Penitence

Penitence can be a life sentence we shackle on our self when we realize the wrongs we have committed and in our own opinion are punishable with emotional chains.  Penitence can be good and bad, but for the most part it is very bad.  When you are feeling down because of guilt when you have committed atrocities, crimes, disrespected others, or abused others or yourself, then your judgement skills are usually less affective than the act you committed.  So I have to ask you:

Who are you to judge human imperfections?  Matthew 7:3 says "Why do you look at the speck that is in someone else's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye"?

When we view someone with a guilty conscience we say "Why can't you see past the log in your own eye?"   But you find that person reprehensible just like the one's who can't forgive you, so you form your own court and condemn that person as they obviously are deserving of a life sentence.  At least we're doing something right when we agree with the unforgivers....right?

Well that's wrong thinking, all you are doing is agreeing with satan that hell is better on earth and that you are deserving of it. 

Penitence originates with remorse and guilt and are designed by God to raise a red flag for us to take notice. That's all!  If we don't see past the flag then we are doomed to live under it.  Remember the flag is not the destination.  It's time to lower the flag with the Word of God 

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%207&version=NASB

Variables

Looking at a very deep spiritual life with Christ is a daunting endeavor and filled with variables.  You need to strip away anything that doesn't magnify the message that He gives you.  You need to remove all aspects of the world in order to increase the depth of the relationship that He so desires.  You need to understand that when He calls you that there can be no hesitation in your step, no pondering whether it is worth the risk.  When you speak, you must be in full adherence to the doctrine and teachings in the Bible.

Titus 2:1 You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.

Avoiding that commission, teaching anything that is false, and trying to steer clear of a single truth is only a path that leads you away from that relationship with Christ. 

The hardest thing in the world is to say yes to a truth, something that will drag you through pain and hardship, but the reward is so much greater when you surrender to that truth, all the while walking away from those things that will trap you in the past. 

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Living in the Spirit

It's a hard thing to try and see if your own walk with the Lord is the way it should be.  It's hard to look at yourself when you're always looking away from yourself.  This requires some serious reflection time, a time when nothing else matters except your relationship with God.

God requires that time too, so that He can download what He needs you to hear, the places He needs you to go, and the next task He has for you.  We may be completely unaware of that download and will only realize that it happened when we are in that unusual place and something miraculous happens.  Something that we could have never orchestrated on our own.

1 Corinthians 2:13  This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.

This is when we are speechless, when we see miraculous events taking place around us but have no control over it or input to make it happen.  That's called living in the spirit.

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Transparency

What is the fear about being transparent with people?  I've heard that it is a flaw of character when you reveal your weaknesses to people, I've heard that it is a private matter and shouldn't be revealed, and I've heard that it means that you can be taken advantage of.

Transparency reveals the truth about you, it shows that you can be trusted because. . . yes . . .you too have mistakes in your life.  We all have mountains of mistakes that we can spend the rest of our life covering up and losing ourself in those onion-skin wrappings, to other people it stinks and we spend money, effort, and self worth spraying it with pretend deodorants to try to make it smell pretty.

John 3:21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

Just knowing that you don't have to carry all of those facades around with you for every situation, releases you to be a much happier relaxed person.

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Relief

Relief from our personal destructive behaviours only comes after we hit a wall and simply can't do this any longer.  The reasons behind the wall is God giving us the opportunity to stop and look at ourself and see just what we look like to others.  It's not a mean thing, it's just a glimpse of what we need to do next.

Galatians 5:17  For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.

This is the reason we run into trouble when we are doing things and keeping God at a distance.  When we live like hell and want to do that, then God steps out of the way so we can enjoy ourself . . . .but . . . do we really enjoy the outcome?   If so, then why do we need relief to begin with?

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Accuracy

Accuracy is one of the things that is so easily forgotten about or missed all together in the heat of a confrontation  and we sometimes blurt out misconceptions or even lies when we are put on the spot.  We some times encounter the well of resentment rising up in us when we feel the least bit slighted or challenged in the image of our self.  We can even get agitated and very aggressive when talking about religion!

If you feel that you are bested or corrected when ever you try to share the word of God and feel like giving up, then the only thing you can do is just keep doing it.  God loves our determination and cares much less about our mistakes.

Phil 1:18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Last time I looked in the Bible, I didn't read anything about Jesus condemning people for saying the wrong thing, but I have read about him encouraging everyone to just do it.  Besides if you're talking about Jesus then you're not really focusing on your problems.

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Responsibility

What is our responsibility as individuals in our neighborhood and greater community?  Why are we faced with so many challenges in life?  Why does life appear to be so difficult and unpredictable?

No easy answers to some serious questions.  But here's a thought, why not focus on other things rather than the negative things that seem to consume our thinking and energy?  In all actuality that's what we are supposed to do.

Philippians 4:8  Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Why waste your time thinking and worrying about garbage most of which you can't do anything about anyway?  Focusing on junk like that can very easily drag you into compulsive and addictive behaviours.  So lets think about things that will help change one of those negatives and gradually others will join in with you...as long as you don't quit in the meantime.

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Fearless

Do you know the difference between being fearless & smart v/s fearless & stupid?

The 2nd one shows a person who is fearless by their own might, where they are determined to do things their own way, force their way through, create their own world.  That's fine you can do that, but the longevity factor is a bigger hindrance to all that you do.

Fearless & smart is having a plan, bringing it to God to ask if it falls into the way God wants you to live your life.  You can still be determined about it and continue to pray to God for his blessing over it.  When you believe that it fits into God's word, and believe in your heart that it is so, then God will grant you the desires of your heart.

God isn't a mean God, he's not looking for ways to destroy your creativity.  He wants you to excel, just bring it to Him first so He can bless it!

1 Corinthians 12:31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. [ Love Is Indispensable ] And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

Happy Easter Jesus Has Risen

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Memories

Every memorable event in our life is capable of building a beautiful picture book that we can feel good about as we peruse through our past, as long as the events were worthy of a pleasant memory.  But not all memories are pleasant, some are injurious enough to leave scars on your soul, some are so damaging to you that you wind up repeating those injuries on others.

Mark 7:6  "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me".

When you allow bad memories from the past to control your actions today, then Mark 7:6 applies to you.  Twisting the word of God can keep you frozen in a compulsive or addictive pattern that is very hard to break.  

Not reading and studying the Bible is an open ticket to absolutely anything you want, except God's saving Grace.  

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Consistent

It's nice to know that when you are experiencing hard times and you turn around to see someone who has your back, someone you never knew was there but was brushing aside deceitful work raged against you and stamping out flaming arrows aimed at your back.  Someone who consistently has your better interests in focus and can see your future and knows the full plan for your life.

Psalm 5:11  But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

When you are living a pure and clean life and show your commitment to God and then put your complete trust in that premise, it releases you to do your best work.  Just knowing that expands your thinking capacity because now you don't have to worry about anything except what your good at. 

It's true: your creativity, freedom of thought, and your love of God all expand with the more He gives you.

Why not start some new good clean habits today?

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Calling

Most people these days are furthest from spiritual teaching and for the most part lack any real direction in their life.  Oh they know their career choices and retirement needs or their next meal, but spiritually they are dead.  They buy a wooden thing or hang a picture on the wall of an ideology and claim that is their belief system, but truly lack any depth or meaning.

Luke 10:42  "but few things are needed - or indeed only one.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken from her.” 

 But 2 verses earlier Martha says, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

Mary was absolutely taken by Jesus' teachings and couldn't get enough, whereas Martha was so overwhelmed with protocol that she couldn't stand taking the time to hear Jesus until the deeds were done.   Isn't that like us with our spiritual life most of the time, only talking to God when we are hurt or want something or when we have time? 

Mary realized the urgency in getting that teaching while she could and craved something better in life, while Martha was burdened with obligation and political correctness.

Let me ask this question; if Jesus came to your house only once, would you spend your time trying to please Him through service to Him, or please Him with your undivided adoration towards Him?  It's a difficult mix to find the balance between service and adoration.

Basically, are you the prize or is He?

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Hidden

It's very easy to hide objects, the truth, or even our self when we need to. We can do it out of greed, envy, hatred, pride, or even fear.  When, where, how, and what, are less important as who.  But the most important reason is why!  Why defines who you are as a person, which labels you as the type of friend you are, if you are a confidant or bully, trustworthy or a schemer, liar or depressed person, excessively happy, or uncontrollably selfish.   One day everything will be revealed.

Ecclesiastes 12:14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

The truth is, hiding is only a band-aid approach to a false sense of security.  One that will fade away as quickly as does any "fix" associated with an addiction.  Yes hiding is an addiction, but being alone is not hiding unless you are trying to avoid something: being caught with legalities, victimized, exposed, hurt emotionally, or taken advantage of is the short list of why people use the tactic of hiding themselves and things. 

One thing for sure: whatever you hide right now will be exposed when Jesus comes back, so confessing your sins now is the only answer!!  JUST DO IT.

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Plateau

Whenever something doesn't go our way we can assume it is defeat, but in reality it is just a change in our direction.  Our plans morph over time as we live our life and most times we don't even notice the change.  Or maybe we do and think everything will be fine.  Then the bottom falls out of our world and we are devastated.  At least that's our view....

But it's just a plateau!  God sees the whole picture of our life and knows when it's time for us to move on.  To grow in our thinking, expand our small world, meet new people, & experience greater things.  If we can't stand change, then it can be tough to take, and if we don't know God then it can be hell.

Psalm 71:14 "As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more."

A series of unfortunate events is not a curse and certainly no reason to fall off the rails into addictive and compulsive behaviours.  It's simply designed to get us off the plateau and onto greater and higher  things.  But more importantly, to teach us how to stay secure with God.

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Petri Dish

What is the purpose of us being on this planet? Why are we supposed to live a law biding life and always follow the rules?  Why can't we just do what makes us feel good and forget about everyone else?  Lets look at life in a Petri Dish for a moment.  Mold and bacteria grow in there because there is something to feed on, and there's enough sweetener or Agar in the dish to allow the micro organisms to flourish.  When the sweetener is gone the organisms die.

That's not the kind of people God wants in Heaven, one's that only feed on sweetener.  God wants people that can flourish on the word of God without the sweeteners, the one's with bravery to withstand the world's taunts for choosing what is right later instead of cheap immediate sweeteners.

Matthew 5:19  Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

You can blindly fall for the fake worldly sweeteners RIGHT NOW and get nothing later, or you can wait for the best Heavenly sweeteners you could ever imagine when you finally meet God IN HEAVEN.

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Instruction

Following instructions should be a way in life as long as the directives are in the best interests of everyone concerned.  However when those requests lack substance or virtue then problems arise.  People fall victim to teachings and doctrines that do not have their best interests at heart, but more over only acknowledge their shortcomings and actually promote them as a completely acceptable way of life.  We are then told, "as long as it doesn't hurt anyone then its okay".  The Bible warns us that we are treading on thin ice when we fall for that.

Proverbs 13:13 Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it, but whoever respects a command is rewarded.

The things the Bible tells us about life are focused around the truth and are all based on whether its  legal, moral, and ethical.  If you notice, the world's interpretation always leaves out moral and ethical, because without out those 2 directives then absolutely anything is legal to do.

If all we do is just accept what somebody tells is okay to do then we are blinding our self to the truth. Because that's really all the Bible does; is tell the truth.

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Recompense

Life can be tough some times, heartaches, rogue emotions in us and others, even acts of harm against us, for no reason.  People scoff at that like I did, but the reality is that when you avoid someone because their lifestyle no longer fits in with your new life based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, they can become very offended.  You still respect them but they cannot handle it with you living a clean life and them still struggling and being overwhelmed with their sin life.  If only they would realize that complete surrender to Jesus is the only way.

Proverbs 12:21 No harm overtakes the righteous, but the wicked have their fill of trouble. 

No matter what they say about you or do to you, you always have the relationship with Jesus, as long as you don't slide back into that old lifestyle.  Sharing Jesus' teachings with them works, but if their guilt is greater than their will to come clean then the carnage in their life becomes greater and unfortunately they can take that out on you.  

Their anguish is probably heightened when we continue to display the peace and joy awarded us through Jesus Christ, a perk when you have a personal relationship with Him.

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Protection

We all have grievances and misunderstandings, hurt feelings and heartaches.  That is the way of this world!  The more important question is; what is it we are doing to create those abnormalities and how do we go about correcting that unjust thinking in us and others?  

First off, it is impossible to live in a society and not offend someone at sometime!

Secondly, we can't control what others think about us so all we can do is approach them with the spirit of love and respect.  If they'll let us, we can present our concerns and hopefully alter the way they think about us by giving them a vulnerable piece of us.  It doesn't have to be a juicy tidbit rather  just sharing their effects on us.  If that person has deeper emotional concerns and uses that information against you, then the problem remains, but you are free from condemnation because you tried to correct it!  God likes that!

Prov 2:11  Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.

Praying to God first is a way to let God work in other peoples hearts so that when you approach them they have already been thinking about it and the response is usually more receptive or they will avoid you completely due to overwhelming guilt.  Either way, if you spend time praying for others and trying to mend bridges, you have won God's heart.  God protects those who love Him.

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Projection

We all have a past that can haunt us if we let it, but there's another side to this where we can become so over confident because we think we know it all because of what we went through to the point of projecting our biased opinions on others.  This can happen with a traumatic event, our job, raising a family, or anything we become very proficient at.

Projection is the belief that because of what we experienced, then we are the ruling authority.  This may be true but we can unknowingly project all those beliefs on others, even when it doesn't fit the situation surrounding that person.

Hebrews 10:22   let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

This is how False Profits start, but the bigger concern is that we are still sinning by judging others through our own hurts.  All this means is that we haven't let go of our past and haven't accepted the forgiveness that God has granted us.

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Appreciate

Here's a topic that we never really learn the answer to until we are in a place where we have to.  That usually follows right after a separation or ending of something or someone in our life.  But before we can appreciate it we have to miss it, and before that we have to take advantage of it, or some sort of  continuous disrespect.  It's kinda funny when you think about it, when we expect something then we really don't respect it, and when we assume we can control it then it fly's away.

The problem is, we let our emotions get in the way, we haven't completely forgotten about our past as Jesus said we should, and our pride overshadows all of the teachings we have received.

Hebrews 13:8  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. 

When we model Christ then petty differences, judgmental moments, and condescending spirits do not block our vision when it comes to appreciating others for who they are.

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Peace

It's not something that can be manufactured or created, but it is something that can be believed.   The very act of having peace is so ethereal that the only real way to experience it is through a quiet mind.  You can experience it through someone else and that can rub off on you, but that usually only lasts as long as that person is around.  Some people think that when a stressful situation goes away that you can finally experience some peace, which is true in a superficial way, but if the problem happens to  return the peace is replaced by the stress.

Peace is simply a byproduct of something greater, having complete joy in your heart is the only way to defeat stress and maintain peace.  There are thousands of ways to get stressed out, but only one way to have peace in stressful situations, and that is to have a peaceful mind.

You can try it on your own, but giving your problems and your life to Jesus Christ is the simplest way to release all that stress at least from your mind.  The problem may still be there but you view things differently now and are at peace with it.

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