~</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7SwvYQ5MORj9YQFcpmNyiAafKcBVDp18LUE5k-8OJWvphqnx2i36oMF4lxRVARDAin7df9ZawXr5sVIDk_DFuan3hndcEHYxnQ6YTPmjrNau5mBO3Muu7cNmxwLErfLbmvQTF3VGvtXc/s1600/untitled.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7SwvYQ5MORj9YQFcpmNyiAafKcBVDp18LUE5k-8OJWvphqnx2i36oMF4lxRVARDAin7df9ZawXr5sVIDk_DFuan3hndcEHYxnQ6YTPmjrNau5mBO3Muu7cNmxwLErfLbmvQTF3VGvtXc/s320/untitled.bmp" width="320" /></a> Remember Job's loyalty to God? His faith was definitely put to the test. Job was going along with his life, a rich man who sanctified his children daily, when he suddenly lost everything that was important to him--his health, his home, and his children. But he didn't lose his faith, even though Satan was expecting him to curse God and die. But the story of Job shows his attitude when bad news kept coming to him:<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: blue;"> "Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said: 'Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.' In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong." </span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Job was tested by the most accomplished tempter the world has ever known--Satan. Notice that Job was not being tempted by more wealth, but by trials and tribulations bringing all the pain and anguish mankind can experience. And when his friends asked him what he'd done wrong to be punished like he was, he refused to agree with them. When his wife turned on him and told him to curse God, he wouldn't listen. Job's faith was firm and strong no matter what happened in his life. He is an example to all of us!</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">Hebrews 11 has a list of people whose faith was strong like Job's. And the beginning of each verse says that their actions were <span style="color: blue;">"by faith."</span> Let's look at these characters who had strong faith:</div><ol><li><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;">By faith</span> <span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>Abel</strong></span> </span>offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain...God testifying of his gifts...and through it he being dead still speaks.</div></li>
<li><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;">By faith</span><span style="color: blue;"> <strong>Enoch</strong></span><strong> </strong>was taken away so that he did not see death...for he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him....</div></li>
<li><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;">By faith</span><span style="color: #660000;"> </span><span style="color: blue;"><strong>Noah</strong></span>, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.</div></li>
<li><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;">By faith</span> <span style="color: blue;"><strong>Abraham</strong> </span>obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. By faith...he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country...for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.</div></li>
<li><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;">By faith</span><span style="color: blue;"><strong> Sarah</strong></span> herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she had judged Him faithful who had promised. </div></li>
</ol><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">And the verses end by telling us:</span> "These died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." Heb. 11:13</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5uSdTIPiOP6TdTDQyYuiUkOYaFkztNj-ufgj8e4YlLxNOgwtBlN7dzHp-BRWxgqev-0eCSToHv5dm2t3e8oR4tjYZuDvGBMrGRM1-wLmC37hSoEr7MC_KNFGC5a7WeTVJbmUvMHng2nc/s1600/imagesCAK0CVK5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5uSdTIPiOP6TdTDQyYuiUkOYaFkztNj-ufgj8e4YlLxNOgwtBlN7dzHp-BRWxgqev-0eCSToHv5dm2t3e8oR4tjYZuDvGBMrGRM1-wLmC37hSoEr7MC_KNFGC5a7WeTVJbmUvMHng2nc/s1600/imagesCAK0CVK5.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I John 5:4 says: <span style="color: blue;">"For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith." </span>So what is the answer to any trial or tribulation or persecution? Of course, it's our faith. People following Christ are not always free from sorrow, pain, and the stress of this world, and may even suffer persecution before life is over. But we must prepare for assaults on our faith when we enter the <span style="color: blue;">Valley of Persecutions and Trials</span>. We must be ready to stand steadfast in our belief in Jesus Christ the Son of God--our Lord and Savior!</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div>Meredith Roark Childresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08679162395739617212noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3787918976339327496.post-35687622108556983862011-02-25T14:21:00.042-06:002011-04-18T01:11:22.547-05:00The Valley of Depression ~ David<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXobhQRiQnVg0wc5EtWh-uAnEylJb_oTk1QhSJFfzZ9mu3BR41mzMnsjb_wBRAss8Hfn1AMzjqrFQEy2xEv1X3ZSOrt8WO1fX7sHTLzfjR1hlEeiqp4yanBSzUxWCsYR9Qcy6A2ZG-c2U/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXobhQRiQnVg0wc5EtWh-uAnEylJb_oTk1QhSJFfzZ9mu3BR41mzMnsjb_wBRAss8Hfn1AMzjqrFQEy2xEv1X3ZSOrt8WO1fX7sHTLzfjR1hlEeiqp4yanBSzUxWCsYR9Qcy6A2ZG-c2U/s400/images.jpg" width="333" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;">Who isn't familiar with the story of David and Bathsheba?</span> Do you remember the depression David experienced when he was punished by God with the loss of his son? It's such a good story for us to think about because David represents the chinks in our armor too. Here is the shepherd boy David who had risen to be a king. David loved God and followed His ways. And God loved David. Who would believe that this godly man could fall so far...failing in his duty to lead his army, committing adultery, murder and cover-up? <br />
<span style="color: black;">~</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: black;">Let's begin with the prophet Nathan's going before David at court. He tells him a story</span> about a rich man and a poor man, which is actually a parable about the wrongs David had done. You might be wondering how this all came about--how was it that the king was so bored that he couldn't sleep. David was walking on his rooftop rather than leading his army, which was his chief duty. He had stayed in the city while he sent Joab and the army to finish the war Israel was fighting against the Ammonites. David the king was at home watching Bathsheba bathe. She was so beautiful that he sent for her and lay with her, and she conceived a child.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMadPcIF2DmgC0rc9CQvpg5ncFv1OHcy5_-CZSxL_gm7bK2zigKqDhJns9AZl1HqXAektGyB1aQ4wAK4814HkPrGgYZzxACOW2KfoZOWDBKEjqYI6FPZ05eI_ikansX1_LfdSsIOiQ3Hc/s1600/imagesCACH00TS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMadPcIF2DmgC0rc9CQvpg5ncFv1OHcy5_-CZSxL_gm7bK2zigKqDhJns9AZl1HqXAektGyB1aQ4wAK4814HkPrGgYZzxACOW2KfoZOWDBKEjqYI6FPZ05eI_ikansX1_LfdSsIOiQ3Hc/s320/imagesCACH00TS.jpg" width="203" /></span></a><span style="color: black;">When she learned that she was expecting his child, she sent a note to</span> David telling him about it. David brought her husband Uriah home from the battle and did everything possible to get him to go home to his wife. But Uriah was a true soldier and refused to take pleasure while his men were fighting. So David sent him back to the war with instructions to Joab to put him in the front of the battle and pull back so that he would be killed. What David did was to take care of the problems. But in the very last sentence of 2 Samuel 11:26, it says:<span style="color: #990000;"> "But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord." </span>So then, God sent Nathan the prophet before David to make him aware that he hadn't been as successful as he thought in dealing with his situation.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: black;">But Nathan didn't tell David that he had sinned by committing adultery</span> and killing a man. Rather, he told him a story about a rich man and a poor man. The rich man had many flocks and herds, but the poor man had only one little ewe lamb, which was much-loved by the family because it had been raised up with his children. In fact, the story says that<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: #990000;"> "It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his own bosom; and it was like a daughter to him."</span> </span>Then what happened? A traveler came to the rich man and rather than take of his own animals, he took the poor man's lamb to prepare for him.<br />
~</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYtAjC_EPS25UZ-UTJr9NAXMhqgGou0zzb5aZi-sksY2EhfACXbypYCaIyuh4DRW1W8OHzo7f8_6hZNra6yTtou7cVRm8c621b9Tqw92C17EWSaiv1B_ElT5YMLnagFZ1nXPQaN4DWn88/s1600/imagesCAWG42X7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYtAjC_EPS25UZ-UTJr9NAXMhqgGou0zzb5aZi-sksY2EhfACXbypYCaIyuh4DRW1W8OHzo7f8_6hZNra6yTtou7cVRm8c621b9Tqw92C17EWSaiv1B_ElT5YMLnagFZ1nXPQaN4DWn88/s1600/imagesCAWG42X7.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now David was greatly incensed, and said to Nathan very angrily:<span style="color: #990000;"> "As the Lord lives, the man who has done this shall surely die! And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity." </span>But Nathan said to him,<span style="color: #990000;"> "You are the man!" </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">And then Nathan went on to tell David what the Lord God of Israel wanted to say to him. Nathan</span> reminded David of what God had done for him: He had made him king over Israel after delivering him from the hand of Saul, and had given David Saul's household. But David had killed Uriah and taken his wife. <span style="color: black;">Then God's judgment was pronounced: The sword would never depart from the house of David, adversaries would arise in his own house, and his wives would be taken in the sight of all the people. </span><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And when David had heard this, he said to Nathan,<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: #990000;"> "I have sinned against the Lord."</span> <span style="color: black;">And although</span> </span>God didn't cause David to die, in regard to the child conceived in adultery, God said:<span style="color: #990000;"> "However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die."</span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhd5sr7UX7WByUvWsGCHkoSfBHxWn9q6zOLs2l5mygXugZlCJGBSt0B9G6tEnfIeOErWkCsnIQsWDoN0ZCmW2d6ZVHtfyoDBawNXTy9BNSyxCIVThrNjOu4_avGbEZkz8OK6WDoSLrP5o/s1600/imagesCAKL32BH.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhd5sr7UX7WByUvWsGCHkoSfBHxWn9q6zOLs2l5mygXugZlCJGBSt0B9G6tEnfIeOErWkCsnIQsWDoN0ZCmW2d6ZVHtfyoDBawNXTy9BNSyxCIVThrNjOu4_avGbEZkz8OK6WDoSLrP5o/s640/imagesCAKL32BH.jpg" width="640" /></a>After the birth of the child of David and Bathsheba, God struck the child so that it became ill. Now comes the <strong><span style="color: #990000;">Valley of Depression</span></strong> for David. David pleaded with God for the child; he fasted and lay on the ground all night. After seven days, the child died. And when David knew that the child was dead, he got up off the ground, washed, and changed his clothes. His servants were puzzled, and he said to them:<span style="color: #990000;"> "While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, 'Who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me'."</span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Can you believe that David could suffer through this terrible sin against the Lord, take his punishment for it, and wholeheartedly return to God? Remember that for the rest of his life, he had many judgments playing out against him because of his sin. In fact, David's sin had far-reaching consequences for his kingdom in the future as well. But rather than staying in the <strong><span style="color: #990000;">Valley of Depression</span></strong>, David comforted his wife, and God blessed them with another child whose name was Solomon. And God loved him. So even though David sinned as we all do, his love of God and his life are an inspiration to us forever! </div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Blessings...Mimi</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Meredith Roark Childresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08679162395739617212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3787918976339327496.post-64499743349155395902011-02-21T21:35:00.019-06:002011-04-18T01:06:43.376-05:00The Valley of Discouragement ~ Elijah<span style="color: #660000;">And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Galatians 6:9</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIk7emyZos-JLN7KWECU8bVs9TD5uwRwOVN61x9-0qBTAkU2iXol1hVcgZTDpFs0RlgVFkWBfv-AULcIEQ-O3xRc2-xjP5AKxJZlGMgipkiMdK8TjX7UsihwX0SQbXcDj3W9C3aJodCE/s1600/imagesCAWI6M18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIk7emyZos-JLN7KWECU8bVs9TD5uwRwOVN61x9-0qBTAkU2iXol1hVcgZTDpFs0RlgVFkWBfv-AULcIEQ-O3xRc2-xjP5AKxJZlGMgipkiMdK8TjX7UsihwX0SQbXcDj3W9C3aJodCE/s400/imagesCAWI6M18.jpg" width="298" /></a>The<span style="color: orange;"> </span><span style="color: #660000;">Valley of Discouragement</span> is a valley that no one wants to enter, but most of us have been there. And many of us are there now. What can we do with discouragement? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">Look at Elijah. He had done everything that God told him to do: he had challenged the priests of Baal to a contest to see whether their god or God would win. It was a pageant-like show to prove to the people that there is only one true God. And when God answered Elijah's prayer and rained fire from heaven which consumed the sacrifice, the people shouted,<span style="color: orange;"> </span><span style="color: #990000;">"The Lord, He is God!" </span>Then Elijah had all the prophets of Baal killed. God won the contest! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So why did Elijah feel so discouraged? In I Kings 19:10, he said to God:<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: #660000;"><strong><em> </em></strong>"I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life."</span> </span><span style="color: black;">Elijah had to run for his life from Jezebel, who had sent him a message saying she was going to kill him because he had killed the prophets of Baal. Elijah escaped into the wilderness--afraid and discouraged by his predicament. But God was watching out for him, and as he slept under a tree, an angel touched him and gave him food and water to fortify him for his journey. </span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil9XI41MDCOpXIWFwz-Qh5D67s7lS0uaIckHGxlI_H3YX11WGP82-HIgvMcctKwRQazP9zeQFz6q6Dir-hxeBA8bGtEknSxFNV0vCFsDmxOHTC_AUdlOdRCZWnMEDuALf1dZQxyQsiUHM/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil9XI41MDCOpXIWFwz-Qh5D67s7lS0uaIckHGxlI_H3YX11WGP82-HIgvMcctKwRQazP9zeQFz6q6Dir-hxeBA8bGtEknSxFNV0vCFsDmxOHTC_AUdlOdRCZWnMEDuALf1dZQxyQsiUHM/s400/images.jpg" width="276" /></a>Why was Elijah discouraged? And here I'll quote my brother Ron:<span style="color: #660000;"> "Elijah was speaking to God. He had done great things by the power of God and for His glory. However, he felt that his efforts had been in vain; I am the ONLY PERSON on earth who is still serving You--I am so discouraged, please take my life." (I Kings 19:4) </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: orange;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">Ron continues, and I quote:<span style="color: #660000;"> "But Elijah obeyed the angel by refreshing himself with food in preparation for a journey. God said, 'Yet <strong>I have reserved seven thousand in Israel</strong>, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him'." (I Kings 19:18) "By this statement and other manifestations of His power, God showed Elijah that obvious reason may appear for discouragement, but there are much greater reasons to overcome discouragement and to continue in obedience to God."</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;">Poor Elijah! He had obeyed God and now he was in trouble with Jezebel! Remember how the Israelites became discouraged by their circumstances in the wilderness? And their discouragement included their leaders Moses and Aaron. And Moses was certainly so discouraged with the Israelites that he wanted to quit. God was so discouraged with mankind that he brought a flood to destroy most of the world. Later on God was also discouraged with the children of Israel. After being led out of Egyptian slavery, the Israelites were impatient that Moses was on Mount Sinai so long. He was there to receive the Ten Commandments, but because he was delayed in coming down, the people asked Aaron to make gods to lead them. So they took all their gold and made a golden calf. Discouraged, you say? Yes, even God gets discouraged by our behavior! </span><br />
~</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwOTyOckdduIyexZPVjf6FDOUUtixKfI5NQBlnj1KBGvsijDir-fV8V1lhCHt-WwYZoyXDZyM2oWBpYmw4UDuNE6ZBMqBk6Fx8JJ3fkTP93uEo1w_UFV0qpm8UgaMNujkwaTjQBJTpbE/s1600/imagesCAXRD8GV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwOTyOckdduIyexZPVjf6FDOUUtixKfI5NQBlnj1KBGvsijDir-fV8V1lhCHt-WwYZoyXDZyM2oWBpYmw4UDuNE6ZBMqBk6Fx8JJ3fkTP93uEo1w_UFV0qpm8UgaMNujkwaTjQBJTpbE/s400/imagesCAXRD8GV.jpg" width="376" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">Did you catch what God said to Elijah? He told him that<span style="color: orange;"> <span style="color: #660000;"><strong>He had</strong> <strong>reserved seven thousand men in Israel who had not bowed the knee to Baal!</strong></span> </span>Now that was a news flash to Elijah. Here he was in a cave, feeling absolutely alone and fearing for his life, when God sent him to stand on a mountain. Then God spoke to him. God's plan was to destroy Baal worship in Israel. And he commissioned Elijah and Elisha to get it done! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">Yes, of course, there are reasons for discouragement in our lives. But it's our job as Christians to use our faith and trust in God to find a way through it. We don't know everything that's going on, so we can't wallow too long in discouragement, because the good we could do will dissolve before our eyes. It's our duty to stand firm in God's will. Think of Noah who found favor in God's sight because of his faith. And even though Elijah became discouraged, his prayers and actions showed that he was a faithful servant. <br />
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Blessings...Mimi</div>Meredith Roark Childresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08679162395739617212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3787918976339327496.post-8740485749031072772011-02-17T12:21:00.033-06:002011-04-18T01:04:55.969-05:00The Valley of Decision~Making the Wrong Decision<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDo1HkCacFZ2EOf31RFd26yHntX36VydZ8gY2GSVP2gq8FaHhZeBZysE2FyzV5LotyclOJzBU1_dh60CqFh1CSTjF3zyIPibO2zCXA3wLi3u-3d8t8lHXSz7gjvhH0tMoGP-cIkqTj88Y/s1600/image004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDo1HkCacFZ2EOf31RFd26yHntX36VydZ8gY2GSVP2gq8FaHhZeBZysE2FyzV5LotyclOJzBU1_dh60CqFh1CSTjF3zyIPibO2zCXA3wLi3u-3d8t8lHXSz7gjvhH0tMoGP-cIkqTj88Y/s400/image004.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: purple;">First, as a sidenote, my brother Ron left to teach</span> and preach in Russia yesterday. Please pray for his safety and health. As I told you at the beginning of these lessons, he wrote detailed outliness about attitudes and decisions from which my blogs are issuing forth to you! I'm simply taking his scriptures and expanding on some of it in my own style. I'd love for something said to be of help to you in living your best life--a godly life. </span><br />
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</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: purple;">Today I thought it might be helpful--after looking at</span> ways to make the right decision--to look at some people who made the wrong decision, to see what can happen when we don't listen to God's will for us. No matter how strongly God puts His guidelines before us, we often choose to do what we prefer. Let's see how this worked out for some familiar characters in the Bible. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: purple;">In I Kings 12:1-19 you can read about one of the most blatant refusals to follow God's law with Rehoboam.</span> Remember how Rehoboam had become king after his father Solomon's death? And remember how arrogant he was? His downfall began when Jereboam brought a group of people before him to ask that their taxes be lessened from the heavy burden which Solomon had placed on them. Rehoboam told the people that he'd consider their request and get back to them. And he first asked Solomon's counselors what to do. They advised Rehoboam to follow the lead of the people and be kind to them. But then he asked his friends--young men who had grown up with him--what to do. And the young men advised him to let the people know that even though Solomon had been a hard taskmaster, he would be harder. Rehoboam made the decision to follow the advice of the young men and let the people know that he would be the hardest master they had ever known. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: purple;">Rehoboam's decision left the people feeling that their king didn't care about them, and that they had no stake</span> in the future of the kingdom which David had built. So they went to their tents in anger. And when Rehoboam sent his tax collector to take their money, they stoned him to death. This scared Rehoboam and he went running back to Jerusalem in a hurry. Then the 10 Northern tribes made Jeroboam their king. Thus the kingdom of Israel was divided into two kingdoms: the Northern Kingdom called Israel, and the Southern Kingdom called Judah.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: purple;">What had seemed to Rehoboam to be a choice he could make freely because he was king turned into his</span> losing 10 tribes! Making a decision was serious business for Rehoboam, who in his arrogance made the wrong one. And making decisions is serious business for you and me. Decisions often change the course of lives--ours and others! A wrong decision cost King Rehoboam 10 of the 12 tribes of Israel; it cost his nation its powerful and important position in the world forever! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: purple;">And I want to mention that after Jeroboam was made king of the Northern Kingdom, he too was faced with</span> decisions which led to his downfall. God had chosen Jeroboam to rule the 10 tribes, and it looked as though he was going to be a good leader--he had all the qualifications for it. But he began to worry because the people were still going to Jerusalem to worship in Solomon's great temple with its golden doors. His concern was that they would reunite with the people there. So he closed the road leading to Jerusalem and set up places of worship with golden calves closer to home. This wasn't pleasing to God, partly because the kingdom had been divided physically and politically, but not spiritually. And partly because this began the worship of idols that continued as long as Israel was a nation. But Jeroboam paid no attention to God's law, even when Ahijah the prophet was sent to tell him he was doing wrong. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioOT8ZyFnl_lUmjE5ovP_P4Asxn2Yql1A-uLlKLpuzwP84SHKqxU-LU88Tw_GqiJXf4rr1UAyZ9eBFAx0c552dafgY_pW-h5zD1bwUG50_ftCSjInR0d8kVM9bPJxOdi81k-Xs6mHtAqg/s1600/imagesCAHIIP38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="400" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioOT8ZyFnl_lUmjE5ovP_P4Asxn2Yql1A-uLlKLpuzwP84SHKqxU-LU88Tw_GqiJXf4rr1UAyZ9eBFAx0c552dafgY_pW-h5zD1bwUG50_ftCSjInR0d8kVM9bPJxOdi81k-Xs6mHtAqg/s400/imagesCAHIIP38.jpg" width="280" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: purple;">Jeroboam continued his evil ways of making priests from</span> every class of people and having the people worship golden calves. God's displeasure was shown in the death of Jeroboam's young son, and in the judgment spoken against his house by Ahijah the prophet, which you can read about in I Kings 14:1-18. Jeroboam brought disaster on his own house, so that if a king thereafter was said to have followed in the ways of Jeroboam, it meant that they were evil. Wrong decisions cost Jeroboam God's support, and the house of Jeroboam was eventually destroyed.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: purple;">The story of Jeroboam shows that he made decisions</span> based on his own fears and wants, not on God's will. And as the story continued, you could see that just like Rehoboam and Jeroboam, we may fall into the same pattern of deciding to follow our own way. Very often a small decision begins our walk down the road of disaster. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: purple;">These are just a few thoughts from the book of I Kings,</span> using two great kings to show how decisions can change the course of many lives. Both kings continued on their way as kings, but both suffered severe setbacks in leading their people. Eventually Rehoboam's kingdom was a shadow of its former self, and Jeroboam's people disappeared from the face of the earth. Perhaps a look at these kings will help you consider your own decisions more closely. God bless you as you think about His will for you and your family.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;">Blessings...Mimi </span></div>Meredith Roark Childresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08679162395739617212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3787918976339327496.post-6662267592899568642011-02-13T21:30:00.021-06:002011-02-25T23:53:56.581-06:00In the Valley of Decision ~ the Right Stuff<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="color: blue;"><strong>I will lift up my eyes to the hills--</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><strong>From whence comes my help? </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><strong>My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2</strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Fct8ZzenyHvmJzVHcjphVYHpjzhRRrpT5SYUmYdu1R63VCXQMuPrIWIqmRHxrnpL2AMJh9P9z6A72qGW_yYQcb5jCxpHr_xpag1Zi7SRpSPo8AXl0jS_5_rP71WClrmuJPn3EgWyXIk/s1600/mountain.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Fct8ZzenyHvmJzVHcjphVYHpjzhRRrpT5SYUmYdu1R63VCXQMuPrIWIqmRHxrnpL2AMJh9P9z6A72qGW_yYQcb5jCxpHr_xpag1Zi7SRpSPo8AXl0jS_5_rP71WClrmuJPn3EgWyXIk/s640/mountain.gif" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Do you have the right stuff? No, I don't mean to be an astronaut...I mean the right stuff to make decisions for your life. How do you make decisions? Do you go on feelings or "think so's" or your mood to make choices--decisions that can change the course of your life? Are your decisions based only on what you want and not so much on what you really need? I want you to consider a way to make decisions which will make you happier, and move you closer to pleasing God at the same time. And that IS what you want, isn't it? I thought so! Now let's look at a few ways we can know our decisions are based on the right stuff. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Well, you knew that there was good advice in the Psalms, didn't you? There is a most beautiful psalm which tells us exactly how to have the right stuff, and that is Psalm 1:1-6. It says: </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="color: blue;">"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of waters, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither, and whatever he does shall prosper. </span><span style="color: blue;">The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish."</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><em><span style="color: blue;"> </span></em></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_yxZbYmEbsGMwAWCJj0yLs3T-HV5u6rR3zT4gfHIISUWYgJIZTg215AfL2KBBiL1ASmu6M9MH0EDoDhp0c3Q0RKCSYiSL_9LcdcbSbucuzhrnqwZPAKO4DeUWMm7jTw1WFumPdB_748/s1600/imagesCAZWCQUP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_yxZbYmEbsGMwAWCJj0yLs3T-HV5u6rR3zT4gfHIISUWYgJIZTg215AfL2KBBiL1ASmu6M9MH0EDoDhp0c3Q0RKCSYiSL_9LcdcbSbucuzhrnqwZPAKO4DeUWMm7jTw1WFumPdB_748/s400/imagesCAZWCQUP.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: black;">So the very first thing you need to put on your list is to study the word of God often--like so many people who have commited to reading through the Bible in a year. It's so valuable to expose your heart and mind to God's word every day. At this point in our history, I'd say that it's vital. The Psalm says to meditate day and night...which really means to keep its admonitions in your head and heart all the time. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <br />
<span style="color: black;">God gave us His word so that we don't have to wonder what he wants us to do, or how we can please Him. He gave us a way to make sure our decisions--even the hard ones--would be the right ones. Sometimes our decisions seem impossible to make, impossible to see through to the other side, but as humans, we just do the best we can with the information we have. Not easy all the time, I know. And for some of you, never easy. But it will get better if you depend on God's help. You may learn to think like David, who says in Psalm 119:97: </span><span style="color: blue;">"</span><span style="color: blue;">Oh, how I love Your Law! It is my meditation all the day."</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglNOflutqZy5UBouSypHxhhrZglnpGnQSAttvNs5AGh4sYs4v5NAuDg_GpwGLeGblAZmu4lQimRheLDHCqDX7j8tsx5-HQP-PolA-YWOZBv10r6Wzek-IRBQ9Zuft9SICfrLF-L-JyLLQ/s1600/imagesCABXPXV4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglNOflutqZy5UBouSypHxhhrZglnpGnQSAttvNs5AGh4sYs4v5NAuDg_GpwGLeGblAZmu4lQimRheLDHCqDX7j8tsx5-HQP-PolA-YWOZBv10r6Wzek-IRBQ9Zuft9SICfrLF-L-JyLLQ/s320/imagesCABXPXV4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The reason David loved the law of God was that it was a light for him, a man who went from being a shepherd to being a king. He expresses his appreciation for God's law in verse 105: <span style="color: blue;">Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.</span> And again in verse 130:<span style="color: blue;"> "The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple." </span>So what can we learn from David's words? We learn that we too can be shown the right way through the light of God's word. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And to those who have neglected their duty through the years, Hebrews 5:12-14 says: "<span style="color: blue;">For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."</span> We can only be discerning when we have a way to choose between right and wrong, good and evil, or best versus poor. And there has to be a<em> basis</em> for discernment, and that basis is the word of God.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Romans 1 tells us that the just live by faith--something that's impossible to do without knowing the gospel of Christ! And why is that? Because a way that seems right to us may be all wrong. Proverbs 16:25 says: <span style="color: blue;">"There</span><span style="color: blue;"> is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death."</span> Whoa! The end is death?! I don't like that at all, do you? It's all a big package that we accept or reject. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBrUnYey3dcdlsAuS5rC1ifA59mWnMQqNC6Lh_-_dHlwTGK1e73nC6Z1bKZLxxdyK5D5Lyez9Qb1ceF5dLRACWTQ35iMvNa1IGhhsEefo-nghbJTjqChS9NHPGuhPYVNTzo6envXZzwu4/s1600/untitled.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBrUnYey3dcdlsAuS5rC1ifA59mWnMQqNC6Lh_-_dHlwTGK1e73nC6Z1bKZLxxdyK5D5Lyez9Qb1ceF5dLRACWTQ35iMvNa1IGhhsEefo-nghbJTjqChS9NHPGuhPYVNTzo6envXZzwu4/s320/untitled.bmp" width="312" /></a></div>But if you've been keeping up, you'll remember the whole duty of man. In Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, we are told by Solomon, who learned this lesson the hard way, <span style="color: blue;">"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: </span><span style="color: blue;">Fear God and keep His commandments. For this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil."</span> Now I don't know about you, but that sounds like a serious statement made by the wisest king to ever live. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And why is that important for us to hear and understand and do? Because in 2 Corinthians 5:10, the apostle Paul says: <span style="color: blue;">"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad."</span> That means you and me and everyone else that lives--or has ever lived--on the face of the earth. Now I think that gives all of us something to chew on for a while. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Have a great week and may you have the wisdom to seek truth and light.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Blessings...Mimi </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div>Meredith Roark Childresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08679162395739617212noreply@blogger.com0