Category: ego

Tuesday 12/3 ~ I just got out there and did it

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, blessings, church, Daily, discouragement, ego, good works, Inspirational, judgingLeave a comment

The scripture for today, December 3 (12/3), is Romans 12:3 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Applied Christianity“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.”

The context of this verse is members of a congregation getting along with each other. He explains that each person is given certain gifts such as serving, teaching, encouraging, contributing and so on (12:6-8).

Within congregations, disagreements can come about because one person has an idea about a good work, and someone else has a different idea about it, and still, someone else says some other good work should be done. All sincerely believe their way is the best form of outreach, and each wants a committee to be formed to carry it out. Then egos tend to get involved.

Perhaps the best way to judge whether you are thinking of yourself more highly than you ought, is to ask yourself this:  If I moved away or if I died, would this congregation survive without me? Of course, it would.  Keep praying, Lord, help me see myself as others do.

It does not matter if you can get a committee formed to help you.  If your heart is set on a certain good work, you can always do it alone. You do not need a committee.  If your heart is truly set, stop waiting for others whose hearts may be on something else. If your heart is truly set, get out and do it.

Perhaps others will see your results and want to join you later. Perhaps not. Just keep following your heart. Be true to your heart. Be true to the souls that will be helped because you got out there and just did it.

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Applied Christianity

APPLIED CHRISTIANITY: A HANDBOOK OF 500 GOOD WORKS is great for church libraries or a new Christian, teenagers. Even ladies’ Bible classes are using it for their class book.  Full of every kind of good work suggestions including how-to’s for every age and every physical condition. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….  https://amzn.to/2YbbrIY

 

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Saturday 11/30 ~ What Adam & Eve did Right

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #ransom, death, Death of Jesus Christ, ego, Enemies, eternity, faith, forgiveness, Heaven, judging, Satan, Saved from hell, sin, temptation, truthLeave a comment

The scripture for today, November 30 (11/30), is Proverbs 11:30 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-Michel-COVER-Kindle-Thumbnail“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.”

Remember back in the Garden of Eden? Going by the age of their three sons, Adam and Eve were in the Garden close to one hundred years.  Instead of centering on what they did wrong, look at what they did right.  They were sinless for nearly a century! Hardly any of us can accomplish that in 100 minutes.

Just think. Walking through a garden lush with the beauty of holiness.  Walking through a garden with the water of life to drink. Walking through a garden with God (materialized) himself.

How many times did that snake Satan, upright like a king’s scepter and perhaps with a crown of gold and ruby on his head, make his way gracefully through the garden, laughing and enjoying the company of newly made humans? How many times did he coil up his tail like a maelstrom spiraling through the heavens full of light and beauty as he watched the couple enjoy the fruit of the garden? How many times did this magnificent creature sway back and forth, back and forth as cobras do as he spoke hypnotic words to make them feel like gods?

“Oh, look at the fruit on that tree over there? God told you never to touch it, but God is wrong.  Go ahead. Touch it. That’s right. Did anything bad happen to you? Of course not, because God is wrong.  How about touching it with your lips? That’s right. You’re not really eating it. You’re just touching it. Smell it too. Have you ever smelled anything so wonderful? God doesn’t want you to have it. He knows you will learn what evil is and then be as smart as him. God is jealous of you. Go ahead. Take a tiny bite. It won’t hurt you.  See there? Are you dead like he said you would be? No. You are still alive. God is a liar. I am the only one who tells you the truth. I am on your side. God hates you. Sure, go ahead and take another bite, and Adam might like some too.  It’s harmless. Do not believe anything God says. He hates you. I am the only one who loves you.”

How many thousands of times did Adam and Eve chase him off, only to have him back in their lives a few hours later? How many thousands of times did they try to resume what they were doing and try to put him out of their minds? How many times did they do it right? One stumble was all the enemy needed.

That was a long time ago. Now the Tree of Life, which God withheld from Adam and Eve, is in heaven waiting for them. Waiting for you.

And as you wait, win souls.  Snatch them out of the beautiful flower-strewn web of mankind’s enemy number one. He is still out here, still beautiful, still suave, and still lying.

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0-Michel-COVER-Kindle-ThumbnailMICHEL: THE FOURTH WISE MAN lived a few miles from the Garden of Eden where the Tigris & Euphrates Rivers meet.  It was now under water.  Michel descends from Daniel. His dream is to buy what was the Garden of Eden, restore it, and bring people to it to meditate and pray so that perhaps God will return and walk the earth again. Little did he know that is what was happening over in Bethlehem.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://amzn.to/2Y9Z4wQ

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Sunday 11/24 ~ Let your soul soar with thanksgiving

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, blessings, ego, faith, Heaven, Inspirational, joy, knowledge, Scripture, teaching, Thanksgiving, truth, worshipLeave a comment

The scripture for today, November 24 (11/24), is Ezekiel 11:24 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

OldOldTunes-Thumbnail“The Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the exiles in Babylonia in the vision given by the Spirit of God.”

Symbolism in the Bible is God’ is God’s way of getting deeper into the meaning of something for our human understanding.

For example, how did the Holy Spirit move people? Not by making them fall down, but by lifting them up. Ezekiel was the prophet who experienced this most often, and the Spirit never made Ezekiel swoon and fall down. It always lifted him up. Literally.

Jesus said in John 14:17 that he would send the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth. And in John 17:17 he said, “Your [God’s] Word is Truth.”

The Word of God does throw some people off symbolically but not physically, and that’s because they don’t like everything it says. So, they, in turn, throw the Bible down in a symbolic sense.

Even today, the Word of God lifts up the soft-hearted and receptive. If we let it, the Word of God can turn our lives around (in a symbolic sense ~ we don’t physically turn around) and our souls can soar to the throne of God (in a symbolic sense, not literally).

Be careful when reading something in the Bible that is symbolic to not turn it into something literal. Symbolism is there to convey a greater understanding of God that cannot be put into human words.   Keep on reading the Word of God and let the Holy Spirit continue to lift you up.

These are God’s parables in phrase form instead of story form.  What would we do without the Walls of Salvation, the Good Shepherd, the Lamb of God?  So, let God lift you up. Let your soul soar with gladness.

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OldOldTunes-ThumbnailTHE OLD OLD STORY SET TO OLD OLD TUNES contains 80 Bible songs set to folk tunes ~ 40 on the Old Testament and 40 on the New Testament.  Easy and fun to sing.  Remember “The Old Grey Mare, She Aint What She Used to be”?  That’s the tune for “Abraham, Sarah, they ain’t what they used to be.”  Then there’s “Farmer in the Dell” which becomes “Jonah got burped up”.  Give one to each teacher of children in your congregation. Also great for parties, homeschoolers, grandparents entertaining the little one on visits, for long trips in the car with children.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://amzn.to/35FhiJd

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Tuesday 11/19 ~ A little self-reflection

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, church, ego, Holy Spirit, humility, judging, worshipLeave a comment

The scripture for today, November 19 (11/19), is Ezekiel 11:19 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

00- Worship Changes KC COVER-thumbnail“I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.”

Although the 600+ commandments in the Old Testament /Covenant Law of Moses were nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14; Hebrews 8:10-13), God has always had laws to keep us safe. In the New Testament/Covenant era, he does not have a lot of laws, but he still has them.

What is our worship like? Is it full of things God never asked us to do? Does our worship elevate God or ourselves? When we’re done worshiping, do we say, “We were so great!” or “God is so great!”?  Do we worship to make ourselves feel good or to make God feel good?

We add all kinds of things to our worship that were commanded only under the Old Testament/Covenant Law of Moses, or things we think would “add to the effectiveness” of our worship. If, for example, it’s okay to add things to our singing and praying because then they would sound better, then it is okay to add lemon pie to the Lord’s Supper because then it would taste better.

Again, the question: Who are we worshiping and trying to please? God or ourselves? Do we deep down have a heart of stone, but put on our halo and say, “Surely not me”?

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00- Worship Changes KC COVER-thumbnailWORSHIP CHANGES SINCE THE FIRST CENTURY looks at all the ways we worship today, thinking worship has always been that way.  Many of the ways we worship today were enforced by burning protesters at the stake.  This book gives the exact dates the changes were made.  Dare to read this book then give it to a religious friend.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2CZsdAS

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Sunday 11/17 ~ I think I could die for you

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn death, ego, family, Fear, Heaven, humility, Inspirational, love, sacrificeLeave a comment

The scripture for today, November 17 (11/17), is 1st Chronicles 11:17f as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

00-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-Thumbnail“David longed for water and said, ‘Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem.’ So The Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David.”

The people who followed David admired him because he knew how to be a good leader. And they loved him because they could tell he loved them.

So, many were willing to do anything to make “Captain David” happy. David had been born and raised in Bethlehem. Now he was grown and had a following of those evading power-hungry King Saul, all brave soldiers and their families. They had traveled throughout the country either evading or defending themselves against Saul and other enemies.

Their travels took them back to David’s home town which was being held by enemy Philistines. For old-time’s sake, he longed for a drink from the well he had drunk from many times in his innocent youth. Three of his strongest men ~ The Three ~ risked their lives to bring their captain, David, that drink of water.

How much do you admire and love the Captain of your Salvation, Jesus? How much are you willing to sacrifice for him? Do you say, “I’m too busy to do anything for Jesus and his kingdom today”? Do you say, “I’m afraid if I say something about Jesus to so-and-so, s/he will insult me”? Do you say, “Someone at church offended me, so I’m not going to worship Jesus anymore?” Do you admire Jesus enough to put yourself in the slightest danger just to do the smallest thing for him?

Ah, Lord Jesus, you put yourself in danger for me. You were willing to die for me.  Help me have that same kind of love and determination for you despite dangers.  And, Lord, I think I could even die for you.

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00-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-ThumbnailSTEPHEN: UNLIKELY MARTYR.  The book begins when Stephen is a 17-year-old coward on the run because his best friend is being crucified.  It ends eleven years later when he has a wife and two children and is a deacon, healer, and powerful preacher with everything to live for. He gave it all up and died for Jesus. Through those years, what changed him?  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2CPoAxh

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Friday 11/15 ~ Kingdom of Hope

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn church, death, ego, governments, judging, knowledge, persecution, power, Scripture, teaching, worshipLeave a comment

The Scripture for today, November 15 (11/15), is Revelation 11:15 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00- Worship Changes KC COVER-thumbnail“The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven which said: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever!’ “

 You belong to a kingdom/nation in this world. It is not perfect. Its leaders can sometimes do very bad things. And you wonder how you can stand some of the terrible things that sometimes happen within a government.

But your worldly kingdom/nation is not the only one you can live in. Colossians 1:13 says Jesus “has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Rescued! Brought you! Past tense! The kingdom isn’t something in the future. It is here now. And it goes by yet another name. Verse 18 says, “And he [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church.”

So, when you sometimes become discouraged about your kingdom/nation in this world that you live in, take hope. You can have dual citizenship! For there is another kingdom here, a spiritual one. The king of that kingdom will love you. Forever love you.

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00- Worship Changes KC COVER-thumbnailWORSHIP CHANGES SINCE THE 1ST CENTURY is half of a series, “Wandering Soul, Entitled Heart, and the Sidetracked Church.”  Many of the ways people worship today and think are so sweet are the result of governments stepping in and mandating the change. They imprisoned or executed anyone objecting to the change.  Changes in worship came about amidst agony.  Investigate your habitual ways of worshipping. How did they come about?  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2NTsJHb

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Thursday 11/14 ~ What treasures we miss

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #friendships, #ransom, Death of Jesus Christ, ego, faith, Loss, problems, Satan, Saved from hell, Scripture, truth, victory, worshipLeave a comment

The scripture for today, November 14 (11/14), is Job 11:14f as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

Road to Heaven-COVER-KINDLE-THUMBNAIL“If you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, then you will lift up your face without shame; you will stand firm and without fear.”

Job’s misguided friend, Zophar, was advising Job that, if he would become perfect (“allow no evil”), he would stand firm before God.

Oh, Zophar! Hadn’t he caught on yet? Hadn’t he yet realized no one can be perfect? At the end of this ancient book, God told Zophar and his friends to repent of their accusations toward Job and misinterpreting God.

Throughout the Old Testament, the Jews tried unsuccessfully to be perfect with the help of the Law of Moses, but they couldn’t do it. In the meantime, the nations that had not received the Law were left to try with their own methods to be perfect, and they couldn’t do it either. (Job was an Edomite.)

The only thing that ever has allowed mankind to be perfect has been the blood of Jesus. He was the perfect Lamb of God.

It has been eons since Zophar insisted that, if Job became perfect, he wouldn’t be sick anymore. As of 2000 years ago, everyone who follows Jesus is able to stand firm, because Jesus made them perfect when they washed away their sins (John 1:29; Acts 22:16).

 

Road to Heaven-COVER-KINDLE-THUMBNAILTHE ROAD TO HEAVEN begins in the Garden of Eden and the first son and Satan putting mankind up for a ransom. It progressed through the payment of that terrible ransom, and finally to our glorious bodies and heaven in the presence of God who is larger than the two trillion galaxies out there. Good for personal reflection or to someone who takes heaven for granted and does not understand the real threat of hell and what it took to ransom us. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/353HL2I

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Sunday 11/10 ~ Then one day the light goes on. Viola! You get it!

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #friendships, church, ego, faith, family, Heaven, judging, knowledge, persecution, Scripture, teaching, truthLeave a comment

The scripture for today, November 10 (11/10), is Acts 11:10 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

000-COVER-KINDLE-Thumbnail“This happened three times and then it was all pulled up to heaven again.”

Acts 11 is about God telling Peter that his new heavenly kingdom was for the whole world, not just the Jews. What was pulled up to heaven was a “sheet” holding all the unclean animals which the Old Law of Moses commanded them never to eat. Now God was saying, “Eat it. The Old Law of Moses isn’t in effect anymore.”

This was hard to grasp. So hard that, even though it was God telling Peter directly a new spiritual concept, Peter refused it. So hard for him to believe, that God had to tell him three times!

Is this the way you are? You read something in the Bible that you never believed before. You read it and re-read it and re-read it, and it never sinks in. After all, you never believed that before. None of your religious friends or leaders believe it. No one on Christian radio/TV or in Christian magazines or the internet believes it.

But God’s Word remains. So, over the weeks and months and years, you pass through that scripture and read it and re-read it. Over the weeks and months and years, its meaning for your life goes right over your head.

Then one day, the light goes on! Viola! You see it! You get it! You are blessed!

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000-COVER-KINDLE-ThumbnailLAZARUS: THE SAMARITAN is a historical novel based on Jesus’ parables. He marries a Jewish girl, no one attends, so they send out to the highways and byways to fill the feast; his sister is the woman at the well, his son is the prodigal son, etc.  But their mixed-religion marriage haunts them.  The Jews hated the Samaritans and they endure prejudice.  Then one day they meet Jesus.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this: https://amzn.to/2qJPeF1 

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Friday 11/8 ~ Safe for all eternity

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn church, death, ego, Enemies, family, Heaven, humility, Inspirational, persecution, sacrifice, victoryLeave a comment

The scripture for today, November 8 (11/8), is Proverbs 11:8 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

00-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-Thumbnail“The righteous man is rescued from trouble, and it comes on the wicked instead.”

You know that God does not always rescue you from trouble here on this temporary earth. He certainly didn’t rescue Jesus from all his troubles.

Sometimes God has an assignment for you just as he did for Jesus.  He may want you to be in the midst of trouble ~ war, an enemy at work, an obnoxious neighbor, death of a loved one caused by a reckless driver, a government worker demanding a bribe. Why?  So you can demonstrate to the world the contrast: God’s ways vs. Satan’s ways.  So you can demonstrate to the world how to fight Satan and win.

Retaliation never works.  Peace always wins over war. 

Eventually, the boomerang effect will take place on those following Satan. What they inflict on you will be inflicted on them by their Maker.

 And eventually, if you have followed God’s ways even in times of trouble, he will indeed rescue you. He will welcome you into his home ~ heaven ~ safe for all eternity.

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00-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-ThumbnailSTEPHEN: UNLIKELY MARTYR is novel 7 in the INTREPID MEN OF GOD SERIES.  He had a wife and children (qualifications to be a deacon).  He had a position in the church. He could perform miracles. He was a dynamic speaker and won the hearts of everyone ~ well, everyone except his religious enemies who hated Jesus.  What made this young man with everything to live for give it all up?  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2NsLTDq

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Saturday 11/23 ~ Me, myself, and I

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #friendships, attitude, discouragement, ego, ethics, humility, judging, patience, praise, truth1 Comment

The scripture for today, November 2 (11/2), is Proverbs 11:2 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

Bible Puzzles-Cover-Thumbnail“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”

The word “disgrace” comes from Hebrew “qalon” meaning confusion. It is also translated dishonor and reproach.

Pride is so hard to control. With the church or clubs or other organizations, do you think your ideas, your points of view, your ways of doing things are the right ideas, views, and ways?  Do you accuse others of not cooperating if it is your ideas, views and ways they don’t go along with? Is it hard to give up your ideas views and ways for the sake of peace?

Even in doing daily business, does your pride show up? Do you become impatient with clerks in stores who do not help you, with other drivers on the road who are too slow for you, with people delivering things to your home who do not deliver them right to your door, with kids throwing rocks at things that belong to you, people who try to cut in line ahead of you, fellow workers who take credit for your work, and on and on?

Is it hard to sit by and let others be praised when you do better work than they do, or you work harder than they do, or they get the promotion you deserve?

How do you control your pride? Perhaps by comparing yourself, not with others around you, but with Jesus? In the same circumstance, what did he do?

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Bible Puzzles-Cover-ThumbnailBIBLE PUZZLES FOR YOUNG AND OLD contains crosswords, secret codes, word searches, and fill-in-blanks.  Great for bulletin fillers, parties, homeschoolers, Bible classes, people in nursing homes, prisons, military to maintain sharpness of mind and memory.  Games are great equalizers.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2C8bGKt

 

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