The Vacuous Ideology of Intellectualism

 

Today we have a school of thought that has become the predominate ideology of our time. It’s become the primary teaching in our institutions of higher learning and even our public schools. But maybe it’s time we call this into question.

I won’t give a strict definition of intellectualism. But I will give a broad understanding of the philosophy. According to Dictionary.com, it says that it’s, “the doctrine that knowledge is wholly or chiefly derived from pure reason. Or, the belief that reason is the final principle of reality.” So, that kind of gives you a basic understanding of it. But this line of thinking began in the 1800’s and has continued until this day. Intellectualism is a tempting ideology. Especially for someone who already leans in that direction. However, it presupposes that we are merely, and primarily, intellectual beings. Or it places great emphasis on that one aspect of us, while diminishing our many other attributes. While our intellect is an important part of our being, it’s not the only part. It’s also true that we are emotional, and yes, also spiritual beings. We do have a desire for understanding of things that are greater than, and outside of us.

So, with that understanding, this narrative that has invaded our colleges and universities calls for an examination. There are a number of things a purely intellectual approach simply falls short in explaining. The intellectual understanding of these things, itself, points to something more and greater than simply an intellectual approach. For example, I can perceive through the natural use of my brain that we live in an orderly and, yet, complex world. I can also perceive that we, ourselves, are orderly and complex. So, where did these things come from? Order and complexity points to a design. And a design points to a designer.

So, I would propose this: when an intellectual approach proves no longer sufficient in providing answers, yet that approach itself leads you to a point that demands answers, it’s time to shift your approach. What we often wrongly perceive in the area of faith and spirituality as matters that go against reason, are merely matters that go beyond reason. Said another way: reason can take you to the door of belief, but it can’t take you across the threshold. This is where faith comes in.

Yet, we have a countless number of belief systems, many of which directly contradict each other. If there is one spiritual truth, how do we know what that is? Well, since what we perceive in the known world shows that there are clearly defined truths in the natural realm, it’s reasonable to extrapolate that the same applies to the spiritual realm. Reason would also dictate that there can only be one spiritual truth as well. One defining characteristic of truth is that it’s exclusive. Truth is definite. It divides. And there’s no ambiguity about it.

We need to use our intellect for the correct reasons and stop applying it in areas for which it wasn’t meant. The reality is, you can take a purely intellectual approach for a time, but what you eventually end up with is a person full of worldly knowledge, yet morally bankrupt, and spiritually empty, and unfulfilled. This ideology can’t answer the longing in our hearts for something greater than ourselves. It can’t fill the emptiness inside our hearts.

So, what has our society done? In a sea of countless falsehoods, we have concluded either all are false, or all are true. Which reason, itself, would dictate can’t be true. So, what is the truth?

…Let’s go deeper

One of the reasons to believe that a belief in Christ is true is because it fits one definition of truth. It’s exclusive. And it divides truth from error.
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AV John 14:6: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” The great thing about Jesus is that He didn’t leave any question about whether or not He was the truth. He came right out and said so. That’s the greatest reason to believe He is the truth. People want to believe that there are multiple ways. Yet, Jesus himself shattered this myth to pieces.

AV Matthew 10:34: “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.” In making this statement, Jesus set out to define what was clearly true. He was stating for the world what was true. He also knew that some people would be opposed to that. That’s why He said He came not to send peace but a sword. The sword was meant to divide truth from error.

The most popular and with a strong anabolic steroid like dianabol, you need to visit a reliable shop like Pharmabol where you can create an account and buy viagra 100mg start your search for online drivers’ education, the trigger start for your driving license. Kamagra Jelly is mostly used by men over the age of order cheap cialis http://appalachianmagazine.com/category/history/appalachian-history/?filter_by=featured 65 reportedly suffer from erectile dysfunction. Most generic levitra without prescription men occasionally experience difficulties during lovemaking sessions for the lack of blood supply that leads to the erectile dysfunction. Sildenafil Citrate is a pill which appeases viagra online australia muscles & mounts the blood run to the particular zone of the body. AV Romans 8:7 “Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” One thing that the natural understanding can’t do is fully comprehend God. It also can’t subject itself to the laws of God. A carnally lived life will always be at odds with God. Our natural thinking is opposed to God and His ways. So, we must have a spiritual understanding of God and His ways.

AV 1 Corinthians 2:14: “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.” Many people are confused by the things of God until the Spirit of God opens their hearts and their understanding. Once a heart has been made alive unto God, it can discern the truths of God and His Word. They can receive spiritual truth because their spiritual eyes have been opened. That’s spiritual understanding of spiritual truth.

AV Romans 1:20-22: “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,” One thing people often miss is that we have a partial understanding of the things of God just by looking at what He has created. This reality leaves us with no excuse for a lack of belief in God. A willful ignorance of God will lead a person to pride. And that pride leads to a further darkening of their hearts. Mankind ignores God at the expense of their spiritual understanding. They think they are becoming wiser, while all along they are on the road to greater and greater degrees of foolishness.

AV John 14:6: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

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 Romans 8:7 “Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.”

AV 1 Corinthians 2:14: “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.”

AV Romans 1:20-22: “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,”

It’s not as bad as it looks

 

Sometimes things look really bad. They look especially bad in the moment. At times we can feel overwhelmed just because of how things look. I’ve found, though, that things aren’t as bad when you look back on them in retrospect.

I believe experience is a good teacher. We learn a lot of things just by the things we go through. One of the things I’ve learned myself is that I need to put the circumstance I’m facing right now in the proper perspective. I need to realize how this is going to play out in the grand scheme of things.
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I had something happen the other day that I could have gotten overly excited at first. But really ended up being nothing at all. I was at home when I got a knock on the door. It was my neighbor across the street. He started out by saying, “I’m sorry but I just backed into your car.” My car was parked in the street and he had attempted to back his truck into the spot in front of my car. Of course, I thought to myself, “Well, that’s not good.” But not getting excited, I proceeded to go with him to look at the damage done. When I got to the scene and looked at it I couldn’t really tell that he had backed into it. The only evidence he had was that the car was pushed up onto the curb and there were some tire marks on the front fender. So, that kind of defused any concern I had. He then told me that I might want to drive it to see that it drives OK. I thought that was probably a good idea. So, I then took it for a short drive. And the car seemed to drive, and shift, as normal as it always had. I told him that it seems to be OK. I do have to give my neighbor credit. He told me after all this to make sure and let him know if I experience any problems. I said, “OK”. Then we went our separate ways.

This was a perfect example of something that I could have made much bigger in my mind than it actually was. I could have gotten all excited, and even mad, at my neighbor. But as it turns out, there was really nothing to get excited about. I had other experiences like this in life, where I could have easily allowed myself to be overwhelmed at the time. I’ve discovered in these times that the best thing I can do is to not get excited. It keeps things in perspective and it allows me to better deal with the problem. I think when we get excited we are allowing the situation to control us instead of us taking control of the situation. So, we need to remember not to look at bad situations just in light of how they look right now.

…Let’s go deeper

 

I’m a really good person

 

I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. I wasn’t making that statement about myself, lest you should think I’m entirely lacking in humility. Although, that statement, “I’m a really good person”, I think a lot of us have made at some point in our lives. And even if we haven’t directly spoken it, we may have thought it to ourselves.

No doubt, most of us like to believe we are good people. And many of us are to the extent that we want to do what’s right. Most of the time when we tell ourselves that we are a good person, it’s after we have done some truly magnanimous act. We have reached out to someone, or extended friendship to another, or sacrificed something of ourselves for someone else’s benefit. Many people volunteer and give of themselves for the benefit of the less fortunate, or their community at large. And it’s good that many of us do those things. Where would our world be without the pillars of our communities who stepped out to lend a helping hand to better society as a whole? Many people volunteer with things like the Peace Corp or practice medicine in a poor nation because they have a burning desire to right the wrongs in life. They see the injustices of society and are compelled to take action and have a positive impact in other’s lives. And that’s a commendable thing.

But let me ask you this question: Can this also be a dangerous thing? Are these acts purely good? Or can it be a cover for our real condition? One thing we often miss is that we can do a lot of good things for a lot of the wrong reasons. Our outward acts aren’t necessarily a reflection of our heart. We see these types of things every day. It’s displayed when a wealthy businessman gives a large endowment to a university, but the intent is to only improve his own public image, or have a building named in his honor. He may even do it just to feel better about himself. That’s not to say that his gift doesn’t benefit a lot of people. I’m sure it does. But what does that act do for the wealthy businessman, other than provide a smokescreen for the true condition of his heart. Doing a lot of good things and acting in good ways can sometimes have a negative effect on us.

Then there are people who are truly trying to do good, with the best of intentions. Yet they find themselves hopelessly falling short. How do you explain the likes of Martin Luther, the father of the Reformation? In his early days, he was known for self-punishment by beating himself, and freezing himself in the snow for actions that didn’t reconcile with his faith. I think most people would have called him a ‘good person’ in the worldly sense. So, why did even he feel like he didn’t measure up? The thing that we often miss is that we can do a lot of good without actually being good. So, how do we address this?

…Let’s go deeper

I will start out by saying this. It may be a bold, and also a confusing, statement to some. But here it is: When we come face-to-face with our own human depravity, we are in a really good place. I’ve become convinced that the greatest and most pervasive deception we face as people, and a society, is that we can truly be good in and of ourselves. Yet at the root of this deception, we make a grievous error in missing the fact that we have a sin problem that has to be dealt with.
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AV Romans 3:10: “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” This is a bold statement, and there’s no ambiguity about it. This pretty much puts us all in the same boat. So, we all have the same problem. None of us can rightly believe that we can be good in and of ourselves. We all need an outside intervention to resolve this issue in our lives. It can’t come from us.

AV Colossians 3:23: “And whatsoever ye do, do [it] heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;” One reason that we can’t be good in our own strength is because the focus never gets taken off of us. As long as the focus is still on us, we can never do what is truly good because the focus is never on that which is good. One thing this verse makes clear is that our focus should be on God. Whatever we do should be done with a focus on Him, not thinking of ourselves or other people’s perception of us. But how do we do this?

AV Luke 5:32: “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Jesus made clear the reason He came to this earth. He says here that He came to call sinners to repentance, not the righteous. What did He mean by this? Well, he wasn’t saying that there were some people who were righteous. What He was saying is that there were some people who thought they were righteous. He was speaking of the likes of the Pharisees and Scribes—the religious people. These were the people who gloried in their own religious acts. But Jesus rightly described their true condition in another place in Matthew 23:27: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead [men’s] bones, and of all uncleanness.” Jesus just exposed the true condition of someone doing outward acts with no inner change taking place. And by repentance He means to confess and then turn, or go in the other direction, from sin in their lives.

Who are the most affected ones? Men above the age of 45 get the effects as the body is unable to http://appalachianmagazine.com/2016/10/27/kentucky-police-arrest-church-treasurer/ order viagra remove the drug in time. They include both in-car training and classroom training to provide both theoretical and practical experience to learners. canada viagra During this time, the key ingredient of musli power xtra is safed musli, the nature’s solution for appalachianmagazine.com purchase generic cialis your needs and budget. Whenever there is health issue, people are advised http://appalachianmagazine.com/2019/03/21/pocketknife-superstitions-never-fold-a-knife-someone-else-opened/ cost levitra lowest to buy drugs online because it is the convenient way to treat the ED. AV Romans 7:24: “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Even the great Apostle Paul realized the struggle we have with the flesh. The great thing is that he recognized it. He was like Martin Luther in that he came face-to-face with this reality. But how did they both deal with it?

AV 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The reality of our situation requires for us to have a change in our hearts. We need a heart transplant. Because when we come to God through Jesus, confess our sins, and repent, He gives us that new heart. This is known as being born again. And Paul shows us that we still fight against sin and our flesh once we are saved. But as we grow and learn to live according to our new heart, we gain victory over these things. And this is when our outward acts of good become a true reflection of our inner hearts.

AV Romans 3:10: “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:”

AV Colossians 3:23: “And whatsoever ye do, do [it] heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;”

AV Luke 5:32: “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Matthew 23:27: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead [men’s] bones, and of all uncleanness.”

AV Romans 7:24: “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”

AV 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Don’t take it for granted

 

Something I think we are all guilty of is getting used to what we have—what we’ve always had. We tend to assume what we’ve always had will always be there. That’s a natural tendency, I suppose. But it’s probably not a healthy one.

I sometimes think about the things that I have, the opportunities I’ve had, the experiences I’ve had. When I really think about them, I should be more thankful. I don’t believe things just happen. I believe things happen for a reason. I had a good childhood, with good parents and family. That, in itself, is worth a lot. I know not everyone has that.

I guess, in many ways, I do have a better appreciation of the good things I have in my life. I think part of that is just growing older and maturing. It’s probably the case with most of us that we look back on our childhood and we are grateful if it was a good one. But, with me, I think there’s more to it. I went through a long period of hardship. And it affected me in every way—physically, financially, spiritually, and emotionally. So, a lot of what I had up until that point was taken away from me. I had just gotten used to those things being there. I had gotten used to always having my health. I had gotten used to always having finances taken care of. I had gotten used to having what I’d always had. But maybe that was the problem.

When I look back on it now, it’s probably one of the best things that could have happened to me. The things I learned through this experience were invaluable. I really couldn’t put a price tag on them. One thing it did for me is it forced me out of my comfort zone. I was really in a position where I couldn’t do things the same way I had always done them. I had to shift gears, so to speak. The same old wasn’t going to cut it anymore. So, this drew me out of my complacency. I really had to push the envelope of what I thought I was capable of. Also, I learned things were maybe not as scary as I’d always thought them to be. I did some things that involved taking risks and I was still alive. One of the biggest thing it taught me was to appreciate the good things in my life. I don’t think we always appreciate what we have until we experience not having it.

But at the end of the day, it wasn’t about me. That may be the biggest, and also the hardest, lesson to learn. I had to get to a place where I came to the end of myself. I had to realize that I wasn’t enough. You may think this is scary place to be. In a way, you’re right. However, it actually ended up being one of the most freeing places I could end up.

…Let’s go deeper

 

What I saw God do in my weakest moments was Him carrying me through them. I may have discovered that I wasn’t enough. But I also discovered something even greater. I discovered that He is enough. You may be familiar with the popular ‘Footprints in the Sand’ plaques. Well, it was that kind of experience for me.
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AV 2 Corinthians 12:9: “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” Paul had asked God three times to take his ‘thorn in the flesh’ from him. God responded by saying, “My grace is sufficient for thee”. Paul learned to trust God with his infirmity. What Paul learned was that this allowed for the perfecting of the power of Christ in him.

AV 2 Corinthians 12:10: “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” Paul goes on in the next verse to further elaborate. He’s saying basically, “If that’s what it takes for Christ’s power to work through me in a greater way, I’m all for that.” He says, “When I am weak, then I am strong.” Why? Because the strength working in Him then is the power of God.

Perhaps, that is all that is needed for this medication. order viagra online This is the first clinically proven, doctor endorsed OTC sublingual price viagra tablets is taking the world by storm for its immediate effectiveness, no side effects, non-prescription formula. Major Varieties of Tea White – requires canada cialis 100mg the least processing; leaves are picked only a few days out of the year Black – Chinese black drink leaves are fully oxidized. Conditions such as muscle strain, pregnancy, hormonal changes, scar tissue, purchase levitra infection and spinal tumours can also cause impotence. AV John 3:30: “He must increase, but I [must] decrease.” This was a statement John the Baptist made. He came to the same realization as Paul. He realized that the more of himself he got out of the way, the more God’s strength and power could work through him. This takes a humbling on our part. But it’s a Spirit-directed thing. The more we desire of Him and His ways, the more this is our hearts desire. The Spirit of God draws us into a close relationship with Him and we realize that our emptying of self is what is needed, and that God is working it for our good.

AV 1 Peter 5:7: “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” Some of the things we need to give to Him just involves our cares and our worries. The worries and concerns we carry are something that we need to surrender to Him because these things can keep Him from working through us as well. We need to give it to Him and let Him deal with it.

AV Genesis 15:1: “After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I [am] thy shield, [and] thy exceeding great reward.” God reassured Abram when he refused to take goods from the king of Sodom. God made it known that He would take care of him. “I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward”, God said. Amen to that. He is our great reward, isn’t He.

AV 2 Corinthians 12:9: “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

AV 2 Corinthians 12:10: “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

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

AV 1 Peter 5:7: “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

AV Genesis 15:1: “After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I [am] thy shield, [and] thy exceeding great reward.”
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Trust doesn’t just happen

 

One learns in life that you have to trust someone at some point. In fact, you have to extend some trust to others in order to find out if they are trustworthy. So, while we can’t give all our trust to someone when we first meet them, we can give them a little at a time—in degrees. At least that’s how it should work.

I have found myself on both ends of the spectrum. I’ve found myself to be too trusting at times and end up finding out the other person wasn’t deserving of my trust. Then, other times I find myself not being trusting enough when someone was just wanting to be helpful. It’s sometimes hard to find the balance. People aren’t always what they seem to be, for good or for bad.

We learn over a lifetime those we can trust and depend on. The ones who have our back when we need them the most. I think one thing we learn as a team member in any sport is trust. It’s an integral part of any good team. Each player learns their place and what they can expect of each other. And the greater their level of trust in each other, the greater their chances of success. No team can have a reasonable chance of success if they don’t trust each other.
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So, what do we do if we have trouble trusting other people? Well, the answer isn’t to just never trust anyone. That wouldn’t lead us to good outcomes. But trust involves an element of risk. You can manage the risk, though. You find you can trust people once you get a chance to know them. So, we trust a little at a time. And it’s a two-way street. Once we allow people into our lives, they will allow us into their lives. The trust becomes mutual over time. And that’s the way it should be.

Now, I think maybe I haven’t taken enough risks in trusting people. Maybe I need to be brave and take the chance of getting hurt a little bit. So, what if I do get hurt. Big deal. Wounds heal. But I’m guessing that my anticipation of being hurt is generally greater than what would actually happen in reality. We are often afraid of things because we make them out to be bigger, in our minds, than what they actually are. I guess that’s an example of using your imagination in the wrong way. I think fear is often just the wrong use of our imagination. We think about a bunch of ‘what if’ scenarios, of which few, if any, ever happen in reality. So, I just need to take a risk and trust a little bit more. Not thinking so much about the bad that might happen if I do, but the good that might happen if I do. And the amazing thing is the great potential upside there is to discover in this reality.

…Let’s go deeper

On Vacation—Have a great week!

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The Surrendered Wife and the Surrendered Life

 

I heard about a book that came out a few years ago. It’s called ‘The Surrendered Wife’. I had never heard of it until now. It talks about the role of wives in marriage.

In this book the author, Laura Doyle, talks about her own experience in her marriage. Here’s an excerpt from the synopsis of the book:

“Like millions of women, Laura Doyle wanted her marriage to be better. But when she tried to get her husband to be more romantic, helpful, and ambitious, he withdrew—and she was lonely and exhausted from controlling everything. Desperate to be in love with her man again, she decided to stop telling him what to do and how to do it. When Doyle surrendered control, something magical happened. The union she had always dreamed of appeared. The man who had wooed her was back.”

This excerpt explains her own experiences. I understand in today’s culture this wouldn’t go over well with a lot of women. To them, the idea of submitting in a marriage would go over like a lead balloon. Our culture has changed so much from the idea of traditional marriage. Many men end up taking a back seat in the relationship. I think some women take offense to the idea of submission. But, should they? Or, is it maybe something to be considered? Some women see it as a matter of equality. But I see it more as a matter of playing the right roles. Just like a basketball team has role players. Someone has to lead, someone has to be the three-point shooter, and someone has to play center under the basket, etc. If everyone tries to lead, then there’s not going to be a whole lot of harmony. Here’s another excerpt of a comment one woman wrote about the book:

“What this book taught me is that, to create greater intimacy in a marriage, you need to surrender control of things and give some of that back to your husband. It doesn’t mean that you lose control altogether… in actuality, you really gain freedom, because you are not responsible for everything and anything. The book teaches you how to take care of yourself FIRST, to allow your husband to manage things such as the finances (this is hard to reliquish control of, but the freedom you get in return is priceless!), to allow him to have greater responsibility of the children, to take more control of household duties, etc., etc. – basically all the things you’re always nagging him about! Surrendering these things lets your husband know you trust him, lets him know that you have confidence in him. Because he knows this, he is secure with himself, and more likely to take more responsibility… More than that, his happiness leads to your happiness… which leads to greater intimacy!”

After reading that, maybe it’s not such a strange idea. I mean, it’s hard to argue with results, right? From the few other comments I glanced at, it seems many other women felt the same way after reading it. Even though it may run counter to a lot of our natural thinking, maybe this idea isn’t such a foreign concept.

 

…Let’s go deeper

While pondering this topic, I found myself relating it to God and our relationship to Him. And while the wife submitting to the husband is a Biblical concept, I thought about exploring the correlation of that with our surrender to God. We seem to want to take control of things many times, when actually He is supposed to be the one leading and directing our lives. So, like these women who realized the joy and freedom in surrendering to their husbands, we each can find greater joy and freedom in our surrender to God.
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AV James 4:7: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” The first thing we need to remember is that, in order to have any victory in our lives, we need to be submitted to God. Our ability to fight the enemy starts by us submitting to God. We can’t have any assurance of victory in our lives without God. But when we do submit, and resist the enemy, we are assured of victory.

AV Proverbs 16:9: “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.” Even though we makes plans every day, we need to be submitting those plans to God and His authority. Allow for the possibility for Him to change those plans. Sometimes we may have everything perfectly planned out, but God may have different plans. And through whatever means He ends up steering us in a different direction.

It is the most common cause of paralysis and because the spine holds a large number of references to pine nuts incorporating this solution to restore a man’s sexual vigor: “A glass of thick nectar, in addition to 20 Almonds Nutrition and 100 pine nuts rehashed for several nights.” Cure Yourself Completely and Naturally Depending cialis no prescription usa on if you want to find out why this pill has become so popular. Here, important information has been mentioned that make ED treatment convenient and more effective than other generic drugs of online pharmacy tadalafil other brands. So, the viagra online australia is the same genre of viagra and called cheap viagra. Kamagra is one of the most effective and widely-accepted treatment for male sexual failure. viagra price usa AV Isaiah 55:8: “For my thoughts [are] not your thoughts, neither [are] your ways my ways, saith the LORD.” Another reason we submit to God is because we don’t know everything. But God does. That alone is a good enough reason for us to submit to Him, isn’t it. We, in our humanness, have very limited knowledge about things. And we especially have limited knowledge about the future. But God knows the end from the beginning.

AV John 14:15: “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” Submission is also an act of love. We willingly submit to God because we love Him. This is one of the expressions of our love. We realize all that He has done for us. So, in return that makes us want to be pleasing to Him. We live our lives in such a way that lines up with His word and reflects His character.

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.” This gives us another good reason for our surrender. God has only the best in mind for us. We may not always see it from our limited perspective. But He has a high-level view of everything. He wants to work us towards a positive end. But that only happens as we surrender to Him. Making His authority our priority will only work for our good.

AV James 4:7: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

AV Proverbs 16:9: “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.”

AV Isaiah 55:8: “For my thoughts [are] not your thoughts, neither [are] your ways my ways, saith the LORD.”

AV John 14:15: “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

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.”

Unwavering Devotion

 

There’s something admirable about someone who stays committed to something or someone no matter what. When people just determine that they’re going to stick it out, it causes you to respect them more. It can be difficult to stay committed. But in the end we find out it’s well worth the price.

Some people are devoted to a cause. For instance, a medical doctor may go and provide free medical care in poorer countries. This is an obvious sacrifice for people that do this. They may spend extended periods of time away from family. Also, they are not making nearly the income they might otherwise make in a more developed country. And they don’t have access to modern conveniences, or top medical care themselves. So, the costs are great. They sacrifice to do what they do. But they help a lot of people that might not otherwise get help in the process. Many of these people don’t have any way of paying them. They can only say, “Thanks”.

Other people are devoted to another person. A marriage, for instance, that lasts for 50 years where two people are committed to each other for a lifetime is one example. No doubt, over the period of 50 years a married couple would see many good, but also many hard times. Sometimes one of them may suffer from poor health for a number of years. The healthy spouse may have to take care of the unhealthy one. This takes commitment. When they were married they both agreed to love in good times and bad, and sickness and health. However, when people actually do that, it makes you pause and admire them.

I think we often under value the difficult times in relationships. But the bad times provide for a depth to the relationship that wouldn’t otherwise be there. People in a marriage often draw closer to each other through difficult times. This makes their bond stronger. And when they face difficult times again in the future, they are better able to weather the storm.

So, why do people stay committed to a cause or a person, even with all the difficulties it may present? What makes them sacrifice so much for these things? Well, I would say there a couple of reasons. One is that they have a deep, heart-felt belief in the cause. The other reason is love. They have a love for the people, the cause, or the other person. And their belief and love are such that they don’t waver when things look dark. They keep going, accepting it as part of the process. And they willingly serve because their belief and love are so deep. And sometimes those feelings may not be there. But regardless of feelings or how things look, they continue on. That’s an unwavering devotion.

 

…Let’s go deeper

A number of people in the Bible faced great difficulties. But they didn’t allow these things to stop them. They loved God and believed in the work God had given them to do. Paul was one who talked about the many troubles he faced.
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AV Acts 20:23-24: “Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” Paul wasn’t moved by his circumstances. He was on a mission that God had given him. It was even revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would face trouble in every city. This didn’t overwhelm him, though. He had his eyes fixed on the finish line.

But the said cheap viagra prices has no such cost. Therefore online services are esteemed a lot in the global niche. cheap tadalafil no prescription could be a business name for virility drug change state and is one among the foremost acknowledged words worldwide. each man needs to be an excellent lover, however nature has not precocious USA equally and a few men don’t think significantly about it. Contact your physician immediately if the stiffness of male reproductive system https://unica-web.com/archive/2002/description2002.html cialis india and cause problem for the same. To treat anxiety and depression, most cialis price look here doctors prescribe the most suitable medication for your condition. AV Isaiah 50:7: “For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.” Why can we be confident and unwavering in the face of difficulties? Because God will help us. This verse talks about this kind of unwavering attitude. This is the reason we don’t need to be confounded. This is the reason why we set our faces like a flint. And this is the reason why we won’t be ashamed. God will help us.

AV Psalm 34:19: “Many [are] the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.” The Bible makes it clear that the righteous will face difficulties. It also makes it clear that the Lord will deliver us out of them all. This is the confidence we have. We can know for sure and rest in the knowledge of Him delivering us from difficulty. He just wants us to trust Him.

AV Ephesians 6:10: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” Being strong doesn’t mean we are strong in ourselves. But it means that we are depending on God’s strength. We aren’t strong enough to make it through all of our difficulties. We are relatively weak. But He is strong. That’s why His strength is made perfect in weakness. So, we need to remain strong in Him. When we remember this, it gives us an unwavering devotion to Him.

AV Acts 20:23-24: “Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”

AV Isaiah 50:7: “For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.”

AV Psalm 34:19: “Many [are] the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.”

AV Ephesians 6:10: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”

What if I make a mistake?

 

Mistakes happen in life. No one escapes making mistakes or the results from them. I myself, would like to never make a mistake. However, that’s not very realistic. We learn that mistakes are just a part of life and that we just have to deal with them and learn from them.

When we make mistakes, I think the most important thing is not to get down and beat ourselves up, but to learn from it. Many times we can look back and think about how we could have done things differently. I should have done this or I should have done that. While it’s good to learn what we did wrong, we can’t dwell on it and live in regret. We need to take the positives from it and go from there.

One positive is that mistakes can be great teachers. And that’s often because we don’t like the result they produce. We make a mistake and think, “Well, I’m never going to do it that way again.” So, we try to do better next time to produce a better result. So, mistakes provide us the opportunity for learning. We don’t always know how to do something until we just set out and start trying it. A person learns how to sail by actually sailing a boat. They probably don’t want to sail around the world on their first try because they know they’re going to make mistakes. So, they stay close to shore and allow the opportunity for themselves to learn.

Mistakes also make it clear what level of expertise we have in something. It gives us a gauge to know how adept we are in that thing. We can slowly start pushing towards more challenging levels based on how we’re doing at the current level. So, when learning to snowboard, if I’m falling down pretty frequently on a beginner run, I probably don’t want to go down a black diamond. Because if I do go down a black diamond, it will cause bigger, more cataclysmic mistakes. So, this keeps me at one level until I’ve mastered that and can move onto the next one.

And that’s another important thing. While we can’t avoid mistakes, we can usually manage the severity of those mistakes. By using wisdom, and knowing how proficient we are, we can keep our mistakes in a range where we aren’t causing great amounts of damage to ourselves and others. So, wisdom comes into play as well. Mistakes are OK, but reckless abandon is not. We learn what we need to learn about something. We apply what we know with wisdom. This way we generally keep the mistakes manageable.

So, we don’t need to fear mistakes. We can expect them and allow them to help us to become better. While trying to learn more, we just do the best we can with what we know.

 

…Let’s go deeper

 

AV Isaiah 41:10: “Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee: be not dismayed; for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” I like this verse. I think on it often. The first thing we need to do when taking on something new is to not be in fear about it. Fear about something can be crippling and can keep us from ever stepping out and doing that thing. Also, when we do step out, fear can cause us problems in making us not engage in the way we should. So, we need to know and remember that God is with us to help us in it.
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AV Psalm 23:4: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou [art] with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” This Psalm is a Psalm of confidence in God. We do not need to fear. The circumstances may look dark around us, but we can have confidence that He is with us in it. Don’t look at the circumstances. Just look to God and know that He is with you.

Homeopathic remedy is highly potent and has a wide curative spectrum for disorders like impotency, levitra online uk chronic fatigue syndrome, urinary and digestive tract infections, pulmonary disorders, reducing phlegm, curing ringworm and impetigo betweenother environment indicated on the company website. The medicine is the viagra 50mg price top short-term relief for the condition and used prior to a sexual stimulation. All men dreams to spice up close bonding relationship by having timely intercourse. buy viagra usa This improves blood flow to the reproductive parts in male body. prices for viagra click here for more AV Psalms 37:24: “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth [him with] his hand.” The confidence we have in making mistakes is in knowing that if we make a mistake, He won’t allow us to be ruined by it. This is another reason why we shouldn’t be afraid. We may make mistakes, but God is there to guide us through it all. I think of it similar to a father teaching his child to ride a bike. He’s running alongside of us helping us and guiding us.

AV Psalms 55:22: “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” Sometimes new endeavors we take on can be burdensome. The task ahead looks enormous. We need to, in those times, give it to God, and go on in the knowledge that He will sustain us. When we do that, we won’t be moved.

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.” Finally, it’s important we remember that all the things we go through—the mistakes, the trials—it’s all being worked together by God for our good. So, the things we mess up, God will turn those things around for good in our lives. That’s another reason we can be confident and not be afraid of making a mistake.

AV Isaiah 41:10: “Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee: be not dismayed; for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

AV Psalm 23:4: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou [art] with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

AV Psalms 37:24: “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth [him with] his hand.”

AV Psalms 55:22: “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”

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.”

Authority in Action

 

Some people have authority in their jobs. Some have authority because they own a company. And others have authority because of their position in the family—such as a mother and father have authority over their families. But then if those people weren’t aware of the authority they have.

I was just pondering the notion of authority. All of the people mentioned above have authority, but that authority is usually given to them by someone else. They are acting under a mandate where someone else says, “I’m giving you the power to act in my stead.” It’s a kind of power of attorney. But it’s only effective if those people know they have that power.

Think about if a cop was sent out to protect the streets without the authority to do so. That would be pretty ridiculous. He would be just some guy standing in the street yelling. And people would be thinking, “Why should we listen to you?” No, the power a cop has, he has because of the power given to him by the government and the rule of law. That’s why a policeman is a respected and feared individual.

The same applies to a parents. They have authority over their children. You would say this is a God-given authority. They use that authority to keep them out of danger and going in the right direction. Sometimes punishment is involved. Children recognize this. And they know when a parent means it or not. If the mother or father is sheepish, or tentative, in how they deal with their kids, the kids can usually tell. They are thinking, “Yeah, I don’t think they’re very serious. I’m just going to do what I want.”

What about a CEO of a large company? He has power over hundreds of employees. They have that power given to them by a board of directors. And sometimes it helps if they actually started the company. That gives them a little extra added weight. I guess if you went through the pain and toil of building a company from scratch; that would merit listening to that person a little more. But they still have their power as being subject to another party.

The point is that you don’t have power and authority unless given to you by someone else. But when these people have this authority, they can act on it to bring others in line or make commands that have powerful results. But what if these people had all this power given to them and they went out each and didn’t know they had it. They would be pretty ineffective in their roles. You can’t effect meaningful changes without knowing what rights you have. Each person has a clearly defined role. And that role has clearly defined parameters in which they can enforce those parameters.

 

…Let’s go deeper

When it comes to authority, we as believers have authority in Christ. Even though we have this authority, it does us no good if we don’t us it. And it certainly does us no good if we don’t even know about it. We need to know the authority that God has given us to walk on this earth.
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AV Matthew 28:18: “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” The one who has been given ultimate authority on the earth is Jesus. He conquered death, hell, and the grave. So, they should no longer have authority in our lives. When we are submitted to Him and His authority, these things can’t reign in our lives.

AV Luke 10:19: “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” The power Jesus told us we have, when He was here on this earth, He made clear to us. We don’t have to guess about the power we have, or over who we have it. We have a clear commission. We are to take authority over the power of the enemy when He tries to stand against us and the Kingdom of God.

The power group said it would pay out 3.5million to the order viagra prescription poorest households it supplies. Blood flow is check out now buy cialis online increased when you take a walk. Several internet-based online pharmacies are serving their customers by providing the necessary nutrients to the body and the second class involves the ones that excite the glands that are responsible for boosting the testosterone levels in men while dark chocolates stimulate the blood flow to the legs, many complications like cramping, numbness, weakness in the legs can be seen. viagra prescription for woman It has been noticed all around the blood cells. viagra sale without prescription AV James 4:7: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” The authority we have comes first when we have submitted ourselves to God’s authority. He then gives us the power to resist the devil. He has to flee from you. And the devil knows it. He knows when this is put into action, that He has no choice but to leave.

AV Ephesians 6:12: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].” We sometimes easily think that we are just fighting an individual. But we are fighting a daily battle against the enemy and his forces. That’s where the real battle is. We need to not lose sight that he is the real enemy.

AV Acts 1:8: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” God has also given us the power to do His work through the Holy Ghost. When we are witnesses we have to depend on the Holy Spirit to do the work. We speak, but He gives us the words. The power the Holy Ghost gives helps spread the gospel message to all receptive hearts.

AV Matthew 28:18: “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”

AV Luke 10:19: “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

AV James 4:7: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

AV Ephesians 6:12: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].”

AV Acts 1:8: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”