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- Written by: DJ Dave
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Mark 12:33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.
The more I see people trying to prove they are good enough or they are worthy, the more I wonder how they have got to the stage where they believe that is what is required…
Jesus came to show us the way to live and the way to love – we have got too caught up in worldly ways to see the simplicity of His Word.
Man's pride and greed takes him far beyond the simple ways Christ wants us to live; we need to turn back to following Christ first of all.
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Mark 11:22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered.
How deep is your faith? How much do you rest in your faith? How far are you willing to go with your faith?
These are all easy questions with very deep and difficult answers…
Your faith is something very personal with God and something which is strengthened through God’s Word and through prayer, but just like your body, it needs exercise to be strengthened.
This means we need to keep on reading God’s Word and keep on praying; not just when we need it but all the time!
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Matthew 13:52 He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”
When Jesus came to be with us and teach us, He did not come to overthrow everything the prophets had brought to the people, He came to support it.
He did not come to uphold the laws man had included in the laws, rules which they had invented to help themselves, He came to uphold God’s rules!
We need to expand our faith by taking what Christ teaches us and applying it to our modern societies; stop upholding man’s own laws and uphold Jesus’ ministry!
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Matthew 16:5 When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread.
How many times have you gone out of your way to do something for someone else only to forget to do the same thing for yourself when the time came?
I know I have done that a few times, so am not surprised the disciples forgot to take bread – they had got used to things happening around them and had probably plain forgot about their own food.
We should be more like this with God – so tied up with what we are doing with God we forget to do the simple things for ourselves…
When we do focus on God – He is focusing on us and will look after us!
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Jeremiah 28:9 But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the Lord only if his prediction comes true.
Have you noticed how many things seem to be going wrong at the moment around the world? How many news channels are telling us the good things instead of focusing on the bad? Not a lot!
Hananiah delivered the message of peace coming to the land and nobody wanted to hear it because so many bad things were happening then too.
When the good times came, people looked back and knew then God had sent Hananiah.
We need to stick to the truth and keep telling it, no matter what goes on around us...
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Ezekiel 34:19 Must my flock feed on what you have trampled and drink what you have muddied with your feet?
A very pertinent question at this time in the Western World’s life…
How do you treat the world around you? How do you inadvertently treat the people around you as a direct results of the way you treat the world around you?
Far too often we do things because we want to and we do not think of the consequences of our actions – we hurt people without realising.
God has promised to judge us according to His rules give to us. If we do not love each other as ourselves, we will face His wrath!
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Genesis 22:1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied.
How far are you willing to go for God? Do you blindly go where you think God is calling you, or do you meditate on it and make sure?
There are times in my life, far too many, when I have hesitated a bit too long because I did not want to accept what God was calling me to…
But there are also times when I have leapt forward only to fall flat on my face because it was not God calling me!
Make sure you hear God and listen to what He actually says...
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Nehemiah 5:5 Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.
So this slavery issue… it’s nothing new and something the rich have been striving to uphold in some form or another in any way they can, by hiding behind wealth and big words.
This is not God’s way! God’s way to to love our neighbour, whomever and wherever they are. To love them as we love ourselves!
If you are willing to do things to take care of yourself, then you should be willing to do things to help those around us.
God commands us to care for each other as fellow children of God. Do it!
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Galatians 5:4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.
We each have a choice as to whether we follow the law God gave to the Israelites or whether we follow Christ.
If we say we will follow one or the other, then we need to stick with that decision and follow it as best we can.
The Jews chose to continue following the law and Paul said if they make that decision they have to follow every aspect of that law – which can be grievous.
Jesus gives us to choice to simply ask forgiveness, total forgiveness which will cover everything we have done and then to try and do things His way for God.
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John 4:16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”
How many times have you been faced by someone who has asked you a very awkward question to which the only answer would be to show yourself up?
I used to get that a lot at school because I was never very good at following rules and doing my work – the teachers would then ask the awkward question to which I would just say nothing!
If we are willing to answer in truth, Jesus is willing to forgive the things we have done wrong and lead us forward with merciful love!
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Matthew 8:13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.
How many times do you throw up a casual prayer to God and don’t really expect a reply? Much like having a casual friend you chat to once in a blue moon!
Our prayer life has to change to be more purposeful so our faith in God can grow and we can get more out of our relationship with Him.
God wants us to live our lives with Him every minute of every day and to believe our prayers are being heard and will be answered whenever we ask!
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Mark 7:36 Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it.
The more Jesus tried to get people to keep quiet about the miracles, the more they seemed to go and tell people about them! Isn’t that just how we are!
Jesus knew His time had not yet come and wanted to make sure He survived until the time was right; but human nature takes over as we can see from the way people are acting against advice to try and control the spread of this virus.
Wait for God to tell you where He wants you before you run off and break it before it starts!
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Matthew 6:3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing
One thing which always puzzled me was this saying! I’m a practical person and find it difficult to do things with one hand without getting the other one involved in some manner, or even my tongue involved!
What Jesus is saying is we should be willing to give freely to our fellow human beings and not have to get everyone involved with what we are doing.
We don’t have to broadcast the event to everyone to know we are doing the right thing – just do it!
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Philippians 3:2 Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh.
It is very hard to stand up to physical pain without giving in in one way or another. I used to think there was no greater pain than a migraine, but then so many things have happened to me since my first migraine, I now know there are many forms of pain – none of which are pleasant!
Physical or emotional pain will often stop us from seeing the truth and even stop us from reaching out to God because it is so encompassing.
God knows what we go through and will wait patiently for us when we wander off in pain!
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Philippians 2:27 Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.
One thing I have learned is God is not going to give up on you, no matter what you are going through in your life!
I have been afraid of my life, near death in hospital, just plain scared out of my wits and even at the stage of wanting to give up on everything – but through every one of those stages, God was with me and got me back on track!
I continue to try to encourage others to seek God and be saved by our amazing, loving, faithful God who cares for each of us!
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Philippians 1:12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.
When bad things happen to us, they kind of wash all the goodness out of our minds and our hearts are filled with all the pain and worry that comes with the situations.
Paul did not allow what was happening to him outweigh the goodness which was coming out of it. He knew what he was going through would lead to God’s glory!
If we are able to have that same attitude to what happens in our own lives, we will be able to experience the same joy Paul knew in his life – the joy of Christ!
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Philippians 1:3 I thank my God every time I remember you.
How many people do you know who invoke this feeling in you? Just the name of some people being said raises my spirits and gives me hope and fills my soul with joy!
And yes, they are Christians! There is just something about a few people in life which brings everything home and allows you to see God for who He is…
God loves every one of us and cares for us in ways we can only imagine. We need to share that love with others to build our communities with God in the middle.
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1 Corinthians 13:2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
How do you measure your faith, your bible knowledge or your ability to prophesy?
Without love, all of these measures are pretty much worthless. You may be able to do something extraordinary, but people forget facts quickly when they get their own way.
It is the love we display which makes things worth while and allows people to remember the truth.
Jesus showed us extraordinary love and because of that love we remember what He has done for us and for many more people.
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Mark 5:34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”
Often we feel like we are just one person in amongst millions of others and wonder why God would even think of us, never mind love us!
But this simple story should put some of those fears of isolation and insignificance behind us. Jesus was surrounded by a crowd pressing up against Him – not social distancing here!
And yet, the touch of a single person who had faith enough to trust doing so would heal her ills, was all it took for Jesus to stop and explain the love He had for her.
Remember, Jesus does love you!
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Mark 5:17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.
When we live in a place where we hide from the truth because we are so caught up in the deeds we do in darkness, we will hate anyone who comes in and turns on the light!
As I look at the demonstrations going on around the world where someone dared to turn the light on, I see many people running for the darkness and demanding the lights be turned off again.
We need the light on constantly so we can root out the evil and replace it with righteousness all the way.
God has created us all and loves us all, because we are all His children.