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Jephthah’s mistake

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“ Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jephthah...... And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord : ‘If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord ’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.’ Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the Lord gave them into his hands...... When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of tambourines! She was an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor daughter. When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, ‘Oh no, my daughter! You have brought me down and I am devastated. I have made a vow to the Lord that I cannot break.’ “ Judges 11:30‭-‬35 NIVUK "The path to hell is pathed with good intentions" If you are a follower of Jesus you are filled and sealed with His Spirit. Just because we are filled with the Spirit of God doesn't mean we will al...
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Don't be Ravi

A friend sent me a link from the  Ravi Zacharias International Ministries today. If you have yet to read this I will link below, it is harrowing reading.  To think of someone who had such influence in the Church doing such unspeakable things.  It brings a number of things to mind. This friend and I constantly remind each other.  We're not above doing such things.  Yes, it is a horrible to even contemplate doing such horrendous things but am I really better than Ravi Zacharias.  No doubt it wasn't a one time thing but a life of secret sin that led to one violation after another. As the classic Casting Crowns songs says "people never crumble in a day, it's a slow fade". We learn to commit horrible acts by committing smaller ones in secret.  Watch porn on our phone Get around the blocks you promised to follow Sending someone a message we know we shouldn't  Lie when confessing the sin. Tell a half truth.  Getting into the car Closing th...
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Feeling small

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Do you ever feel too small to do what others do, or maybe too weak to lift their loads? Do you feel a failure where others have success, Do you seem to walk down all of the wrong roads? Do you always miss the mark, where others have great aim, Do you come last or fall down in the race? Do you forget the words, or stumble as you speak, where others win do find disgrace? Well friend there is great hope, you're not the only one, in fact all of us can feel this way, But more than that, there's one who's felt all that you feel, has shed your tears and felt all your dismay. He has walked the path you tread, he has felt all of the hurt, of all of us he came the very last. But because of this he won, and has lifted you and me, He has put our shame and sorrow in the past. If you're ever feeling small, if you're ever feeling low, Turn to him and leave him all of the pain. Because in him you are strong, if you're last he makes you first, Run to him and never be the same.
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Bold for a friend

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“ And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭2:1-5‬ No I don’t think that it was the actions of just the friends that brought Jesus to forgive this man’s sins. It seems more to be the faith of the five of them together.  But imagine.  Imagine that I would be so bold for the people in my life.  That I would tear down  ceilings for them.  That I would cry out on my knees in prayer for them.  That I would tell them that I love th...
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Cut off your hand

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"And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell." Matthew 5:30 Let’s start off by saying Jesus is obviously not saying you should go and whack off your hand if you use it for sin. He’s saying “get rid of anything that can lead you to sin”. "Hands" are good things, useful things, things that are supposed to make our lives better.  Sometimes we need to get rid of them if we want to beat sin and grow closer to God. Let’s think about your hand though.  If you had to cut it off what kind of excuses would you make not to. I need it for work People will think I'm weird with one hand People might ask why I only have one hand I use my hand too much to get rid of it I won't be able to do X without it I can't interact with people like I used to (wave, handshake, fist bump). That would hurt! Does any of that sound familiar? You...
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