tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29763881464578303252024-02-18T21:59:42.005-06:00ako strom {like a tree}...planted by waters {thoughts and reflections of a girl who loves the life God has given her} Psalm 1lilybetkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01060213482554657392noreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976388146457830325.post-34245746923221068452014-03-26T14:28:00.001-05:002014-03-26T16:01:16.913-05:00World Vision & True Compassion<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In light of the recent tizzy over World Vision’s decision to hold a “neutral” view on homosexuality within the believing community, <a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/march-web-only/world-vision-why-hiring-gay-christians-same-sex-marriage.html"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px color: #0225a3; text-decoration: underline;">World Vision -Why We Are Hiring Gay Christians in Same Sex Marriage</span></a> I am putting my thoughts into writing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>(for update, scroll to bottom. Otherwise, the original post is as follows.)</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Many pastors and church leaders whom I respect greatly have already released statements on the exact topic, and I wholeheartedly agree with them. I’m not here to write another statement. I’m here because this situation has spiraled other thoughts in my mind and I have the freedom to post them in a blog. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But, you can check out the pastors’ statements here:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://legacyblog.org/2014/03/25/world-vision-same-sex-couples-and-the-gospel/">World Vision, Same-sex couples and the gospel - Brian Haynes</a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://trenthenderson.blogspot.com/2014/03/world-vision-chooses-by-not-choosing.html">World Vision chooses by not choosing- Trent Henderson</a></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px color: #000000;"><br />
<a href="http://www.russellmoore.com/2014/03/24/on-world-vision-and-the-gospel/"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;">On World Vision and the gospel - Russell Moore</span></a> </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://billygraham.org/story/franklin-graham-statement-on-world-vision/">Franklin Graham statement on World Vision</a></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px color: #000000;"> </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Yes, Homosexuality is a sin, along with every other kind of sexual immorality. (Romans 1, 1 Cor 6, 1 Timothy 1) And to not treat it as such is to accept it. But I want to look at this situation through a question my mind has asked: If the message of the gospel is compromised, is compassion even true compassion anymore? </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: small;">“Motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ, we serve alongside the poor and oppressed as a demonstration of God’s unconditional love for all people.”</span> Taken from World Vision’s website under “Why We Serve”</span></div>
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You can read more under their Core Values: <a href="http://www.worldvision.org/about-us/who-we-are" style="color: #0225a3;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;">World Vision: Who We Are</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0225a3;"> </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I’ve seen this all over social media, and even where I haven’t seen it, I know there is a divide in the Christian community on whether or not to condone this action by World Vision. After all, are we really going to get up in arms over one little cultural/moral hot-spot when the lives of helpless children & families are at stake? Aren’t their lives most important?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Well, Yes. And Yes. I honestly don’t think you can have one without the other. And here’s why:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>I believe without the true gospel being preached, when we show compassion on someone’s physical needs, we're really just giving them a more comfortable journey straight on their way to eternal separation from God.</b> We’re saying, “Here, we love you! Live a long life with warm clothes on your back, shoes on your feet, a full belly, a job. God loves you!” While neglecting to share the terrible truth that they are in danger of facing judgement for their sin and the wonderful truth that they don't actually have to face it because of God’s unconditional love for us demonstrated in Christ... But no big deal, right? At least they’re better off than they were. Wrong. (And maybe you'd argue that World Vision hasn't thrown out the entire gospel message. You're right. It hasn't gone that far...yet.)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When the gospel is compromised in an attempt to better show compassion, I would go as far to say it’s no longer true Christian compassion.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">You see, I’ve been studying Jesus’ Compassion - our model for showing compassion. When He was moved with compassion for someone physically, it ALWAYS fell under the shadow of his compassion for them spiritually, eternally. The gospel was foremost. That they believe in Christ as Savior and turn from their sin was the heart of his compassion. He didn’t stop there, but was ALSO moved with compassion for their physical needs. But if we as Christians today begin to reshape the gospel by allowing sin to be treated as not sin, the gospel we preach becomes corrupted and false. And the message of our compassion-showing organizations, whether intentionally or not, becomes “physical compassion is more important than spiritual compassion.” We’ve reversed Christ’s example.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In Matthew 9:35-38, it is recorded,</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: small;">“And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">First, notice the order Matthew has listed Jesus’ actions “teaching...proclaiming the gospel...and healing every disease.” hmmmm.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">After this, his compassion is pointed out as he looks over the crowds. Why? Because they are “like sheep without a shepherd.” And he says to his disciples, “the harvest is plentiful...pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” This harvest they are looking for isn’t just an unnaturally healthy and disease-free generation of people. The harvest is an eternal one of salvation through faith in Christ. He has compassion because they have no one to lead and guide them. They have no one to care for them. He is concerned primarily with their salvation, but as can be expected in his compassion, it doesn’t stop there. It continues with their physical need. </span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">We, as believers in this generation, CANNOT reverse Christ’s example. What was most important to Him MUST be most important to us, because it IS most important. <i>I'm not saying a person should never do something physically compassionate before they share the gospel. <b>Hopefully you see my point is that the spiritual compassion drives the physical. It is the foundation and springboard!</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In general, human lives span less than a century. But for Christians who believe in eternity, well, our lives go on forever after our less-than-a-century on earth is up. And in that eternity, we either suffer under the wrath we deserve for our sin, or we're covered by Christ's righteousness and exempt from that wrath- worshipping in the presence of the Holy God! </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I believe that Christians must be positively adamant about protecting and sharing the <b>true</b> gospel. As we become more like Christ, we will begin to display true compassion to others. Not only in their spiritual need, but also in their physical needs. </span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i>This is why I personally disagree with the stance World Vision has taken on homosexuality: It is deviating from the true gospel. </i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>This is why I personally think World Vision is ultimately shooting themselves in the foot with their stance: When we choose to not uphold the true gospel, we cannot display true compassion.</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A beautiful sermon by C. H. Spurgeon inspires me greatly on this subject of Christ’s compassion. I wholeheartedly encourage you to take 15 minutes to read it, or print it out and mull over it later this week. It’s worth your time.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The Compassion of Jesus</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/3438.htm">http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/3438.htm</a></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px color: #000000;"> </span></div>
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Hoping my thoughts spark some of your own,</div>
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Betkany<br />
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UPDATE: afternoon of 3/26<br />
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World Vision has released a letter stating that it is reversing its decision & why. Check it out here.<br />
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<a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/march-web-only/world-vision-reverses-decision-gay-same-sex-marriage.html">World Vision Reverses Decision</a><br />
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I am praising the Lord that they have responded in this way. I am thankful for the way this situation turned around, and I am also thankful for the time this caused me to sit and reflect on true compassion and its relationship to the gospel.</div>
lilybetkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01060213482554657392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976388146457830325.post-29954061484860647612013-06-28T09:21:00.001-05:002013-06-28T10:59:15.685-05:00Learning Joy<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Wanna know my favorite thing about joy? That it comes from God. Not from circumstances, not from possessions, not from people. Which means that mere circumstances, possessions (or lack thereof) and people CAN’T take joy away.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It is a fruit produced when living in the Spirit. It is a gift given by God.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I met a lady recently who didn’t have much in this life, except for the beautiful hope of salvation in our Savior, Jesus Christ. Even without the best circumstances or possessions, she had a remarkably sincere, peaceful joy that I’ve been struggling in prayer to ask for since I met her.<br />
She is a perfect example of what Paul prays in Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” She was abounding, and I long to abound as well.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Here’s what I know and believe and am asking for faith to believe more and more:</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">That my dear Savior, Jesus has called me to abide in His love by obeying His commands, and promises that His joy will be in me and my joy will be full. (From John 15)</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This means that wherever I am, with whatever and whomever, when I am abiding in Him, I will experience the joy I’m called to have in Phil 4:4- “Rejoice in the Lord <b>always</b>; again I will say, Rejoice.” How beautiful is that?</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This Summer, I believe I’ve been tested/am being tested to reveal if I have this abiding joy all the way to the deepest part of my soul- not just knowledge about it in my head and a mouth that says I believe it. Some of the tests, I’ve passed. Others, I’ve needed to heart-check and retake. God is refining me.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">God has called me to participate in wonderful things for His kingdom. It is my responsibility to make sure my joy is coming not from the wonderful things for God’s kingdom, but from the God who called me to those things. (So, when the wonderful things change to other wonderful things, the joy is still there... you see?!)</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">God is so gracious and faithful to me as I learn and relearn truths from His Word. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I’m sure I’ll experience downhearted days every once in a while, but as I’m abiding in Jesus, there should be many, many joy-filled days for every downhearted one. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Thank God for His provision for us:</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“<b>You</b> make known to me the path of life;<br />
in <b>your</b> presence there is fullness of joy;<br />
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Abiding in His presence,</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Betkany</span></div>lilybetkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01060213482554657392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976388146457830325.post-50951306938152278732013-06-07T13:48:00.002-05:002013-06-07T13:48:52.318-05:00All Over the Place
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<br />
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Today, I was out running
errands for only an hour and it was astounding to me how many expressions of
blatant selfishness I saw- even more than normal, whether by drivers on the
road or customers in stores. But not only that, watching the rude reactionary responses
of those they came in contact with was absolutely disheartening. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It caused me to do my own
personal heart-check, to look at my actions. Are they self-serving or selfless?
How are my responses to others selfish actions? Do I respond in love and patience,
or react with ugly thoughts and actions? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Honestly, at one point I
found myself thinking ill of a complete stranger whose words to me had been
uncalled for and rude. I immediately was convicted of how my attitude reflected
not a heart set on God, but a heart bent on self.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I asked God for forgiveness
and became more intentional about living love and hopefully being light to the
people around me for the rest of my trip.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It really felt like I was
weaving in and out of scenes from a movie as I watched broken people interact
with other broken people in a very broken way over and over again.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It brought to my mind the
verses I have been studying with our World Changers team:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So if there is any
encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the
Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind,
having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do
nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more
significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his
own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind
among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he
was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but
emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of
men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming
obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore
God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every
name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in
heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. </span></b> Philippians 2:1-11<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s the beautiful way life
is supposed to be lived- in harmony with one another, considering others more
significant than ourselves, looking out for others’ interests above our own to
the glory and praise of Jesus Christ our Lord and God our Father.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was so profoundly convicted
by how easy it is for me to slip into the ever-popular attitude of our culture:
entitled, “me” focused, looking out for
number “1”. Our Enemy tries to feed us the lie, “If I don’t look out for
myself, no one will.” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But God teaches us very differently.
His way says, “As part of loving and serving Me, everyone should look out for
everyone else. Then, everyone will be taken care of.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If I am looking out for you,
and you’re looking out for me, we’re both being looked out for. That’s the
mended way God has graciously given us to live in this broken world.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I feel I’m rambling a bit,
but just hang with me for a few more seconds…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Something developed in the
minutes between my errand running and my writing this post. A very dear friend
and brother in Christ passed away. My heart is full of aches to know that I
will not see him anymore on this side of eternity, but after all I’ve seen out
in the world today, I’m rejoicing in the fact that He is free from this
brokenness and I’m also rejoicing in the legacy he leaves behind.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I can hardly think of another
person who more beautifully looks out for the interests of others than he did.
Whether it was offering encouragement just because, leading others to know
Christ in a deeper way, or serving in <b>whatever</b>
capacity was needed, he continually put Jesus first and put others above his
own self. I miss him excruciatingly and I cherish his memory.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am inspired, in light of my
errand running, the Word of Truth that the Holy Spirit brought to my
remembrance, and my dear friend’s passing to strive all the harder to keep my
eyes focused on God and keep my actions selfless toward others so that my
legacy might one day be a beautiful example of the Holy Spirit’s work in the
life of this broken human being.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
God showed up all over the
place in my life today. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And I just thought I’d share.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Betkany<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->lilybetkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01060213482554657392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976388146457830325.post-31246770660737732962013-03-29T16:54:00.001-05:002013-03-29T16:54:18.339-05:00Unveiled<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”... And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. Matthew 27:45-46,50-51</b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">One of my most cherished images from Scripture is when the temple veil tore in two. When Jesus received the wrath of God as punishment for sin in your and my stead, he created a way for us to be in the presence of the Holy God. Before Christ’s death, the temple veil separated nearly all men, save a select group of Levites, from directly entering the presence of God in the Holy of Holies. The beauty and significance of the massive woven cloth veil ripping apart is anchored in that history. Jesus is enough. No more need we offer blood sacrifice for our sins. No more need we send someone else to offer that sacrifice to God on our behalf. We have direct access to the Father through the completed work of the Son.<br />
<br /><b>
“Therefore...we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh.” (Hebrews 10:19-20)</b><br />
<br />
Today, I’ve been meditating on Romans 5.<br />
<br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">
1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.</span></b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.</span></b><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We have been given such a marvelous gift. It is for all who will believe. <br />
Be blessed this Resurrection weekend, in the knowledge and hope that Christ has completely paid the debt for our sins. God’s wrath has already been poured out. It is finished. We are justified.<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> I am forever grateful that Christ took my place and that He offers eternal life in the presence of God in place of the eternal death and separation I deserve. I cannot even describe the depth of the gratitude, love and awe within me as I reflect on these truths. <b>“Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” (2 Cor 9:15)</b><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Looking forward to Sunday, when I will celebrate the day He defeated death and rose to life again,</span></div>
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lilybetkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01060213482554657392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976388146457830325.post-33158537092317536172013-03-11T21:49:00.000-05:002013-03-11T21:56:27.566-05:00Flashback to HS<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Pastor Brian’s sermon yesterday triggered countless memories from the times I buried myself in ( and prayed out) the Psalms of Ascents during my High School years.<br />
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Here are just four of the many memories I’ve been reflecting on:</span></span><br />
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I remember saying Psalm 121 over and over to myself during the hardest moments of medical uncertainty, choosing to believe my help comes from the LORD, and my keeper didn’t slumber nor did he sleep. He was in the midst of my trials, providing shade at my right hand.<br /> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">
I remember hearing Psalm 124 recited with deep conviction by a dear sister in Christ, “If it had not been the LORD who was on our side- let Israel now say- if it had not been the LORD who was on our side when people rose up against us, they would have swallowed us up alive... Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as prey to their teeth! We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken and we have escaped! Our help is in the name of the LORD.” These words were the proclamation of my heart through many ins and outs and ups and downs.</span></span><br />
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I remember when God penned a melody in my heart for Psalm 130, so that I could sing his own words to him. My heart simultaneously overflowed in awe of His amazing forgiveness and redemption, and begged, “Hear my voice, let your ears be attentive to my pleas for mercy!”.</span></span><br />
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I remember when God revealed to me in an overwhelming way that as youth from around Houston gathered together in my home church, we were living out Psalm 134, standing by night in the house of the LORD, lifting up our hands to bless the LORD. Getting to speak those words over our gathering was an incredible privilege.</span></span><br />
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There are so many other instances where the Psalms of Ascents impacted my life. I honestly don’t know how, or IF I would have gotten through my High School years without the truth from these passages of Scripture.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Take a moment to read some Scripture for yourself and worship the Author of it all. He is amazing indeed!</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">God is so faithful and His Word is such a firm foundation and refuge for my soul.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">P.S. If you'd like, you can watch/listen to the sermon at bafbc.org just as soon as it goes up :)</span></span></div>
lilybetkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01060213482554657392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976388146457830325.post-55106351876847046782013-01-01T12:44:00.001-06:002013-01-01T12:53:46.417-06:00Plans? What Plans?<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Were I to show you my calendar/planner for the year 2013, it would be emptier than it’s been in a long time on a new year’s day. Usually I know some summer plans, some travel plans, some something. But at this point this year I know literally NOTHING for sure other than some general assumptions and my new ministry start date- one week from today. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It got me to thinking this morning, how I wonder what God sees when He looks at my planner. Does he see right through my plans, to the ones He’s made? <br />
I realized that, while my book might be empty, His sure isn’t. He has a plan, He’s numbered my days. His planner for me is full of just the right amount of investments, places, people, activities, ministries and even those tricky crossroads that come up every once in a while. He has designed a year that, should I chose to follow, will grow me and bless others.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It’s somehow comforting to picture my planner already full of the things He planned for me, and it’s only my job to seek them out and accomplish them through His strength in me. I know He doesn’t play hide and seek or do any smoke-and-mirrors tricks. He will be where He says He is. He will do what He says He will do. No tricks, no mistakes, no “I’m running late”s. Because that’s not who He is.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Last night my heart fell on a sweet portion of scripture, where John recorded Jesus’ words of comfort and instruction to His closest friends, His disciples. He spent time painting a picture of the glorious place where He was going to prepare a place for those who put their trust in Him. He reinforced His promise to come back and receive unto Himself those who belong to Him. He promised they would do works greater than what He had done, that the Father would be glorified through the power of the Son in them. He promised a Helper to be in and work in them until He returns. He defined all over again the way to recognize those who love Him - if they keep His commandments. He promised that the Helper would teach them and remind them of all He had said. (found in John 14) <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%2014&version=ESV" target="_blank">John 14- ESV</a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">And then, he gave these beautiful words, “<b><i>Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you</i>. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away and I will come to you.’ If you loved me you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of the world is coming. <i>He has no claim on me, but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father</i></b>.” (John 14:27-31; emphasis mine)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">He might not have shared with them, “Next monday, you will wake up and have a coffee with so-and-so, read such-and-such material, attend this-and-that.” But He did say, “I am going to the Father by the way which He has ordained, no matter if it looks like the ruler of the world (Satan) has triumphed. Until I return, I leave with you my peace. Keep the commandments I have spoken unto you, for it is the evidence of your love for myself and the Father. You will have a Helper, the Spirit of Truth, to remind you of that which I have spoken. And you will do greater things than I have done, if you ask it in my name. For I desire that the Father be glorified in me, through you.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Wow.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The craziest thing, is that this doesn’t just apply to Jesus’ disciples. It applies to all who love God and are called according to His purpose! That means me, and hopefully you as well!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> He mapped out the “schedule” for our lives and even threw in some bonus promises until the calendar He spoke of reaches His return.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">And, I don’t know if you caught it, but HE SET THE EXAMPLE. He wasn’t just speaking at us, He was about to demonstrate following God’s will and showing our love, as He moved ever-closer to giving up His life on the cross. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">What a leader to follow this year. What a shepherd to guide. What a blessed Savior to worship.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">My heart often comes back to Jesus’ promise found later in this sermon, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”(John 16:33)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So dear friends, take heart! So, my own soul, take heart! He has overcome this world. We serve a mighty God. We do not walk alone. He has great things planned for us to do this year. Things that bring Him glory and renown.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As for me, I’ll start with today. I'll do my best listen for the Spirit’s leading and forge ahead into the wild beyond that is twenty-thirteen. I want my schedule to say this, when you boil it all down in a big pot: Bethany loves God. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Happy and Blessed New Year to you all,</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Betkany</span></div>
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lilybetkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01060213482554657392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976388146457830325.post-38228370543792582772012-11-06T23:33:00.001-06:002012-11-07T08:28:03.506-06:00Dear Christians, So, There Was This Election....<br />
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<span style="font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">My dear Christian friends who voted for Romney, </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Our nation is watching you. Your family is watching you. Will you pout in a corner? Spew out ugly remarks on FB, Twitter and elsewhere? Jump up and down in a hissy-fit? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Or will you look to the Lord and say, "I will honor You by honoring the governing authority, as You have asked (Rom 13). I will respect and pray for my country's leaders(1 Tim 2). I will continue to trust YOU as the ultimate Ruler and only Savior of all(Acts 4)."</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">God is sovereign. He knows the future. We do not. There's no telling what would happen if Romney had won. We've still yet to find out what will happen after President Obama has won. But God is not surprised.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I understand President Obama has chosen to stand for things that are clearly opposed to God's Word (and our country will, without a doubt reap the consequences promised), but please don't forget these things: </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1.Submitting to the authority does not equal agreeing with it. Paul is a prime example of submitting to an authority he did not agree with. You may disagree. It's okay. As an American, you were even able to make your convictions known when you voted, you still have the right to make your convictions known! (respectfully, of course)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">2. God didn't write an escape clause when we were given the command to be subject to the governing authorities (Rom 13). We have no excuse to bash, harass, or anything other than pray for President Obama and his administration and to speak up in LOVE, with wisdom when we have the opportunity(Col 4).<br />
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<span style="font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">3.This election has not so much as nudged God even a smidgen off of His seat on His Holy throne, so nothing has changed for us. We still belong to a kingdom not of this world. This world still belongs to the darkness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I ask and encourage you to make your focus the furthering of that heavenly kingdom, not the lamenting of this one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up! (Gal 6:9)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In Christ and for Christ,</span></div>
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<br />lilybetkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01060213482554657392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976388146457830325.post-5463378308524395682012-11-03T13:01:00.001-05:002012-11-03T13:03:41.463-05:00Can You Fathom This?<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Today is a lovely day. For the first time in weeks, I have nowhere to go. I have things to do, but they are not tedious nor are they boring. <br />
I am preparing several themed testimonies, Bible lessons and Bible studies. It’s marvelous and maybe a little nerve-wracking. And as I was reading Scripture, I realized that it has been quite some time since I have been able to justify typing out a blog post here on ako strom.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">But today is the day that I will once again return to the keyboard in hopes of encouraging and inspiring a deeper love and desire for God in YOU.<br />
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Today’s word comes from Isaiah 44. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I want to focus on something in verses 21-28, but we need to back up a few verses before because Isaiah says, “Remember these things, O Jacob.” at the beginning of verse 21. <br />
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So back up and hear first in verses 6-8 that God is the ONLY God, and then in verses 9-21 how God looks on the foolishness of idols. Check it: He goes through the painstaking process that craftsmen at the time would use to create an object of worship. First, he must choose a tree, tend it, and watch it grow strong, then he cuts it and begins to use it. Part of it he’ll use to make a fire for his every-day needs like baking or warmth. Then he’ll take the rest and carve it into an idol and fall down before it saying, “Deliver me! For you are my god.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Now, we look at that and go, Wow. Stupid. Who would do that?<br />
But read on and God says that those who worship in such a way have been blinded, so they can’t see the stupidness of what they do. And their hearts lack the discernment to say, “this makes no sense” because they too are darkened. <br />
Verse 20 says, “he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand.”<br />
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I know that in American culture, it is not so common to walk into a home and see a hand-carved idol on an altar to be worshipped as it is in other cultures, but we have still made things our idols. An idol is merely something we look to for assurance, rescue, security instead of God.<br />
For some it’s a roof over our heads and a good job. Maybe it’s being accepted in an elite group of people. Maybe it’s having a boyfriend/girlfriend or husband/wife. Maybe it's pleasure. Anything we put as more important than God is an idol.<br />
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The thing that sticks out to me personally, is that these people who were worshipping idols were darkened in their eyes and understanding. I, on the other hand am not. I am free to walk in the light because Jesus has paid the price for my life to be free from darkness and I have accepted that as His gift to me, however undeserving I may be. <br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Paul insists in Ephesians 4 that we are not to live as the unbelievers do, darkened in their understanding, separated from the life of God. We have put off the old and put on the new, which is created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So, for children of God, any idol worship is true foolishness, because we DO have eyes to see.<br />
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Okay, that was a longer back-track than I anticipated, but hopefully it will put more weight into what comes next:<br />
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Remember these things, O Jacob,<br />
and Israel, for you are my servant;<br />
I formed you; you are my servant;<br />
O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud<br />
and your sins like mist;<br />
return to me, for I have redeemed you.</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it;<br />
shout, O depths of the earth;<br />
break forth into singing, O mountains,<br />
O forest, and every tree in it!</b><br />
<b>For the Lord has redeemed Jacob,<br />
and will be glorified in Israel.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,<br />
who formed you from the womb:<br />
“I am the Lord, who made all things,<br />
who alone stretched out the heavens,<br />
who spread out the earth by myself,</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">who frustrates the signs of liars<br />
and makes fools of diviners,<br />
who turns wise men back<br />
and makes their knowledge foolish,</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">who confirms the word of his servant<br />
and fulfills the counsel of his messengers,<br />
who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited,‘<br />
and of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be built,<br />
and I will raise up their ruins’;</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">who says to the deep, ‘Be dry;<br />
I will dry up your rivers’;</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd,<br />
and he shall fulfill all my purpose’;<br />
saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,‘<br />
and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’”<br />
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God says, <br />
“Look at who I am. <br />
Look at my power. <br />
Look at how I move in the earth, to make things happen. <br />
Look at how human wisdom fails in comparison to mine. <br />
Look at how my promises come true.<br />
Look at me as the one who made YOU.”<br />
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He also says, <br />
“I want YOU to remember this foolishness I have just revealed to you about your worship of other things. Remember also who I am, how great I am.”<br />
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But he doesn’t stop with saying how stupid we have been and how awesome He is.<br />
No. He says,</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I see where you've forgotten me, but<br />
I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN YOU!</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I HAVE BLOTTED OUT YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS! </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">RETURN TO ME, I HAVE REDEEMED YOU!</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This elicits a shout of joy, a song of praise from all creation (including trees!!) to the God who has redeemed us.<br />
<br />One of my favorite parts, in fact, the initial reason I decided to post this passage is the second half of that rejoicing verse, where Isaiah writes, </span></span></div>
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“For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and will be glorified in Israel.”</b></span></span></div>
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Another way it is written says,</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>“For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and will display His beauty in Israel.”</b><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I got butterflies in my tummy when I read that. When God redeems us, it displays His beauty in us. His redemption makes us beautiful creatures. HIS REDEMPTION makes YOU a BEAUTIFUL CREATURE. Do you understand?! Can you fathom it?!</span><br />
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The fact that in my own strength I have nothing to offer but broken idol worship, and a heart bent on chasing after the world, and then he sees me and doesn’t leave me, No, He redeems me. He blots those things away and asks me to return to Him. <b>Through redemption, He makes me a beautiful display of His glory.</b> </span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Oh, such knowledge is too wonderful for me! How gracious and patient, loving and unfailing is my God.<br />
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Believers, children of God, I urge you to examine your hearts along with me and find if you have placed something before God. Return to Him as your first love. Burn up those remaining idols with the rest of this world that you have already cast aside. Take Jesus. He is all you need. He displays His beauty, His glory in your life, and that brings all eyes that look at you to HIM. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">God wants to bring Himself glory through our redemption in a way that will bring unsure and seeking friends to the same true and only source of life. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The question is, will we let Him?</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Oh, I hope so.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Betkany</span></span></div>
<br />lilybetkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01060213482554657392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976388146457830325.post-58476168452667798502012-09-30T21:49:00.001-05:002012-09-30T23:26:05.252-05:00Overwhelmed In A Good WayFirst from God through the Sons of Korah:<br />
Psalm 84 (ESV)<br />
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<b>How lovely is your dwelling place,</b><br />
<b>O LORD of hosts!</b><br />
<b>My soul longs, yes, faints</b><br />
<b>for the courts of the LORD;</b><br />
<b>my heart and flesh sing for joy</b><br />
<b>to the living God.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Even the sparrow finds a home,</b><br />
<b>and the swallow a nest for herself,</b><br />
<b>where she may lay her young,</b><br />
<b>at your altars, O LORD of hosts,</b><br />
<b>my King and my God.</b><br />
<b>Blessed are those who dwell in your house,</b><br />
<b>ever singing your praise!</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Blessed are those whose strength is in you,</b><br />
<b>in whose heart are the highways to Zion.</b><br />
<b>As they go through the Valley of Baca</b><br />
<b>they make it a place of springs;</b><br />
<b>the early rain also covers it with pools.</b><br />
<b>They go from strength to strength;</b><br />
<b>each one appears before God in Zion.</b><br />
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<b>O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;</b><br />
<b>give ear, O God of Jacob!</b><br />
<b>Behold our shield, O God;</b><br />
<b>look on the face of your anointed!</b><br />
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<b>For a day in your courts is better </b><br />
<b>than a thousand elsewhere.</b><br />
<b>I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God</b><br />
<b>than dwell in the tents of wickedness.</b><br />
<b>For the Lord God is a sun and a shield;</b><br />
<b>the Lord bestows favor and honor.</b><br />
<b>No good thing does he withhold</b><br />
<b>from those who walk uprightly.</b><br />
<b>O Lord of hosts,</b><br />
<b>blessed is the one who trusts in you!</b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Second from me:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Lord has been moving in my heart and I'm beginning to grasp this truth: </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly". </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He has been turning my heart to make my prayer,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Honestly, I'm positively tickled by the fact that my favorite bird, the sparrow shows up in this chapter! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Our God is so worthy of our trust and of our praise. He is a sun, bringing light to the world. He is a shield, bringing protection from the enemy. He sees me whole, holy and made perfect through the blood of Christ Jesus, his anointed. And because of Christ, I am brought near to the sinless, Almighty God. I am allowed into the courts of the living God. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Whenever I meditate on these things, David's exclamation from Psalm 139 bursts from my heart, "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me!"</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Knowing I can believe these truths found in the infallible Word of God makes any day a good day. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Overwhelmed, but in a good way,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Betkany</span>lilybetkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01060213482554657392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976388146457830325.post-47387162154305642942012-09-05T17:42:00.000-05:002012-09-05T17:43:00.016-05:00With a Backward Glance...<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Last week I found this written in a journal from November 2008.<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“I just now realized my prayer of June 23rd has been coming true. God answered my “growing up” request by letting things NOT go the way I want and making me take [life] by the horns and deal with it. Wow. God answered that prayer, and I’ve been complaining. How stupid of me. I guess this is all just part of the growing process.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I remember that day, reading backwards through my journals and seeing all the difficulties I recorded going through, and then I found my prayer to be grown written at the very beginning of all of those trials. I remember being hit with the realization that God was answering my prayer and I hadn’t even recognized it. <br />
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Thinking about that again today, I am in awe of the fact that God would hang on to me, and continue to work on me, even when I was essentially accusing him for putting me through the growth I asked for. He is so patient and loving, I can hardly believe it!</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I love to journal, and while it’s so very important to not “live in the past” (because I’ll miss out on today), some great things that can come from re-visiting where we’ve been are:</span></span></div>
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<li style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We will be reminded of things God has already taught us -- that we may or may not still be applying to life.</span></span></li>
<li style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We can see where God has taken us from and be encouraged to see where He’s brought us to.</span></span></li>
<li style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We can use our experiences from times gone by to bless, encourage or challenge others.</span></span></li>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It’s always amazing and humbling and encouraging and convicting to read through my own life. There’s times when I thought I had it all together, and I laugh because I SO didn’t. There’s times I was completely broken and depleted and turned to all the wrong sources before turning to God, the true source of healing and fulfillment. It’s hard to read over some of that, but it’s always a helpful reminder to not go that path again. Then, there are all the WOW stories. The times I had faith and God moved. The blessings and even miracles I’ve experienced. The little things God did for me that I don’t always remember off the top of my head. Like a great conversation with a friend, or an answer to a deep question or desire coming at just the right time. Reading all of this brings the desire to get deeper into my relationship with God... and to see what He will do next.<br />
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I encourage you to reflect on the work God has done in your life, and thank Him for it! Then press on, refreshed in Him!</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> If you can’t see any works, I would encourage you to turn to God with a willing heart and ask Him to work in you. Then, watch as He moves. <br />
If you don’t have a personal relationship with God, none of this will be possible. I ache for you, because without God, life is so empty and futile... no matter how “fine” it may seem right now. I beg you to seek Him. He is so good, so loving, so caring and so much more than I can even describe. And He longs to show himself to you, He desires a personal relationship with you. He loves you. <br />
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Mmmhmmm. Mmmmmmmhmmmm.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Betkany</span></span></div>
lilybetkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01060213482554657392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976388146457830325.post-6697071605133838682012-08-04T06:29:00.000-05:002012-08-05T17:29:37.709-05:00God's Undeniablilty<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">While teaching Bible stories for three weeks over the summer, God’s “undeniability” overwhelmed me. When God shows up, there is no denying it. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Here’s one case. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">It’s paraphrased from Scripture, almost how I would have taught it, but without my own thoughts and applications inserted (I'm too jetlagged and lack motivation to type and organize the plethora of comments I have on the story...)</span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">I’ll try to post other stories we used that showcase God’s undeniable power soon, b</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">ut in the meantime, I highly recommend digging in to the book of Daniel yourself and really contemplating the awesome ways that God shows up. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">It blew me away.</span></div>
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From Daniel 3</span></span></div>
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King Nebuchadnezzar made a giant statue and set it up in Babylon. He called all his rulers and important officials to come to its dedication. His herald told them, “As soon as you hear the sound of all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship this image. If you do not, you will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace!” <br />
When the music played, all the people fell down and worshiped. But, some men came to the king and said, “Oh king, live forever! You said that everyone who hears the music must fall down and worship the golden statue, or else be thrown into the fiery furnace. But there are some Jews, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who have ignored you! They don’t serve your gods OR worship the statue you made. ”<br />
Nebuchadnezzar was furious! He called for the men, and they were brought before him. the king said to them, “Is it true that you that you don’t serve my gods or worship the statue that I set up?” Then he gave them one more chance, “When you hear the music,” the king explained, “if you fall down and worship the golden statue, then good. But if you don’t worship it, you WILL be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. <b>Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?!</b>”<br />
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have nothing to say, because even if we are thrown into the blazing furnace, <b>the God that we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand,</b> O King. But even if He does not rescue us, know this: We will NOT serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up. <br />
Nebuchadnezzar was FURIOUS ad he ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual. His strongest soldiers tied up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and threw them into the blazing furnace. The fire was so hot, that the flames killed the soldiers who threw Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in. </span></span></div>
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Now, the king, who was watching, leaped up and asked in astonishment, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them in the fire?” His men replied, “of course, O king.” Then the king said, “Look! I see not three but four men walking around in the fire, they're not hurt and the fourth looks like a son of the gods!” So Nebuchadnezzar called out to them, “Shadrach! Meshach! Abednego! Servants of the Most High God, COME OUT and come here!” And out they came! The officials crowded around them and saw that the fire had not harmed them, not even a hair from their heads had burnt off. Only the ropes with which they were bound. They didn’t even smell like smoke!<br />
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Then, Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who sent his angel and rescued his servants, who trusted in Him, defied the king’s command and were willing to lose their lives rather than worship another god than their own God. Therefore, I make a a decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, be torn limb from limb and their houses destroyed.<b> For there is no other God who is able to rescue in this way</b>.”</span></span></div>lilybetkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01060213482554657392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976388146457830325.post-31923021851860566652012-06-18T08:04:00.001-05:002012-06-18T08:04:42.188-05:00When CPR is a Bad Thing.<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So It’s been a while. To say I’ve been busy is not adequate anymore. It’s just my lifestyle, it’s not gonna change anytime soon. I guess i will say I haven’t been able to take time out of life to write like I used to do. But here I am again, because I have some ideas clawing at my mind, begging to be released into words.<br />
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The idea I’ve been toying with lately is in regard to the human struggle against the flesh. And how it can interfere with our productivity and ministry.<br />
Yesterday I was visiting Bay Area First Baptist, where I was involved with Vacation Bible School this past week. The speaker was talking mostly about/to fathers in honor of Father’s Day, but I got so much out of it for ME as a believer. And it solidified some of my thoughts. <br />
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The passage that stuck out to me was Galatians 5:16-25 </b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b> But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b> If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit</b>. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So here’s my mental picture.<br />
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When we, as believers who have died with Christ and been raised to walk in newness of life, give in to the works of the flesh (as recorded in verses 19, 20 and 21), it is as though we are digging out the decomposing, sinfully rotten self we crucified at the time of our salvation and attempting to perform CPR. That’s disgusting! <br />
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Inside of every believer is a Helper, the Holy Spirit of God. As I like to tell my students, it’s the very same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead -LIVING INSIDE. The Helper does just as his name suggests- helps! Helps us to say “no” to temptation and “yes” to God. (nod to the best GNC Bible teacher, Mrs. Frankovich, on that one!)<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Those works of the flesh are no longer our obligation if we are living by the Spirit of God. Instead, we have the power to produce fruit, not death. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Here’s what I told myself in regards to all this:<br />
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If I am so busy dragging around (and attempting to resuscitate) a dead thing, how in the WORLD do I think I’m going to be effective for the kingdom of Christ? If I’m focused on trying to put some life back into what I’ve killed, how can I be offering an example of living by the Spirit? <br />
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I can’t. At least not very well. And not without confusing people, and exhausting myself along the way. Trust me, I speak from experience. <br />
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So, while it’s (unfortunately) hard indeed to leave that rotting hunk of sinful-self alone, imagining dragging it around all day in attempt to revive it certainly gives a mental picture that disturbs the soul just enough to remember to knock it off when I’m dabbling with the works of the flesh. <br />
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I keep thinking what it would be like to make this into an object lesson for my 1st through 6th graders. I can just see me now, walking onto the stage with a halloween dummy strapped to my back.... yeah, maybe not such a good idea. But honestly, with something as hard to shake as the grip of the sinful nature, you have to get radical or get lost. <br />
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Instead of spending my time giving CPR, I want to be using my every breath to bless others, to honor God, to bring the good news of Salvation to those who haven’t heard.<br />
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I’ve got only one go at life here on earth, and I want to truly live.<br />
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Well, that’s all for now, folks. Gotta dive into a harrowing blitz week with the Slovakia team now. Focus, focus, focus. I’ll be back at the end of summer with something for sure, and maybe I’ll make a quick stop in mid-summer. We’ll see.<br />
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Until then, I remain...<br />
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Betkany</span></div>lilybetkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01060213482554657392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976388146457830325.post-30869641726919544712012-03-26T20:08:00.000-05:002012-03-26T20:08:19.012-05:00Convictedoh, Conviction, you are a dagger that produces a healing wound.<h2 style="text-align: center;">All I need to do is what God has asked of me and let HIM worry about the rest.</h2><h3><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Like my momma told me, </div><div style="text-align: center;">"Worrying doesn't take away tomorrow's troubles,</div><div style="text-align: center;"> it takes away today's peace."</div></h3><div><br />
</div><div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"> “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"> “About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"> “He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. 6 About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"> “‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"> “He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"> “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"> “The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These men who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"> “But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"> “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” Matthew 20:1-16</span></span></div></div>lilybetkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01060213482554657392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976388146457830325.post-38948138554128251182012-03-12T23:28:00.001-05:002012-11-03T13:18:05.484-05:00Fighting Something Ugly<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Depression is an ugly thing to fight. It surrounds you-- and like a dense fog, when you try to bat at it, even with all your strength, your hands just pass straight through. Depression creeps into every crack and gap, nook and cranny of your heart and mind left open to its harsh touch. It sneaks in through the tiniest of holes and fills any empty caverns it can find. It smudges the soul and crowds out the sunshine. Depression is a monster. It gnaws at the mind and sends its venom coursing through the veins.<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Depression is my demon. Somehow, he knows me better than I know myself. He gets me where I didn’t even know it would hurt. He tells me I’m not important enough, I’m not perfect enough, I’m not useful enough. He tells me I'm too weak. He tells me if I fail, I won’t be trusted, supported, appreciated or loved anymore. He tells me I’m insignificant, replaceable, unwanted. He pokes and prods until I accept that there’s someone who could do “me” better than me. He reminds me of my past and paints chains on my future. Often I’m able to ward him off through the Truth found in God’s Word, but he always seems to find another way back in. He seeps in silently on the back of insecurity, jealousy, hurt, disappointment, frustration, stress, confusion and pain.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Sometimes, if I run fast enough, do enough, busy myself enough, I can get ahead of him, but inevitably he catches up and invites himself back in. <br />
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I’ve been thinking a lot of how to deal with depression. Because it hurts to be depressed and I'm weary from fighting it. I want instead, to have an irrepressible, pure joy for others and for myself. <br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">So many times I’ve heard “you have to stop thinking about yourself and focus on others if you want to be rid of depression”. I believe there’s great truth to this, don’t get me wrong, but I just end up burning myself out trying to serve, and then the moment I stop, depression’s right back upon me. Maybe (for me, anyway) there's more to this. But what? I can seal up all those cracks and holes in my life that depression sneaks in through, but if I cover them up, then the depression that’s within will be permanently trapped inside. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">So what about this: maybe the cleansing of depression has to come from within. A medicine, so to say, from God that begins on the inside and works its way out, banishing depression as it goes and filling up the empty places so that nothing else can fill them again.<br />
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maybe that medicine has a name. <br />
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maybe <br />
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just maybe</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">it’s trust?<br />
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Trust that in Him I am enough. In Him I am loved unconditionally. Trust that He has a perfect plan for me. He’s got the right place (or places), the right man, the right job, the right friends, the right ministry, the right encouragement, the right acceptance. Trust that he’s got everything under control. Trust that <b>I don’t need </b>to have everything under control, I only have to give everything over to Him.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><a href="http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/bible-verses-about-depression-15-helpful-scriptures/" target="_blank">15 Bible Verses You Should Read Now</a><br />
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That’s absolute truth that the Bible is full of. But honestly, you and I both know it’s way easier read and said than done. What does it take to really, really hand it all over and mean “Lord, have your way with me!”?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I’m still figuring that out.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">On the brink of giving up, which I do all to often, I’m going to rally myself once again and pray, pray, pray, pray. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Obviously, wanting this isn’t enough, because I’ve wanted relief from depression for a long time. I actually sometimes get depressed over the fact that I'm depressed (confusing, i know.) So wanting's not enough, but quite possibly begging will do it. Not letting God hear the end of it until I am whole. <br />
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My heart’s cries in the past weeks have been channeled through two songs: </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">From the Inside Out by Hillsong</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> and </span></div>
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Remind me Who I Am by Jason Gray</div>
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I don’t want my faith to be marred by any of the aforementioned lies from the master of darkness. I want to be free from the measurements and comparisons for self-worth this world is bent on forcing into our minds.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Don’t you?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Let’s ask for it.<br />
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Matthew 7:7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">1 John 5:14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">*UPDATE, FALL, 2012*</span><br />
I have seen such a change in my heart attitude and mind set over the past several months as I have bit by bit continued to give every desire, fear, question, joy, whatever, over to God. He has filled me and fulfilled me. I have His peace. I know that He does lead and He will lead, and in those rare moments that depression seeks to rain on His parade, I turn that over to Him as well. I'm learning and He's faithful. Praise the Lord.</div>
lilybetkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01060213482554657392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976388146457830325.post-413776610822584122012-01-29T12:14:00.000-06:002012-01-29T12:14:30.334-06:00It is Well- a very few thoughts and memories of my beloved Grandfather<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">It’s crazy to think that just a week ago last night I was on the phone with my grandfather. And a week ago today I skyped with him. He kept joking with me, “you are so beautiful! You must have a big date tonight.” A week ago tomorrow he told me “love you, love you, love you”. And a week ago Wednesday morning when he could no longer respond to me, I carefully spoke the words “You’re the best grandfather I could ask for. I love you.” over the speaker-phone. That was all I could say before tears completely overtook me. And then on Wednesday evening, in one second, one breath, he moved from present tense into past and future at the very same time. He is no longer here on earth, but this wasn’t his home anyway. His citizenship was in heaven. “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” Phil 3:20-21. So now he’s where he belongs. Where all who have been washed white in the blood of Christ belong. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>As happy as I am for him to be out of the pain and suffering and temptations of this world, I miss him dreadfully. And I think I always will. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">My grandfather has always been a wonderful part of my life. He accepted Christ as his Savior just months before I was born, so I’ve always known him as a God-fearing, faithful man. He loved family. Twice we spent a week at Disney with him and grandma and the number of times he visited our house I can’t even count. He was with me the day I graduated. I remember seeing his proud face beaming at me as us new graduates walked out of the ceremony. I’ve already cried that he won’t be at my someday (hopefully) wedding. I wanted him there more than almost anyone else. Because at your wedding, you dance with grandpa. That's what you do. Only, I won’t get to. But when that day comes, I’ll probably cry a little and then treasure all my wonderful memories of grandpa and keep those with me the whole day long. <br />
Happy and sad and bittersweet tears keep rolling down my face, so I guess I’ll be done with memory lane for a while... <br />
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I just wanted to share one more happy thing that really stuck out to me about the events of his passing. It really was a celebration because he has been called to worship before the throne of our Great God forever and ever. And I am sure he has been told, “well done, good and faithful servant!” but anyways....</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">My mom mentioned in her speech at his memorial service yesterday that the last song he sang (whispered) with family was “It is Well with my Soul”. It made me cry, because not only had it been the very song to bring me comfort when I first heard that my grandfather’s last days were upon us, but it brought back one of the best memories of my entire life...</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Our WHOLE family was rarely all together at the same time, but I will never forget one night when we were staying at Massanutten resort in Virginia, Spring 2006. The trip was in celebration of my grandparents’ 50th wedding anniversary. We were all together in one of the living rooms- putting it on the cramped side of full. My cousin Joe had his guitar out and we were singing worship songs. I don’t remember who requested or chose It is Well, but I do remember when we sang it that it was the MOST beautiful rendition of the song I had ever heard. Our family is full of musicians, vocal ranges of every kind; people who know what they’re doing. We had full harmonies, echos, everything. It gives me shivers just remembering it. It was positively magical. I remember thinking, <i>can we do it again? Can we pleeeeeease do it again and again and again? <br />
</i>I think that was the last time that our whole family was together like that because every other “whole family” trip was a wedding and someone or another was off on their honeymoon. (someone correct me if i’m wrong)<br />
It is a beautiful memory of my grandfather, and as many have said this week, his faith is now sight. And one day, our faith shall be sight as well.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">I’m sharing these memories with you, because I haven’t been with family at all since his passing, only my very little siblings, who don’t quite grasp what’s happened, so I haven’t gotten to talk very much... And I also want you to know how wonderful my grandfather was!</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">This version of It Is Well doesn't come close to my family's version, but at least you can hear it.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/eCeSccazL8I?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">betkany</span></span></div>lilybetkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01060213482554657392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976388146457830325.post-74991986863819950372012-01-20T01:46:00.000-06:002012-01-20T01:46:58.909-06:00For Nights With TearsSometimes tears come from so deep inside of me that words can't even describe the jumble of feelings, emotion and often, memories they wash out.<br />
Those tears, usually accompanied by uncontrollable sobs, visit me every once in a while.<br />
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Tonight, I weep with uncertainty. There is much on my heart. Fear of unknown. Struggle to trust in God's perfection.<br />
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It's times like these when I think to myself, "how would I survive if I didn't have such as a close companion and friend as my Savior?"<br />
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When there is no one to hold me and tell me it's going to be okay, He is here.<br />
When I know it's not going to "be okay", He is here.<br />
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I usually sing my prayers to him in between sobs.<br />
something like<br />
"Hide me now, under your wings. Cover me, within your mighty hands"<br />
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I usually sing to myself as well,<br />
something like<br />
"Find rest my soul, in Christ alone. Know His power in quietness and trust."<br />
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But there are nights when I cannot even eek out a lyric.<br />
Those nights, all I can do is close my eyes and try to breathe deep while listening to my iTunes playlist "for nights with tears".<br />
It's a calming collection of music by Kari Jobe, Christy Nockles, Plumb, Selah, Janais and Meredith Andrews.<br />
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the music calms my soul, soothes and strengthens me with truth.<br />
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There's just something about being reminded of the safety, compassion, warmth and peace that can be sought in the arms of Jesus through words accompanied by gentle melodies and orchestration.<br />
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If tonight's a night with tears for you as well, I'm writing this as much for you as for me. Listen and reflect on our Great God, who has you in His unchanging hand.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">He is here for the broken and life to the one who is undone</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">He is peace to the wounded and hope for the helpless one</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">He is here, He is here</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Be still my soul, be still</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Be still my soul, be still</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Wait patiently upon the Lord</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Be still my soul, be still</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><i><br />
</i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">When the waves rise against me and the wind tries to draw me away</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">I will stand on the mountain, safe in Your arms I will sing I will sing</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Be still my soul, be still</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Be still my soul, be still</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Wait patiently upon the Lord</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Be still my soul, be still</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">Hide me now</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">Under Your wings</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">Cover me</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">Within Your mighty hand</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">When the oceans rise and thunders roar</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">I will soar with You above the storm</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">Father you are King over the flood</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">I will be still and know You are God</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">Find rest my soul</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">In Christ alone</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">Know His power</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">In quietness and trust</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">a (very) few other songs-</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">In Your Arms- Meredith Andrews</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">My Beloved- Kari Jobe</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">Be Still My Soul/What A Friend We Have In Jesus- Selah</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">God Will Take Care Of You- Plumb</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">Hopefully I'm not too melodramatic tonight. Writing calms me. So here we are with a blogpost from a night with tears.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Just remember, </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">"weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning" Psalm 30:5</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">Betkany</span>lilybetkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01060213482554657392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976388146457830325.post-44632909290105819742012-01-17T23:31:00.000-06:002012-01-17T23:31:22.493-06:00I love that He loves<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;">I love this song. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/vwNTsyUuefs?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Your love is pure, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Your love is precious</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Your love is all I need</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Your love surrounds me</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">, Your love astounds me</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Your love is everything</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I run to You when my heart is weak</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I cling to You, You're all I seek</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">It's my heart's desire to be close to You</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Here in Your arms I'll find my strength</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Everything I want, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">everything I hope in</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Everything my heart cries out for</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Everything I want, everything I hope in</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Everything my heart cries out for</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I love these verses.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, <span class="woj">“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.</span> <span class="woj"> I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”</span> And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them. Mark 10:13-16</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">I love that </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I can run into his arms whenever I need to be surrounded by love and compassion. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Don't forget, you can too. He cares... about EVERYTHING.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;">betkany</span>lilybetkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01060213482554657392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976388146457830325.post-44220492453619713262011-10-30T15:11:00.001-05:002011-10-30T15:12:39.429-05:00My God Is Near To Me<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This morning we were singing 'You Never Let Go' at my practically-home church, Heritage Park Baptist. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Two weeks in a row and at two different churches in different counties, I've been hit square between the eyes with "being anxious for nothing" goodness. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">here's the link to last week's thoughts: </span><a href="http://akostrom.blogspot.com/2011/10/dont-worry-be-faithful.html">Don't Worry, Be Faithful</a><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This week was Philippians 4:4-7</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!</b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b> </b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b> </b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Let your gentle</b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b> </b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>spirit</b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b> </b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>be known to all men.</b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b> </b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>The Lord is</b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b> </b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>near.</b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b> </b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by</b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b> </b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.</b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b> </b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b> </b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>And</b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b> </b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>the peace of God, which surpasses all </b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>comprehension, will</b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b> </b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>guard your hearts and your</b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b> </b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>minds in</b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b> </b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Christ Jesus.</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">While I'd love to just type out the sermon word-for-word, I won't. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I'll summarize:</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> The Lord is near (As in, CLOSE BY TO YOU!), and when you keep your eyes and your mind focused on Him, then (and only then) will your heart be guarded and protected by His peace.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">There's no other way to obtain that supernatural, spiritual peace you're longing for.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">The kind of peace that kept Daniel from having a heart-attack in the lions den. </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">The kind of peace that gave Paul and Silas a song in the night.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">The kind of peace that Jesus demonstrated as he graciously took our pain and suffering on the cross. </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">The kind of peace that comes from knowing that God is sovereign over all and he truly cares about me, my hurts, my future, my family, my hopes, my very life.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> Anyways. I started off with a sentence that probably up to this point seems completely unrelated, and since I have the power of editing, I should probably have just cut that and found a new opener. But as you can see, I haven't. My writing style was born to be confusing (and unfortunately for you, I do a pretty good job keeping it that way).</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Well, I want to pull that thought in NOW. (yes, go ahead back up to the top to read it again, if you already haven't)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I've loved that song since I first heard it, probably 5 years ago, but today one phrase in particular jumped out at me that never has before:</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">"I can see a light that is coming <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">for the heart that holds on</span></i>"</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">It was like a "DON'T GIVE UP!" shout from my soul. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Right now, I'm going through a lot of waiting and wondering about what I should be doing and where I should be going with my life (among other things), and I feel like God's been awful silent for an awful long time. But I cannot give up, because there is a light coming for the heart that holds on. And there is a PEACE that will be given me while I'm waiting and even when the waiting is over, if I keep my eyes focused on my Jesus.</span></span> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">That reminder gave me the "umph" to make it another hour, day, week, month, year..... because I know My God is Near To Me.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">looking unto Jesus,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Betkany</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/vViqjbQojSI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;">You Never Let Go (Complete with subtitles... i'm guessing portuguese?!)</div>lilybetkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01060213482554657392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976388146457830325.post-61564373770743130152011-10-26T23:45:00.001-05:002011-10-26T23:47:25.978-05:00the perfect hymn<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">I sing the mighty power of God, that made the mountains rise,<br />
That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies.<br />
I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;<br />
The moon shines full at God’s command, and all the stars obey.</span></span></span> </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">I sing the goodness of the Lord, who filled the earth with food,<br />
Who formed the creatures through the Word, and then pronounced them good.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"> Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed, where’er I turn my eye,<br />
If I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky.</span></span></span> </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">There’s not a plant or flower below, but makes Thy glories known,<br />
And clouds arise, and tempests blow, by order from Thy throne;<br />
While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care;<br />
And everywhere that we can be, Thou, God art present there.</span></span></span><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">[I Sing The Mighty Power Of God by Isaac Watts]</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In my own (and very humble) opinion this belongs in the “perfect hymn” book. Every single line and phrase is, well, perfect at directing my thoughts to praise my Creator. I’ve been meditating on it lately and am just in awe at all that God has done and at how he cares for what He has created. He is sovereign. He is good. He is just. He is God.</span></span></div><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Which hymn(s) would you add to the “perfect hymn” hymnal?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">betkany</span></span></div></span>lilybetkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01060213482554657392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976388146457830325.post-34744397022436786462011-10-24T01:28:00.000-05:002011-10-24T01:28:46.672-05:00Don't Worry, Be Faithful!<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Today I visited Calvary Bible Church in Ft. Worth. I was really blessed, and </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I want to share with you some of my thoughts on Pastor Brent Osterberg’s message from Matthew 6:25-34.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b> “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, o you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying ‘what shall we eat?’ or ‘what shall we drink?’ or ‘what shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do no be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”</b><br />
His title was Drowning Your Worry in the Ocean of God’s Faithfulness, and his focus was on five truths we can use to drown our worries.<br />
The first thing that was made very clear was something I needed to hear: Worry Is SIN! even though we tolerate and excuse it much more easily and often than things like murder, adultery etc. We must look at worry how God sees it- as sin. Why would worry be considered something wrong? Isn’t it okay to be greatly concerned about situations and people and things in our lives? Well, I think yes and no. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">It’s fine for me to show concern, and to give attention to things, but when it becomes something I worry about( aka obsess over, fixate on, etc.), it means that I have begun to doubt that God is a faithful and caring God, that He can take care of it. It’s outright unbelieving God. ouch. </span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span> Some one-liners I have written in my notes are as follows:<br />
Worry is trying to take your life into your own hands.</span></span> </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Worry gives you spiritual tunnel vision- you miss out on the peripheral God’s giving.</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Worry keeps us from serving God well.</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Here are Pastor Brent’s collection of five truths to drown worry, from Matt 6:</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> Life is more than the things we worry about.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> it's about God. Worry gives you spiritual tunnel vision, and you miss the things God wants you to see, by being consumed with the one thing that worries you.</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">We don't have to worry, because our Heavenly Father values and cares for us.</span> More than the birds of the air (which he feeds) and the grass of the field (which he clothes). He knows each sparrow that falls to the ground, and how much more does he care for you and me?</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">3. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Worry doesn’t pay off</span>. “Can anyone by worrying add a single hour to his life?” I starred this one-- *Bethany, you’re not making progress toward a solution when you worry. Bethany, you’re NOT making progress toward a solution when you worry. BETHANY, ARE YOU LISTENING? YOU MAKE NO PROGRESS WHEN YOU WORRY.*</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">4. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">God will provide for those who seek Him</span>. For crying out loud, He’s already done the hard part, He already sent His one and only Son to die on the cross for our sin. Why wouldn’t he be able to take care of these menial every-day needs? Why do we trust him for eternal life, but not for our daily needs? Do I really think that I can do a better job taking care of my life than God could? If I do, there’s a major problem.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">5. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Tomorrow is in God’s hands</span>. “Tomorrow will take care of itself.” as in, God took care of today, and he’ll do the same tomorrow. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The question is: Do you trust him?</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">There’s so much more I learned, and so much more that I didn’t even have time to write down. It really spoke to me, because I’m such a natural worrier. Some people joke that if there’s nothing to worry about, I’ll make something to worry about. Or if I’m not worried about anything, I’m looking for the next thing to worry about. It’s a terrible habit of mine, and I’ve been working at it for years now. I feel like this sermon gave me some great ammunition against worry. And it came down to one all-encompassing thought for me: </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Bethany, If you’re going to be faithful to God, you </span></span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">must</span></span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">not</span></span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> worry. </span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I'm hoping this speaks to you in some way, and if it does I'd love to hear that I'm not the only one!</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In other news: </span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Here are two songs I've been thinking about today:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/2BtaCeJYqZA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/d8rY7dwwqYs?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Time for me to post this baby and catch a few zzz's...<br />
Have a blessed week, and don’t worry, be faithful!!<br />
Betkany</span></span></span></div>lilybetkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01060213482554657392noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976388146457830325.post-71047068217936289732011-10-10T17:57:00.000-05:002011-10-10T17:57:26.299-05:00From God, to Spurgeon, to Isaiah<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
Today’s an eclectic mish-mash of lots of things on my heart.</span> </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Think for a second about how many people you passed on your way to school/work today. Can you remember any faces? I was making note of the ones behind me at stoplights today as I was praying, and this blew me away: Just think- you’re in one city out of hundreds, if not thousands in your state/country alone. Multiply that by every other country, and it’s nearly mind-boggling. There are countless people with a life- a background, a present and a future filling up this earth. Now think about this- God is intimately acquainted with each and every person. Their genetic make-up, their personality, their dreams and desires, their struggles and failures. EVERYTHING. not only that, he intimately CARES about each and every person. That’s one great, big, amazing God. With Him there is no partiality (Rom 2). The only thing differing from person to person in relation to God’s intimate knowledge and attentiveness is how we respond to it. And so I asked myself today, “how am I responding to God’s care and concern for me? Do I ignore it, or do I appreciate it?” “How am I showing Him my gratitude for loving me, and not getting tired of it, but continuing to love me through the good and the bad...always being there?”<br />
I just had to tell Him like it is, “God, you never cease to amaze me!”</span></span><br />
<br />
From Morning & Evening by Spurgeon, for Oct 7th. I’ve been thinking about this, and rejoicing in it for the past several days.<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> “In whom do you now trust?”</span></b> Is 36:5<br />
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Reader, this is an important question. Listen to the Christian’s answer, and see if it is yours. “In whom do you now trust?” “I trust,” says the Christian, in a Triune God. I trust the Father, believing that He has chosen me from before the foundations of the world; I trust him to provide for me in providence, to teach me, to guide me, to correct me if need be and to bring me home to His own house where there are many rooms. I trust the Son. He is very God of very God-the man Christ Jesus. I trust in Him to take away al my sins by His own sacrifice and to clothe me with His perfect righteousness. I trust Him to be my Intercessor; to present my prayers and desires before His Father’s throne, and I trust Him to be my Advocate at the last great day, to plead my cause, and to justify me. I trust Him for what He is, for what He has done and for what He has promised still to do. and I trust the Holy Spirit- He has begun to save me from my inbred sins; I trust Him to drive them all out; I trust Him to curb my temper, to subdue my will, to enlighten my understanding, to check my passions, to comfort my despondency, to help my weakness, to illuminate my darkness. I trust Him to dwell in me as my life, to reign in me as my King, to sanctify me completely, spirit, soul, and body, and then to take me up to dwell with the saints in light forever.”<br />
What blessed trust- to trust Him whose power will never be exhausted, whose faithfulness will never fail, whose wisdom will never be overruled, and whose perfect goodness can never be impaired! <br />
You are happy, reader, if this trust is yours! So trusting, you will enjoy sweet peace now and glory later, and the foundation of your trust will never be removed.</span> </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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IN other news: an absolute favorite song of mine, especially when i don't know what to do and my new passage for memorization:</span> </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://2.gvt0.com/vi/5n_1B4VpXhI/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5n_1B4VpXhI&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5n_1B4VpXhI&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> Isaiah 55 (ESV)</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></b></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> "Come, everyone who thirsts,</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> come to the waters;</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>and he who has no money,</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> come, buy and eat!</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Come, buy wine and milk</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> without money and without price.</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> and your labor for that which does not satisfy?</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> and delight yourselves in rich food.</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Incline your ear, and come to me;</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> hear, that your soul may live;</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> my steadfast, sure love for David.</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples,</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> a leader and commander for the peoples.</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know,</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> and a nation that did not know you shall run to you,</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>because of the LORD your God, and of the Holy One of Israel,</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> for he has glorified you.</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> "Seek the LORD while he may be found;<br />
call upon him while he is near;<br />
let the wicked forsake his way,<br />
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;<br />
let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him,<br />
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.<br />
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,<br />
neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.<br />
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,<br />
so are my ways higher than your ways<br />
and my thoughts than your thoughts.</b></span></span> </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven<br />
and do not return there but water the earth,<br />
making it bring forth and sprout,<br />
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,<br />
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;<br />
it shall not return to me empty,<br />
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,<br />
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> "For you shall go out in joy<br />
and be led forth in peace;<br />
the mountains and the hills before you<br />
shall break forth into singing,<br />
and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.<br />
Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;<br />
instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;<br />
and it shall make a name for the LORD,<br />
an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."</b></span></span> </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Stumbling and getting back up,<br />
Betkany</span></span></div>lilybetkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01060213482554657392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976388146457830325.post-35171420673327790952011-09-27T17:29:00.002-05:002011-09-27T17:31:35.123-05:00Mornings, Evenings and Little Wonderfuls<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">it’s been a while since I last wrote, and I still don’t have time now, but I’m writing anyway!<br />
<br />
Here’s some of what’s been going on:</span></span></span> </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I recently started revamping my time with the Lord, because it was slowly moving down the line of priorities. I really wanted to spend time in the Word before I started my day because that helps give me a good starting perspective, but I also wanted to spend time at night, so my thoughts would be good and my dreams (hopefully) sweet as I drifted off to sleep. However, doing both sounded overwhelming because I had no structure to use, so often I'd end up skipping. (I’m a person who loves schedules, check-lists, etc.) *sigh*</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> When I ran into this book, I got so excited, it’s just what I’ve been needing!<br />
The Book: Morning and Evening</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Authors: originally Spurgeon’s thoughts on the KJV, now modernized by Alistair Begg using the ESV.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It’s one full page per day, and that’s it! half in the morning, half in the evening, like the title says. Spurgeon expounds on a verse, or a few verses in each section, and it always gives me something to chew on. Then I’ll supplement it with readings from the Psalms or one of Paul’s letters, and it’s suddenly so much easier for my whole day to stay on track, from start to finish!<br />
<br />
God knew I needed to find that book when I did, and I’m so glad He led me to it. It’s been a huge blessing.<br />
</span></span></span> </span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">And then, there have been those little wonderfuls I’m so fond of recording for you all.<br />
Like, one day I was craving a Sonic lemon slush, like you wouldn’t believe. The next day, I was craving it even more while I was at work. So much, in fact, that I was considering posting about it on FB and seeing if anyone nearby wanted to bring me one. Well, I dismissed that idea pretty quickly as I thought of all the possible complications to posting a drink request on FB. I kid you not- it wasn’t even ten minutes later, my coworker walked in and said that our director was stopping at Sonic on the way back from an appointment and wanted to know if I wanted anything. How COOL is that?! God was, hmmmmm, “romancing” me i guess I’ll say. He was doing those sweet little things that only someone who truly, deeply cares about me on every level would know about and do without my asking. <br />
Then, the very next day, He was sweet, but in a practical way. You see, my office is on one end of the education wing in HPBC, and the chapel (where I teach lessons) is on the other side. If I forget to bring something from my office, it’s not so fun to walk back and get it... and when there are already kids in the chapel, it’s impossible to leave at all. So that day, I only forgot one thing: my phone. It’s my clock while I teach. There’s no other clock that I can look at in the chapel. Well, at least there wasn’t before. So I realized my phone wasn’t there, and I couldn’t leave the chapel because there were kids... what was I going to do?! Well, I looked up to ask one of the teachers to give me a five minute warning and low and behold, BLARING from the back of the room was a new, giant, bright red digital clock! I couldn’t help but laugh at how sweet God was being to me!</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">He cares so much about me, and I love spending time with Him. I’ve been learning to surrender every wish, desire, hope and dream to Him trusting that He will only give me back what is His best for me. I only do this because I know that I know that I know He loves me. He continues to prove His deep and undying love for me every day, even though He really already did enough to prove His love when he sent Jesus to earth to pay the penalty for my sins. </span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Something I’ve been singing a lot to Allie lately is this:<br />
God is so good</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">God is so good</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">God is so good</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">He’s so good to me.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It’s true (:<br />
</span></span></span> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">God is good, even when I am not. God is faithful, even when I am unfaithful. God is love, even when I am unlovely. There are no words to say how thankful I am that God is unchanging and that I am His.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">just living,</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Bethany</span></span></span></span></div>lilybetkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01060213482554657392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976388146457830325.post-9827939855460797282011-08-24T04:37:00.000-05:002011-08-24T04:37:56.224-05:00Not Out Forever<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“what if i stumble, what if i fall, what if I lose my step and I make fools of us all. Will the love continue when my walk becomes a crawl? what if I stumble, what if I fall.” </span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">yeah. it’s an old DC Talk song, but I don’t think it’s only that - I think it’s a thought that lives inside of most believers. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I’m the kind of person who isn’t a perfectionist in the sense that everything around me has to be “just so” all the time, but I’m a perfectionist in the sense that when I fail, I don’t let myself off the hook easily. I constantly have to fight the desire to beat myself up inwardly when I make a mistake. I often fail at that, and chide myself for failing and worry about the next mistake I’m going to make. It’s a vicious cycle, really. But if God can forgive me (which He can and does), I need to be able to forgive myself, turn away from what I did and keep striving after His ways</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> My life’s desire is to glorify God, but I mess up so much it’s a wonder He can use me. As I’ve been reflecting on these past few months I’ve spent in SK, there are so many moments flashing in my memories, that I wish I could take back and do over again. Then there’s the attitudes I wish I could erase. And the words I wish I would have swallowed, not spoken. I think most people, if not all, who’ve observed the Summer I’ve had would say it’s been a great one, full of wonderful activities and such, (and I would, too) but I’m the only one who looks at my heart as well, and says, “oh, but there I was grumpy on the inside and smiling on the outside” or I just know I wasted an opportunity or time somewhere because I was feeling selfish and wanting to do my own thing, not God’s. <br />
You see, I see all these things, all these little fails and I often find myself wallowing in them, which sometimes inhibits my ability to see all the wonderful things that happened. There are so many things I wish I could take back, but can’t. And I’m learning it’s of no use to hold on to them either. I need a good dose of forgiveness, for myself.<br />
This song’s been playing in my head and heart the past couple of days, </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“We lose our way, <br />
We get back up again <br />
It's never too late to get back up again, <br />
One day you gonna shine again, <br />
You may be knocked down, <br />
But not out forever,</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">”<br />
<br />
So, I made mistakes. So, I may have had/have consequences from them. So, that’s no excuse to let them dictate the rest of my life.<br />
<br />
God’s been revealing my immaturities to me, one after the other lately. And I know it’s not to make me feel so useless or sin-ridden, but to reveal what He’s working on changing next. So my question of myself has been, “are you going to let Him work on these problems?” Letting God work on my weaknesses involves me letting go of my pride and surrendering. <br />
Surrender in the Christian life isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s an act of maturity. Surrender means admitting that I’m not capable of winning in a certain area. But the best thing about this kind of surrender, is that once I surrender myself, I’ll find freedom, not captivity! <br />
<br />
I know that He has the best plans for me, plans to prosper me and not to harm me. Plans to give me a hope and a future. Not that when I surrender, things will all of a sudden turn perfect for me... but I know I’ll be able to see things in a better, Christ-centered light. <br />
<br />
I took a long walk this morning and talked and talked and talked with God. I’m really bad at praying, I always get so distracted without having someone nodding back at me, acknowledging that they’re listening. But I think one way that God reminds me of His truths and promises is through song, and that’s why my posts are often full of songs. The songs that He brought to my mind on the walk today are the two I already used (What If I Stumble, and Get Back Up) and also, one of my all-time prayers, ‘Every Breath’ by Gateway Worship, which talks about surrender and living for God.<br />
<br />
So getting back to that first thought before I end-- What if I stumble? What if I fall? What happens then? Well, that’s clearly up to me. I can let myself suffer under my own condemnation, or I can surrender to God and let Him work His goodness through that mistake, shaping me more into the person He wants me to become. There are so many beautiful things God gives us to enjoy along the path of life, so staying in the rotten ruts of old-nature is just foolish. Someone slap me when I start to do that again, please!<br />
<br />
I’m posting the three songs here, but in case you don’t have time to listen to them all, here’s the lyrics from ‘Every Breath’<br />
</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Lord, you’re so amazing to me. How can I find the words </span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">To convey what your love means; I’d give all I have and more</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In the times I am weak, you come rescue me </span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Through the words that you speak over me </span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In the depths of my soul, Lord I want you to know</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">That this life that I live is for you</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Every breath, Lord, all that I am</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I want my life to bring you glory</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Every moment, with all that I have</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I want my life to bring you glory</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Forever, I surrender</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Forever, I surrender</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">EVERY BREATH- GATEWAY WORSHIP</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">WHAT IF I STUMBLE- DC TALK</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/kg6HedZ4xGs?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">GET BACK UP - TOBYMAC</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/MX5OqyBYKh4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When I lose my way, I’ll get back up again because this life that I live is for God.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">-Betkany</span></div>lilybetkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01060213482554657392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976388146457830325.post-78732083623156524062011-06-11T22:33:00.000-05:002011-06-11T22:33:04.812-05:00Oh, Oh, we need each other!<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">i’ve now officially crossed to the other side of the world, and the only time i have to write seems to be at 5am in the morning, when i’m wide awake because of TMJ and Jet Lag. </span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I realized something yesterday. You see, i’ve been reading Scripture my whole reading life, and I love Scripture, BUT there was always something weird going on with the book of Proverbs. It’s one of the only books of the Bible that I would literally have to force myself to read. And I would just read it in hopes that the words would stick, even though I wasn’t enjoying it.<br />
<br />
Well, my dear Rachel and I have been reading a chapter from the New Testament and a chapter from Proverbs every morning, and yesterday, it occurred to me that I really looked forward to what wisdom we might find in Proverbs that day. And as I read through the chapter, my mind was constantly “check-marking” good ideas for me to apply. </span></span></span> </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Basically, some time in the past few months, I’ve fallen in love with the book of Proverbs. Finally, after twenty-billion years of reading scripture. (yay! it’s about time :P)<br />
<br />
I think it has a lot to do with a book called “Girls Gone Wise in a world gone wild” by Mary Kassian. The way that Mary presented the wisdom found in so many proverbs made me crave for more wisdom, more insight, more knowledge of how to please God. More wisdom on how to bless others, live right, and live well.<br />
<br />
There are just some things in my Christian walk that I don’t quite understand why they are so hard for me to do, but then overnight, they’ll become my favorite thing! Along with prayer for a changed heart, it takes the right kind of encouragement, at just the right time for this to happen. Like how Mary Kassian was there in my life at just the right time, I so want to be in other’s lives at just the right time.<br />
<br />
It’s such a good reminder to get into other people’s business (in a sweet and loving way, of course) because you just might be that one person at that one time that makes the difference their life was needing. And when you are, the glory goes to God, because you have followed His leading, and changed a life for His Kingdom’s sake. </span></span></span> </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">That’s what I want to be- a person who steps in and out of lives, according to God’s Will. Having the right things to say and knowing the best ways to encourage. I know i can never be perfect at it, but I am getting better at it, every year. And I learn by experience, from those around me who feed Godliness into my life, by those who take the time to care about me, my problems, my weaknesses, my joys. </span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">One of the best teachers is experience, so let’s go around making each other’s experiences worthwhile, especially in the body of Christ. </span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Cause as the lead singer from Sanctus Real says (I’m blanking on his name this early in the morning) “Oh, Oh, we need each other!"<br />
<br />
Thank you, every believer who has made a difference in my life, who has put time into teaching me, correcting me, encouraging me. I’d be nowhere good, if you hadn’t! </span></span></span> </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Keep up the good work... or join in, if you haven’t already!</span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Betkany</span></span></span></span></div>lilybetkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01060213482554657392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976388146457830325.post-32805857473852620272011-05-31T08:53:00.001-05:002011-05-31T08:53:30.325-05:00"If.. then hear."<div style="font: 16.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"> </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">I haven't read through the whole Old Testament in quite a few years, and when I picked which book to start with, I was drawn to 2 Chronicles, because I was searching for wisdom... So, why not look for it in Solomon's story? Well, in this chapter (2Chron6)so many things jumped out at me, stood out, did flips, whatever, that I just decided to post it all, in case you would get something out of it too. Usually I highlight the parts that stuck out to me, but this time, I left it all the same, so that you can have an unbiased reading of it (other than the version, of course, which is ESV, same as my Bible was this morning)</span></span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Anyway, it's amazing what God chooses to do when we turn to Him, stretch out our hands and ask...</span></span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Then Solomon said, "The LORD has said that he would dwell in thick darkness. But I have built you an exalted house, a place for you to dwell in forever." Then the king turned around and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel stood. And he said, "Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who with his hand has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to David my father, saying, 'Since the day that I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, that my name might be there, and I chose no man as prince over my people Israel; but I have chosen Jerusalem that my name may be there, and I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.' Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. But the LORD said to David my father, 'Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart. Nevertheless, it is not you who shall build the house, but your son who shall be born to you shall build the house for my name.' Now the LORD has fulfilled his promise that he made. For I have risen in the place of David my father and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and I have built the house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. And there I have set the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD that he made with the people of Israel."</b></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 16.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the court, and he stood on it. Then he knelt on his knees in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven, and said, "O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven or on earth, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart, who have kept with your servant David my father what you declared to him. You spoke with your mouth, and with your hand have fulfilled it this day. Now therefore, O LORD, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father what you have promised him, saying, 'You shall not lack a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk in my law as you have walked before me.' Now therefore, O LORD, God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you have spoken to your servant David.</b></span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> "But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built! Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O LORD my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you, that your eyes may be open day and night toward this house, the place where you have promised to set your name, that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. And listen to the pleas of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen from heaven your dwelling place,</b></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana;"><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> </b></span></sup></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>and when you hear, forgive.</b></span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> "If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath and comes and swears his oath before your altar in this house, then hear from heaven and act and judge your servants, repaying the guilty by bringing his conduct on his own head, and vindicating the righteous by rewarding him according to his righteousness.</b></span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> "If your people Israel are defeated before the enemy because they have sinned against you, and they turn again and acknowledge your name and pray and plead with you in this house, then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them again to the land that you gave to them and to their fathers.</b></span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> "When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin, when you afflict them, then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk, and grant rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.</b></span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> "If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence or blight or mildew or locust or caterpillar, if their enemies besiege them in the land at their gates, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing his own affliction and his own sorrow and stretching out his hands toward this house, then hear from heaven your dwelling place and forgive and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways, for you, you only, know the hearts of the children of mankind, that they may fear you and walk in your ways all the days that they live in the land that you gave to our fathers.</b></span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> "Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country for the sake of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm, when he comes and prays toward this house, hear from heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house that I have built is called by your name.</b></span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> "If your people go out to battle against their enemies, by whatever way you shall send them, and they pray to you toward this city that you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name, then hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause.</b></span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> "If they sin against you— for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive to a land far or near, yet if they turn their heart in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity, saying, 'We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,' if they repent with all their mind and with all their heart in the land of their captivity to which they were carried captive, and pray toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city that you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name, then hear from heaven your dwelling place their prayer and their pleas, and maintain their cause and forgive your people who have sinned against you. Now, O my God, let your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayer of this place.</b></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal 'Lucida Grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b><br />
</b></span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> "And now arise, O LORD God, and go to your resting place,</b></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal 'Lucida Grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b><br />
</b></span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> you and the ark of your might.</b></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal 'Lucida Grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b><br />
</b></span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Let your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation,</b></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal 'Lucida Grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b><br />
</b></span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> and let your saints rejoice in your goodness.</b></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal 'Lucida Grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b><br />
</b></span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>O LORD God, do not turn away the face of your anointed one!</b></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal 'Lucida Grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b><br />
</b></span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> Remember your steadfast love for David your servant."</b></span></div>lilybetkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01060213482554657392noreply@blogger.com0