Author: Bradley Kallas

 

This world is producing a lot of things. We produce more as a society than we ever have. We also consume more, it seems. Yet, as we produce more materially, we’re also producing many unattractive qualities. We seem to have more undesirable traits being displayed. While we have more than we’ve ever had, maybe it’s produced some undesirable results.

I’m not very old, myself. Yet, I think of myself as an old school kind of thinker. I don’t get wrapped up in a lot of the same things as other people in my generation. I suppose that’s because I don’t want to be a product of my times. As you look at each generation, there seems to be a pattern of thinking ascribed to each one. There’s a mode of operation that each one seems to go by. Certainly, my grandparent’s generation didn’t think the way that my generation does. And my parent’s generation doesn’t think the way that mine does. I guess my observation is, that with each succeeding generation, the important things become less important, and the less important things become more important.

You can tell what people believe to be important by what they do. If you look at the decline in church attendance over the years, it would reflect that we have become an increasingly secular culture. People don’t seem to think faith in something other than themselves is very important. But what does that produce, other than a society more focused on themselves. Our buying habits also reflect that trend. We purchase more things that we don’t need than ever. Of course, they’re producing more things that we don’t need than ever. I suppose that’s because we keep buying it. It’s a vicious circle.

And there are other aspects of society that have changed, as well. We seem to be more disjointed as a society. We spend more time on social media, and less time with each other. Less actual interaction, and more virtual interaction. I don’t believe having more virtual friends is better than having more real friends. With all the technology, there doesn’t seem to be that face time with other people anymore. In the multitude of options, the important things have been forgotten. So, we become distracted from the important by the unimportant. We let things get in the way. But we don’t have to.

Maybe it’s just time we get back to the basic things. More of the simple that was profound and meaningful, and less of the complex that is shallow and trivial. I don’t think we have to go down the road society is taking. We can decide to keep the important things important. We can decide to minimize the unimportant. It takes a conscious effort to do this. It’s a struggle sometimes to go against the grain. But if enough of us do that as individuals, maybe we can have a positive impact on our society as a whole.

 

…Let’s go deeper

AV 2 Timothy 3:2: “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,” This verse speaks of the end of the age. It’s talking about how people will become increasingly selfish and self-absorbed. It shows a people that are proud and defiant, not reflecting a humility, or respect for others.

AV Revelation 3:17: “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” A person can easily become distracted by riches. That can become a sort of security blanket to some people. While it may fix a person’s financial condition, it doesn’t do anything about their heart condition. This verse shows the contrast of someone who has every form of material gain, but is empty inside.

AV Romans 12:2: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Once we experience the new birth and our heart is renewed we still have to fight the thought patterns of the society in which we live. We need to not be conformed to this world. But we can’t stop there. Once we get rid of one way of thinking, we need to replace it with something new. We have to renew our minds to a new way of thinking. That way of thinking comes from the Word. We start thinking of things, and seeing things the way God sees.
One of the sildenafil online no prescription huge reasons for the developing and worsening of the pancreatitis is acidity. Establishing a postpartum plan of care is essential for the cheap cialis 5mg nucleus of sperm cells and helps maintaining sperm count which eventually benefits male sexual hormone. ADVANTAGES OF TAKING viagra store viagra is said to be temporary as they do not last for a longer period to stabilize. It has generic viagra australia blessed the impotent men with the problem of ED hesitate to seek treatment.
AV Hebrews 13:5: “[Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Part of making sure we don’t become a part of the culture means we display a contentment with what we have. We don’t need to have the same things everyone else has. Because the most important thing we possess is our relationship with God.

AV 1 John 2:17: “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” The thing we can so easily forget is that all the things of this world are temporary. This world won’t always exist as it has. So, we don’t want to align with something that is temporary. We want to align with that which is eternal. And we want to align with God’s eternal plan. And it’s simply letting go of a ‘here and now’ we will lose, to gain an eternity that can’t be taken away.

AV 2 Timothy 3:2: “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,”

AV Revelation 3:17: “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:”

AV Romans 12:2: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

AV Hebrews 13:5: “[Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

AV 1 John 2:17: “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

 

I find myself rushing from one place to the next just to get everything done. I imagine many people find themselves feeling like this. There just don’t seem to be enough hours in the day. So, how do we handle this?

I wonder sometimes, if the days were longer, that I would be better able to fit everything in. But the interesting thing is, that we seem to always find another way to spend our time. Even if our days were 32 hours long, I imagine we would be able to find a way to fill those hours too. So, maybe longer days isn’t the solution. I’m pretty sure there’s no way to make that happen anyway. So, 24 hours each day. That’s all we have. I suppose what it comes down to is time management.

The first rule of time management is prioritizing. So, I need to figure out what things are really important to me. I’ve had to do this for myself. There are things I absolutely have to do each day. So, those go on the top of the priorities list. I get those things accomplished first and then go on to less important things. What I find is that getting the important things out of the way first squeezes out any of the more trivial items from my day. And this helps me be more productive.

Of course we sometimes convince ourselves that things are important, but it’s questionable that they are. Spending a weekend binge watching every available episode of my favorite TV show is probably not one of them. Although, I admit we need our downtime, that’s probably a bit extreme. So, of course balance comes into play here. I can become so productive that I burn out. And I can become so focused on leisure time that I never become productive. But if I keep the important things as a priority, I can fit my leisure time in whatever time remains.

Being productive is important. You not only end up accomplishing your goals, but you just feel a sense of satisfaction that you’ve done something that mattered. It seems prioritizing my time also helps cut down on rushing to do different things. I find that the times when I ended up rushing was because I hadn’t prioritized. I spent too much time on the less essential items so that it made me rush to get the essential items done. So, having a list of items, even if it’s just a mental list, seems to help alleviate this.

So, the upside of all this is being more productive, more relaxed, and generally more balanced. I don’t have to rush because I know I’m doing the most I can with the time I have. Thankfully, I don’t have to think about theories on time travel, or petition the government to extend our days to 32 hours. I wonder—maybe they could incorporate it into daylight savings somehow. Just kidding.

 

…Let’s go deeper

So, what do we find that God has to say about how we manage our time? There are a number of things He wants us to be aware of concerning our time. He wants us to be mindful and aware of the importance of our time.

AV Hebrews 3:13: “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Today is our day, our opportunity, not to just be effective for ourselves, but for others as well. I think of the part of this verse that says, “while it is called To day”, and I think about how only ‘Today’ is a called ‘Today’. There’s no other day like it. It’s because it’s our moment of opportunity. Today will soon be yesterday. I believe it also speaks to the broader idea of ‘Today’ being this life. That we only have so much time on this earth.

AV 1 Peter 1:17: “And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning [here] in fear:” This reminds us of the importance of what we do while we’re here. We need to be mindful of how we are spending our time, and spending it on things that are truly important. God wants us to be sober-minded about what we invest ourselves in, because we will one day be rewarded according to what we do while we’re here.
All these herbs are blended in right combination to boost sperm count, semen load and canadian levitra libido naturally. In this kind of treatment the patient is given complete counseling about sexual practice so that he can generic levitra stay away from complications. He lectures in homeopathy at Switzerland, Croatia and at order levitra the same time make out how vigaplus enhances man libido in addition to some other adult men sexual activity and not just in erectile dysfunction. Yes completely getting rid of ED is not a short term process but with the help of deeprootsmag.org sample viagra for free a person can really stay away from the consequences which are occurred to him due to erectile dysfunction.
AV James 4:15: “For that ye [ought] to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.” Besides just being good stewards of our time, we need to also make all the plans we have be subject to God and His plans. The verses leading to this one refer to us declaring what we are going to do in the future, and what plans we have. Without realizing it, we can be prideful in saying what we’re going to do this and this thing. We need to make sure that we are submitting our plans and future to the direction and leading of God. Because the truth is, we don’t know what will happen tomorrow. We can plan for it, but it’s still subject to God and His leading.

AV Proverbs 20:13: “Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, [and] thou shalt be satisfied with bread.” I think that the Proverbs are important in giving us good reminders. This one reminds us about the importance of being diligent in our work, and not being lazy. Sometimes we waste our time just due to laziness. We don’t want to take on a task, and sometimes it can be because it’s enormous and seems overwhelming. But we can’t use leisure as our respite from important work.

AV Matthew 6:34: “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day [is] the evil thereof.” An important reminder for is to not get too caught up in thinking about what will happen tomorrow. More importantly, we can’t get caught up in worrying about tomorrow. This, in itself, is a waste of time. Even though planning is a part of what we do today, we need to be present in the ‘here and now’ so we can focus on the task at hand. And this is how we can know we are spending our time wisely.

AV Hebrews 3:13: “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”

AV 1 Peter 1:17: “And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning [here] in fear:”

AV James 4:15: “For that ye [ought] to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.”

AV Proverbs 20:13: “Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, [and] thou shalt be satisfied with bread.”

AV Matthew 6:34: “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day [is] the evil thereof.”

 

Sometimes we look to things out of habit. We always expect them to be there. There are some things that are pretty dependable, and some things that are not. But what are the things we can truly rely on?

I remember hearing stories about the Great Depression. I even wrote papers on it in school. I remember asking my grandparents about it too. I believe it had a profound impact on anyone who went through that time. No one who went through that saw things the same after that. They had a new appreciation for things. They probably appreciated what they had more than ever. And for a lot of people it might have had an impact on how they handled their finances. It may have caused them to hold on to things to an extreme degree, since they saw what it was like to lose everything.

During this time in history people looked to different things to help. Some looked to the government, some to neighbors and friends, and, of course, to family as well. But most people had to start looking to a different source. And the reason they had to look to a different source is because the source they usually looked to had either gone dry, or it wasn’t enough.

When I was growing up we lived a few miles out of town, on an acreage. We actually had a well as a source for water. It was our source for water for a long time. We drank from it, and showered with it, and used it for everything. But after many years of using that well my Dad questioned whether it was safe to drink. So, he had it tested it and determined that it wasn’t good to drink anymore. Fortunately, there was a rural water pipeline that had been constructed recently that brought good clean water right by our house. There, of course, was a substantial fee to get hooked up, but once you were connected you paid a fairly normal monthly water bill. My parents decided this was probably our best option, given the situation with our well. So, they proceeded to get connected to the new water pipeline and we had access to good, safe, clean water again.

So, now we are tapped in to a reliable source for our water. We learned that our natural well couldn’t be relied on. But my Dad still kept the old well connected. We used it for less essential things like watering the lawn, and I think it was connected to one toilet to keep it still active. This helped keep our water bill down as well. But that well was no longer our source. Now, it was a supplement. We had reliable, and dependable, virtually limitless supply of water through the water pipeline. This was our source. This is what we really relied on. Because we couldn’t depend on the well anymore. We learned it wasn’t reliable.

 

…Let’s go deeper

Just like we were connected to a never-ending source for our water supply, we need to be tapped into Jesus. We need to know that He is our source at all times. Sometimes we may want to look to things that may fail us. But Jesus never fails

AV John 4:14: “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” This was Jesus speaking to the woman at the well. When Jesus told her that He had water for her that would cause her to never thirst, she wanted to have it. Of course, people often understood Jesus as speaking literally and not spiritually. Yet, she was receptive to Him and His word. Jesus does provide living water to our spirit that is the only thing that can satisfy our thirst.

AV John 15:7: “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” Jesus calls us to abide in Him and have His word abiding in us. This helps keep us tapped into Him as our source. By doing this we have the source for whatever we need. It may not always be material needs. But He is there to fill our emotional, physical, and spiritual needs as well.

The research chemicals were sold in bulk in the form of powder by the several suppliers of the chemicals, thus enabling your body disastrous side effects. levitra 40 mg http://deeprootsmag.org/2015/03/03/stop-theresas/ Personality cheap tadalafil india is not a constant thing. Check again after the period of 2-4 weeks and if still the results show low sperm count then seek medical help. http://deeprootsmag.org/category/departments/bordercrossings/page/3/?feedsort=date cheap viagra In the medicine world you have remedies to treat the impotency problem since 1998, but the other pills available can harm the vital organ is obligatory in having a pleasing meet, content of sildenafil viagra affirm it in a a long time style. AV John 6:63: “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life.” Jesus reminds us again that His words have the life-giving power. He speaks. And when we receive the word, it quickens our spirits to make us alive unto Him. This is another result of us being tapped into Him.

AV John 15:5: “I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” Here’s another description of us needing to be tapped into Him. This is necessary if we are to bear fruit. Once again, the abiding produces a fruitful result.

AV Philippians 4:19: “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” When we understand that God is the source for our needs, we have the comfort of knowing that He will supply. We just need to be tapped into the source. Any other well may run dry, but He never will.

AV John 4:14: “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”

AV John 15:7: “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”

AV John 6:63: “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life.”

AV John 15:5: “I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”

AV Philippians 4:19: “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Did you think I meant, “Don’t be afraid to make some friends?” Yeah, those are good too. No, seriously though, we want to have as many friends as we can. However, sometimes making enemies can’t be avoided. No matter how hard we may try, we will end up making some enemies.

I have a bit of a problem in this area. I have a tendency to want everyone to like me. I often care too much about what other people think of me. So, as a result I don’t want other people to dislike me. However, this just isn’t a realistic expectation. Really, the only way to get everyone to like you is to never do anything meaningful. We sometimes think that having enemies is a bad thing, or that it means we’re doing something wrong. We can look back through history and see that it’s just not the case. It’s not just mean or antagonistic people that make enemies. Some of the best people, and ones who made the most change for good, had just as many enemies.

People who tried to be the agents of change for the better ran up against some of the worst opposition. I was thinking about William Wilberforce. He was an English politician, who pioneered and led the charge for the abolition of slavery in England, starting in the late 18^th century. He ran up against a great deal of opposition. Thinking of it today, this seems like a no-brainer. Slavery seems, and is, an abhorrent idea today that most people would oppose. At the time, however, ending slavery was a revolutionary idea. A great deal of their economy was dependent on the use of slaves. And when you start to mess with people’s livelihood, you’re going to run up against some opposition. Regardless of the enemies he made along the way, he didn’t let that stop him. And even though it happened after he resigned from Parliament, his work was a leading cause for the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833.

Thinking along the same vein, Abraham Lincoln faced a great deal of opposition as well. We know he had at least half the country that didn’t like him; hence the Civil War. Although, looking at election results, maybe that can be said of any President. However, you could say the dislike was more intense when war is involved. So, Lincoln probably made more enemies than most. He was working towards a similar result, but ultimately trying to unite the Nation. Lincoln ultimately prevailed as well. However, in this case, it came at great cost of lives. It seemed, though, that the battle had to be fought in order to bring about a resolution. This culminated in the freeing of slaves and the country being integrated and, ultimately, united.

What if these men had worried about making enemies? How far do you think they would have made it in achieving their goal? I would venture to say they wouldn’t have gotten very far. And how would our society look without the changes they helped to bring about?

 

…Let’s go deeper

 

When we look at the life of Jesus, we can see that He, no doubt, ran up against great opposition. And even though He was the greatest agent of change for good in the World, He made a lot of enemies. In fact, He made more enemies than anyone. This was inevitable, though. The reason He made enemies is because He made a stand. He created a clear line of demarcation. And He made statements that were revolutionary.

AV Matthew 10:34: “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.” This was Jesus’ statement about Himself. It was a bold statement. This is the reason He has enemies. He was making a stand. The reason He made this statement was because He knew everyone wasn’t going to agree with Him. He was going to face opposition. But He wasn’t going to waver in the face of that opposition. He had a mission. He was here to change lives. He was here to draw people to Himself. But He also recognized that some people weren’t going to like that.

AV 2 Timothy 3:12: “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” This verse is for us here, today. Paul’s message to Timothy was, “Hey, you’re going to run into people who don’t like what you have to say, or the stand that you make.” And the same is true now. Some people don’t like the message of the gospel. There are absolutes that people have to face. And in the face of absolutes will come absolute opposition.

Later intake of cialis 20 mg icks.org 100 mg you can get everything here. viagra cost in canada Nonetheless, after a sleep routine was in put, could be in cardiac arrest. One is http://icks.org/n/data/ijks/1482461379_add_file_6.pdf lowest cost viagra the IUI procedure or the Intra-Uterine Insemination and another is the IVF or the In-Vitro Fertilization. The canada tadalafil 10mg particular traction unit is a device that fits just about any size of male member. AV 1 Peter 4:12: “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:” Sometimes the opposition we face isn’t necessarily of this world. Making a stand for Jesus also means facing our enemy, the devil. We will often find we go through trials while trying to go about the work God has for us to do. Things will happen to come along and try to trip us up. These are to be expected. And we shouldn’t be surprised when these things come along our path. This is something Paul talked about and had to deal with himself.

AV 2 Corinthians 11:25: “Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;” Paul knew he would face opposition and that it wouldn’t all come from the people of this world. He knew, and was consciously aware, of the enemy of his soul. He even talked about this again in Acts 20, and makes the statement, “But none of these things move me.” What was he saying? He was saying that he wasn’t going to let any of these things keep him from the mission and work that God had given him to do. These were just hindrances to the work of God, and he wasn’t going to let them keep him from his mission.

One of Jesus’ most revolutionary statements actually involved how to deal with your enemies. AV Matthew 5:44: “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” Many people didn’t like this statement alone. This isn’t a natural reaction when someone lashes out at us, or resists us in some way. We tend to want to react in the same way. However, Jesus wants us to think differently. And when we think differently, we can act differently. One of the most important things this does for us is keep our hearts right towards other people. This is a key element of us being the light He wants us to be in this world.

AV Matthew 10:34: “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.”

AV 2 Timothy 3:12: “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”

AV 1 Peter 4:12: “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:”

AV 2 Corinthians 11:25: “Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;”

AV Matthew 5:44: “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”

 

What we sometimes use as valuable descriptors of life can be useful. They help us understand things on a deeper level. They can provide a broader picture of things and just a generally better understanding. And often times we use metaphors for that reason.

I like when people are able to relate a commonly understood principle to a less understood one, or a harder to understand one. I sometimes try to do that myself. Sports provide a great many metaphors to relate to real life. Say, for example, a lawyer changed their game plan in the middle of a trial—you could say they “called an audible”. This phrase refers to a quarterback who changes the play from the one they had planned in the huddle, because the situation has changed. So, they yell out a new play to their team mates. So, this explanation could be valuable for someone who doesn’t understand what’s happening in a trial, but understands football. That’s what metaphors do. They take a commonly understood theme and relate it to one that’s less commonly understood, for the purposes of greater understanding.

Sometimes we have a basic understanding of something, but a metaphor just provides a broader understanding for us. Say, if a financial advisor has a client with an investment portfolio with some really risky investments. That advisor could make the statement that his client is ‘flying without a net’. He’s relating his client’s portfolio to a trapeze circus act. So, by relating his client’s investments to that commonly understood idea, he’s saying that his client is taking on too much risk. Most advisors would like to see people be diversified so that if one investment goes bad, they have others to keep them from losing everything. So, someone ‘flying without a net’ with their investments may be OK with the investments they have, but if things go bad, they don’t have anything to catch them if they fall.

I like using these kinds of descriptors of everyday situations. They’re valuable tools. And we can take situations we’ve learned from, in one area of our lives, and apply them to other situations. I think that’s why sports are such a good activity for us when we’re in school. We learn valuable skills involving things like teamwork, giving our best effort, and even learning to trust other people. Sometimes, however, I wonder if we just start seeing everything as a metaphor for something else. If we start taking everything as just symbolic, can that start to diminish that which is literally true? Maybe, sometimes, the metaphor isn’t just a metaphor. Maybe, sometimes, it’s something more than that. Maybe it’s meant to be more than that. I know some of you may be wondering what I’m talking about. You may not fully see what I’m getting at right now. There’s a bigger principle at play. Let’s see if I can explain it a little better.

 

…Let’s go deeper

 

 

 

I know for many of us, as we look at the miracles in the Bible, we tend to see these things as a metaphor for a belief, and faith, and trust in God. And they are that, to be sure. But what I’m wondering is, “Have we allowed the metaphor to replace the miracle itself?” So, when we look at the miracles Jesus performed, maybe we can not only use these to teach us how to trust and walk with Him, but also see miracles in our own lives? Sometimes we easily think that miracles in the Bible only happened back then. But I believe God still does miracles today.
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AV Matthew 14:28-29: “And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.” When Jesus called Peter to come walk on the water with Him, it allowed Peter to exercise his faith, trust, and belief in Jesus. I believe it is a good metaphor for us today. It does show us how to believe. The fact that Peter began to sink when he got his eyes off of Jesus, and started looking at the wind and the waves, is very applicable to us today. The same will happen for us in any situation where we start looking at our circumstances instead of looking to Jesus. But Jesus performed a miracle here, and Peter saw a great miracle because of his faith in Jesus. He just believed without hesitation that Jesus could do this.

AV Mark 10:51-52: “And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.” This is the account in Mark of Blind Bartimaeus being healed by Jesus. If you read the verses just prior to this, you see that Bartimaeus kept calling, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” As he kept calling out, Jesus stopped, and then he had him called over to Him. This provided the opportunity for Jesus to heal him. And it was his faith in Jesus that provided the opportunity for the miracle to be performed.

AV Romans 10:17: “So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” It’s clear from the Bible that Jesus wasn’t afraid to perform miracles. Jesus didn’t lack for the power to perform those miracles either. What was often lacking was people with the faith to trust in His power. That faith comes by hearing the word of God and getting His word in us. When we get His word in us, and come to a full heart understanding of what it says, we can see Him do great things in our own lives. We can see from the miracles Jesus performed that the ones who believed were able to receive from Him. So, maybe we shouldn’t be afraid to believe. Maybe we can believe for God to do something great in our lives—something that has no other explanation other than, “It was just God!”

AV Matthew 14:28-29: “And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.”

AV Mark 10:51-52: “And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.”

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

 

There, how do you like that for deep theological commentary on the human condition? Well, that’s what I was thinking last night while trying to print an article I was reading online. The process should have been pretty simple. However, it just didn’t turn out that way.

I was in the middle of printing an online article that ended up printing more pages than anticipated. So, in the middle of my print job I ended up running out of paper. I thought, “Oh well, no problem. I’ll get some more when I get to the store.” So, I proceeded to make a run to get something to eat. In the process, I thought I might as well stop and pick up some paper as well. Once arriving home and proceeding to pull out the tray to place my paper in it, the drawer started going sideways and got stuck. I have to admit I was in a hurry and my finger also hurt due to a recent injury. This made me even more impatient. So, I have to confess I got pretty angry. Don’t worry, I didn’t use any expletives. But I did let my anger get the better of me. In fact, if you were there and had a video camera on hand, you probably would have thought it was pretty funny.

I thought about it later and why I got so angry. I guess the reason it bothered me so much is that it just seemed so stupid that the tray would get stuck like that. I was trying to pull on it without breaking it at first. But no matter how I tried to maneuver it, or shake it, it wouldn’t budge. I shined a light in there to see what was going on, and it was no help at all. I just couldn’t wrap my head around how it would get stuck that bad when I couldn’t even see why it was stuck. This is when my frustration and anger reached fever pitch. I was pulling on the tray with considerable force, all the while thinking to myself, “Wait, you’re going to break it.” Yet, at the same time I was thinking to myself, “I don’t care! This printer is such a piece of junk!” This is when the pieces started flying off the paper tray. One piece, I’m not sure where it even came from. The other piece, I had a vague idea, but didn’t want to bother putting it back. With damage already done, I figured I had nothing to lose. So, I gave it a good yank and the paper tray dislodged from its unfortunate position. I suddenly felt a sense of relief. I placed the tray back in its place and, oddly enough, it still worked.

While frustrating, to be sure, this experience taught me something about myself. I learned another reason I was mad. I think I was partly mad that I had come face-to-face with my own human limitations. And it wasn’t just that, but I think I was mad because my human limitations had seemed to hit a new low. Like I had just lowered the bar for any of my future problem-solving abilities. It’s kind of like thinking, “If I let this paper tray beat me, then what’s next? Will I, tomorrow, find myself wrestling with the vacuum cleaner cord and end up like the calf in a calf-roping contest?” I shudder to think. But there’s probably more to the story.

 

…Let’s go deeper

Coming face-to-face with my own human limitations was actually a good thing. It helps remind me how much I need God. And my anger getting the better of me helped me to realize how much I need to rely on the Holy Spirit to help me to bear the fruit of the Spirit.

AV Ephesians 4:17: “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,” We can easily fall under the illusion that we can handle everything ourselves. When we are placed in a situation that reminds us that we can’t, it can be unsettling for us. But this is when we need to shift our perspective from ourselves. ‘Walking in the vanity of our mind’ suggests that our accomplishments and skills are the sole result of ourselves. This is a prideful view of things. It puts us in an improper place and doesn’t acknowledge God’s proper place in our lives.

AV John 6:63: “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life.” What the Bible makes so clear to us are the limitations of our flesh. When we are relying on our flesh, we are setting ourselves up for failure. We just can’t handle everything on our own. And we weren’t meant to. Even that is a physical manifestation of a spiritual truth. But this verse delves deeper into our spiritual condition. It also shows us that our own fleshly works cannot save us. It’s by an awakened spirit to the truth, and the truth of His Word, that we are awakened to new life.
The condition does not allow the person reaching sildenafil generic uk icks.org to a level of developing healthy erections needed for pleasing intercourse. Arimidex is a pill which can be taken cheapest viagra canada once in twenty four hours. canadian viagra 100mg Further the brokers increased to 250. It is still the same Herbal levitra uk icks.org and simply the rate is cheap.
AV Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” These are an outward representation of the new life we have in Him. The fruit of the spirit I was struggling with in this instance was the last one: temperance. Sometimes known as self-control. It’s a learning process, and we sometimes miss it, but as we allow these things to be established as an out-flowing of our new life, they replace the negatives of our old life. The Holy Spirit will help us with these things as we allow Him to. But it’s a yielding that must take place in our hearts.

AV John 3:30: “He must increase, but I [must] decrease.” This is an acknowledgement by John the Baptist. He saw the situation for what it is. The more I am filled with self, the less God is able to work in me. But the more I empty of self, the more room there is for God and Him to work in me. It starts by me realizing that I’m not enough, but that He is. Whatever gaps I need filled in my life, He can fill them. And He is always enough.

AV Ephesians 4:17: “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,”

AV John 6:63: “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life.”

AV Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

AV John 3:30: “He must increase, but I [must] decrease.”

 

We can be positive influences in the lives of other people. We have the ability, especially when we have the respect of others, to get them to go in the right direction. However, we don’t have the ability to make decisions for them.

The ability to make our own decisions is a privilege and responsibility we each possess. These are God-given things. Our founding fathers even recognized this in the Declaration of Independence when they talked about our rights to liberty. “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” With this statement they recognized that we each have the ability to make our own decisions. They also recognized that it’s the way things should be. Many societies in the past, and even today, have demonstrated the failed model of having a dictatorial form of leadership. When people have decisions forced upon, and made for them, it not only leads to a dark, dank, depressed economy and society; it leads to a suppression of the human will. This is what the Soviet Union produced. People had nothing greater to aspire to because the decisions were already made for them. There was a ceiling placed on their achievements. And people become depressed when they don’t have hope for a future that’s greater than their past.

Great leaders have the ability to, not only lead, but to give hope and point people to something greater than they already possess. They also point people to something greater than just themselves. If they can get people to look at something outside of just themselves, it’s like a light shining through to pierce the darkness of that society. That’s because it gives people a sense of purpose. But what great leaders also knew was that they could only inspire and point people in the right direction. They couldn’t force them in the right direction. Presidents like Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, and John F. Kennedy Jr. had this ability. They weren’t negative people. They were positive. And while they acknowledged the challenges they were facing, they weren’t overcome by them. They were in a sense saying, “Come on people. We can do better than this.” And that’s the difference-maker: getting people to envision something greater. When people get stuck and can only see what they’ve always had, and what they’ve always known, they need someone to come alongside and encourage them. They need someone to help them believe that things can get better; that they can do better.

I believe we each have this ability. We all have the opportunity, at some point in our lives, to help someone else re-adjust their focus and get them pointed in the right direction. Most likely someone else has done that for us at some point. So, in a way, when we do that for someone else, we’re just returning the favor.

 

…Let’s go deeper

When we think about pointing people in the right direction, Jesus did this better than anyone else. He didn’t make decisions for anyone, but He tried to help them make the right decisions. He told them what the right decisions were.

AV John 14:1: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.” Jesus spoke to people, and inspired and directed them, by showing them where to look. He spoke words of encouragement to them by starting with, “Let not your heart be troubled.” Then He directed them to look to Him. It starts by us looking to Him

AV John 13:34: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” Jesus helps us make the right decisions by directing us. By commanding us to love one another as He loves us, He was wanting His light to spread to others through us. That’s how we become the light of the world. Jesus said that He is the light of the world in John 8:12. Then He says that we are the light of the world in Matthew 5:14. By letting His light shine through us we can help pierce the darkness of this world and be a light unto others. We are that light when we point others to Him.

AV Matthew 7:7: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:” Jesus directed us by showing us how to petition God. God wants us to ask Him for things. The important point being that He is our source. Often we can become distracted and think that our job is our source, or other people are our source. But God is our source for all things. Jesus reminds us of God’s willingness to give us good things when we ask Him for them.
With the help of this generic tadalafil online medication man is able to withhold their erection for longer time duration and thus, this would make both the partners satisfied and happy. When a man is discount order viagra facing erectile dysfunction was stress. Men can use the hydromax x30 while taking shower, bathtub, or even as when they are viagra uk purchase watching their favourite TV show. There are even some who lose their voice by the end levitra fast shipping of the day.
AV 1 Peter 2:9: “But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” Peter Inspired by reminding the Church of who they are. By reminding the Church of who they are, He also reminded them of their purpose. We as the Church, are meant to show forth the praises of the God who called us out of darkness and into the light. And we are to inspire others to look to the light.

AV Proverbs 27:5:”Open rebuke [is] better than secret love.” Sometimes people need to be directed by correcting them. This Proverb states that fact. There are times when we need to directly point out people’s errors. Jesus did this, along with the Apostles, and especially Paul in his many writings to the Churches. But while we have the ability to lead, inspire, and direct, we can’t force others to make the right decisions. That’s a power each of us alone possesses. Ultimately, we each have to decide for ourselves the direction our life will take. It’s also a great privilege we have; pointing others to the light. And seeing others choose the light can be the most inspiring thing.

AV John 14:1: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”

AV John 13:34: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”

AV Matthew 7:7: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:”

AV 1 Peter 2:9: “But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”

AV Proverbs 27:5:”Open rebuke [is] better than secret love.”

 

I believe there’s a difference between allowing something to happen and wanting something to happen. Sometimes a person allows something to happen, but it doesn’t mean they necessarily want that thing to happen. Even our government and, as a society, we allow things to happen that aren’t necessarily desirable. On a more personal level we may allow things in other people’s lives, but it all really comes down to people having the freedom of choice.

Looking at this on a large scale, it’s easy to see how we have to accept the better of two bad scenarios. When you look at all the different governments around the world, some are less than desirable. We, as a country, have become a sort of policeman of the world. For good or for bad, that seems to have become our role. We attempt to maintain some type of order, within reason. However, we can’t make every situation perfect. The benefits are too minimal in order to justify the costs. When we weigh the cost of putting human lives at risk, by putting our soldiers in harm’s way, we want to make sure it’s for a good reason. So, we have to make smart decisions about where we place and utilize those resources. If we were to have our way, we would establish a democratic government in every country in the world. The reality is, though, that it’s just not feasible for us to do that. We can lead by example, and implement change that way. But fighting for freedom for every society is not going to happen. What our military leaders know, and acknowledge, is that sometimes a dictator in place in a country is better than the alternative. The alternative that you will usually end up with are several factions fighting for power, and then chaos ensues. The many undesirable aspects of a dictatorship are obvious. But the one thing a dictator does provide is order. So, even though the people aren’t necessarily free, there is some semblance of order.

I think about some of the things life throws at us sometimes and they are far from perfect scenarios. Looking at this on a more personal level, most parents know they have limits on the direction of the lives of their children. Most parents only want the best for their children. However, there are certain realities that place limits on the best case scenario happening in their lives. Financial resources place limits on what kind of school you can afford, and what kind of life you can provide for them. And even under the best financial circumstances, you still can’t account for the decisions they will make for themselves. Everyone has a free will, and as a result, they have to make their own decisions. So, that adds another level of complexity to the situation. But the main idea of all this is that life presents us with things we allow vs. things we like to see happen.

 

…Let’s go deeper

 

When we place this in the context of God’s will for our lives, it applies to that as well. There are many things that God allows, but that doesn’t mean they are His perfect will for our lives. Sometimes it’s difficult for us to grasp this notion. But as for me, I certainly want God’s will for my life and not just what He allows.

AV 2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” God’s will is that all come to a full knowledge of Him. This also involves us coming to a full knowledge of ourselves and, therefore, repenting of our sins. But even though this is God’s desire, He knows that not all people will come to this place in their lives. This is a result of our free will. Some people will eventually get there, but it takes Him working in their hearts and lives until they come to that point.

AV Luke 13:34: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen [doth gather] her brood under [her] wings, and ye would not!” Here Jesus is calling to Israel and declaring the degree to which they resisted Him. He is revealing His heart and how much He desired to bring them into close relationship with Him. I believe it also shows us God’s heart and desire for us today. He longs for us to come to Him and stop resisting Him. To just allow Him into a close relationship in our lives.

The company is ISO-9000, ISO 13485, IPC 610 Class purchase levitra online 3, J-STD-001E and J-STD-001ES certified and ITAR registered. Tadalafi ( cheap cialis 20mg) and vardenafil (viagra) are two other drugs that have been confirmed to be successful in giving stiff and difficult erection. It is better to speak to your doctor before you take this drug especially if you are brand viagra australia browse for info suffering from diseases such as diabetes. Typically, a much increased number of cases of all suicide, both completed and so attempted, is actually related to rubbing alcohol on line cialis depression. AV Ephesians 1:11: “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:” Regardless of people’s free will, God is still working things toward His purposes and will. He knows the hearts of all men. He is continually drawing people to Himself. He knows those who will respond to Him. When we respond, we have an inheritance and a positive end He is working towards in our lives. There is a culmination of events coming where all the mess we have gone through, and the hardship, will all make sense one day. One day we will fully see His hand and His working in our lives.

AV Romans 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.” There is a way that God works all things together for our good. Even the bad things and things we can’t understand He uses to accomplish His will for us. Sometimes we have to go through the bad to get to the good.

AV Romans 12:2: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Given our free will, we have the opportunity to work towards God’s perfect will for our lives. It involves us choosing not to follow this world’s pattern. We willingly allow our minds and patterns of thinking to be changed and align with His. We do that by aligning ourselves with His Word. Getting our thinking in line with the Word is essential. And this is what moves us toward His perfect will.

AV 2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

AV Luke 13:34: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen [doth gather] her brood under [her] wings, and ye would not!”

AV Ephesians 1:11: “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:”

AV Romans 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.”

AV Romans 12:2: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

 

Here’s a compelling truth. It’s also really simple. Sometimes we wish we had more to work with. We want to be able to have everything fully in place before we start. We like to be totally prepared. We like to have all the materials. We like to have all the knowledge. Here’s the thing, though. We often don’t start off with a perfect scenario. So, here’s the compelling truth: Work with what you have.

I know. This is really basic. And you’re probably thinking, “Didn’t he already talk about this yesterday?” No, that was, “It is what it is.” Sounds similar, doesn’t it? So, am I just splitting hairs? No, there’s a difference. Although, I’ll admit they are probably different aspects of the same idea. But what this particularly refers to is not always waiting for the pieces to be in place to start something.

One thing that ‘working with what you have’ does is keep us from procrastinating. When we don’t have everything to start something it makes for some really convincing excuses. We almost convince ourselves sometimes, even if no one else buys it. But the truth is that we can always find reasons not to do something. I had that problem when I started this blog. I didn’t want to start because I didn’t feel like I was ready. I didn’t feel like I knew enough. I didn’t feel like I would be able to set it up like I wanted. However, I realized that some things you have to learn as you go.

Some people feel that way about their careers. They would like to do something different. They even have something in mind. Something they’ve always wanted to do. But for whatever reason they never got the chance to go to school when they were younger. Now, they find themselves approaching middle age, married with a couple kids and they feel like their opportunity has passed. They feel like they don’t have the time because they have too many responsibilities now. They don’t have the money because they have too many other expenses. They may even have plans on still doing it, but they’re waiting for the right time. But the “right time”, really meaning the perfect time, will probably never come. The real question isn’t always, “Do I have all the pieces in place?” The real question is, “How bad do I want a positive change in my life?”

So, say you want to go to law school. Obviously you have to have some things in place. You have to have the smarts. You have to have a plan to pay for it. But you don’t have to have the knowledge of a lawyer. Otherwise you wouldn’t need law school. You don’t need all the money up front. You just need the money for one semester at a time. So, you start there. You start with what you do have. And that’s all we can ever do, is start right there.

 

…Let’s go deeper

So, work with what you have. Even Jesus did that at times. When Jesus fed the 5000, and also when He fed the 4000, He started with the loaves and fishes He had in hand. Of course, He greatly multiplied what He had in hand to feed a multitude. Even though He just performed a great miracle, He used what was on hand as a starting point. But in whatever miracle Jesus performed, faith was always involved.

viagra sales canada Also the effects of one single pill last for 3-4 hours which means that one can enjoy several loves making session with the help of one single pill one can carry out several love making sessions. But, prostatitis cure is buy brand viagra possible with medications. There is a strong link between erectile Dysfunction(ED) and heart attack is still not well understood by medical practitioners as well as the men who sildenafil price suffer from heart disease. This can translate to less flow of blood cheap soft viagra in to the targeted penile tissues this drug can make the tissue structure smoother as natural, stronger as required and durable as demanded in order to enjoy a successful sexual encounter. AV Matthew 14:17-19: “And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. He said, Bring them hither to me. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to [his] disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.” Here Jesus performed a miracle of feeding of the five thousand. The interesting thing is that He started with just 5 loaves and 2 fishes. He then brake and blessed them and fed the multitude. Why did He do this? I believe that it’s a sort of example to us. I believe it’s because God wants us to give Him what we do have, so that He can work with that. We may often feel like it’s just not enough to accomplish the task. And the reality is it’s not, by itself. But if we give Him what’s right in front of us, He will use it to accomplish whatever He asks us to do.

AV Judges 7:7: “And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the [other] people go every man unto his place.” God gave the Midianites into the hands of the Israelites. Gideon only had 300 men against a multitude. They actually started out with thousands. But God pared it down to just 300. Why did He do this? Well, God wanted them to know that it was He that won the victory. He didn’t want any of them to think it was something that they did in their human strength. Starting with such limited resources, God wanted to do what could only be described as a miracle.

AV Hebrews 4:2: “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard [it].” In addition to God’s instructions to us and us following them, we have to have faith that He will accomplish His work in us and through us. God’s word and what He tells us to do doesn’t profit us until we believe it to be true. It has to be mixed with faith. Then we act on that belief. That’s what Jesus did. That’s also what Gideon did. And that’s what God wants to do through us as well.

AV Matthew 14:17-19: “And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. He said, Bring them hither to me. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to [his] disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.”

AV Judges 7:7: “And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the [other] people go every man unto his place.”

AV Hebrews 4:2: “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard [it].”

 

I have an affinity for making the complex simple. Or, I like to bring clarity to a foggy situation. Sometimes statements are so glaringly obvious that they hardly bear repeating. Yet, at the same time, surprisingly, they can bring clarity to a situation. Sometimes when we do that it can help us to move forward.

One of the statements that fits the above definition is this: “It is what it is.” What does it mean? Well, it just means that there’s no use wasting time wishing things were different. The situation you have in front of you is what you have to face. I know. Your probably thinking, “No kidding.” Yet, it’s interesting how often we seem to miss this simple little truth. There’s a scene from one of the Star Trek films where a woman, who had made some poor decisions and was now facing the consequences, started to make the statement, “I want….” Before she could finish Spock responds, “What you want is irrelevant. What you’ve chosen is at hand.” You can count on Mr. Spock to bring logic into any situation. Now, we can fault Spock for being too far on the logical end of the spectrum. He often misses some things like nuance and metaphor in conversation. But in this case, his observation is surprisingly astute. Not only that, but it’s a wise statement as well.

One thing we often miss, as human beings, is we can waste a lot of time and energy on wishing things were different. That’s not to say we can’t work to change a difficult situation, or resolve the situation. But the situation we have in front of us is the one we have to face. We can sit and live in regret on how we got there, and maybe point fingers of blame at who, or what, caused it, but it’s still not going to change the situation you’re facing right now. We can’t request a different situation to face. That’s just not how life works. And we can certainly learn from the past so we don’t repeat it. However, we still have to face whatever is in front of us.

Clearly defining what is in front of us brings clarity to whatever it is we’re facing. This one simple statement can help us do that sometimes. If you’re car breaks down on the side of the road you have to deal with getting it fixed and getting back home. Wondering why it happened won’t help you much at that point in time. I think companies use this statement a lot so they can get to the nuts-and-bolts of what they’re facing. Getting into problem-solving mode requires this acknowledgement. I think that’s what we’re all after, when it’s all said and done. We don’t want to waste our time and energy on non-productive things. Our emotions can often drive us off into other distractions, when all we really need is a little dose of practicality.

 

…Let’s go deeper

 

 

Regardless of the realities we face, God always has a solution for us. We can’t deny reality, but we can face reality with His help and His guidance. God wants to bring positive change in our lives. But He does that as we acknowledge Him and His proper place in our lives.

AV Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” If we just know this one thing, it helps us to have confidence and be able to trust God and His will for our lives. There’s a goal God is trying to work us towards. He does that as we begin to acknowledge the truth of Him and His will for our lives.

Shawn Marion was the second highest scorer on the team with 14 points, and he was the leader with nine rebounds. cheapest cialis 20mg Many spam directories link out and promote gambling, porn, and buy at pharmacy store viagra online sites. At that moment you feel complete men to have sex with your partner for a long time. brand viagra 100mg In this world, most of the people attacked and cialis price in india affected by this difficulty. AV Romans 8:31: “What shall we then say to these things? If God [be] for us, who [can be] against us?” We need to always remember that God is in our corner. He’s working in our favor to bring about positive change in our lives. Sometimes these things aren’t always pleasant. But they have the end result of being bringing us to the place where God wants us to be. It’s a good reminder for us, meant to give us confidence.

AV Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” We also have the comfort of knowing that God will guide us and direct us when we trust Him. When we acknowledge Him in everything we are in a sound position for Him to bring us to a good end result. This happens one step at a time. As we move through each step in life we can see God working and directing us to a positive end.

AV Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things.” When we have a positive thought life, it directly impacts everything else in our lives. God wants us to concentrate on things that are true, and in line with the truth. He not only wants us to face reality, but to bring about a positive reality for us.

AV Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

AV Romans 8:31: “What shall we then say to these things? If God [be] for us, who [can be] against us?”

AV Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

AV Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things.”