Amazing Grace

We Are Not Fraidy Cats

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Proverbs 1:32-33 (NIV)
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For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,

and the complacency of fools will destroy them;

but whoever listens to me will live in safety

and be at ease, without fear of harm."

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2 Timothy 1:7(NKJV)
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For God has not given us a spirit of fear,

but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

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Hebrews 10:38-39 (NIV)
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My righteous one will live by faith.

And if he shrinks back,

I will not be pleased with him.

But we are not of those who shrink back
and are destroyed,

but of those who believe
and are saved

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Hebrews 13:5-7 (NIV)

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God has said,

"Never will I leave you;

never will I forsake you."
So we say with confidence,

"The Lord is my helper;
I will not be afraid.

What can man do to me?"
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Devolution

• degeneration: the process of declining from a higher to a lower level of effective power or vitality or essential quality

• A rolling down; A descent, especially one that passes through a series of revolutions, or by succession

• Degeneration (as opposed to evolution) 

• devolve - grow worse
  

Whom The Lord Loves

Isaiah 10:1-3 (New International Version)


1 Woe to those who make unjust laws,
to those who issue oppressive decrees,
2 to deprive the poor of their rights
and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people,
making widows their prey
and robbing the fatherless.
3 What will you do on the day of reckoning,
when disaster comes from afar?
To whom will you run for help?
Where will you leave your riches?

Pulling Weeds

Pain

Perfect People

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Drinking From The River Of God

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The Prophets Cry

Jeremiah's Cry:

O LORD, you deceived me, and I was deceived ;
you overpowered me and prevailed. I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me.

[click verse for full complaint]

Elijah's Cry:

I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too. [click verse for full complaint]

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Window On A Prophet's World

Common Ground Between Darwin's Sacred Cause and Naziism

Superiority is not the opposite of inferiority.

Superiority is the opposite of humility.

Superior ! How?

Tempted To Feel Superior

Heal The Sick - Jesus Words

Luke 10:9
Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.'
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Matthew 10:8
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
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AND THIS EXCLUDES THE VERSES COMMANDING US TO LOVE AS CHRIST LOVED US, TO FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE, TO DO THE THINGS THAT HE HAD BEEN DOING. ANY WAY YOU CUT IT - IT IS EITHER AS GOD HOW TO OBEY OR CHOSE TO IGNORE AND DISOBEY.

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For us! For the Church!

The Great Debate represents a Great Opportunity!

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James 1:26 NIV

James 1:26 NIV

If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.

And Can It Be

And Can It Be that I Should Gain

Text: Charles Wesley, 1707-1788

Music: Thomas Campbell

Tune: SAGINA, Meter: 88.88.88 with Repeat

1. And can it be that I should gain
an interest in the Savior's blood!
Died he for me? who caused his pain!
For me? who him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be
that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be
that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

2. 'Tis mystery all: th' Immortal dies!
Who can explore his strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
to sound the depths of love divine.
'Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
let angel minds inquire no more.
'Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
let angel minds inquire no more.

3. He left his Father's throne above
(so free, so infinite his grace!),
emptied himself of all but love,
and bled for Adam's helpless race.
'Tis mercy all, immense and free,
for O my God, it found out me!
'Tis mercy all, immense and free,
for O my God, it found out me!

4. Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
fast bound in sin and nature's night;
thine eye diffused a quickening ray;
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
my chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed thee.

5. No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in him, is mine;
alive in him, my living Head,
and clothed in righteousness divine,
bold I approach th' eternal throne,
and claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th' eternal throne,
and claim the crown, through Christ my own.

He Was There All The Time

He Was There All The Time
By Gary Paxton

Time after time I was searching for peace in some void
I was trying to blame all my ills on this world I was in
Surface relationships used me till I was done in
But all the while someone was begging to free me from sin

He was there all the time
He was there all the time
Waiting patiently in line
He was there all the time

Never again will I search for a fake rainbows end
Now that I've found the answer my life is just starting to rhyme
Sharing each new day with Him is a breath of fresh life
Oh what I've missed He's been waiting right here all the time

He was there all the time
He was there all the time
Waiting patiently in line
He was there all the time

Watson's Glen

A Word To Those Who Feel They Have Their Act Together

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Luke 16:1-14

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If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!

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You are masters at making yourselves look good in front of others, but God knows what's behind the appearance.

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"No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.

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"You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts."

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"What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight."

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"What is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God."

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No servant can serve two masters. He will be loyal to the one and despise the other."

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"You are always making yourselves look good, but God sees what is in your heart. The things that most people think are important are worthless as far as God is concerned."

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"You cannot serve God and money. You will like one more than the other or be more loyal to one than to the other."

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Not Complacently Getting By On Good Behavior

For the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.

Luke 16:8

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The master praised his dishonest manager for looking out for himself so well. That's how it is! The people of this world look out for themselves better than the people who belong to the light.

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The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.

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Now here's a surprise: The master praised the crooked manager! And why? Because he knew how to look after himself. Streetwise people are smarter in this regard than law-abiding citizens. They are on constant alert, looking for angles, surviving by their wits. I want you to be smart in the same way—but for what is right—using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival, to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so you'll live, really live, and not complacently just get by on good behavior.

click here to see the various versions

Yes, here's a surprise:

He's talking to YOU church!

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Words For The Waste Land

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Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

James 1:2-4 NIV

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But my righteous one will live by faith.

And if he shrinks back,

I will not be pleased with him.

Hebrews 10:38

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God and The Wall of Fear

click each word below

to see how God relates to the

Wall of Fear

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Kept Safe

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Chosen

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Questions

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Understanding

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Possible

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Luke 18:27 NIV

"What is impossible with men is possible with God."

Psalm 119:73a NIV

Your hands made me and formed me;
give me understanding

Job 42:2-5 NIV

"I know that you can do all things;
no plan of yours can be thwarted.

You asked,

'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?'
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.

"You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.'

My ears had heard of you
but now my eyes have seen you.

1 Corinthians 1:27 - 30a NIV

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus.

Proverbs 29:25 NIV

Fear of man will prove to be a snare,

but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.