Words to Grow By

Satan Moves

Satan moves in darkness and his deeds are done in darkness.  But the light will expose his works and when it does, have no fellowship with them but reprove them instead.  Ephesians 5:11

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Road Signs

I need His commandments to guide me through this world.  They are like road signs directing me in the right direction, warning me of danger, teaching me how to be cautious, letting me know when to slow down, advance or stop.  When I follow them, they will always bring me safely to my intended destination. 

 

 “I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.”

Psalm 119:19

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 Walking In This World- Seeing Or Hearing?

In this word it’s all about what you “see”.  We act according to what we see, we make decisions based on what we see, we call it according to what we see, we believe everything we see- “seeing is believing”. (What you see is the way it is.)

In the kingdom of God it’s all about what you “hear”.  What you hear from God is the way it is.  Therefore, we should act according to what we hear, we should make our decisions based on what we hear, we should call it according to what we hear, we should believe what we hear- “hearing is believing”. 

“(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)” 2 Corinthians 5:7

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17

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Broken Things

When something is broken, we usually see it as valueless and discard it.  Not so with God, broken things are what He is looking for- those are the things that He can use and get the most glory from.

 

The alabaster box was broken and it’s fragrance filled the room.  Your life is like an alabaster box.  It is filled with the fragrance of Christ.  Until you are broken, Christ fragrance cannot fill the room.

 

The stone in the wilderness was broken and water gushed from it to satisfy the thirst of a whole nation.  Your life is like a stone that is full of water (the Living Water) and when you are broken those waters gush out to satisfy the thirsty soul.-  “He who drinks of this water will never thirst again.” (John 4:14)

 

Gideon’s clay pots were broken and revealed a light that was in them.  You are a clay vessel that holds the Light of the world.  When you are broken that light is seen by those who are in darkness. 

 

Bread was broken at the Last Supper.  You are like bread that God desires to use to feed those who are hungry for more than this life has to offer.  When you are broken and passed around to the hungry, they can “taste and see” that the Lord is good.

 

Jesus was broken and salvation was available to all men.  We too are to follow His example and submit our wills to be broken so that the Father may be glorified.  As we are broken, then we can truly say, “It is not I that liveth, but Christ that liveth in me”.  And He is seen and glorified by all.

 

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Garment of Praise 

We all go through times of “heaviness” – dark times in our lives.  When we do we don’t have to stay in the dark, there is a way back into the “light”.  “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.” (Isaiah 61:3)

You have to make the choice to offer up a sacrifice of praise in-spite of the heaviness.  When you begin to praise the Lord, the heaviness will begin to lift.  Praise will bring you through it.  You can’t “wear” the spirit of heaviness and the garment of praise at the same time.

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Going Through

No matter what you may face or go through, God will give you the peace that passes understanding and His strength will be made perfect in your weakness.

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 Crucified With Christ

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)  If I am crucified with Christ (spiritually speaking), then I am nailed (attached) to the cross.  If I am attached to the cross, I can’t be attached to anything else.

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Guide Me

“I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.” (Psalm 119:19)  I need His commandments to guide me through this world.  They are like road signs in an unfamiliar city.

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A Prayer For the Tongue

I pray forgiveness for my tongue.  Help me, Lord, to never use it as a weapon against my brother.  Remind me to wear my bridle so I can keep it under control.  Teach me to bite it, so that I may feel the pain that it could cause others.  Show me where to purchase a lock for my mouth, so that my tongue will not escape.  Help me to think of it as a valuable object so that I will keep it to myself.  I pray that my mind will be in gear before my tongue goes into motion.  Take away the gift of gab.  Thank You for my little tongue.  Help me to never let it get big.  Let it always be used for good and it tell the world of Your love.  Amen.

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To Give Up

The question is not, “What am I willing to give up for the Lord?”  But rather, “What do You, Lord, want me to give up?”.

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Starfish

As the old man walked down a Spanish beach at dawn, he saw ahead of him what he thought to be a dancer.  The young man was running across the sand, rhythmically bending down to pick up a stranded starfish and throw it far into the sea.

The old man gazed in wonder as the young soul again and again threw the small starfish from the sand into the water.  The old man approached him and asked why he spent so much energy doing what seemed a waste of time.  The young man explained that the stranded starfish would die if left until the morning sun.

“But there are thousands of miles of beach, and miles and miles of starfish.  How can your effort make any difference?”

The young man looked down at the small starfish in his hand, and as he threw it to safety in the sea, said, “It makes a difference to this one!”

Author Unknown

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The same power that brought you out of Egypt (bondage of sin), is the same power that will bring you into the promise land (newness of life, freedom, victory)  “And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers.” (Deut. 6:23)

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