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Showing posts from September, 2016

Responding to the call

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22  Immediately He directed the disciples to get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side [of the Sea of Galilee], while He sent the crowds away.  23  After He had dismissed the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When it was evening, He was there alone. 24  But the boat [by this time] was already a long distance from land, tossed  and  battered by the waves; for the wind was against them.  25  And in the fourth watch of the night (3:00-6:00 a.m.) Jesus came to them, walking on the sea.  26  When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. 27  But immediately He spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I! Do not be afraid!”  28  Peter replied to Him, “Lord, if it is [really] You, command me to come to You on the water.”  29  He said, “Come!” So Peter got out of the boat, and walked o...

Where does my help come from?

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I had a dream several nights ago where a sister in Christ and myself were walking down a road together. In the dream we are very tired because we had been walking for a long time and had been through many obstacles. As we’re talking about what we had been through, a little fox scurries up out of the woods on the side of the road. He doesn’t approach us, rather he just sits there and watches us. In the dream it really disturbs me, because he’s watching us like we are his prey. At first I try to shoo him away, but he doesn’t respond. Next I try to intimidate him, so I jump at him and yell out. He doesn’t even flinch. Unable to get him to leave, I walk off, keeping my watch for him in the corner of my eye. At some point, I get very tired and sit down. And that’s when the little fox makes his move. He comes running at me full force! Lacking the physical strength to fight him off I begin to sing “Nothing But The Blood.” “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the bloo...

Vessels Of Honor

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“ 7 But we have this precious treasure [the good news about salvation] in [unworthy] earthen vessels [of human frailty], so that the grandeur and surpassing greatness of the power will be [shown to be] from God [His sufficiency] and not from ourselves.” (2 Corinthians 4:7) You know, no matter how beautiful a vase is, it is useless and of no value without its cargo. What I mean is that it is what the vessel carries that gives the vessel purpose and value. What the vessel carries gives it its importance! Why else would you need the vessel if you were not going to use it? When you pour someone something to drink, don’t you pour it from a larger vessel into a smaller vessel? I mean, the drink doesn’t float across the air and pour itself into a cup? At least I hope not because that would be really weird! And on that thought, didn’t you get the bigger container (vessel) with the intention to transfer that drink from place to place? You didn’t get it to just admire it on a s...

What is under your leaves?

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“ 18  Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry.  19  And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away. 20  And when the disciples saw  it,  they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither away so soon?”” (Matthew 21:18-20) Just to provoke thought: “Why do fruit trees bear fruit?” It seems a ridiculous question to ask, seeing as the answer is in the question. Fruit trees bear fruit because they are fruit trees. On a deeper note, they bear fruit to spread their seed (lineage so to speak). Their fruit is not only beneficial to the plant, but it is also beneficial to the creatures and beings that depend on it for sustenance. Fruit trees are found on every continent (with the exception Antarctica) and are an integral part of the world’s food chain. So it’s not hard to imagine that the ...