DON'T WATCH THESE IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE MOVIE!!!!!
No fear....
300 1st fight
"Immortals"
Barbarians and "a beautiful death"
Training and Commitment to war made the Spartans worthy of this depiction.
What would commitment of this magnitude to the LORD result in? How would I look if I received more of God's love... If I went to another level of receiving His love?
I John 4:7-11
"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."
I must receive His love before I can even THINK about loving myself. I must love myself as Jesus does, because I am commanded to think of myself with sober judgement... I must think of myself in accordance with how God thinks of me. (Romans 12:1-3) I must love myself before I can even THINK about loving others, "as I love myself." (Luke 10:27 & John 13:34). THEN my faith can express itself through love (Galatians 5:6) and my love will look like I Corinthians 13:4-8a:
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Don't Despise the PROCESS
There is a lot to be said for the heart of a believer desperately desiring to be clean. However, "if you want the peanut butter jar to be empty, you've gotta make a lot of sandwiches!!!" We have ALREADY been delivered from all of our sins; our addictions; our unrighteousness; our pain. We do not always WALK in a manner that supports that statement, but that does not make it untrue.
Think about this, and research the truthfulness of this statement. Virtually ALL of the commands and exhortations and instructions in the New Testament of the Bible concern "getting your mind right," as I like to say. That is a process. We, as Christians, cannot handle going from being dirty, sinful creatures to being able to walk completely free in an instant. Mentally, we would freeze up and not know what to do. Exodus 23:20-33 displays this PRINCIPLE in natural terms, but ESPECIALLY verses 29-30:
"But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land."
Do not despise the process of God cleaning you out! No, you do not walk free from all of your foolish habits. That does not mean that you are not free. It means that you have not learned to walk free from it. The GOAL of your faith is the salvation of your soul (your MIND, your Will and your EMOTIONS). The only part of your soul that you can really control is your will. God will change the rest AS YOU DECIDE to follow Him and be obedient. (Philippians 2: 12-13). That process involves PAINFUL discipline, in the form of hardships. However, the result of that discipline is the holiness, righteousness and peace that you long for. (Hebrews 12:7-13). Do not despise the process!
If your soul was a peanut butter jar, then all of your
"foolishness" that is associated with your mind, will and emotions would be the peanut butter. For your soul to be completely clean, the knife has to be thrust in, twisted and scraped across SEVERAL times...
IF YOU WANT THE PEANUT BUTTER JAR TO BE EMPTY, YOU HAVE TO MAKE A LOT OF SANDWICHES!!!!!!!!!!!
:)
I love you!!!!
Think about this, and research the truthfulness of this statement. Virtually ALL of the commands and exhortations and instructions in the New Testament of the Bible concern "getting your mind right," as I like to say. That is a process. We, as Christians, cannot handle going from being dirty, sinful creatures to being able to walk completely free in an instant. Mentally, we would freeze up and not know what to do. Exodus 23:20-33 displays this PRINCIPLE in natural terms, but ESPECIALLY verses 29-30:
"But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land."
Do not despise the process of God cleaning you out! No, you do not walk free from all of your foolish habits. That does not mean that you are not free. It means that you have not learned to walk free from it. The GOAL of your faith is the salvation of your soul (your MIND, your Will and your EMOTIONS). The only part of your soul that you can really control is your will. God will change the rest AS YOU DECIDE to follow Him and be obedient. (Philippians 2: 12-13). That process involves PAINFUL discipline, in the form of hardships. However, the result of that discipline is the holiness, righteousness and peace that you long for. (Hebrews 12:7-13). Do not despise the process!
If your soul was a peanut butter jar, then all of your
"foolishness" that is associated with your mind, will and emotions would be the peanut butter. For your soul to be completely clean, the knife has to be thrust in, twisted and scraped across SEVERAL times...
IF YOU WANT THE PEANUT BUTTER JAR TO BE EMPTY, YOU HAVE TO MAKE A LOT OF SANDWICHES!!!!!!!!!!!
:)
I love you!!!!
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