tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21689283372572179242024-03-14T02:20:38.471-04:00Stuff that moves me...These are things that matter to me. Events, people places and things that shape who I am and where I am going in ministry, and life in general.jeremiahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882066445679950639noreply@blogger.comBlogger127125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168928337257217924.post-71110121986818995982022-11-10T13:33:00.006-05:002022-11-10T13:40:17.039-05:00You're Right!<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic; white-space: pre-wrap;">A disarming approach to conversations in a conflict-crazed world</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">We all know the power of words in human relationships. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Take the words “I’m sorry.” for example. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">These words, when expressed whole-heartedly, can bring people together like no other. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">There is, however, another (not so popular) phrase that has even more power to bring people together. It is the phrase, “You’re right.” These words have tremendous ability to bridge even the most furious gaps between human ideologies and opinions. Say it out loud again…</span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUskKtj61Z2bQp2L31TdNFJFDZ9dq7Uass0If8ap3Xs8-uwhs-1a0B89igqUmrzumJ0qA_p-yr6PUHVpRBv5WlCdHX2SXX1g2Tkt_X3DeMEJewyLipmr1E7fNDJUHSCzpqwO4OvF_f_1lVmLxeo7iDKnqxtKsbvqv4bdhyjenZZ9d_xUO6_bK8oBcX/s5184/jason-rosewell-ASKeuOZqhYU-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUskKtj61Z2bQp2L31TdNFJFDZ9dq7Uass0If8ap3Xs8-uwhs-1a0B89igqUmrzumJ0qA_p-yr6PUHVpRBv5WlCdHX2SXX1g2Tkt_X3DeMEJewyLipmr1E7fNDJUHSCzpqwO4OvF_f_1lVmLxeo7iDKnqxtKsbvqv4bdhyjenZZ9d_xUO6_bK8oBcX/w400-h266/jason-rosewell-ASKeuOZqhYU-unsplash.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You’re right.”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When was the last time you said these words to someone? Anyone?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For most of us, it is a distant memory to recall the last time we uttered this phrase. Some of us will have a hard time recalling ANY time that we have said those words humbly and whole-heartedly to another human being. Oh, you may have said it to someone in an attempt to shut down a conversation, but that doesn’t count. You may have said it to someone with whom you agree...that doesn’t really count either, does it? Agreeing with the talking head on TV or your social media “doppelganger” is just a manifestation of our own attraction to anything that agrees with our own confirmation bias, right?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I mean when was the last time you said it calmly and humbly to another person in an attempt to gain common ground when there wasn’t much to speak of? When was the last time you said it to someone with a different worldview than you? Could you even listen to them long enough to find something that you agree with?</span></span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Crickets? This is why I needed to write this down. It is something that needs to be said. On the heels of yet another contentious national election this needs to be said. </span></span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“You’re right.”</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In most cases, this phrase is reserved only for our most intimate relationships. These are words that we would (almost begrudgingly) say to our family, a best friend, our spouse after we have tried everything else. We would never think of expressing this phrase to a stranger when we seem to be at odds. In my opinion, this is why the world seems so divided. We have lost our ability to be humble. To listen. To affirm. This phrase can change all of that, but only if it is used humbly, authentically and often.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finding common ground is a strategy for establishing unity in a divided world. It is a revelation of the power of these two words to heal relationships (from your most intimate relationships to the wild west of social circles where no two people think alike). It has been born out of years of pastoral ministry and real-life mediations. It has been something I have been learning for myself and it feels too important to ignore.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is a plea for us to elevate the words, “You’re right” in almost every situation. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It is easy to say in some situations because someone is agreeing with us, but it is most difficult to say when a person seems diametrically opposed to us in every way. These words have the power to create the foundation for real conversation and (dare I say) unity in a fragmented world. If this thought intrigues you, read on. I hope that this concept changes your world as it did mine!</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Pride and Loneliness</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The precepts of this post revolve around a revelation I had a few years ago in the midst of some personal conflict I was navigating with people who mattered very much to me. As a follower of Christ, I knew that I was called to be a peace-maker. It’s a simple idea, but that didn’t make it easy. In fact, at times it seemed as if everything inside of me wanted to rebel against Jesus’ teachings on peace. I wanted to prove my “right-ness” and found how inflexible I could become. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As I doubled-down on my “right-ness”, I watched some who seemed to be at odds with me drift away one by one. Eventually, I discovered that it was my pride motivating my desire to be right. That inflexibility can lead to an exodus of friends leaving as a result of pride. It became clear to me in that season that prideful people are lonely people.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: 700; text-align: center;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: 700; text-align: center;"></span></span></span></p><blockquote><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: 700; text-align: center;">Prideful people are lonely people.</span></span></span></p></blockquote><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Everybody’s Right (about something)</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In my loneliness, I cried out to God with a broken heart brought on by relationship failure. The Holy Spirit is the best discipler around (He is the Spirit of Jesus, the Greatest Discipler after all!) and when I humbled myself, He stepped in. His answer didn’t bring me an instantaneous improvement. It actually threw me into greater upheaval as the Holy Spirit challenged the roots of my pride.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He said two words to me.</span></span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Everybody’s right”</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I choked. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">"No, they aren't" I said to myself.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
Since that first moment, I have repeated this phrase in multiple situations as a bit of an experiment. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">"</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Everyone is right." </span></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The statement begs to be disproven. I have said this phrase aloud to others who are embroiled in arguments and almost immediately they try to refute. However, I have found that the truth of this statement can bypass any confirmation bias. Inevitably, each person takes a step back from their own position to see that there may be some common ground between them and the person they seem to disagree with so vehemently if they let down their guard.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It is important to recognize that the phrase is not "Everbody's right about everything." We know intuitively that it is impossible to be completely right about everything. It is also equally important that we recognize that the opposite phrase is just as true as the initial assertion. If I say, "Everybody's wrong" I would also be speaking the truth with the same condition. Everybody's right or wrong (about something). Not one person alive can be completely right about everything, no matter how much you want it to be true.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">We can only know what we know. To assume that you know what someone else knows is presumptive and arrogant. It takes humility to search for as place of agreement and then be the first to say “you’re right.” So how can we start applying this concept to our everyday encounters?</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Practice the Pause</span></span></p><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Do we want to be right or do we want peace? There is a fine line between standing up for our beliefs and flat out offending an entire group of folks that you know nothing about. I choose civility, because my opinion is my own...It's just my opinion. When confronted with a differing opinion, I can stay right by holding my peace.
How does this concept strike you? Is it possible to agree with someone without abandoning your own right-ness? Can you be right in your argument and yet be wrong about how you disagree?
Let me hear your thoughts!</span></span></p><div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>jeremiahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882066445679950639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168928337257217924.post-75255864730709231032019-11-07T19:13:00.004-05:002019-11-07T19:23:01.948-05:00Leavin' on a Jet Plane...Again!<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp6Gnqs_akAi6qJ3lr45iwaRDPqdFKC6gEGa8tG6WaaBqcL-7c62dFxYexfcxkECsqrvrgfj-WcnuyE-Z2Yc_-ZwXvr2__ychN1i_cYg2Dne8ChUHw9liKaXku-qKn-P7GjsoAf2c-RxE/s1600/58440085_10217189479521837_343075115656806400_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1236" data-original-width="1600" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp6Gnqs_akAi6qJ3lr45iwaRDPqdFKC6gEGa8tG6WaaBqcL-7c62dFxYexfcxkECsqrvrgfj-WcnuyE-Z2Yc_-ZwXvr2__ychN1i_cYg2Dne8ChUHw9liKaXku-qKn-P7GjsoAf2c-RxE/s320/58440085_10217189479521837_343075115656806400_o.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp6Gnqs_akAi6qJ3lr45iwaRDPqdFKC6gEGa8tG6WaaBqcL-7c62dFxYexfcxkECsqrvrgfj-WcnuyE-Z2Yc_-ZwXvr2__ychN1i_cYg2Dne8ChUHw9liKaXku-qKn-P7GjsoAf2c-RxE/s1600/58440085_10217189479521837_343075115656806400_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">So here's the deal...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">God has provided an incredible </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">opportunity </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">for </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">our family to </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">share our gifts with an </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">amazing </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">group </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">of people </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">overseas! </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>In May, my daughter and I </b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>are going </b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>on a </b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>missions trip </b></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>to the Dominican </b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>Republic</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<b style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">with a goal of seeing </b><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">thousands </b><br />
<b style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">of people </b><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">make a real connection </b><br />
<b style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">to the living </b><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>Chris</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>t </b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">through </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">community </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">outreach </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">and </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">partnership with church planters </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">on the island. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The result will be a festival that </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">shares </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">the </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Gospel </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">of Jesus with thousands of people </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">who </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">need to </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">know that Jesus cares about them!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Zion and I are preparing for ministry in the capital city of Santo Domingo </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">with several others </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">from my church, but this is very much a family effort on our part! I have prayerfully </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">set this time aside </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">because I believe that God can use </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">us </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">dynamically to change </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">lives through the power of the Gospel </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">alive in us...</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">...Can you believe with us?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">If you have a connection to me personally, I am asking you to </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">consider partnering with us in two ways. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">First, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>I am asking all of you to pray for us</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> from now until we embark as we are gearing up for </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">this intense time of ministry. Pray that many would have their lives transformed through God's </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">grace at work in our team and that we would be safe, strengthened by the Holy Spirit to do </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">every good thing we are called to accomplish. I would also ask you to pray that God would do </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">something huge in OUR lives as we go. This will be Zion’s first missions experience! </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">We are excited for all that God will do IN us and THROUGH us!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Secondly, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>I believe that many of you would be willing to partner financially</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b> with </b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>us to reach our </b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>goal of $3,000.00</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> to pay for our travel expenses. </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">My family and I want to bear a large portion of </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">this cost, but I know that some of you understand that when you sow seed into </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">another person's </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">ministry, you receive a harvest from their work as well. </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b><i>That is why I am asking each of you </i></b></span><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"><i>reading to </i></b><br />
<b style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"><i>consider a gift of $10, $100 or $1,000 to invest in God's work </i></b><br />
<b style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"><i>for the people of the </i></b><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"><i>Dominican Republic. </i></b><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">If you feel led to give to our work in the DR, you can simply send </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">a check (payable to the Intersection) </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">to me and I will deposit it into an account </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">at the Intersection. Be sure to write "Missions-DR" in </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">the memo, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">but do not write my name directly on the check if you want the gift to </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">remain tax-deductible. </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Simply add a post-it with my name with the check </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">to make sure it gets to me.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">You can hand the check directly to me or mail it to the church (address below) with my name </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">on the front of the envelope or you can give online at intersection.church and click on GIVE. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Then choose “DR Missions” in the drop down options to give securely. It's that simple. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">f you give online, please send me a message to let me know you gave to us </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">so that I can make </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">sure it gets credited to the cost for our trip.</span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-d2268213-7fff-3e20-4ab4-1c3a0f070a3d"><br /><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Please consider giving any size donation to help us get there so we can share the love of Christ with people in Santo Domingo!!</b></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blessings to all of You!!</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">jeremiah, </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zion and the whole Herbert Family</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Intersection</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">c/o Jeremiah Herbert</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1980 Baltimore Pike</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gettysburg PA, 17325</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>jeremiahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882066445679950639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168928337257217924.post-51066146355988688572019-10-30T14:38:00.003-04:002019-10-30T14:38:47.893-04:00Here Comes November!<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">November brings thankfulness to the forefront as we head into the Holiday season discovering ways to share God’s love with those around us throughout the Holiday season. Regardless of the trials or troubles that may be affecting our lives, we have much to be thankful for. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I want to encourage you to do 30 days of thankfulness throughout the month of November and beyond. Post pictures on social media and share God’s goodness in your life with others. Spend time with a friend over coffee and express the amazing things God continues to do for you. Let’s create value in every opportunity where we can share God’s love with family, friends or even a stranger. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We allow God to create connection with others when we create paths for the Holy Spirit to operate and work through us. Let’s be a blessing to everyone we meet this season! From the Walmart worker to the grocery attendant and even those we know and call family, tell them how important they are to God. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Let God give you an attitude of gratitude this Holiday season!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;">jeremiah</span></span>jeremiahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882066445679950639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168928337257217924.post-53739332979894842152019-02-26T19:29:00.002-05:002019-02-26T19:29:15.886-05:00What God CAN'T do.FAITH.<br />
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It's a mysterious thing for so many. For others, it is a well studied language that seems to move their lives forward in ways they never imagined even for themselves.<br /><br />I move and live in faith...MOST of the time. I believe God for things I can't see because I believe HE sees them for me. I have to. It's part of the gig, right? What good is a pastor without faith?<br /><br />I have believed God for things that seemed unreasonably unattainable at the time and have seen Him come through for me, my family and my church time and time again. In fact, I am starting a 7-week sermon series on FAITH this Sunday at church! I am always working to grow in my faith just like I want to grow in my ability to love or forgive.<br /><br />But, want to know a secret? I still have doubts. I wrestle with faith. Just like you, I feel my faith waver from time to time. <br />
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Why? Because like ANYONE who believes God repeatedly for healing, miracles and vision for the future, there have been times when I have believed God...in faith...for something, but He didn't answer me.<br />
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He didn't show up like I expected Him to.<br />
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This leaves any reasonable person with a shadow of doubt. In time, several of these experiences pile up on our faith and leave our confidence in our prayer life or ability to hear God...well, shaken. <br /><br />For many people, too many faith failures lead to a lack of confidence in God, not just their faith.<br /><br />So what do you do with that?<br />
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In Isaiah 7 there is the story of Ahaz, king of Judah. He ruled in a time of great distress for God's people and the account in chapter 7 tells us that Judah had a pretty good reason for distress. The kings of neighboring countries had taken up arms against them and were on there way to blow Judah away for good. The king and all the people had been asking God for help, but they hadn't seen it the way they expected it to come. So naturally when he got the news, King Ahaz flipped out (along with ALL of Jerusalem) over this bad news.<br /><br />God tells the prophet Isaiah to find King Ahaz and deliver the message that God would fight their battle and destroy the enemy that had mobilized against them, so don't worry about it!<br />
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He also says something that completely rocked me...to. the. core. Isaiah says,<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"Unless your faith is firm, I <u>cannot</u> make you stand firm." (Isaiah ch.7 vs. 9)</i></div>
<br />WHAT?!? Did you catch that?<br /><br />However you read that, Isaiah is saying that neither the prophet or God Himself could help Ahaz stand firm if his faith was firm.<br /><br />
So did Isaiah just answer the question about God making a rock so big even HE can't lift it?<br /><br />More importantly, what are we to do when our faith is well...shaken?<br />
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To be honest, I know the religious answers or the pat answers that Peter Pan faith people will fling around to bolster their faith when they don't get the job they want or they can't find a parking spot close to the door after they asked God for one. <br /><br />Honestly, I've thrown those verses around too. I won't offer glossy throw pillow scriptures or theological-blanket-fortress kinds of responses to great questions of faith and doubt. <br /><br />What I will do is offer what God is showing me about faith because, well...my faith has been shaken. Not a while back, either. I have led people to faith while my own faith was under attack. I want to be transparent. I want to be honest because I believe you deserve that honesty.<br /><br />I also believe that the only way to help others is to be honest about my own experiences. God has shown me so much and I can't wait to share it with you!<br /><br />Until I do,<br />
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<i>I wonder if any of you have had your faith shaken?<br /></i><br />
<i>What did it do to your prayer life or relationship with God?</i><br />
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<i>Are you talking to God about it or have you written Him off?</i><br />
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<i>Do you believe that your faith can ever stand firm again?</i><br />Leave a comment and share your story! You never know how others might benefit from knowing that they are not alone with matters of faith and doubt!<br />
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jeremiah<br />
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<br />jeremiahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882066445679950639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168928337257217924.post-10739388639832298812017-12-14T10:17:00.001-05:002017-12-14T15:55:33.862-05:00What God's Been Up to Since Forever.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib6VjBQTAKGhF_UUZhafzyQB9vmVNSFDvRjFpF5KvMLh6KfLtyjDen4eQ5OsbnwTxIQ7IXltIp1yhhYP0S17qhdjm2Ufnxphr4P8kcYgGkrOgxUPxJl0Wxdtbud1902Mi20EVrl_BIp5w/s1600/Temple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="620" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib6VjBQTAKGhF_UUZhafzyQB9vmVNSFDvRjFpF5KvMLh6KfLtyjDen4eQ5OsbnwTxIQ7IXltIp1yhhYP0S17qhdjm2Ufnxphr4P8kcYgGkrOgxUPxJl0Wxdtbud1902Mi20EVrl_BIp5w/s400/Temple.jpg" width="400"></a>Historians tell us that the temple of Solomon was one of the most impressive buildings ever created by man. So what if God was building something? How amazing would that be?<br>
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I've been thinking and praying a lot about the eternal, spiritual temple that Peter tells us about in 1 Peter chapter two, starting in verse four...<br>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Living Stones for God’s House</b></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: yellow;">4 You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. 5 And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests.[a] Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. 6 As the Scriptures say,</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i style="background-color: yellow;">“I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem,[b]</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i style="background-color: yellow;"> chosen for great honor,</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i style="background-color: yellow;">and anyone who trusts in him</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: yellow;"><i> will never be disgraced.”</i>[c]</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: yellow;">7 Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him.[d] But for those who reject him,</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i style="background-color: yellow;">“The stone that the builders rejected</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: yellow;"><i> has now become the cornerstone.”</i>[e]</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: yellow;">8 And,</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i style="background-color: yellow;">“He is the stone that makes people stumble,</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: yellow;"><i> the rock that makes them fall.”</i>[f]</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: yellow;">They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: yellow;">9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests,[g] a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: yellow;">10<i> “Once you had no identity as a people;</i></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i style="background-color: yellow;"> now you are God’s people.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i style="background-color: yellow;">Once you received no mercy;</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: yellow;"><i> now you have received God’s mercy.”</i>[h]</span></blockquote>
</blockquote>
<b>Peter was speaking under the unction of the Holy Spirit here, but there is no doubt that this "building project" was something that Jesus spoke about in private as He and Peter sat by the fire together.</b> It's like getting the chance to be a "fly on the wall" while Jesus shared the secrets of the Kingdom with His closest earthly friend and successor. This passage is, undoubtedly, Peter sharing one of the "private lessons" on the Kingdom of Heaven that He received from the King Himself.<br>
<br>
Peter quotes the prophets and scripture several times in this passage. He tells us that Jesus is the Cornerstone of a spiritual "temple" that David (the planner of God's earthly temple in Jerusalem) prophesied about along with Ezekiel, Isaiah and many of the other prophets. <b>This living temple has been God's building project since the Garden of Eden. It has been on His heart since the beginning of time and He is still skillfully creating it out of people like you and I.</b><br><br>Jesus is the first stone of that temple that God placed in human history. Like looking through eclipse glasses, Noah, Abraham's Covenant and even the earthly temple Solomon built was just a shadow of what God was really up to behind the scenes. <b>Everything prior to Jesus was God laying the spiritual groundwork for His living, beautiful and eternal temple that could not be torn down or destroyed.</b> The law, Tabernacle and temple were all like blueprints, communicating the Father's intentions in building this temple that could never be defiled. This Temple is also called the Church or the Kingdom interchangeably and Jesus is the living Cornerstone of that building project.<br>
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<b>Peter goes on to say in verse five that we are "living stones" placed carefully by God, finding our orientation and purpose in Christ alone. </b>The Cornerstone was laid when Jesus was murdered and then cheated death 3 days later in Jerusalem. That was the culmination of God's redemption plan and until that time, God's spiritual temple was more of a tabernacle. Until Jesus was literally (and figuratively) laid in the ground as the chief stone that every other "living stone" would find it's orientation from.<br>
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The picture Peter draws out for us is that each generation of disciples becomes and addition or new wing of God's eternal temple that He has had planned since the beginning of time. <b>Even now, you and I are chosen by God to hold our place in space and time, saved by grace to be a testament to what God's love and power can do!</b><br><br>This purpose became clear to us when we recognized Jesus as our Cornerstone, aligning ourselves (with the persistent help of the Holy Spirit), to God's will for us as sons and daughters. This gives us our new identity and family along with every other living stone. <b>We have become "priests" and "living stones" in God's eternal temple along with the redeemed of EVERY generation from Adam until now. </b><br><br>What an amazing God we love and serve!!<br>
<br>jeremiahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882066445679950639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168928337257217924.post-64971651764827288042017-08-15T19:00:00.000-04:002017-08-18T17:13:18.385-04:00Crossing the Threshold (August 13th, 2017)<a href="http://www.doubleglazingblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/2014-02-26-16.24.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://www.doubleglazingblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/2014-02-26-16.24.06.jpg" width="240" /></a>Leaving the house gave me extra pause this time.<br />
<br />
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I have crossed this threshold countless times for everyday errands, visits and ministry. Today it was different. Not because I forgot my keys or coffee cup, but because I could sense that I was doing more than just leaving my house. I was crossing the threshold into something more than just an everyday adventure.<br />
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God has spoken very clearly to me that I must go on a journey like the prophets we read about in the Old Testament. Just a destination. No back up plan or extra cash. Just trust. So I am leaving my home, my family and what I know to experience God in a new way and hear His voice more clearly regarding my purpose, call and the next season of my life and ministry. I did more than leave my house this morning...I crossed the threshold into a new reality. I am leaving my pre-conceived ideas of God behind and chasing after what He wants.<br />
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Father, lead me and direct every step and action. I trust you for provision!<br />
<br />
(From journal on August 13th, 2017)jeremiahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882066445679950639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168928337257217924.post-43286964278665414332017-08-15T10:48:00.002-04:002017-08-15T10:51:19.945-04:00Road Trip with the Holy Spirit<b><u>On the Road Again...Ohio today, who knows tomorrow</u> :)</b><br />
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This time of year always seems to find me on the road to somewhere I've never been. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaoo6N36aXqFOY29edUSuR8MJgMNaCKlLMUxhF2HVcGUjBdw2PZDCO4LtxyKrvR06-1ASOU0A-16R7GqakEocKljZCqJXXjxZVQrHpyGly8TpShRaRcvQW62qqhgnU5YO8XjWN2Wb4n1A/s1600/Road.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaoo6N36aXqFOY29edUSuR8MJgMNaCKlLMUxhF2HVcGUjBdw2PZDCO4LtxyKrvR06-1ASOU0A-16R7GqakEocKljZCqJXXjxZVQrHpyGly8TpShRaRcvQW62qqhgnU5YO8XjWN2Wb4n1A/s400/Road.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I should probably just start planning these things at the beginning of the year, but I also love the spontaneity and dependence on the Holy Spirit these road trips bring about in my life. The goal, as always, is to hear from God regarding my life, family and ministry in a new, fresh and deeper way. I do this because in ministry it is often very difficult to discern the voice of God amidst the voices of so many others that you care about (including family, friends and ministry partners). <br />
For those of you that don't know, I am planning to spend a week or two in Ohio, Missouri and Kansas City to pray, read scripture and talk to Him about who He wants me to be. He called me to it and I trust Him for provision. If you are reading this, I would love your prayers and happy thoughts during the course of the next two weeks! As much as there are miracles, provision and revelations on these trips, there are often frustrations, fears and inner turmoil that surfaces while God is speaking.<br />
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The goal of these two weeks away would be that I would find:<br />
<br />
1) Greater clarity regarding the ministry God has called me to <br />
2) New vision for the church He has given me to serve<br />
3) Personal breakthrough regarding faith and health<br />
4) More love for people so I can be an even better pastor, father and husband<br />
<br />
I will be keeping a <i>REALLY</i> low profile on social media while I am gone. I will not be on Facebook very much at all, but I do plan to post regularly to my instagram with pictures and updates to let people know what I am up to. If you want to follow my instagram account, search for the username <i>ADAMSRESCUE1 </i>and pray for me as often as I come to your mind.<br />
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Much love to you all!<br />
jeremiah<br />
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<br />jeremiahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882066445679950639noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168928337257217924.post-34746761963090374642016-04-27T10:35:00.002-04:002016-04-27T10:35:37.950-04:00The Call to Greater Things!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_xPHNIYTMak7aefhMoo1a9v1kh0XvCJd58n2vpoVmidx1i6W6ryaHSgMc3pjs_DcNtodJdeO75rcX6n7sbWpev453zA-F0Vxky4Y_G_XHffSPhFoPdl9gPBmtnex41LXRm54v6cjlnQ8/s1600/GBG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_xPHNIYTMak7aefhMoo1a9v1kh0XvCJd58n2vpoVmidx1i6W6ryaHSgMc3pjs_DcNtodJdeO75rcX6n7sbWpev453zA-F0Vxky4Y_G_XHffSPhFoPdl9gPBmtnex41LXRm54v6cjlnQ8/s320/GBG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your commitment to our church body at the Intersection Church. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because of your faithfulness in giving, the Intersection has had an almost 30% increase in attendance over the past year from Easter 2015! </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The playground continues to bring new families into a relationship with Christ, and our kid’s wing has been getting regular upgrades to make the most of the space we have. With many commitments made to follow Jesus, and new leadership being added each day, we are poised to make the largest impact on our community that we have yet to see! We have seen God’s faithfulness again and again to the vision He has given Cori and I for our little corner of the Kingdom. Will you consider teaming up with Cori and I to do amazing things again?</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-b7886a7a-581f-e45d-0cd7-ab5888b1043b" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On May 1st, we will be receiving our first ever Heart of the House offering at each of the three Sunday services at the Intersection church. I want to take a minute to describe to you what the money raised from this annual giving event will be used for. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We have two goals that we would like to meet with this $100,000 offering.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first goal is to</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">secure drawings of our current facility</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to bring it into the future plans that we have for this building. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The second goal is for us to </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">make a sizable down payment on the remaining 17 acres</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that is left to purchase on our corner.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">THE FIRST GOAL</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">an investment in the architect’s drawings</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, will bring our present building into the 21st century, including improved crowd patterns and updated handicap accessibility that will better serve our growing church community. Our plans will also include the addition of an office suite and counseling rooms for our growing staff (many of which have been without offices since the beginning)!</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">THE SECOND GOAL</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a down payment up to $100,000 </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will ensure that the Intersection has the first chance to purchase the rest of our corner (17 acres) when the time is right. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We know that $100,000 seems like a lot of money for a single family or individual, but we never want our prayers to be too small as a community! Why are we asking for that amount? Why do we need more land? To be honest, it’s because we have only begun pouring into our community at the the level God intends! God has given Cori and I more vision than just a community playground and church on this property and with your faithfulness, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> dream will become a reality and families across our county will be the beneficiaries of our sacrifice. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This isn’t about building bigger buildings, but about strengthening people!!</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The next ten years’ vision will include delivering a message of authentic community and God’s love to the county, the state, the nation, and the world through many facets of ministry that are only in the beginning stages right now. </span></div>
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We believe God has asked us to bring more of what is happening on the inside of our current building to the outside with an inclusive playground for disabled adults and children so special needs parents can interact with their kids!</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We believe God has asked us to begin writing and developing a dinner theater about God and Country that will impact tourists with the message of God's love and His heart for this nation.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We have a desire to establish an area to help the growing population of homeless in our community.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We want to finally provide a home for our flourishing Center of the Arts </span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A new church sanctuary which would double as the theater throughout the week, allowing our church to continually be used to show and share God's love with its growing influence in the community!</span></div>
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</ul>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first six years have revealed our contribution to the city and county, but I believe that the next ten years will reveal the Intersection’s contribution to the state and even our nation! If you would like to speak with Cori and I about the plans we believe God has given us, you can text or call me at (717) 398-9072 and set up a time to chat. We LOVE sharing the vision God has for His 31 acres at the intersection of 15 and 97!!</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Will you and your family make a contribution?</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Cori and I rarely ask people to give, but I am hoping that we will see 100% involvement in the Heart of the House offering we will be receiving on May 1st.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Whether it’s $1 or $100,000 your gift is important and necessary for us to reach our goal for this year. All you need to do is bring your gift with you to church on May 1st and mark a “♡” on the memo of your check and envelope so that we can clearly see what was given.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blessings!</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jeremiah and Cori Herbert</span></div>
jeremiahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882066445679950639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168928337257217924.post-77288057644314134732016-01-13T19:15:00.001-05:002016-01-13T19:52:13.120-05:00First Ever ARC Prayer Meet Up in Gettysburg PA!!<div>
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<b>Hey Pastors!!</b></h2>
<b>Prayer in Relationship With One Another Can Change Everything!!</b><br />
<b>Matthew 18:19 </b></div>
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuEzxoWccTC-t307Z35mXxdJROsgnZ9T_pCbMkqPS2EKf8X_zsznHiUN9IP9mHyDZG1OsOb5_W8fcZLWXFbb877rmr1R8JtmiV6XtX3RIC9juQzzCjfp7iE0a2IiYJtrUBMN8CrwNQb1U/s1600/Prayer+Day+Instagram.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuEzxoWccTC-t307Z35mXxdJROsgnZ9T_pCbMkqPS2EKf8X_zsznHiUN9IP9mHyDZG1OsOb5_W8fcZLWXFbb877rmr1R8JtmiV6XtX3RIC9juQzzCjfp7iE0a2IiYJtrUBMN8CrwNQb1U/s320/Prayer+Day+Instagram.jpeg" width="320" /></a></b></div>
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<br />
As
you know the ARC is all about
relationships and on Thursday I want to PRAY in relationship with ARC
pastors from around our region. We will be joining 36 cities around the
country, praying for revival! I am writing you to see if you have
decided which ARC meet up
you are attending on Thursday. <b>If you have not decided yet, I want to
personally invite you to join me at 1pm tomorrow in Gettysburg at the
Intersection Church for a special hour and a half of prayer for you,
your family, your church, your city and our region! </b></div>
<br />
If
you can join me, I would LOVE to see you and pray with and for you! I
am here to help in any way I can, so let's meet up tomorrow and grow in
relationship with one another!<br />
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<div>
Hope to see you there!! Here is some of what we will be praying about!</div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- National</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- Revival & Spiritual Awakening</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- Church Leadership</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- Government Officials</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (be sure to avoid sounding politicizing, but simply focus on praying for our nation’s leadership)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- Military</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- Economy</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- Basic Morality</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- Regional & Local</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- Revival & Spiritual Awakening</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- Students and School Faculties</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- City and State Officials</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- Church Leadership</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- First Responders</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- Any Needs Specific to Your Area</span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- Church and City Relationships </span><br />
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The address for the church is 1980 Baltimore Pike Gettysburg PA 17325</div>
<i><b>Don't do ministry alone!</b></i>jeremiahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882066445679950639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168928337257217924.post-11216407952875284612015-09-01T09:44:00.002-04:002015-09-01T09:44:12.722-04:00Under New Management<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Face 2 the Wall</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Under New Management</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 Chronicles 29</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj99bIbyVHNoYv4U_xpmjuAQfAxYbgz0XSOv5S4oWEE3DRBp7qhs2RodsMHdKo-a7L7PwhKFUD8t2tBmyAv0Fc6kewEzN9kIwO_uIWZoUfM_r6By96UQwZgPG7Dd8E5wfdOA1iQNXdpgXs/s1600/Face2TheWall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj99bIbyVHNoYv4U_xpmjuAQfAxYbgz0XSOv5S4oWEE3DRBp7qhs2RodsMHdKo-a7L7PwhKFUD8t2tBmyAv0Fc6kewEzN9kIwO_uIWZoUfM_r6By96UQwZgPG7Dd8E5wfdOA1iQNXdpgXs/s320/Face2TheWall.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-043a97d5-8914-8a6d-2bcb-43258d03f2c6" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What do you do when you’re back is to the wall?</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“About that time Hezekiah became deathly ill, and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to visit him. He gave the king this message: “This is what the LORD says: ‘Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die. You will not recover from this illness.’” When Hezekiah heard this, he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD,”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Isaiah 38:1-2 NLT</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are looking at the life and decisions of King Hezekiah in the Old Testament.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last week, we looked at him in contrast to his father, King Ahaz, so that we could set a foundation for our discussion.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We saw that King Hezekiah had a trend of surrendering to God when hard times and hard decisions came his way. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">His father did everything he could to run from God and ended up closing down the temple in Jerusalem because of his bad decisions. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But there is a new king in town in 2 Chronicles 29...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 Chronicles 29 New Living Translation (NLT)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hezekiah Rules in Judah</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became the king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. 2 He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, just as his ancestor David had done.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today, we are going to look at the very first moments of Hezekiah’s reign in Judah. Starting in verse 3...</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hezekiah Reopens the Temple</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3 In the very first month of the first year of his reign, Hezekiah reopened the doors of the Temple of the Lord and repaired them.</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 4 He summoned the priests and Levites to meet him at the courtyard east of the Temple. 5 He said to them, “Listen to me, you Levites! Purify yourselves, and purify the Temple of the Lord, the God of your ancestors. Remove all the defiled things from the sanctuary. 6 Our ancestors were unfaithful and did what was evil in the sight of the Lord our God. They abandoned the Lord and his dwelling place; they turned their backs on him. 7 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They also shut the doors to the Temple’s entry room, and they snuffed out the lamps. They stopped burning incense and presenting burnt offerings at the sanctuary of the God of Israel.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">8 “That is why the Lord’s anger has fallen upon Judah and Jerusalem. He has made them an object of dread, horror, and ridicule, as you can see with your own eyes. 9 Because of this, our fathers have been killed in battle, and our sons and daughters and wives have been captured. 10 But now I will make a covenant with the Lord, the God of Israel, so that his fierce anger will turn away from us. 11 My sons, do not neglect your duties any longer! </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lord has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him, and to lead the people in worship and present offerings to him.”</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hezekiah’s </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>very first initiative</u></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as king was to reverse what his father, King Ahaz did.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He opened and repaired the doors so that people could come in again.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He reinstated the Levites to clear out and care for the Temple and the worshippers who came in.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Look at verse 7 again...</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">7 They also shut the doors to the Temple’s entry room, and they snuffed out the lamps. They stopped burning incense and presenting burnt offerings at the sanctuary of the God of Israel.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 18.6666660308838px; line-height: 25.7600002288818px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This verse paints a bleak picture of what the once thriving Temple of God had been reduced to. </span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 18.6666660308838px; line-height: 25.7600002288818px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 18.6666660308838px; line-height: 25.7600002288818px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This was the same temple that Solomon dedicated to the Lord with a rare appearance of the Shekinah glory in attendance.</span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 18.6666660308838px; line-height: 25.7600002288818px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b>
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<a href="http://www.aeragon.com/00/itz/06/solomon_sacrifice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.aeragon.com/00/itz/06/solomon_sacrifice.jpg" height="221" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 18.6666660308838px; line-height: 25.7600002288818px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This was the same temple that had been the center of the universe for every Israelite in the kingdom for many years, but now it sits covered in cob-webs </span></span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666660308838px; line-height: 25.7600002288818px; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 18.6666660308838px; line-height: 25.7600002288818px; white-space: pre-wrap;">filth. Dark and dank.</span></span><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What does a dusty, broken down temple have to do with us?</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Don’t you realize </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit,</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLT</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are the temple</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We bear the responsibility when our lives are in disrepair or suffering from neglect and indifference.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Like King Ahaz, many of us have closed the doors to our relationship with God. Many of us have turned the lights out on that place in our heart that still carries His presence. Still more of us have become indifferent to the fact that we are meant to be living temples, displaying the presence and power of God wherever we go!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How do we reverse the damage that has been done to our temple?</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Look at verse 15...</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">15 These men called together their fellow Levites, and they all purified themselves. Then they began to cleanse the Temple of the Lord, just as the king had commanded. They were careful to follow all the Lord’s instructions in their work. 16 The priests went into the sanctuary of the Temple of the Lord to cleanse it, and they took out to the Temple courtyard all the defiled things they found. From there the Levites carted it all out to the Kidron Valley.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Under New Management</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s almost like King Hezekiah put a HUGE banner across the front of the temple saying, this temple is “UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT”</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The best thing that could happen to Judah happened when the temple came under new management!</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The best thing that will ever happen to you is when your heart, your life comes under new management. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are four things we must do to bring our temple, our lives, under new management and they are found in vs. 11...</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Come in (from the outside)</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The Lord has chosen you to stand in his presence…” </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The levites and congregation couldn’t stand in His presence until they repaired the doors of the temple.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The doors were broken which made it impossible for anyone to go in or out. Because the doors were broken, it was impossible to stand in the Lord’s presence so the only way they could come in from the outside was if they did two things: </span></div>
<ol style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Repair the doors</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Clear the junk out</span></div>
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</ol>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Think about it...the temple was filled with junk that kept it from fulfilling it’s purpose because the junk took up all the room that the levites and congregation were meant to fill. So the levites began the process of restoring it and clearing it out.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“...Remove all the defiled things from the sanctuary.”</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cardinal sin: Trampling through the house with mud.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord,</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah. For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets.”</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Acts of the Apostles 3:19-21 NLT</span></div>
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</ul>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Look up</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">...to minister to him</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.”</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hebrews 13:15-16 NLT</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Focusing on what God wants causes us to lose our selfishness.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Don't make your faith about you. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ask yourself whether your faith plan truly ministers to God.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Reach out</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“...to lead the people in worship” </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How do you worship?</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“David appointed the following Levites to lead the people in worship before the Ark of the LORD —to invoke his blessings, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel.”</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 Chronicles 16:4 NLT</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
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</ul>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Reach out from the inside</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.”</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 Corinthians 9:22-23 NLT</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Others should want to honor the God you honor.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Live Face Down</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“...and present offerings to him.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The people’s offerings to God required them worship face down.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They recognized God as their source and their offerings helped them live a life of humility before Him.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This posture of worship is something that we desperately need to practice with our hearts as we come to God.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you want to avoid a face to the wall experience, keep your face to the ground.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #ff9900; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">" A clean heart is a free heart." </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~Mother Teresa</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you want to bring your life under new management, pray this prayer today...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>"Jesus, I need you to come and sweep through my life. Help me clear out the clutter and junk. Heal the brokenness in the temple of my heart and come, live in me. I want to know your presence and feel you near in the place of the distance and awkwardness I feel between us now. I humble myself with my face to the ground so that I won't have to live with my back against the wall anymore. Give me a fresh start, in Jesus name. Amen" </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you prayed that prayer today, I would love to know! Email me at adamsrescue1@gmail.com and let me know what God did in your life today!</span>jeremiahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882066445679950639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168928337257217924.post-36366284617184083092015-08-24T10:08:00.001-04:002015-08-28T11:01:38.508-04:00Face 2 the Wall<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />A Tale of Two Kings</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 Chronicles 28-29</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCDVJ9GViqmEThzXOp8lJl1HdzfvgvsPg6r74z9XwL2n5GVGe7pxFqvOG35ScTW-fSWkqTevbPbUxZSz0mKaP1Oj0DLJmfGTWrg6Ol3eghpejjFZ5G_EUJoRvNwtL3wm9d_nskJMJud1c/s1600/Face2TheWall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCDVJ9GViqmEThzXOp8lJl1HdzfvgvsPg6r74z9XwL2n5GVGe7pxFqvOG35ScTW-fSWkqTevbPbUxZSz0mKaP1Oj0DLJmfGTWrg6Ol3eghpejjFZ5G_EUJoRvNwtL3wm9d_nskJMJud1c/s400/Face2TheWall.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What do you do when your back is to the wall?</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This story about an ancient king of Judah grabbed my attention...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“About that time Hezekiah became deathly ill, and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to visit him. He gave the king this message: “This is what the LORD says: ‘Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die. You will not recover from this illness.’” When Hezekiah heard this, he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD,”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Isaiah 38:1-2 NLT</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hezekiah's back was up against the wall until he turned and faced it. When he turned his face to the wall, it served as a sign of surrender and resignation to God. This was a hard pill to swallow, but it wasn't the first time Hezekiah found himself in a tough situation...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tale of Two Kings</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 18.6666660308838px; line-height: 25.7600002288818px;">King Hezekiah had a habit of surrendering to God when hard times and hard decisions came his way. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">His father, King Ahaz had a habit of running FROM God when trouble came his way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When a king was walking with God, the nation was blessed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When a king turned away from God, the nation became vulnerable.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This trend is very clear in scripture and it is evident in our own lives as well.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Facing God causes you to turn your back on your circumstances and situations and we are going to do that by looking today at the tale of two kings. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">King=Leadership</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 18.6666660308838px; line-height: 25.7600002288818px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 18.6666660308838px; line-height: 25.7600002288818px;">We don’t deal with kings (in the traditional sense) a whole lot in the 21st century, but these stories from ancient Israel were written down as leadership lessons for us as followers of Christ. </span>If you intend to lead any group of people, the stories of these ancient Kings (that is recorded in the books of Chronicles and Kings) can be an example of Godly leadership or an example of what NOT to do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Read these accounts that are recorded in 2 Chronicles...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 Chronicles 26:5 NLT</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother was Jecoliah from Jerusalem. </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He did what was pleasing in the LORD’s sight, just as his father, Amaziah, had done.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Uzziah sought God during the days of Zechariah, who taught him to fear God. And as long as the king sought guidance from the LORD, God gave him success</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 Chronicles 27:1-2 NLT</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. His mother was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok. </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jotham did what was pleasing in the LORD’s sight.</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> He did everything his father, Uzziah, had done, except that Jotham did not sin by entering the Temple of the LORD. But the people continued in their corrupt ways.”</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666660308838px; line-height: 25.7600002288818px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do you see the trend? Now let's look at King Ahaz (Hezekiah's father)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 Chronicles 28:1-2</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He did not do</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> what was pleasing in the sight of the LORD, as his ancestor David had done.</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Instead, he followed the example of the kings of Israel. He cast metal images for the worship of Baal.”</span></div>
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<br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">King #1- Ahaz: Profile of a terrible king</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ahaz was twenty years old when he succeeded his father, Jotham to the throne of Judea. He was a weak and idolatrous king. He even made his first son walk through the fire of Moloch. His other son, Hezekiah, who was to become king after Ahaz, was saved from the flames of the idol by his mother.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">King #2- Hezekiah: Profile of a faithful king</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 Chronicles 29:1-2</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became the king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>He did what was pleasing in the LORD’s sight, just as his ancestor David had done.</u></span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">”</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hezekiah fought with the same enemies and dealt with the same cultural decay that his father, Ahaz, did.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The difference is clear, however, when it comes to the way God saw them and the effect that had on the people they led.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before or after his time. He remained faithful to the LORD in everything, and he carefully obeyed all the commands the LORD had given Moses. So the LORD was with him, and Hezekiah was successful in everything he did. </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He revolted against the king of Assyria and refused to pay him tribute.”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 Kings 18:5-7</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What made them so different?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Which king are you most like?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do you lead your own life like Ahaz or Hezekiah?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Are you leading others to blessing or brokenness?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 18.6666660308838px; line-height: 25.7600002288818px;">What kind of leader are you?</span></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We all lead in some way. Others are looking at us to lead them. Our kids, our family, our office or coworkers. If you are not leading anyone, perhaps you should start by leading yourself!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666660308838px; line-height: 25.7600002288818px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here are three things I see in King Hezekiah's life, leadership and the tale of two kings that can be valuable lessons for us to learn...</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Decree 1: Lead by following</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He remained faithful to the LORD in everything, and he carefully obeyed all the commands the LORD had given Moses. </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So the LORD was with him, and Hezekiah was successful in everything he did.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Obedience to God leads to success</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Success doesn’t mean Hezekiah never faced a battle...in fact, it means quite the opposite. His reign was filled with conflict . What made it successful was HOW he faced that conflict.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Decree 2: Lead with a mirror in mind</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 18.6666660308838px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 25.7600002288818px;">Good leaders are self-aware leaders. Hezekiah was VERY self-aware and his father was just plain self-centered.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 18.6666660308838px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 25.7600002288818px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 18.6666660308838px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 25.7600002288818px;">Good leaders also understand that the people they lead are a direct reflection of the health (and unhealth) in their own lives.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The best leaders know that the people they are leading will be hurt or helped because of their own personal growth and godliness.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Look at this passage about Ahaz...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Because of all this, the LORD his God allowed the king of Aram to defeat Ahaz and to exile large numbers of his people to Damascus.</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The armies of the king of Israel also defeated Ahaz and inflicted many casualties on his army. In a single day Pekah son of Remaliah, Israel’s king, killed 120,000 of Judah’s troops, all of them experienced warriors, because they had abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors. Then Zicri, a warrior from Ephraim, killed Maaseiah, the king’s son; Azrikam, the king’s palace commander; and Elkanah, the king’s second-in-command. The armies of Israel captured 200,000 women and children from Judah and seized tremendous amounts of plunder, which they took back to Samaria.</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>The LORD was humbling Judah because of King Ahaz of Judah</u></span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, for he had encouraged his people to sin and had been utterly unfaithful to the LORD.”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 Chronicles 28:5-8, 19 NLT</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 18.6666660308838px; line-height: 25.7600002288818px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Are the people you lead being humbled because of your failure to deal with your trash?</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Decree 3: Lead by giving up</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Good leaders know when and who to surrender to.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ahaz ended up surrendering to his enemies because he never surrendered to God.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Because of all this, the LORD his God allowed the king of Aram to defeat Ahaz and to exile large numbers of his people to Damascus.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hezekiah surrendered to God and didn’t have to surrender to his enemies.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He revolted against the king of Assyria and refused to pay him tribute.”</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666660308838px; line-height: 25.7600002288818px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666660308838px; line-height: 25.7600002288818px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I wonder if there are any of you who are ready to stop paying tribute to the enemy of your soul?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666660308838px; line-height: 25.7600002288818px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666660308838px; line-height: 25.7600002288818px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I wonder if there is someone who is willing to stand up to the enemy their father or mother could never deal with? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666660308838px; line-height: 25.7600002288818px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666660308838px; line-height: 25.7600002288818px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i>What we gain victory over in private, we have authority over in public.</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666660308838px; line-height: 25.7600002288818px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666660308838px; line-height: 25.7600002288818px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I wonder if there is someone who is willing to fight a spiritual foe in their own life so that their children, family and followers can get victory as well?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><u>Three things to consider:</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Does your life show others how you want them to live? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Are you creating a pattern of surrender to God?</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How do you respond when your back is to the wall?</span>jeremiahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882066445679950639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168928337257217924.post-16891876924849542902015-07-06T17:51:00.002-04:002015-07-06T17:53:14.390-04:00Some Assembly Required<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjC7qjrBTWiAQvCZRCtABBDVxp1RFJeNVTZelaKkpdMaPsFypqFbarkSPGXmAwH5dcoFY3DMUBD4e43GqqYl4jBwxQSWt37iFMrRe_R0QW1EK3QFP3y-TyT9KL3rWb_7RFY64XI4FVyKM/s1600/Some+Assembly+Required.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjC7qjrBTWiAQvCZRCtABBDVxp1RFJeNVTZelaKkpdMaPsFypqFbarkSPGXmAwH5dcoFY3DMUBD4e43GqqYl4jBwxQSWt37iFMrRe_R0QW1EK3QFP3y-TyT9KL3rWb_7RFY64XI4FVyKM/s320/Some+Assembly+Required.jpg" width="257" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Follow His Instructions</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">July 5th, 2015</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 Kings 17:7-24</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Who follows instructions anymore?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Playing a game?- Better follow the rules</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Building a house or facility?- Better follow the plans</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline;">Building a LEGO DEATH STAR?!? </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline;">Better follow the instructions...</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv80bRpZ-sHJxrzg1pC2CqN3p2qgZWnZt8v_l8p9zouEbcQInBl-vcq59sJSgjdY2PGUdy9oXs7j10P7FvJEp6Q0My4Q2eVIZC8GpWdAl8fxp2ohQSZnF9IY5Zme1VFl01Uh_UqmAyp5w/s1600/SAR+Full+Reference+Slide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv80bRpZ-sHJxrzg1pC2CqN3p2qgZWnZt8v_l8p9zouEbcQInBl-vcq59sJSgjdY2PGUdy9oXs7j10P7FvJEp6Q0My4Q2eVIZC8GpWdAl8fxp2ohQSZnF9IY5Zme1VFl01Uh_UqmAyp5w/s320/SAR+Full+Reference+Slide.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Building the Avengers Heli-carrier?!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Better follow the instructions...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK8mre-_qan0iHTts6DOTPJ-bhDS8XNtwbngP2XrQqKNxDQpuemFLOpnOObNJeIsuajM_0LkSmlZQm9zX2lX2NqWYf38DVmlGpgLfGuEkVCMaN0Aw4pXCLiFZ5d7huhVK9QCsmH4D6Nz4/s1600/SAR+Helicarrier+Slide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK8mre-_qan0iHTts6DOTPJ-bhDS8XNtwbngP2XrQqKNxDQpuemFLOpnOObNJeIsuajM_0LkSmlZQm9zX2lX2NqWYf38DVmlGpgLfGuEkVCMaN0Aw4pXCLiFZ5d7huhVK9QCsmH4D6Nz4/s320/SAR+Helicarrier+Slide.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sure, you can freestyle, but can you build anything really cool?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Making something worthwhile requires instructions </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The coolest things you can make with LEGOS require instructions</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even the pros who freestyle amazing sculptures with the little blocks start by following the instructions.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Why do we think that we can just freestyle when it comes to our own life?</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ephesians 2:10 </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">New Living Translation (NLT)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Proverbs 19: 20-21 (NLT)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">20 Get all the advice and instruction you can,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> so you will be wise the rest of your life.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">21 You can make many plans,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">BIG IDEA: The most meaningful things we can make out of our lives require God’s instruction!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #ff9900; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I would rather have one God idea than 1,000 good ideas.” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #ff9900; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~Mark Batterson</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today, we want to look at a crazy story from the Old Testament to learn what following God’s instruction looks like in real time...turn to 1 Kings 17.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It focuses on a prophet named Elijah and a poor, widow woman & her son</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elijah was a prophet</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> who helped people follow God’s instructions in a time when God’s voice wasn’t speaking to everyone. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sometimes </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God used him to challenge the government and religious leaders</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and sometimes </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God used him to bless people who needed to experience God’s love and provision.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But we will see that </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God’s love, provision and instructions don’t always look like we’d expect them to.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 Kings 17:8-24</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> New Living Translation (NLT)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Widow at Zarephath</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">8 Then the Lord said to Elijah, 9 “Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">10 So he went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the gates of the village, he saw a widow gathering sticks, and he asked her, “Would you please bring me a little water in a cup?”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">11 As she was going to get it, he called to her, “Bring me a bite of bread, too.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>The little pieces are just as important as the big pieces. </u></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elijah was able to observe the widow’s willingness to obey in the small things.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Small acts of obedience show that we are ready for greater things! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">12 But she said, “I swear by the Lord your God that I don’t have a single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">13 But Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid! Go ahead and do just what you’ve said, but make a little bread for me first. Then use what’s left to prepare a meal for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the Lord sends rain and the crops grow again!”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">15 So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her family continued to eat for many days. 16 There was always enough flour and olive oil left in the containers, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PRAY</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">BIG IDEA:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The most meaningful things we can make </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Out of our lives require God’s instruction!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">STEP #1</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Leave your preconceived ideas about how God works behind</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Go ahead and do just what you’ve said, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">but make a little bread for me first…</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(vs.13)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Isaiah 55:8-9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">New Living Translation (NLT)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> so my ways are higher than your ways</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">STEP #2</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Consider the future blessing that will come from your present sacrifice</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers…</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(vs. 14)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seeing God’s plan come to bear on your life will always cost you on the front end, but the reward far outweighs the pain.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">UNLIMITED THOUGHT</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> If </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God is a God of more than enough, then His plan will always bring greater blessings than you are thinking.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God even wants to use your miracle to provide blessings for others.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So she did as Elijah said, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and she and Elijah and her family continued to eat for many days</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(vs. 15)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">STEP #3</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stick to the plan!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">15 So she did as Elijah said…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">(vs. 15)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stick to the plan until it is completed.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i>It doesn’t do you any good to follow a few steps </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i>and then decide to wing it.</i></b></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">17 Some time later the woman’s son became sick. He grew worse and worse, and finally he died. 18 Then she said to Elijah, “O man of God, what have you done to me? Have you come here to point out my sins and kill my son?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">19 But Elijah replied, “Give me your son.” And he took the child’s body from her arms, carried him up the stairs to the room where he was staying, and laid the body on his bed.20 Then Elijah cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, why have you brought tragedy to this widow who has opened her home to me, causing her son to die?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">21 And he stretched himself out over the child three times and cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, please let this child’s life return to him.” 22 The Lord heard Elijah’s prayer, and the life of the child returned, and he revived! 23 Then Elijah brought him down from the upper room and gave him to his mother. “Look!” he said. “Your son is alive!”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">24 Then the woman told Elijah, “Now I know for sure that you are a man of God, and that the Lord truly speaks through you.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The widow’s obedience and willingness to follow the instructions paved the way for the miracle she needed in her most desperate hour, but it was the prophet who provided the miracle the widow needed to know God was at work in her life.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>We are the Elijahs of our day and time and <u>it is our job to stretch ourselves out over the dead places in peoples lives so that they can see God at work</u> in their lives and give Him glory!</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">MOMENT OF INTERSECTION</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Where do you need to leave behind your preconceived ideas of God?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Where can you begin following God’s instructions?</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Where do you need to sacrifice so that God can release His future blessings?</span>jeremiahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882066445679950639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168928337257217924.post-65623346793280900502015-02-05T18:57:00.001-05:002015-02-05T19:00:03.347-05:00We are UNLIMITED!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMH1dw-XF5Te8E5JYVXLTAaujpOibKZOIl8Nmj2Vtmr5AkzzTQBCfdxuk1sNqmxX8BWYDz5jV11A1p-sg4-t9-D5hSiiG7Jrkzia4CTBsCm2YQFCFugzUwZc7_FC6GnTVZnFGARKeJHt8/s1600/Unlimited+Banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMH1dw-XF5Te8E5JYVXLTAaujpOibKZOIl8Nmj2Vtmr5AkzzTQBCfdxuk1sNqmxX8BWYDz5jV11A1p-sg4-t9-D5hSiiG7Jrkzia4CTBsCm2YQFCFugzUwZc7_FC6GnTVZnFGARKeJHt8/s1600/Unlimited+Banner.jpg" height="80" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We seem to be limited people.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our humanness screams limitation.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As you grow older, the limits seem to close in on you...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our minds, bodies and finances all seem SO limited.</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-a4ad5efa-5c27-4ee2-7e3f-b3c9545919f8" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But I want to challenge you to take the lid off your limitations!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.8500003814697px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Paul writes these words to the early church in Ephesus...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all we could ever ask or imagine through Christ Jesus”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ephesians 3:20</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Paul wanted this small group of believers to know that their limitations don't exist in Christ, for as we line our hearts up with His will, we become unlimited!</span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We can suddenly do amazing things in our families, in our homes and in our workplaces.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At the Intersection, we dream up big things, but our God can do even more than we've ever asked or imagined.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As we pursue the purchase of this building and the 31 acres that it stands on, we stand on the truth of this promise to us. As we are obedient to Him, He will make us UNLIMITED in the places we feel so limited. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We ask for his provision to move into the future, but each and everyone of us have to see our own capacity expand.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What if God was asking you to take the limits off of the way you think? </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">About what is possible? </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">About what you have at your disposal?</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Christ, we have all the riches of heaven, so why our prayers so small? </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why are our thoughts so limited?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We want to take the limits off. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We want to take barriers down. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We want to kick the lid off of your life and the vision of this church </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.15; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">so that we can see that we are truly made for more. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have you taken the time to imagine what could happen in your life? </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have you taken time to imagine what this church is capable of doing to bring a change to this community?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Think of the homeless we can shelter. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Think of the hungry we could feed. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Think of the orphan that we can help.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is a warning, however. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Having an unlimited mindset costs us something.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It cost us our small vision. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It costs us our negative attitudes</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will challenge us to never say again that's impossible, for with God nothing is impossible. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Christ, we become unlimited people.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">People who shape the future.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">People who bring into reality the spark of creativity that God entrusted to them. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unlimited people see the harvest as plentiful, but they also realize that the workers are few. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We want to challenge your old way of thinking.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We want to challenge your preconceived ideas of what is possible and what is not. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We want to show you that as a person, as a church we are unlimited!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="line-height: 21.8500003814697px;">Unlimited is an opportunity to increase our capacity and expand our potential...as individuals and as a community of believers. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="line-height: 21.8500003814697px;"><br /></span></span>jeremiahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882066445679950639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168928337257217924.post-34095990622039918682014-10-21T19:23:00.003-04:002014-10-21T19:29:29.453-04:00DETOX: Flint Knives and Foreskins<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">DETOX</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">INTRO:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are in week #5 of DETOX</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In week one, we taught you about the value of truth in your life.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sometimes we need an intervention to wake us up and bring healing </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in our lives by turning to God.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In week 2, we saw that being aware of the truth is only half the battle…</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s application of the truth that sets us free.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On week 3, we spoke about the value of detoxifying our hearts, by giving </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">our time, talent and treasure fully to Him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last week, we learned how our minds can help us overcome the toxic </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">culture around us.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blessing comes when you accept responsibility for the truth God reveals! Curses are the result of ignoring the truth. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the last installment of our DETOX message series as we follow the story of the children of Israel in the wilderness!!</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Turn to Joshua 3…</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The children of Israel have been delivered from Egypt to the bank of the Jordan River after 40 years in the wilderness.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SCRIPTURE:</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Early the next morning Joshua and all the Israelites left Acacia Grove and arrived at the banks of the Jordan River, where they camped before crossing. Three days later the Israelite officers went through the camp, giving these instructions to the people: “When you see the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD your God, move out from your positions and follow them. Since you have never traveled this way before, they will guide you. Stay about a half mile behind them, keeping a clear distance between you and the Ark. Make sure you don’t come any closer.” Then Joshua told the people, “Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do great wonders among you.”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Joshua 3:1-5 NLT)</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PRAY</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today I want to give you three phases on the road to recovery.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Phase #1- Leave your Shittim Behind!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The name of the Acacia Grove was "Shittim"</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Turn to Philippians, chapter 3...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">12 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">13 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">14 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Philippians 3:12-14</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If we never leave where we are, we will never go where He leads.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They might have sat there forever overwhelmed </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by what was in front of them.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #ff9900; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you first find yourself.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~Mark Caine</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Confession and repentance is a first step to your best days!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The beginning of the final step of purification started when they left their Shittim behind…</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now turn a couple pages to chapter 5 as we pick the story up again on the other side of the Jordan.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">FAST FORWARD the story through the crossing of the Jordan and the memorial stones to the re-establishment of the covenant and circumcision.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At that time the LORD told Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise this second generation of Israelites. ” So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the entire male population of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth. Joshua had to circumcise them because all the men who were old enough to fight in battle when they left Egypt had died in the wilderness. Those who left Egypt had all been circumcised, but none of those born after the Exodus, during the years in the wilderness, had been circumcised. The Israelites had traveled in the wilderness for forty years until all the men who were old enough to fight in battle when they left Egypt had died. For they had disobeyed the LORD, and the LORD vowed he would not let them enter the land he had sworn to give us—a land flowing with milk and honey. So Joshua circumcised their sons—those who had grown up to take their fathers’ places—for they had not been circumcised on the way to the Promised Land. After all the males had been circumcised, they rested in the camp until they were healed. Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the shame of your slavery in Egypt.” So that place has been called Gilgal to this day. While the Israelites were camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they celebrated Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Joshua 5:2-10 NLT)</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.britishmuseum.org/images/ps259129_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.britishmuseum.org/images/ps259129_m.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Phase #2- Flint Knives and Foreskins</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is where the obedience factor comes into play.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Things didn't get easier for them when they crossed over to their promised land, they got harder, but God was re-establishing relationship with a whole new generation of Israelites who didn't know what it meant to be set apart, holy and detoxified when it comes to the world around them!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Follow-through with the things God says to you, even if they are painful!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We aren't required to circumcise our physical bodies because of Christ's new Covenant, but our hearts must be "circumcised" to God's purposes, just the same.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What do you need to follow through on? What has God asked you to do that is still undone? </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Phase #3- Say goodbye to Shame</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the shame of your slavery in Egypt.” So that place has been called Gilgal to this day. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Joshua 5:9 NLT)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Galal means "to roll upon God..."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It's not enough just to roll our shame away, we need to roll our shame onto Christ, the Lamb of God.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When they obeyed God in this final phase, He rolled away their old, shameful identity as slaves and identified them as His own.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Where are you still identifying yourself as a slave, when God has made you free?</span></div>
jeremiahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882066445679950639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168928337257217924.post-18454176672306623762014-10-15T13:26:00.000-04:002014-10-15T13:26:57.892-04:00Walking Out a Miracle: The Power of Prayer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHeazEEcFhK8FuY3tRkYZntpXaVdUYXitJR9kvfgco8jzhX7rUxrJ4PM3lIB98uT9wJOaJ4Gz0iM87ce7rS3_L-QPzajBVNYMcnWpTYKBfenrFLYn16xjGmAJZj2DP_X-yH3RW1BH4iLI/s1600/IMG_2517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHeazEEcFhK8FuY3tRkYZntpXaVdUYXitJR9kvfgco8jzhX7rUxrJ4PM3lIB98uT9wJOaJ4Gz0iM87ce7rS3_L-QPzajBVNYMcnWpTYKBfenrFLYn16xjGmAJZj2DP_X-yH3RW1BH4iLI/s1600/IMG_2517.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal;">On August 25th, I set out with a group of church planters and bikers on an exciting 7,000 mile, church planting road trip that would take us from Pennsylvania to Seattle and back again. We set off with the goal to encourage church planters all around the nation to make the leap into starting a new, local church. Two days later, on August 27th, our goals became very different as we found ourselves praying for God to spare the life of our friend and pastor, Gerry Stoltzfoos. A semi-truck had pulled out in front of him across three lanes of traffic leaving him in the ER of a Chicago area hospital.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal;">The morning of the accident, we had split up (as any Scooby Doo gang would) to complete some repairs on one of the other bikes that was having trouble. Gerry had gone to the local motorcycle dealership to pick up a part that we need to finish the repairs, but as we waited for Gerry to meet up at the agreed upon rendezvous, we began to be concerned. We began tracing any possible route Gerry might have taken because we had no idea where he might have gone and with God's help, we came upon an intersection filled with police cars where we found his bike, lodged under a tractor trailer. Gerry had already been taken by ambulance to the hospital and we were given very little hope for him.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal;"><b><br />But we serve an amazing, miracle-working God who began doing miracles left and right as His people began praying!!</b></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal;"></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal;">The night before his accident, I felt impressed to snap a picture of each of the riders that were on the trek with us. In Chicago’s setting sun, I snapped a picture of each bike and rider. I managed to capture an epic picture of Gerry riding his signature Harley with his finger pointing directly at the camera. Little did I know that that picture would become a flash point for so much prayer in the days and weeks of recovery that laid before him.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal;"></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal;">I recall that my very first discernible prayer was “Please God, don’t let that picture be the last picture of Gerry on earth!” I believe God took that prayer very seriously as those first few moments passed. Within minutes, family and church staff were notified of the accident and in a very short matter of time, people all across the country began to lift Gerry up in prayer with great passion and precision!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal;">Julie, his wife hurriedly joined us in Chico and kept a constant prayer vigil at his hospital bedside. His immediate family quickly followed Julie and the remainder of what came to be called, “The Furious Five” stayed on to assist Julie and the Stoltzfoos family with encouragement and care. I cannot adequately describe the intense reality of living under the prayer covering all of you were producing in those days directly after the accident, but each of us knew that God was restoring Gerry with miracle after miracle. Each day brought encouraging news in spite of the possibility of long term brain injury.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal;">The picture I had snapped quickly made its rounds on Facebook as people posted and reposted it as a reminder to pray for complete healing. Many churches in Gettysburg prayed together for Gerry the following Sunday morning and his own church family and network, Freedom Valley, organized an overnight prayer vigil to cry out for the completion of Gerry’s healing and restoration, physically, spiritually and mentally.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal;">I am pleased to report that as of the end of September, Gerry received a clean bill of health from his physicians and is back in the pulpit, teaching God’s Word with passion and integrity! It is my conviction that without the prayers of God’s people, the outcome could have been very different.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal;">James 5:16 assures us that, “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” I had the privilege of having a front row seat for a spectacular show of God’s power that came through the earnest prayer of all you righteous people out there and I will never stop thanking God for the wonderful results those prayers produced. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal;">On behalf of Gerry, the Stoltzfoos family and every Freedom Valley Network pastor and partner, allow me to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyibExbCDv3BJxbNOzLer_Wa9H-W0IfGgRQz9XHFCrshLTR8FLAwL23vyIUjcGY_5eGkL8R7HDfIO6eX7V2khJ0sX3_zgDaj8yMtByKyGA9K9AGLheARBdbYZ1kyXqt_VjCoU_HIJ8EdY/s1600/IMG_1423.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyibExbCDv3BJxbNOzLer_Wa9H-W0IfGgRQz9XHFCrshLTR8FLAwL23vyIUjcGY_5eGkL8R7HDfIO6eX7V2khJ0sX3_zgDaj8yMtByKyGA9K9AGLheARBdbYZ1kyXqt_VjCoU_HIJ8EdY/s1600/IMG_1423.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
jeremiahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882066445679950639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168928337257217924.post-91426566615511780502014-10-06T10:37:00.000-04:002014-10-06T10:37:06.620-04:00DETOX: The Heart<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is week #3 of DETOX</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In week one, we taught you about the value of truth in your life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sometimes we need an intervention to wake us up and bring healing </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in our lives by turning to God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last week we saw that being aware of the truth is only half the battle…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s application of the truth that sets us free.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blessing comes when you accept responsibility for the truth God reveals! Curses are the result of ignoring the truth. </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.e-hope4all.info/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Tithe-And-Battle-For-Money-And-Heart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.e-hope4all.info/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Tithe-And-Battle-For-Money-And-Heart.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today, we want to use that truth as a jumping off point for today’s lesson…</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If blessing comes when we accept responsibility for the truth God reveals, why is it so hard to apply the truth to ourselves?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Scripture says that it has everything to do with the condition of our hearts.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">9 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and desperately wicked.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Who really knows how bad it is?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jeremiah 17:9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">MAIN THOUGHT: We must learn to lead our hearts, not be lead by them.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So how do we train and lead our hearts towards health and God’s purposes for our life?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It actually happens in a very interesting way...</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Matthew 6:21 </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In other words, Jesus is saying that you can tell a lot about a your heart by looking at how you spend the commodities of your life!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Time-Talent-Treasure Dashboard</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When we drive we react to what our dashboard is telling us about the car we are driving.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There’s a gauge for fuel, speed, RPM, etc…</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our heart has a dashboard as well and it measures how we use our time, talent and treasure!</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Time is the only thing we can never get back.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Talent is what we spend our energy on.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Treasure is our wealth or means.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the same way, we can look at the dashboard in our heart and make the necessary adjustments to the way we drive our lives.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Generosity should be the driver of our hearts and we can detoxify our hearts by leading it to giving as God prescribed.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">POINT #1- Start by contributing 10%</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You must set aside a tithe of your crops—</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">one-tenth of all the crops you harvest each year. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">V. 22</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Honor God with the first 10% and you can trust God with the other 90%</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God gives it a number so that we can be clear about it.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God doesn't say, "if there is enough left over". Do it first.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">10 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Malachi 3:10</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">POINT #2- Contribute to the God-community He places you in</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">23 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bring this tithe to the designated place of worship—the place the </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> your God chooses for his name to be honored—and eat it there in his presence. This applies to your tithes of grain, new wine, olive oil, and the firstborn males of your flocks and herds. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Deuteronomy 14:23</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first part of your generosity should go to the place you worship God. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It should be shared in community with others!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Consumer or Contributor?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God established the tithe so we could understand the value of moving </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">from a consumer to a contributor and that change starts in the </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God-community He places you in!</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is why many of us have a hard time fitting in. We are consumers everywhere we go...including our church. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God imagined His house as a place where everyone would be a contributor, not just a consumer!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Giving either works or it doesn’t!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tithing is like training wheels. It helps us see that giving works!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">POINT #3- Contribute to the highest value </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Doing this will teach you always to fear the </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> your God.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Deuteronomy 14:23b</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The tithe trains our heart to trust God and not worry. When we give God control of our finances, it becomes His responsibility, not mine!</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The highest value is not greater wealth, it’s knowing God more closely.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The highest value in our lives determines what we spend our time talent and treasure. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is the highest value in your life?</span></div>
<br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The bottom line is actually determined by the top line...consider tithing.</span>jeremiahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882066445679950639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168928337257217924.post-61550515795555335762014-09-29T10:24:00.001-04:002014-09-29T10:24:12.733-04:00DETOX: Responsibility<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.8500003814697px; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I was a kid, cartoons were so much cooler! I loved HE-MAN, Thundercats, VOLTRON, but I especially loved G.I. Joe!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSaZpa-49Us4-UJI8nVf6hOuPmEN_5-jlwb0qRV-_Iu7NNhyphenhyphen9p8C_Krw_JIgKMlcnMFWB4LnsSSb24sXVN9i7mtg-WcpOSOiiPXyV0aX10A-gBp8lCgSAAVgj3SA2tXpueFjm_c6jwgKo/s1600/GIJoeHeader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSaZpa-49Us4-UJI8nVf6hOuPmEN_5-jlwb0qRV-_Iu7NNhyphenhyphen9p8C_Krw_JIgKMlcnMFWB4LnsSSb24sXVN9i7mtg-WcpOSOiiPXyV0aX10A-gBp8lCgSAAVgj3SA2tXpueFjm_c6jwgKo/s1600/GIJoeHeader.jpg" height="148" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="line-height: 21.8500003814697px;">At the end of every episode, the characters would come out and make a public service announcement. They would tell us to stay off drugs, go to school and avoid sticking our fingers into light sockets and then they would say... </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="line-height: 21.8500003814697px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="line-height: 21.8500003814697px;"><b><i>"Now you know, and knowing is half the battle!"</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="line-height: 21.8500003814697px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="line-height: 21.8500003814697px;">But have you ever stopped to think what the other half is?</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="line-height: 21.8500003814697px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="line-height: 21.8500003814697px;">Neither did I...until this week.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="line-height: 21.8500003814697px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="line-height: 21.8500003814697px;">What I realized was that the other half of the battle is taking responsibility </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="line-height: 21.8500003814697px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="line-height: 21.8500003814697px;">Responsibility...</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="line-height: 21.8500003814697px;"> ...for the lessons we learn</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="line-height: 21.8500003814697px;"> ...for our failure when we are stubborn</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="line-height: 21.8500003814697px;"> ...for truth when it is clear</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="line-height: 21.8500003814697px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="line-height: 21.8500003814697px;">I realized that <b><i>b</i></b></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 21.8500003814697px; white-space: pre-wrap;">lessing comes when you accept responsibility for the truth God reveals! Curses are the result of ignoring the truth. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last week I shared out of Numbers 21, about Moses and the bronze snake that he raised up so that the Israelites who had been bitten by the poisonous snakes could receive their healing. It is a powerful foreshadowing of Jesus on the cross. For we are the ones who have been bitten by sin in our lives and all we have to do is look up at the cross to receive healing and forgiveness. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God intervened in our lives by sending his son. It was his own Intervention and solution to the problem of sin in our lives, but we can't stop there...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I A M he. Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.</b></span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(John 8:28, 32 NLT)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.8500003814697px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The word, "truth" has been watered down by our culture. Just like the word "love", truth has become an innocuous word with few ramifications in our lives, but Jesus said that the truth will set us free. This means that the truth should be a powerful player in our lives, but it is only powerful IF we take responsibility for it!</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.8500003814697px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.8500003814697px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Truth is more than just facts. Truth brings about a necessary decision making process that should give us freedom to live as God intended us to live! It forces us to consider the way we live and Jesus said that we are really His disciples IF we do what He teaches.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Read this passage from Deuteronomy and take note of all the times the word "IF" is written...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Deuteronomy 28:1-14</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blessings for Obedience</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">28 “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. 2 You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3 Your towns and your fields</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will be blessed.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4 Your children and your crops</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will be blessed.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The offspring of your herds and flocks</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will be blessed.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5 Your fruit baskets and breadboards</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will be blessed.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">6 Wherever you go and whatever you do,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> you will be blessed.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">7 “The Lord will conquer your enemies when they attack you. They will attack you from one direction, but they will scatter from you in seven!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">8 “The Lord will guarantee a blessing on everything you do and will fill your storehouses with grain. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">9 “If you obey the commands of the Lord your God and walk in his ways, the Lord will establish you as his holy people as he swore he would do. 10 Then all the nations of the world will see that you are a people claimed by the Lord, and they will stand in awe of you.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">11 “The Lord will give you prosperity in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you, blessing you with many children, numerous livestock, and abundant crops. 12 The Lord will send rain at the proper time from his rich treasury in the heavens and will bless all the work you do. You will lend to many nations, but you will never need to borrow from them. 13 If you listen to these commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today, and if you carefully obey them, the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always be on top and never at the bottom. 14 You must not turn away from any of the commands I am giving you today, nor follow after other gods and worship them.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Main Thought- Blessing comes when you accept responsibility for the truth God reveals! Curses are the result of ignoring the truth. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When you take responsibility for truth in your own life these 4 things begin to happen to you.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. You are Blessed!</span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">6 Wherever you go and whatever you do,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> you will be blessed.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blessed:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bless·ed</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> blest,ˈblesid/</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> adjective</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.8500003814697px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i> </i></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">made holy; consecrated.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Note that it’s not just about physical blessing, but a spiritual "bless-ed-ness" in being set apart and made holy or useful to God. When you move from operating strictly in the natural realm to the understanding that you are now made holy, consecrated to God, blessing takes on a different meaning. When you know that you are "bless-ed", you handle your life decisions and relationships differently. Your priorities switch.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #222222;"> <b><u>2. </u></b></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><u>Y</u></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.2; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ou are victorious!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.8500003814697px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.8500003814697px; white-space: pre-wrap;">7 “The Lord will conquer your enemies when they attack you. They will attack you from one direction, but they will scatter from you in seven!</span><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #222222;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #222222;"> <u style="font-weight: bold;">3. </u></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><u>Y</u></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.2; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ou are an example!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">9 “If you obey the commands of the Lord your God and walk in his ways, the Lord will </span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">establish </span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">you as his holy people as he swore he would do. 10 Then all the nations of the world will see that you are a people claimed by the Lord, and they will stand in awe of you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.15; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4. You Are Prosperous!</span></div>
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">11 “The Lord will give you prosperity in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you, blessing you with many children, numerous livestock, and abundant crops. 12 The Lord will send rain at the proper time from his rich treasury in the heavens and will bless all the work you do. You will lend to many nations, but you will never need to borrow from them.</span>jeremiahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882066445679950639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168928337257217924.post-16194989511786698152014-09-22T09:42:00.003-04:002014-09-22T09:54:55.431-04:00DETOX: Intervention<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBN8P5e6sHasPT2Zv2hkj470xfi8GEBfhB3SliAe-6zF5i_6OAbWGEzyTWQP6erzfiGHkPGV0QaixCmbeaOE9o6CIl1hBjFAVAt20xg_cvPjOMRoSHDz08HPHk80qriwkmzGG8crkmEIc/s1600/Detox(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBN8P5e6sHasPT2Zv2hkj470xfi8GEBfhB3SliAe-6zF5i_6OAbWGEzyTWQP6erzfiGHkPGV0QaixCmbeaOE9o6CIl1hBjFAVAt20xg_cvPjOMRoSHDz08HPHk80qriwkmzGG8crkmEIc/s1600/Detox(2).jpg" height="240" width="400" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>"It's time for an intervention!" </i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What’s chipping away at your soul? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What’s getting in the way of you becoming the person who God created you to be? </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">12 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And so, dear brothers and sisters,[</span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans+12&version=NLT#fen-NLT-28208a" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #b34b2c; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">a</span></a><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">] I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.[</span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans+12&version=NLT#fen-NLT-28208b" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #b34b2c; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">b</span></a><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">] </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Romans 12:1-2</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Let’s explore how we can neutralize damaging influences in our lives!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Let’s detox our soul, mind and body!!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">They say that the first step to solving any problem is recognizing that you have one.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As simple as that sounds, it can be the trickiest step in experiencing recovery from anything that hurts us.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is why interventions have become so pervasive in today’s world…</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">An intervention is an arranged scenario that allows a person to be confronted </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">with the truth that their behavior is hurting them and those that love them.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Interventions have become common in the drug and alcohol recovery world </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">because it is effective.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There’s even a reality TV show that shows the drama unfolding.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SCRIPTURE</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Numbers 21:4-9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Then the people of Israel set out from Mount Hor, taking the road to the Red Sea[</span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+21&version=NLT#fen-NLT-4321c" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #b34b2c; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">c</span></a><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">] to go around the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient with the long journey, </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and they began to speak against God and Moses. “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die here in the wilderness?” they complained. “There is nothing to eat here and nothing to drink. And we hate this horrible manna!”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">6 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So the </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many were bitten and died. </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">7 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Then the people came to Moses and cried out, “We have sinned by speaking against the </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and against you. Pray that the </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> will take away the snakes.” So Moses prayed for the people.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">8 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Then the </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> told him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!” </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">9 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Let's take a closer look at this intervention that God arranged for the miserable children of Israel... </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">LEAVE YOUR LOVE AFFAIR OF THE PAST</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and they began to speak against God and Moses. “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die here in the wilderness?” they complained. “There is nothing to eat here and nothing to drink. And we hate this horrible manna!”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The children of Israel loved Egypt more than they loved the future God wanted them to have. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">They spoke against God because they couldn’t stop thinking about how good they had </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">it in Egypt.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">POINT #2: FAILURE HAS FANGS!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">6 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So the </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many were bitten and died. </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">7 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Then the people came to Moses and cried out, “We have sinned by speaking against the </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and against you.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sin is failure and sin will eventually turn on you.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The pain that comes from failure is often the only thing that wakes us up, causing us to turn </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">our eyes to Heaven again.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In an odd way, the snakes actually became an agent of mercy because they alerted the </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> children of Israel that something was wrong.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">God sent the snakes as a way to say your decisions are hurting yourselves and others.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It was the kick in the butt that they needed so that the kick me sign of sin could finally be removed.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">POINT #3: GOD’S MERCY IS GREATER THAN OUR FAILURE</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">8 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Then the </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> told him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!” </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">9 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In this moment, the bronze snake lifted up on a pole became an expression of God’s mercy.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It became a way for the children of Israel to submit themselves again to God.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It became a conduit for God’s mercy to flow to a stubborn people who didn’t </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">understand that they were hurting themselves and others.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The snake in scripture, is an ancient symbol of sin and God chose it very strategically as the object they would look upon in the desert.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">WE MUST BE CONFRONTED WITH OUR SIN BEFORE GOD’S MERCY CAN FLOW!!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This truth still remains to this day, though God has provided a more permanent solution to the problem of our failure through His Son.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thousands of years later, Jesus himself would be lifted up like the snake in the desert.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He became sin for us so that we could be healed of the effects of our sin...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SCRIPTURE: JOHN 3:14-21</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">14 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">15 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.[</span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+3&version=NLT#fen-NLT-26102f" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #b34b2c; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">f</span></a><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">]</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">16 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“For this is how God loved the world: He gave[</span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+3&version=NLT#fen-NLT-26103g" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #b34b2c; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">g</span></a><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">17 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">18 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">19 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">20 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">21 </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.[</span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+3&version=NLT#fen-NLT-26108h" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #b34b2c; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">h</span></a><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">]”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">God intervened for us when he became sin on the cross. This is the starting place for us because any intervention that doesn't cause us to look up at Christ and our sin nailed to the cross is doomed to fail!</span>jeremiahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882066445679950639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168928337257217924.post-87179543787341019522014-08-29T19:25:00.001-04:002014-08-29T19:56:38.569-04:00Road Trip Update August 29th, 2014<br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Today is a new day. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">That is a very important reality for the Furious Five every day we spend here in Chicago. We are spending long hours in the ICU waiting room and at Gerry's bedside with Julie and he is showing improvement each hour, and each day brings new challenges and celebrations. Physically, he is making a very strong recovery. His vitals are good and we have been waiting for him to wake up, be responsive and start speaking. Today, he did.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Today (and everyday so far) Tommy is doing a great job caring for Julie and Gerry. Today (and everyday so far) Rob has been a tremendous friend to all of us and has been praying and encouraging us all to keep looking up. Today (and everyday so far) Sixx has been helping with every thing he can get his hands on with a passion that is rooted in his love for Christ. Today (and everyday so far) we are determined to fulfill our new goal of standing in the gap for the Stoltzfoos family and the Freedom Valley Network at large. I hope we are doing an ok job.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Thank you all for you prayers and support! They are invaluable to us and we feel when they are being sent our way. We have endured some intense lows and horrific circumstances since Wednesday, but we have also seen God's hand at work as we go along our way. Jesus is doing miracles everyday here and I know there are many more waiting for each day. To have Gerry speak today confirms that we are on the right track with recovery and God is glorified! So today (and everday after), this was a good day.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">I'd also like to say that his doctors, nurses and the hospital he is staying in, Advocate Christ Hospital has taken very good care of Gerry and his family and they deserve a lot of the props for Gerry's recovery.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Please DO NOT STOP PRAYING for Gerry because today is good news, because everyday is a new day (with new challenges and goals). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">On behalf of the Stoltzfoos family and the Furious Five, we thank you for continuing to pray for Gerry's full recovery!!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">jeremiah</span></div>
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jeremiahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882066445679950639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168928337257217924.post-57166168418871106552014-08-28T12:58:00.001-04:002014-08-28T12:58:16.203-04:00Road Trip Update as of August 28th, 2014<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: white;">The Furious Five started out on Monday morning with a plan to make an impact on others without realizing the impact this trip would have on us. Monday night, we stayed near Cleveland OH and stayed with Jeff Davidson and his wife, Amber and their amazing family. They showed us tremendous hospitality and allowed us to use their garage to attempt to repair a broken fork seal on one of the bikes. Our bike mechanic Sixx worked hard most of the night to make it road worthy and we started out Tuesday morning with high hopes of reaching Iowa by Thursday.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjppyx1U7wz7anS9MSlD_cKTWLCKKB8_JAOyo6-wcqkGuJk2rCfNiuXUgJpp0-t3KqpYceP48bh3ZBMO8DMjJPGHrBWQskSTQBityIJ8IXGdjBgpLkiP8QyljNc4UCAG9tVsaofEJbFaGY/s1600/IMG_1356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjppyx1U7wz7anS9MSlD_cKTWLCKKB8_JAOyo6-wcqkGuJk2rCfNiuXUgJpp0-t3KqpYceP48bh3ZBMO8DMjJPGHrBWQskSTQBityIJ8IXGdjBgpLkiP8QyljNc4UCAG9tVsaofEJbFaGY/s1600/IMG_1356.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></span></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: white;">We hit the road after a great morning worship time and drove on to our destination for the night when the fork seal started showing signs of trouble again. We stopped in Chicago and formulated a plan to fix the fork seal for good. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">On Wednesday morning, we split up (like any good Scooby Do gang would) so that we could most quickly and efficiently repair the faulty seal. As we waited for Gerry to meet up at the agreed upon rendezvous, Tommy began to be concerned and so Rob and I began tracing any possible route Gerry might have taken. With God's help (and no idea where he might have gone), we came upon his bike, lodged under a tractor trailer. </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Gerry had already been taken by ambulance to the hospital and we were given very little hope for him.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><b><span style="color: white;">But we serve an amazing, miracle-working God!! And God has been doing miracles left and right!! </span></b></span></h4>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: white;">Yesterday began with a very clear goal to get on the road heading West. Today the goals are very different. Today we just want our good friend and pastor back on his feet. Please stop and say a prayer for him before you read on.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn56fI1OBcaouEVjPpExngv-kbTvBzpNjFNiWlvvYhkyNtAwUWUTocgglai0jtMCsuMRzkK0U3N61Shcsg-GSiPf9Py4tYggnhD1DYZknR44sevz53mp2GwqsypnpeUVSHq2R0Fc8Lgf8/s1600/IMG_1406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn56fI1OBcaouEVjPpExngv-kbTvBzpNjFNiWlvvYhkyNtAwUWUTocgglai0jtMCsuMRzkK0U3N61Shcsg-GSiPf9Py4tYggnhD1DYZknR44sevz53mp2GwqsypnpeUVSHq2R0Fc8Lgf8/s1600/IMG_1406.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Gerry is doing better than we could have imagined this morning. Actually, he is in pretty good shape, but he is definitely not out of the woods yet. They hope to take him out of sedation today so they can work at getting him on his feet again. He is recovering well. Seeing the scene afterwards, I would have assumed his condition to be much worse than a few sores and bruises. Please pray that he wakes up well and heals completely and quickly!</span><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">The accident happened near an industrial park in Peotone, IL on Wednesday morning around 9:45am by my estimates. The bike ended up under the tailgate of a tractor trailer rig and got wedged in. We didn't actually see the accident, so the police will have to reconstruct it. I won't try to determine the cause here.</span><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">For now, we are all very glad we have not lost him and we are praying furiously that he will make a full recovery. After that, I believe he will return back to his mission with greater focus and clarity than ever. </span><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Today, the Furious Five are still five and we are still furious. Now we wait to see what God will call us to next! Look out Devil! :)</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">jeremiah</span></span>jeremiahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882066445679950639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168928337257217924.post-59252924136703759482014-08-20T20:49:00.000-04:002014-08-20T20:49:41.368-04:00URGENT! Cross Country Church Planting Road Trip!Dear Friends and Family!<br />
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I have been given an amazing, last minute opportunity to join Gerry Stoltzfoos and a team of church planters who are going state by state to strategize with potential planters from across the country! This is an unforeseen turn of events that has me bursting with excitement for what could happen. Our hope is that this trip will allow us to speak into the lives of these new church leaders in venues that could cause them to make the final leap into church planting! Of course, we want to learn some new things ourselves as well as we seek God on the road and in a critical consultation with a church planting guru who has been affectionately called the "Yoda" of church planting. We are leaving on Monday, August 25th for this two week stateside missions trip that will entail at least 4 church planting summits in 10 states!<br />
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To be successful, we will really need your prayers during this time for safety and true power from the Holy Spirit! I would also ask you to lift up the spouses and families of those going (including Cori and the kids) because they will be holding down the home front while I am away. This is the reason I am writing to you now. Would you please commit to covering our team in prayer as we cover over 6,000 miles in two weeks?!<br />
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The cost of the trip is substantial, but Cori and I are willing to cover the cost entirely by faith if nothing comes in because we believe in the strength of church planting. The total cost is around $3,000 for gas, lodging, food and expenses and so I want to invite you to be a part of what this trip produces if you have a desire to sow some financial seed with me.<br />
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If you have the desire to help financially,<br />
Please make a donation to the Intersection Church and put "Church Planting Summit" in the memo. Donations are tax-deductible and can be given to me in person this week or mail it to<br />
1980 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg PA 17325.<br />
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Every dollar, prayer and happy thought is appreciated, so please consider partnering with me and this wild-eyed group of church planters through prayer and generosity and keep checking this blog for prayer updates during the course of this cross-country missions trip that is engineered for HUGE eternal impact!<br />
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Thank you!<br />
Jeremiah and Cori Herbertjeremiahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882066445679950639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168928337257217924.post-26504838369209675862014-08-16T16:31:00.003-04:002014-08-16T16:39:32.332-04:00From Dream to Reality<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many of you already know that the Intersection Church had the special privilege to dedicate it's new playground recently. That ribbon cutting was a powerful time for Cori and I as we reflected on the process God took us through from dream to reality. Six years in the making, The STREET playground was filled with laughter for the first time because of the faithfulness of God's people to a dream that God placed in our hearts. Thank you to EVERYONE who was behind Cori and I over the last few years! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have included the text for that dedication service below for you to read if you did not make it.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Jesus was always in the business of blessing children.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He valued the simplicity and whole-heartedness of their faith</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He gave them value in a world that did not value them."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Matthew 19:13-15</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">13 </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">14 </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">15 </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Cori and I were a part of the last generation that grew up playing under the streetlights of our neighborhoods."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When we were children, we would play without fear of danger.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We would create relationships with other children and families that </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">could strengthen us when our own family life was uncertain.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We would pour out our youthful energy running, jumping and from place to place without a smartphone or tablet to keep us occupied.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The world has become a different place for children in so many ways…</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Taking our cue from Jesus and His example of love in valuing children, we began to dream of a playground that would be like the street that Cori and I grew up playing on.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Street playground we are dedicating today is a result of that initial dream that God placed in our hearts back in 2008.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was a team effort through and through and we can’t thank God enough for the team of people He has given to us to make this dream a reality.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Acknowledgements</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thanks to:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Administrative Lead- Cori Herbert</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Project management- Johnny Brown and his team</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Family Ministries Coach- Jenn Vintigni</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The staff and volunteers of the Intersection church</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Austin Pritchard</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jack Godinez</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mike and Violet Reindollar</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many donors with in our church community gave gifts, large and small</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dedication</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We dedicate this playground as a place where broken families will be able to mend among the laughter of their children.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We dedicate this playground as a place where children can feel safe, knowing that it may be the only safe place in their lives.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We dedicate this playground to the community of Gettysburg and the families who live here.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This will be a place where they will experience hope.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This will be a place where they will experience joy.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This will be a place where they will experience love</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">...in a world where love is hard to come by.</span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We dedicate this playground on behalf of a God who is love. </span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This playground is a gift to our community and we acknowledge that God is a giver. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prayer and Dedication Given by:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jeremiah Herbert</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Playground Dedication </span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">August 9th, 2014</span></div>
jeremiahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882066445679950639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168928337257217924.post-71139401603364616082014-05-01T17:03:00.002-04:002014-05-01T17:06:11.868-04:00Wouldn't it be fun to play here?<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<span class="userContent"><span class="userContent"> </span> <br /> We
are so close to the end of our playground project. We just need $10,000
to make the room ready for state inspection. Would you pray about giving
to help meet our costs in cash? Maybe you could share this post and
pray? I would appreciate it so much. Thanks for considering it!</span><span class="userContentSecondary fcg"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9KIPhsKMnXPk6A8tygu9q-uXBWIGyJWo43HNGf7Thw2keKmI9Zkfg-mCu6eFtt12ccVQyEuOLS03xtxxPSWMlPxwyC1CbP4yZBpmhLX3erXbQDB_2Vf6pN0vDWlVVNj3SJf4XzMJK6gU/s1600/14+-+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9KIPhsKMnXPk6A8tygu9q-uXBWIGyJWo43HNGf7Thw2keKmI9Zkfg-mCu6eFtt12ccVQyEuOLS03xtxxPSWMlPxwyC1CbP4yZBpmhLX3erXbQDB_2Vf6pN0vDWlVVNj3SJf4XzMJK6gU/s1600/14+-+1.jpg" height="224" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<u><b>The Plan</b></u></div>
I have something very important to share with you. I
have pastored the Intersection Church in Gettysburg for almost four
years now. Our church has grown powerfully since it launched in 2010 and
we have seen life-change as an everyday occurrence because we share the
Gospel of Jesus Christ and love people til it hurts! We are thankful
for the growth and impact we have been given, but we know there is much
more in store for our little corner of the Body of Christ.</div>
<br />
The
"more" that I am speaking of was birthed in my spirit back in 2008,
before we even had a single weekend service! <b>When God gave me His plans
for our church, it included a well-kept, excellent indoor playground
that would be open to the community. With His help our young, church
body has managed to raise over $25,000.00 to purchase a playground as
well as getting this playground that we call "The Street" to it's
initial inspection with the state.</b></div>
<div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><u><b>The Challenge</b></u></span></div>
Here
is the challenge, at that inspection we were told that we had about
$10,000 worth of additional improvements that we had to effect upon the
room before we could open to the public and that is why I am writing you
now. Our initial budget, (which was thorough and well-devised) could
not have foreseen the changes/expenses of this final stage and so I am
reaching out to my friends and family to see if you would be willing to
contribute to completing this project.</div>
<b>Our goal is to raise
the final $10,000 that we need by the end of May, but if we can get
faith commitments from people who care about finishing this project, we
will be able to begin the work quickly!</b> That is why I am asking God for
31 people who will step up from outside of our body to make the last
push a reality. <br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<u><b>The Question</b></u></div>
<div>
<br />
Would you consider being a part of the 31?</div>
<div>
I
rarely ask for outside contributions, but I believe so strongly in the
vision for this playground and the impact it will have, that I am
willing to go out on a limb to see it accomplished. <br />
<ol>
<li>Would
you be one of thirty one people who will give a one-time gift to help us
get the doors open to this incredible tool that God has given to us to
reach our community?</li>
<li>Would you consider being one of the 31 people who will make a monthly financial contribution for the first year of operations?</li>
</ol>
</div>
<div>
I
know you get a lot of requests for generosity, so I understand if you
cannot give to the work we are doing here in Gettysburg. Conversely, I
also know that many of you are looking for great soil to sow a seed to
reach the next generation with the love of Christ.</div>
<div>
<br />
<b>If you are interested in giving to "The Street"
playground project, please send a check to the Intersection Church,
1980 Baltimore Pike Gettysburg, PA 17325. All checks should be made
payable to "The Intersection" with "The Street 31" written in the memo to ensure the monies are applied correctly.</b><br />
<br />
Also, I would appreciate it if you could contact me with the amount you feel led to give so that we can know how we are doing. You can Facebook me or email me at adamsrescue1@gmail.com if you know that you are planning to give...</div>
<div>
<br />
Thank you for prayerfully considering this
opportunity! I appreciate your friendship and know that you will take
time to ask God if this is something He wants you to contribute towards!
Of course, you may call me at (717) 398-9072 if you would like to learn
more as well. <br />
<br />
May He bless you always!</div>
<br />
-- <br />
jeremiahjeremiahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882066445679950639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168928337257217924.post-75858961908284675892014-04-29T16:29:00.000-04:002014-04-29T16:29:00.714-04:00Giving Up "Christian" Music<br />
"Jesus died for me, not my songs, lyrics or melodies!" <br />
<br />
Brilliant!<br />
<br />
Take some time to read this post...There is so much interesting stuff in here. I am glad someone finally found a way to say it!<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://faithlikes.com/2014/04/05/this-is-why-switchfoot-wont-sing-christian-songs-anymore/">http://faithlikes.com/this-is-why-switchfoot-wont-sing-christian-songs-anymore/</a>jeremiahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882066445679950639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168928337257217924.post-50736813548699435302013-12-27T12:02:00.000-05:002013-12-27T12:06:44.039-05:00The two things you can do to help Cori and I right now...<span class="null"></span><br />
Many of you have asked what you can do to help Cori and I during this trying time and we appreciate the love you have shown so much. Of course there are the simple things that we appreciate. When you provide a meal or show concern for our kids and things like that. I do want to thank all of you that have contacted Rhonda Ramos to express your love for us in this way.<br />
<br />
<u><b>However, the number one thing you can do for Cori and I right now is to surround us by taking some time to devote yourselves to a few simple prayer focal points</b></u> that I have listed below. Can you do that? Write these three things down and then take 5-15 minutes as soon as you can to pray out loud concerning these three things...<br />
<br />
<b><u>The first is
that we want the enemy to pay dearly for this attack</u>.</b> I have been asking
God to give us relationship with 100 new families for every broken vertebrae Cori
suffered. That's 300 total new families at our church as a result of
this attack.<br />
<br />
<u><b>The second thing is that Cori would be able to heal
supernaturally through this process</b></u> so that God would get the glory even
out of her pain.<br />
<br />
<b><u>The third thing is exactly like a prayer Jesus
prayed for Peter (and the disciples) before he went to the cross. That
is, that our faith would not fail us</u>.</b> We are entering into 2014 soon and Cori and I believe the Holy Spirit has led us to call this the year to be "All
In" through every aspect of our lives. This is gonna require the highest
level of faith, relationship, love and intestinal fortitude we could
ever imagine because God has called our church and us, as individuals
and families, to great things. Those great things require us to be all
in when it comes to faith, sacrifice and trust in Him.<br />
<br />
I have
definitely felt my faith intensify through this experience as a result
of those prayers and the discomfort Cori and I have endured so far has
allowed us to feel a greater respect for those that give their lives
away for Christ's sake. I have even said over the last 24 hours that "If
Satan wants us to stop what we are doing, he is going to have to kill
us." I will not be moved and I believe that God is our defense. Period.<br />
<br />
Beyond that, if you attend the Intersection, <u><b>I want to encourage you to show your love for us by jumping in with both feet to help Cori and I at the church</b></u>. We will need to rely on our leaders and volunteers like never before, so I encourage you to sign up for something new or volunteer in an area that you have been wanting to help out in. Take that step and Cori and I will feel the support and God will get the glory!!<br />
<br />
Much love to you all!jeremiahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13882066445679950639noreply@blogger.com0