tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81353078992731314122024-03-21T08:20:31.723-07:00Jude's ReflectionsThis is where I share my thoughts and ideas with you all. Feel free to leave your comments and follow me for updates.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8135307899273131412.post-22827465429173703362012-05-16T07:44:00.000-07:002012-10-09T05:53:33.273-07:00Silence! is it the solution? <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There is this interesting story of a man and his wife who had some problems at home and were giving each other the silent treatment. It so happens that the man needed to be awakened early one morning to catch a business flight, but he didn’t want to be the first to break the silence...(surely because of pride), so he left a note on his wife’s side of the bed reading “Please wake me at 5am.” </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGrwYGgJKzOr3nEa7_FLffUpihA2Vn3Q0pKojigxWz9bKxyPPQzqwuAr3MxEcxqPsf66qRtk92IoGRgO-uNLuXu4oXn4x7jZ_8ngidE21Ij-jM2yUakBmOKxGety7MnXCTyeS5IXmBAMpc/s1600/silence1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGrwYGgJKzOr3nEa7_FLffUpihA2Vn3Q0pKojigxWz9bKxyPPQzqwuAr3MxEcxqPsf66qRtk92IoGRgO-uNLuXu4oXn4x7jZ_8ngidE21Ij-jM2yUakBmOKxGety7MnXCTyeS5IXmBAMpc/s1600/silence1.png" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">By the time sunshine roused him the next morning, it was some minutes after 9am. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In anger, he threw back his cover cloth and shouted to his wife (who was nowhere to be found), “Why didn’t you wake me up like I asked you to?”(forgetting he didn't ask her but rather wrote it) He then looks to his side of the bed and finds stuck to the lamp, a note in his wife’s handwriting that read, “It is 5am. Time to wake up.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dear reader, it doesn’t take much to make us angry and create emotional distance from each other. But it does take great, courageous effort to fight through the silence to a place of true forgiveness and oneness. Isolation seems to offer us protection, a certain kind of self-preservation. There is a type of peace found in avoidance that appears much more appealing than the pain of dealing with reality. We sometimes end up hurting ourselves and even draw negative conclusions based on what we see and hear. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1l-9MDw2OfI2ibxxAUp7gseUdkFX4XN4zKHc3_6YEXjKeKK9fILsjbVAVWUyKczMw-fvXFkvmwe5vq9J1rRP0zts92Y0jzjyVIfl0e5uXLIHQFhjQ-DweNTqm9L5K7iIRMQ2fb9f_nXnq/s1600/silence.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1l-9MDw2OfI2ibxxAUp7gseUdkFX4XN4zKHc3_6YEXjKeKK9fILsjbVAVWUyKczMw-fvXFkvmwe5vq9J1rRP0zts92Y0jzjyVIfl0e5uXLIHQFhjQ-DweNTqm9L5K7iIRMQ2fb9f_nXnq/s1600/silence.png" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Being silent makes one feel secured, as if you are in a security blanket on a rainy day. The fact is, silence is one of Satan’s most deadly disguises he uses to mess up good things up in our homes,churches,work, society and among friends. The silent treatment is </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">extremely </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">deceptive and ultimately destructive. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When you find yourself tempted to square off against each other, retreating to your corners and refusing to give in, remember that Jesus could have given us the cold shoulder. He could have taken one look at our many, many sins and shortcomings and never sought to draw us out. May His reaching, redemptive love be our model and motivator. We serve a God who both seeks and speaks. To be a true friend, brother, sister, spouse or colleague be sure to do the same. Do enjoy the security blanket,open up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Silence is golden but it’s a destructive tool the devil is using lately.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">DON'T BE A VICTIM!!!</span></b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14pt;">It’s probably not a name we would use for ourselves, but the apostle Paul often called believers “saints” in the bible. I don't think he called them saints because they were perfect. The people were human just as we are, offended man and God and therefore we sinful. But this is the secret; The word <i>saint</i> as used in the bible in my opinion is someone who has availed himself for God to use no matter the situation at hand...more or less someone set apart for God. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It also describe people who have a spiritual union with Christ as stated in Eph 1:3-6<a href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Eph.%201.3-6" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"></span></a> that…</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt;">Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to son-ship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves</span></i></b><span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt;">.</span><span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. It’s just like <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>believers in Jesus those who make up the church like you and I.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We as Saints have a responsibility through the power of the Spirit to live lives worthy of our calling but seeing yourself as someone who has given up to sin or unworthy because of sin does should not be an excuse to ignore your responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, no longer being sexually immoral and using improper speech (which we most often ignore) as Eph 5:3-6<a href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Eph.%205.3-4" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"></span></a> puts it; “</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt;">But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving”</span></i></b><span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt;">. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We can put on the new character traits of service to one another, humility, gentleness, patience, love, unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, obedience, and perseverance during hardship and suffering with the help of God.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the Old Testament, the psalmist called saints “the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Our union with Christ makes us saints, but our obedience to God’s Word through the power of the Holy Spirit makes us saintly. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14pt;">I know where you find yourself and how you feel but I guess we need to do what we have to do to keep the kingdom business going. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">May God help us all.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8135307899273131412.post-27620002793320839282011-06-27T02:25:00.000-07:002011-06-27T02:25:56.537-07:00DO YOU CALL THAT LOYALTY?<span id="yui_3_2_0_3_130916343606153"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div align="left" id="yui_3_2_0_3_130916343606145"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gary Thomas, an author tells the story of two American soldiers who became fast friends during their preparations for combat in World War I.Though they had known each other only a short time, the feeling of close friendship and trust among a group of people of battle and their shared dreams of postwar life quickly cemented their relationship.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCY41NZsxcBk8Dkeh3sN8zHrsIMy2wCEo1UM2BcfD9fdXII5OoSFauQBqe0bDfVNUy0enobdX-OSIxbvjkdRICbazZRZRWrKrKdwkpDiXUmJJJ1zz1ANDEW84f6qxhQZnL4YEd5wgVx5X3/s1600/loyalty_rewards_dog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCY41NZsxcBk8Dkeh3sN8zHrsIMy2wCEo1UM2BcfD9fdXII5OoSFauQBqe0bDfVNUy0enobdX-OSIxbvjkdRICbazZRZRWrKrKdwkpDiXUmJJJ1zz1ANDEW84f6qxhQZnL4YEd5wgVx5X3/s200/loyalty_rewards_dog.jpg" width="166" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> One day, these two buddies crawled from their foxhole with the rest of their unit in an attack on the German forces. After a valiant fight, the order was given to retreat. But only one of the two friends returned to the trench. The other had been hit by German gunfire and was lying about 50 yards out of reach.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div align="left"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Against his commanding officer's orders, the other soldier crawled out of the ditch to go find his fallen comrade. Hugging the ground and dodging enemy bullets, he worked his way across the bloody, corpse-littered ground until he finally located the friend he sought. Finding him semi-conscious, they were left with only a few seconds together before he died.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div align="left"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> When the man returned to the trench with the body of his soldier friend, the ranking officer flew into a rage for this flaunting of his order. "Was it worth it for you to risk your life?"</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3SNLsjc3oBjUV7FdVkoqLBZUN8Trn0tjE_TePfVnxI6dU149RWijt02k3MkDDLZYd6iygQF7glyI4TpeDXGqANx2pygXf51RwR5ssgPyqFoOePYPJ0Z_OCwws4vr_wp8C0IIxsuWTdaZw/s1600/loyalty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3SNLsjc3oBjUV7FdVkoqLBZUN8Trn0tjE_TePfVnxI6dU149RWijt02k3MkDDLZYd6iygQF7glyI4TpeDXGqANx2pygXf51RwR5ssgPyqFoOePYPJ0Z_OCwws4vr_wp8C0IIxsuWTdaZw/s200/loyalty.jpg" width="164" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> "Absolutely, sir. Because when I turned him over, he looked up at me and said, ‘I knew you'd come.'"</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div align="left"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> That's the kind of loyalty we are called to in all our relationships,our homes and families. Your spouse needs to know without a doubt that when you are needed, you will be there. Your children need to know they can count on you, not just in a pinch, but also in their most routine of expectations. Your fiancee or the one you are dating and hoping to get married to in future must know that when you are needed you will be there.</span></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When they need you, can they be sure you'll come? Oh yeah, yes! You just told yourself but in your heart of hearts can you sacrifice your comfort for the comfort of the one you are walking with now? The one you call your hubby to be or wife to be, your wife or husband or that child you have given birth to and even your friends...can I count on you? Can you count on him or her? Even at work...hope you are not like the cat in the corner. Don't <strong>always</strong> place your interest first, learn to make the interest and preference of others yours and I guess you'll have some fulfillment.</span></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Think about it.</span></div></span><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8135307899273131412.post-52887154787773656372011-06-16T23:27:00.000-07:002011-06-16T23:27:03.054-07:00HYPOCRISY IN OUR CHRISTIAN LIVES<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">HOW <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>WILL YOU FEEL <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>AFTER FINDING OUT<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>THAT <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>FRIEND <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>YOU <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>TRUST <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>HAS <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>GIVEN YOU <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>DIFFERENT PERCEPTION OF <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>WHO <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>HE OR SHE IS?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">I</span></b><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">n any great forest you will find huge trees. They tower above other trees and appear to be the very picture of strength and maturity. However, loggers will sometimes not even bother to cut down these huge trees. At first one wonders, “Why leave them? After all, we all assume trees as big as that must contain twice or thrice the amount of timber as a smaller tree.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQuoAn16xoEEDAlhE13NZ3E3tcOhF4fni6o5Wig50bTMkuvBPHwb8_yUqHuwERZvF75qRGTZNyzP9YllaBBgdD8wY8neI4AAgdWqUMXfJg31zjA_NZVWgHnaqkmCoriH4ME7hq3NcqS_oU/s1600/atheist+cartoon+christian+political+violence+double+standard+hypocrisy+politics+church+and+state.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQuoAn16xoEEDAlhE13NZ3E3tcOhF4fni6o5Wig50bTMkuvBPHwb8_yUqHuwERZvF75qRGTZNyzP9YllaBBgdD8wY8neI4AAgdWqUMXfJg31zjA_NZVWgHnaqkmCoriH4ME7hq3NcqS_oU/s320/atheist+cartoon+christian+political+violence+double+standard+hypocrisy+politics+church+and+state.gif" width="241" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">T</span></b><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">here is this secret we must all know… huge trees are often rotten on the inside and are the hollow trees that children’s picture books show raccoons living in. And they are the trees that are often blown over in a strong windstorm because, while they appear to be strong, in fact their hollowness makes them weak. And this is how a lot of us Christians are; appearing strong, spiritual (spirit filled) on the outside, but hollow and rotten on the inside, falling victim to temptation and negative influences. Even those of us who profess to be men of God, preach and pray “so much” tend to be more hypocritical. Yeah, it’s true. We are all possible victims and we need to watch our way of life. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">One of the saddest things about hypocrisy is that many in the Lord’s church have succumbed to deadly playacting (Pretense). Some Christians try to outwardly appear faithful and concerned about the Lord’s work, but inwardly they are worldly – they are only pretenders. Jesus said, “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto white sepulchers, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but inwardly ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity</b>” <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(<a href="http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?go=Go&q=Matt.+23%3A27-28" title="English Standard Version Bible"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Matt. 23:27-28</span></a></i></b>). Jesus again said we must beware of hypocrisy <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(<a href="http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?go=Go&q=Luke+12%3A1" title="English Standard Version Bible"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Luke 12:1</span></a>)</i></b>. Paul speaks of hypocrisy when he says, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“They profess that they know God; but by their works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate” (<a href="http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?go=Go&q=Tit.+1%3A16" title="English Standard Version Bible"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Tit. 1:16</span></a>)</i></b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPvdNAQ4Xn3Wb8D4OyYwUTYhyphenhyphenZECaMRn__8NC3i-py1EubXqRpRZI3YuDK7IMkcEPtiXhScHrckkGTQoNHZQjMmUL4Sz_k8aI5g-dewWu17_i2VshuYA3pIcjtPf-VWtZbsqLJS4TaqjlA/s1600/DemvsRepubMorals-hypocrite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPvdNAQ4Xn3Wb8D4OyYwUTYhyphenhyphenZECaMRn__8NC3i-py1EubXqRpRZI3YuDK7IMkcEPtiXhScHrckkGTQoNHZQjMmUL4Sz_k8aI5g-dewWu17_i2VshuYA3pIcjtPf-VWtZbsqLJS4TaqjlA/s320/DemvsRepubMorals-hypocrite.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA";">In our present days we cannot count the number of hypocrites we see around us. We appear to people to be the very spiritual and Holy Spirit led people in the church and even when it comes to things relating to God outside church but I keep asking myself; What is our action life after all that? After shouting the name of God and acting all spiritual, groaning and praying in tongues, what do the people around us see in us?, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: It’s written; these people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain (<a href="http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?go=Go&q=Matt.+15%3A7-9" title="English Standard Version Bible"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Matt. 15:7-9</span></a>)</i></b>. After reading this I ask myself, where is my heart? Is it truly with God or I can’t really stand strong at the pleasures of the world .Many Christians see only the faults of others and refuse to see their own. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? (<a href="http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?go=Go&q=Luke+6%3A41-42" title="English Standard Version Bible"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Luke 6:41-42</span></a>).<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I</span></b><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> don’t believe we have to struggle to be who we are not. NO! It makes no sense. Get to know who you are, accept who you are and in all humility ask God to help you live right one day at a time instead of living with all the pride and making others feel inferior and God will use you as unique as you are.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">H</span></b><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">ow will you feel after knowing a friend you trust has given you a different perception of who he or she is? So, what else do you expect him or her to do when he or she gets to know that the you you profess to be is not <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">YOU</b>? <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Watch your Footsteps… Watch your way of life.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8135307899273131412.post-8694080943569236972011-06-10T00:47:00.000-07:002011-06-10T00:47:29.581-07:00WHEN YOU FALL RISE...WHEN YOU FALL RISE…WHEN YOU FALL RISE!!!<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As human beings, we meet temptations every second of our lives. How do you overcome those times? <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There are two things involved here, you either learn to rise up, stand strong and firm or you stay down there but the latter is not advisable because it will not add up to your life. You will always be at the same level of your Christian life and your social life too</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=506135559"><v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"> </v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:formulas> <v:path gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" o:extrusionok="f"> <o:lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"> </o:lock></v:path></v:stroke></v:shapetype><v:shape alt="" id="_x0000_i1025" o:button="t" style="height: 0.75pt; width: 0.75pt;" type="#_x0000_t75"> <v:imagedata o:href="http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/186995_506135559_3395263_q.jpg" src="file:///C:\Users\NANA\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"> </v:imagedata></v:shape></a></span></div><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=506135559"></a><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When you fall you must try and TAKE A DECISION TO RISE UP. The decision to rise up alone can go a long way to build you up. Donnie McClurkin wrote this song..."we fall down but we get up, for a saint is just a sinner who fell down and got up."<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sometimes the feeling of having given in to sin takes you so far away from God and you feel God is nowhere close to you(forgetting that you moved lol). Sometimes you even feel like doing nothing in church or even taking part in church activities. You sometimes feel like even staying away from your good pals too but remember, these days are the days you need to stand firm and try getting closer to GOD in His presence because but these feelings are ways the devil uses to keep us away from God. The</span><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> feeling of staying away from some people in your life I beleive is a medium the evil one uses to break down your relationship with the unique people in your life. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Do not give the devil the chance to operate in your life (your relationship with God an others in your life). The devil can only come in only when you give him the chance and when he steps in he will surely work at destroying one of you ( in terms of a relationship with a fellow man)…usually the other party who feels being avoided and you (when its your relationship with God).</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">JUST GET THIS RIGHT. He will make you feel so out of yourself and not to do anything to help maintain/build up the relationship… (you feel that same with your relationship with God right?). You’ll give in to anything that happens and you’ll often be ignorant at a whole lot of things happening in and around your. Not truly loving and wishing you have you own way alone. Do not forget, GOD SAID IN ISAIAH 1:18… COME LET US REASON TOGETHER, THOUGH YOUR SINS ARE RED AS SCARLET, THEY WILL BE WHITE AS SNOW, THOUGH YOUR SINS ARE RED AS CRIMSON, THEY WILL BE WHITE AS WOOL. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Unless you don’t want to do anything to build and maintain your relationship with God/your fellow man (or the one you are dating or hope to marry in future). I believe you can give the chance for your love to be rekindled and grow…yes grow, love grows and if you want it to grow, you will work at getting it built up or growing it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sin has the tendency to break you down but it will have that effect on you only when you allow yourself or you give it the chance to.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A good friend told me this “sometimes I just wonder<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>... how foolish I am in order to fall into temptation rather than choose God instead” but we have to bear in mind that, we are human beings struggling for perfection...notwithstanding that we have to learn not to give in. It’s difficult but we can take it one day at a time<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=523910019"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><v:shape alt="" id="_x0000_i1028" o:button="t" style="height: 0.75pt; width: 0.75pt;" type="#_x0000_t75"> <v:imagedata o:href="http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/186168_523910019_5080558_q.jpg" src="file:///C:\Users\NANA\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.jpg"> </v:imagedata></v:shape></span></a>Friend: “i hope that all of us will heed the call to be living saints of today, I guess that the greatest challenge one will need to face since the end brings lots of reward.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That is very true but we alll mess up in one way or the other but God says He's given us the grace. God is only working through and with us.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We are just his instruments of his mission. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hope you have taken a cue from this. God bless you for reading.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">Watch out for the next edition.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8135307899273131412.post-83238237383237073172011-06-05T23:25:00.000-07:002011-06-05T23:25:10.719-07:00GOD MADE YOU WHO YOU ARE BUT...<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">Was in church on Sunday and I really took a cue from what the Rev. Father shared. In fact, our lives cn be linked to this donkey. </span><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">Just enjoy the story.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">"Once upon a time a donkey was a HAILED through its town. Everyone in that town gave it unique attention; what it really didn’t request for or demand or earn, to the extent that the people hailing tried to keep its feet from the dust. In fact the old and young bowed down and hailed it as others put on the ground their cloth for it to walk on. The whole day went well for this donkey. A real good time and it really enjoyed the day…a great experience indeed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">The following day wasn’t the same for it. This donkey went out walking along the same path expecting to experience what it enjoyed the previous day but no one recognized it. Not even a soul identified it and all the opportunities it enjoyed were way far off. People were busily doing what they were doing and this really made the donkey sad and went back home to its owner…with tears running down its eyes. What could have caused this? What really happened this time? It asked its friends and its owner back at home." <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">This is what happens to us most of us in real life. We always want to be identified and acknowledged but it can always be so especially when we allow PRIDE to take over and ignore the very vital things in our lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">The fact is that in life we tend to enjoy some privileges because we are Christians. The presence of God in our lives really makes us different and the favor of God on our lives opens a lot of doors everywhere we go. That is something most of us tend to forget or ignore.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">This donkey is the donkey Jesus rode on. Every cheer and privilege it enjoyed was the result of Jesus riding on it through town and this is what I want us to realize. It was because Jesus was with it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">When God takes us up the ladder of life, or when God opens some doors for us in this walk of life, we have to stay humble and keep to our values as Christians knowing that He is moving with us. Many of us loose our identity when we rise up the ladder of life, pride takes over and we ignore the little things which are vital and important in our lives. Most often the people and the very little things we ignore tend to be what actually helped us climb up this ladder. But we must not forget that PRIDE GOES BEFORE DESTRUCTION AND HAUGHTINESS BEFORE A FALL PROV 16:18 <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">No matter what our circumstances, no matter our status, we can always, if we look for it, find evidence of God's grace to us - his unmerited favor, his strengthening and empowering in our lives. Let is identify that, desire to please Him as we hold on to our values as Christians and live a HUMBLE LIFE.</span><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">Until we acknowledge that, we will not be in a position to hold on to our values and enjoy fully what God has in store for us. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">“Enuanom na adofo”, let us desire to go with God where every we find ourselves and as we keep to our focus of walking with Him, He will keep making us unique people in life.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Until I come your way with my next edition, let this scripture stay with you. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. Ephesians 3:20</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">Pride goes before destruction and haughtiness before a fall Proverbs 16:18 </span><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8135307899273131412.post-25167585960302219402011-06-03T02:34:00.000-07:002011-06-03T02:34:33.136-07:00A Little more time with God<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_sYDAADSdZbD8fIcxw_7UgCWDixdAirisO7J-kAfXXpFs9gPU07qw6bWA8i7PbkkBKasRmgzVvniGseWfAy4OyUYiy5x0JDFjaaKYWrWJR5G3w5O_j5nQgrgoVW6kAXMUE0omZAYtsff2/s1600/water1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="91" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_sYDAADSdZbD8fIcxw_7UgCWDixdAirisO7J-kAfXXpFs9gPU07qw6bWA8i7PbkkBKasRmgzVvniGseWfAy4OyUYiy5x0JDFjaaKYWrWJR5G3w5O_j5nQgrgoVW6kAXMUE0omZAYtsff2/s320/water1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">June 3, 2011<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Psalms 16:11 NKJV) You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After spending 8hrs sleeping and 8hrs at work can you sacrifice at least 30mins to help strengthen your relationship with God? We often ignore the time we spend in God's presence and expect church to help us grow spiritually; forgetting that, growth in our Christian or spiritual life is dependent on our true relationship with God.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Come to think of the time we spend with our friends, family, at work and even watching movies and TV programs. We sometimes get so much into activities around us that we often rush when we realize we are far behind time to watch a TV program or meet friends, trying to meet deadlines.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We all try to be in time or on time in order to meet deadlines and complete tasks. For those of us in relationships, we tend to value the time we spend with our beloved, and forget that the opportunity to meet each other is a doorway to go to God together.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Being in the presence of the Lord </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">could arguably be considered the single most important part of our lives. While in a sense, it is always with us and we cannot live without it, we find ourselves hungering for it more and more because we tend to ignore time we have to give to build up our relationship </span><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">While God is omnipresent, and His presence is always with us, we must continue to long for an encounter with the Presence of God. When we talk about experiencing the presence of the Lord, we are talking about the realization of God’s presence – of perceiving His presence and being conscious of Him end growning up in your spiritual life.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Desire to build up your relationship with God... Just a little more time with God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4