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| No coward soul is mine, No trembler in the world's storm-troubled sphere: I see Heaven's glories shine, And Faith shines equal, arming me from Fear. O God within my breast, Almighty, ever-present Deity ! Life, that in me has rest, As I, undying Life, have power in Thee ! Vain are the thousand creeds That move men's hearts : unutterably vain ; Worthless as withered weeds, Or idlest froth amid the boundless main, To waken doubt in one Holding so fast by Thy infinity, So surely anchored on The steadfast rock of Immortality. With wide-embracing love Thy Spirit animates eternal years, Pervades and broods above, Changes, sustains, dissolves, creates, and rears. Though earth and moon were gone, And suns and universes ceased to be, And Thou wert left alone, Every existence would exist in Thee. There is not room for Death, Nor atom that his might could render void : Thou -- THOU art Being and Breath, And what THOU art may never be destroyed. Emily Jane Bronte 1818 - 1848 |
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| 2 Cor 12:6-10, I have plenty to boast about and would be no fool in doing it, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it. I don’t want anyone to think more highly of me than what they can actually see in my life and my message, |
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| Psalms 71:7 I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge. |
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| 2 Samuel 22:18 - He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me. |
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| THE CHRISTIANS WERE TO RECEIVE POWER John 1:11-13, He came unto his own, and his own received him not. {12} But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: {13} Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Acts 1:8, But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865) Let's look at what the main ingredient of that power is. First, where did Jesus get the power to do what He did? John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. It was love that motivated God to make the sacrifice. John 15:13, Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. His love for us was the thing that gave Jesus the strength to endure the suffering of the cross. HOLY SPIRIT INCREASES OUR LOVE Before they received the Holy Spirit, the disciples were weak and living in fear. That fear prevented them from doing much. But as the Holy Spirit perfects the love in us it casts out our fears. DO YOU LIVE IN FEAR? FEAR OF FALURE The only real failure comes from never trying. One of the things that impresses me is that when Abraham Lincoln went off to the Black Hawk War he was a captain and, through no fault of his own, when he returned he was a private. That brought an end to his military career. Then his little shop in a country village "winked out" as he used to say, marking his failure as a businessman. As a lawyer in Springfield, Illinois, he was too impractical, too unpolished, too temperamental to be a success. Turning to politics he was defeated in his campaign for the legislature, defeated in his first attempt to be nominated for Congress, defeated in his application to be Commissioner of the General Land Office, defeated in the Senatorial election of 1854, defeated in his aspirations for the Vice Presidency in 1856, defeated again in the Senatorial election of 1858. Then 1861, over 100 years ago, found him in the White House as President of the United States. How did Lincoln interpret this strange succession of failures and frustrations which finally culminated in terrific personal victory? He said, "That the Almighty directly intervenes in human affairs is one of the plainest statements in the Bible. I have had so many evidences of His direction, so many instances when I have been controlled by some other power than my own will that I have no doubt that what this power comes from above." God knows what is good for us better than we ourselves. Let us not make the mistake of judging God's overall plan for our lives by that portion which happened to be revealed today. God has all eternity in which to bring His plans to fulfillment for our lives. Think not in terms of today, but in terms of eternity. After all, that's where we'll spend most of our life. FEAR OF WEAKNESS 2 Cor 12:6-10, I have plenty to boast about and would be no fool in doing it, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it. I don’t want anyone to think more highly of me than what they can actually see in my life and my message, {7} even though I have received wonderful revelations from God. But to keep me from getting puffed up, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from getting proud. {8} Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. {9} Each time he said, "My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me. {10} Since I know it is all for Christ’s good, I am quite content with my weaknesses and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. FEAR OF SUFFERING Many times each of us feels we have reached our limit of suffering and pain. 1 Pet 4:12-19, Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. {13} Instead, be very glad—because these trials will make you partners with Christ in his suffering, and afterward you will have the wonderful joy of sharing his glory when it is displayed to all the world. {14} Be happy if you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God will come upon you. {15} If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. {16} But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his wonderful name! {17} For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin first among God’s own children. And if even we Christians must be judged, what terrible fate awaits those who have never believed God’s Good News? {18} And "If the righteous are barely saved, what chance will the godless and sinners have?" {19} So if you are suffering according to God’s will, keep on doing what is right, and trust yourself to the God who made you, for he will never fail you. LOVE REMOVES FEAR 1 John 4:18-21, Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that his love has not been perfected in us. {19} We love each other as a result of his loving us first. {20} If someone says, " I love God," but hates another Christian, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we have not seen? {21} And God himself has commanded that we must love not only him but our Christian brothers and sisters, too. People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. You cannot really be working to help people if you don't love them. The most important thing about a soldier is not how good a soldier he is - but whose side he is on. LOVE IS SO POWERFUL IT NEVER FAILS 1 Cor 13:4-8, Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud {5} or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. {6} It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. {7} Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. {8} Love will last forever,… All of the above characteristics are required for real power to do the work God has for us to do. That work is to lead people to Christ - to be saved. It means to be a witness, as was written in Acts. You cannot lead people without patience and kindness. Without that you will quit before the job is complete or drive they away with your rudeness. How can your witness be genuine if you are filled with jealousy and pride? If you are irritable, you care too much about yourself. If you keep a record of wrongs, you do not really want the person to be saved, you are just looking for some reason to reject them. Where is your power? You would have to define something that never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance is real power. LET GOD WORK IN US TO BRING REAL LOVE & POWER 2 Pet 1:3-9, As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive his own glory and goodness! {4} And by that same mighty power, he has given us all of his rich and wonderful promises. He has promised that you will escape the decadence all around you caused by evil desires and that you will share in his divine nature. {5} So make every effort to apply the benefits of these promises to your life. Then your faith will produce a life of moral excellence. A life of moral excellence leads to knowing God better. {6} Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness. {7} Godliness leads to love for other Christians, and finally you will grow to have genuine love for everyone. {8} The more you grow like this, the more you will become productive and useful in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. {9} But those who fail to develop these virtues are blind or, at least, very shortsighted. They have already forgotten that God has cleansed them from their old life of sin. NOTHNG CAN OVERCOME GOD'S LOVE Rom 8:35-39, Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death? {36} (Even the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.") {37} No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. {38} And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. {39} Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. |
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| The God I know is a loving One For us He sent His only Son Proof of this I do not need I have Faith...and I Believe Yet at times I don't understand The many things God may have planned Or why things happen that shouldn't be And indeed, God seems a mystery Are there things I'm not supposed to know Must your faith shake before it can grow But in all times when doubt entails It is God's love that never fails So I may wobble, and even fall With God's support I'll soon stand tall No matter my cup be too empty, or full With God...All Things Are Possible from God's Garden click here |
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| ALL MY STRENGTH COMES FROM THE LORD Proverbs 31:17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. Proverbs 31:25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. |