All posts filed under: Bible

You Inherited your freedom; now it is time to fight for it

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Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you. I am emphatic about this. The moment any one of you submits to circumcision or any other rule-keeping system, at that same moment Christ’s hard-won gift of freedom is squandered. I repeat my warning: The person who accepts the ways of circumcision trades all the advantages of the free life in Christ for the obligations of the slave life of the law. I suspect you would never intend this, but this is what happens. When you attempt to live by your own religious plans and projects, you are cut off from Christ, you fall out of grace. Meanwhile we expectantly wait for a satisfying relationship with the Spirit. For in Christ, neither our most conscientious religion nor disregard of religion amounts to anything. What matters is something far more interior: faith expressed in love. Galatian 5:1-7 (The Message Translation) ___________________________ Photo Via _ Boxing WallPaper

Don’t worry be happy!

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Here’s little post I wrote You might want to read it Line  by Line Don’t worry be happy! Have you ever heard people say things like – “when I get that house up in the hills, or that car – “than” I will be happy?” I have! I have heard and seen people try to make material goods, success, social status and outside influences or events control or dictate their level of happiness. When I get that pair of legs – than I will be happy When I get that promotion or raise – than I will be happy When I meet Mr. Or Mrs. Right – than I will be happy But what people fail to realize is that riches, material blessings, the ideal life and all your hopes and dreams combined can not make you happy. Your happiness does not depend on or should not be dependent upon others, circumstances or what you have or have not. The bible says that a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of what he …

Bible Trivia on Steroids?

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Get ready for the American Bible Challenge. Okay, there is a new game show coming to the Game Show Network. It is a bible trivia kind of a deal and will be starting sometime in August of this year. Is there anyone out there that would like to be a part of it if you had an opportunity? For me, no! Not because it’s a bad idea to make lots of money to give away to charities, but because I don’t want to disgrace myself on mainstream television by missing question about the bible. Here is a little breakdown of what it’s about: The Show The American Bible Challenge is a spirited game show that will celebrate the Bible and its place in American culture. Bible enthusiasts from all across the country will compete in a variety of challenges that put their knowledge of the Good Book to the test. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaw2yyH2c1A&feature=youtube_gdata_player The Host Comedian Jeff Foxworthy is the largest selling comedy-recording artist in history, a multiple Grammy® Award nominee and the best-selling author of 11 …

Spiritual Gymnastics

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Gumnos: throwing off every encumbrance Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness. 1 Tim. 4:7 The word “train” comes from the Greek word Gumnos which means “naked” a word from which we also get our English word gymnasium. It is said that traditional greek athletes trained and competed without clothes. So to “train” literally meant to exercise naked or compete without clothes. The reason behind this practice was to allow the competitor to be free of every encumbrance that would burden and keep him/her from maximum performance. For Paul, connecting this word “train” to godliness will mean that his audience will begin to exercise their faith by training themselves to begin learning how to discard bad habits, evil tendencies, and anything or any lifestyle that impedes godliness. The scripture says it this way… “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before …

What is your name?

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My wife has several names that she answers to. One nick name, and two other names given to her by her parents – one by her father and the other by her mother. One she loves and the other she hates. That is because names are very significant where she comes from. In the bible God gives and often changes the names of people to reflect their character or something specific about them. Their name identifies them and stands them up for something specific. For example: Abram become Abraham; Sarai becomes Sarah and Jacob becomes Israel. In the same way, God’s names reflect His character. His names are far more than descriptions or designations of some super powerful being up there in the universe. His names are actually a revelation of his ways, his essence, his character, his person and his nature. If you want to know what God is like, his person, his care and concern, you will find it in the revelation of His names. So join me as we take a look …

You have come to the mountain of Grace

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Contrasts between Mount Sinai and Mount Zion. Mount Sinai was marked by fear and terror. Mount Zion is a place of love and forgiveness. Mount Sinai is in the desert. Mount Zion is the city of the Living God. Mount Sinai spoke of earthly things. Mount Zion speaks of heavenly things. At Mount Sinai, only Moses was allowed to draw near to God. At Mount Zion, an innumerable company, a general assembly is invited to draw near. Mount Sinai was characterized by guilty men in fear. Mount Zion features just men made perfect. At Mount Sinai, Moses was the mediator. At Mount Zion, Jesus is the mediator. Mount Sinai brings an Old Covenant, which was ratified by the blood of animals. Mount Zion brings a New Covenant, which is ratified by the blood of God’s precious Son. Mount Sinai was all about exclusion, keeping people away from the mountain. Mount Zion is all about invitation. Mount Sinai is all about Law. Mount Zion is all about grace. But you have come to Mount Zion: The …

Let the Lord do the Planning

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Jeremiah 29 for those who think they can do a better job This is God’s Word on the subject: “As soon as Babylon’s seventy years are up and not a day before, I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. “When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen.”When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. “Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.” God’s Decree. “I’ll turn things around for you. I’ll bring you back from all the countries into which I drove you”—God’s Decree—”bring you home to the place from which I sent you off into exile. You can count on it. Jeremiah 29:10, 11, 12,

Let the Lord Settle You Down

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Philippians 4 For  Anxious People Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute! Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Philippians 4:4-7 (The Message) _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Photo via Etherealpanda

He Answers Me When I Call

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Psalm 4:1-8 Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. So I am confident you will hear me again. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer! O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself (wow! I belong to him. I’m known by Him. What a feeling); the Lord hears when I call to him. Be angry, and do not sin (it’s okay to be a little frustrated with the Lord when things don’t add up); But be careful, don’t go too far – ponder in your own hearts on your beds, be silent and know that He is God. Selah Offer right sacrifices and put your trust in the Lord. There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? That is a sacrifice of fools. Don’t be caught tripping, wallowing in your pity party. Instead, burst into songs like Paul and …

Bible Reading Plan for Slackers and Shirkers

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Do you want to remove the pressure to keep up with getting through the entire bible in a year? Do you want to read a variety of  biblical genres? Do you prefer a continuity by reading the same genre each day of the week? If you do, than BRPSS is what you need. Bible Reading Plan for Slackers and Shirkers. According to the guys at trinity church blog, this plan is unusually helpful because it combines two biblical values which seem to diverge in most bible reading plans. Those two biblical values are discipline and grace. They argue that the advantage of this plan is that it provides guidance as you read each day but does not put you on an internal guilt trip if you miss a day – you just pick up on the next reading – on the day it happens to be. Here is an example of the biblical genres you will be reading from throughout the week” Sundays – Poetry Mondays – Pentateuch (Genesis through Deuteronomy) Tuesdays – Old Testament History Wednesday – Old Testament History Thursday …