tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21536557092338632762024-03-14T03:29:51.821-05:00A DAY IN THE LIFE WITH PK"Making it easy to find and experience a blog"PK's BLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17362489973339375947noreply@blogger.comBlogger2073125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153655709233863276.post-51064085738399925482018-11-08T16:35:00.004-06:002018-11-08T16:36:59.030-06:00MY BLOG HAS MOVED . . . <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Thanks for reading and following along - some of you for years.<br />
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The blog has moved to a new address at:<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">kevintaylor.online </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div>
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When you get there, just click on '<b>blog</b>' at the top of the page and scroll down for postings.</div>
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I hope you will join me there.</div>
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And be blessed.</div>
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PK's BLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17362489973339375947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153655709233863276.post-28367589862659599402018-11-04T19:39:00.001-06:002018-11-04T19:39:35.195-06:00GRACE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ-DSg7z2VE-VYm7s7mYTaNMg205Dcg5xFjgZDe-XWw6Xb6ew4BJg45NHLAO5IYGZswyf5v1zY6x6bUF12wkZr_MxjhBC_ZLiociWxfsve1g6z5EEIzUushag33HcOisGtwuuWRWpMthz6/s1600/Grace+with+Jam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ-DSg7z2VE-VYm7s7mYTaNMg205Dcg5xFjgZDe-XWw6Xb6ew4BJg45NHLAO5IYGZswyf5v1zY6x6bUF12wkZr_MxjhBC_ZLiociWxfsve1g6z5EEIzUushag33HcOisGtwuuWRWpMthz6/s320/Grace+with+Jam.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;">You could run through all <i>13 </i>letters of <i>Paul </i>in the <i>New Testament - </i>read the beginnings and endings of all of them and here's what they'd say -- <i>Paul </i>begins and ends each of them with a blessing of grace on the reader. At the beginning of each letter he typically says, <i>'Grace to you,' </i>and at the end of each he typically says, <i>'Grace be with you.' </i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i>
In all <i>13. </i>That seems significant.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">It's grace from first to last. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Grace is the only word common to all those blessings. Some add <i>mercy. </i>Some add <i>peace. </i>Some add <i>love. </i>But all have <i>grace. </i>Every letter of <i>Paul's.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i>
So if I said, <i>'Grace to you,' </i>I would mean starting now ... grace.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">If I said, <i>'Grace be with you,' </i>I would mean starting now ... grace.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Not that you haven't known grace in the past, or haven't experienced it up to this moment, but may God go on being gracious to you, starting now. Grace upon grace. More and more grace.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">That's the grace I'd like to pour out. How about you? I know it's the grace we all want to receive, but is it the same grace we purpose to show?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">And be blessed.</span></div>
PK's BLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17362489973339375947noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153655709233863276.post-25112466096900523112018-11-03T14:04:00.000-05:002018-11-03T14:04:06.020-05:00EIN GEDI<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNmIPp7ey69LhR_-JcfzRNwSZPFiF0WlM7i7JBhT4favPk56e912SXEtaW1fcFEBeLXNruJW8fjO0qI5RpAkATDebQIbkoiL1xCHY14WqBGS_LH9yRqomEOiDkJUqpHJsrwc5eK6LPLMqY/s1600/EIN+GEDI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="669" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNmIPp7ey69LhR_-JcfzRNwSZPFiF0WlM7i7JBhT4favPk56e912SXEtaW1fcFEBeLXNruJW8fjO0qI5RpAkATDebQIbkoiL1xCHY14WqBGS_LH9yRqomEOiDkJUqpHJsrwc5eK6LPLMqY/s320/EIN+GEDI.jpg" width="215" /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;">One of the scheduled stops on our recent <i>Israel </i>tour was <i>Ein Gedi. Ein Gedi </i>lays nearby the <i>Dead Sea,</i> <i>Masada </i>and <i>Qumran. Joelene </i>and I had been there before, so I was saddened when we discovered the area had been closed by <i>Israel tourism </i>a few days prior because of a flash flood here that tragically killed several school children. They had closed it for a period to avoid any other problems.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The <i>25-minute hike </i>we had planned here would have opened to this waterfall. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The name <i>Ein Gedi </i>means <i>'fountain of the kid (goat).' </i>There are several references to it in the Scriptures, one of them being where <i>David </i>hid from <i>King Saul </i>in these strongholds and caves, many accessible only to wild goats.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">It is a place of great beauty and rugged landscape - a refuge. <i>I Samuel 24 </i>says: <i>'David went up and dwelt in the strongholds of Ein Gedi.' </i> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I could imagine him here among these caves - <i>up there somewhere </i>hiding from <i>Saul </i>and his forces - all day long reluctant to venture out - maybe when dusk came he would - just for some fresh air - stretch his legs a little without having to look over his shoulder.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">God provided the perfect hideout. It gave shelter and protection. It was an oasis with water and a natural lookout where he could see for miles around against an approaching enemy.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">And as you create that in your mind's eye, ask yourself: <i>How is this wilderness part of God's plan for this future king?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i>
But wilderness has a great history in the Bible.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Moses wandered in one for 40 years with his people.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">John the Baptist lived in one.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Jesus spent time in one.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">They were all being tested there. All of them. That's what caves are for.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Growing up I never got a great theology of the wilderness. Wildernesses were places I wanted to avoid. If you had a friend who was in a <i>spiritual wilderness, </i>you thought: <i>'Oh boy, HE must have taken a wrong turn somewhere along the way to be there now. God must be punishing him for something.' </i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i>
But Jesus' Gospel is a rugged spirituality where you sometimes find yourself in some discomfort. That happens so you have to rely on Him. If you're never in trouble, you're never going to sense a need for God. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">That's what's happening to <i>David </i>here at <i>Ein Gedi. </i>He's running for his life - drained - scraping bottom. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Bottom is a rough place to be. Ever been there?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">A foreclosure radically changed your family's living conditions -- you lost a job -- a long-standing relationship blew up or ended -- the letter arrived in the mail and everything changed -- the doctor walked in with that look -- someone you couldn't live without passed.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">A lot of people have faced the bottom at one time or another. Maybe you're there now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>David </i>was. During his life he lost his job - he lost his wife - he lost his home - he lost a child - he lost his best friend - he lost his counselor - he lost his own self-respect ---- and now he's on the run. Hunted down - nobody to talk to - no food - no promise of hope - no idea that anything is going to change or improve - alone in a dark cave - away from everything and everybody he loves.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">It's in this very condition - from the caves - that <i>David </i>writes <i>Psalm 142.</i></span><br />
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As you read it, don't hear it as <i>David's prayer, </i>because it's no longer about <i>David. </i>It's about what God wants to do in you.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-size: large;">'I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to Him for mercy. I pour out my complaint before Him and tell Him my trouble. When my spirit grows faint within me, it is You who know my way. In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me. Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life. I cry to You, O Lord; I say, "You are my Refuge, my Portion in the land of the living."</span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i>
No escape. Nothing left. Desolate. Yet in the middle of all that, the one thing <i>David </i>hasn't lost sight of ... is God.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">God is your Refuge.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">He is your Portion.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">He is your Protector.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">He is your Cave.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">He is your Way.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Cry out to Him. He cares for you.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">And be blessed.</span></div>
PK's BLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17362489973339375947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153655709233863276.post-41217097484093268332018-10-30T14:10:00.003-05:002018-10-30T14:10:14.307-05:00CARMEL<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd1Z1aogOk_Zj5kI1WiCayIef3pSHzHxAlpMcjO7s_CNTjy6Q4EuaFZWPM8_1Iu4fNsKrXkKwJjLmUCk1IvHqUtVK3yW5PkzWUcxZGdVb8KBBrxoRfKDysAs7U2GThJQJZ3_nzMB6h0TeY/s1600/Mt+Carmel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd1Z1aogOk_Zj5kI1WiCayIef3pSHzHxAlpMcjO7s_CNTjy6Q4EuaFZWPM8_1Iu4fNsKrXkKwJjLmUCk1IvHqUtVK3yW5PkzWUcxZGdVb8KBBrxoRfKDysAs7U2GThJQJZ3_nzMB6h0TeY/s320/Mt+Carmel.jpg" width="320" /></a>On our recent trip to Israel, one of our stops was at <i>Mt</i>. <i>Carmel</i> <i>(Mukhraka)</i> - the site of <i>Elijah's </i>contest with the prophets of <i>Ba'al </i>in the <i>Old Testament</i>.<br />
<i><br /></i>
The account is found in <i>I Kings 18. </i><br />
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<i>Elijah's </i>life is dazzling. Ravens bring him food. God uses a widow to provide bread for him every day. He prays and God raises the widow's son from the dead. He wins the showdown against the prophets of <i>Ba'al </i>at <i>Carmel. </i>He calls down fire from heaven. He strikes all <i>450 </i>of the false prophets. He jogs <i>17 miles </i>from <i>Carmel </i>to <i>Jezreel, </i>outrunning horses and chariots. <br />
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Like <i>Moses, Elijah </i>went eastward for a season after a confrontation. <br />
Like <i>Moses, Elijah </i>lived on God's provision of bread and water.<br />
Like <i>John the Baptist, Elijah </i>was a mega-prophet whose coming was to pave the way for the <i>Messianic </i>age.<br />
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In many ways, <i>Elijah </i>is nothing like us.<br />
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Yet, <i>James </i>in the <i>New Testament </i>makes an extraordinary statement that <i>Elijah </i>was a 'man like us.'<br />
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A man like me? Yes. Because while <i>Elijah </i>holds a unique place in redemptive history, <i>James </i>focuses on the fact that every believer can have an effective prayer life like <i>Elijah.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
The prayers of a righteous person have great power. <i>Elijah </i>was a man with a nature like ours. He prayed that it wouldn't rain and for <i>three and a half years, </i>it didn't. With great faith, he called down fire from heaven against the most powerful people of his day.<br />
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<i>James </i>says <i>Elijah </i>is like you. I guess that means we can be like him. I guess that means we should seek to be like him.<br />
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May the life of <i>Elijah </i>and what happened on <i>Mt. Carmel </i>inspire us to pray Biblically and pray faithfully and point us to our great source of hope, Jesus Christ.<br />
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And be blessed.</div>
PK's BLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17362489973339375947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153655709233863276.post-14624411099991980392018-10-28T17:06:00.001-05:002018-10-28T17:09:04.842-05:00CAESEREA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKatdg7hg7ZHRECPHasBjB_AmSqlKTDUdIvbSlb_XIfCMIFq_tQvCAIgWNdDCxbRO4nIFTBEMB8HQD5RcYjFyByTxFAeTakiHJQ51SYaxJ5oKJlAlx8YElwM4qryptH_4o2n0w0aUbEuL0/s1600/Caeserea1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKatdg7hg7ZHRECPHasBjB_AmSqlKTDUdIvbSlb_XIfCMIFq_tQvCAIgWNdDCxbRO4nIFTBEMB8HQD5RcYjFyByTxFAeTakiHJQ51SYaxJ5oKJlAlx8YElwM4qryptH_4o2n0w0aUbEuL0/s320/Caeserea1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhWWOe3Y1ZgzTh3-nU0rxqAGzTzxUwNxO-btnMLF0ZRas0047OrKbZ5_XkaApT0E8TLgaWuiPkq9gRRALlxEQaHgGrl1xhXYmifoA0FfSfeBjLsEt76oWHjKxRHzEQI5wWNc90dKrgK4NI/s1600/Caeserea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></a><span style="font-size: large;">Our very first stop on our recent tour trip to <i>Israel </i>was at the beautiful coastal city of <i>Caeserea. </i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="font-size: large;">Not to be confused with the more inland <i>Caeserea Philippi </i>or the <i>Greek </i>city of <i>Philippi, Caeserea </i>was the home of one of <i>Herod the Great's </i>many palaces. Built on a grand scale, the harbor extended out into the sea through an ingenious use of concrete that hardened under water.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">It was one of the most significant seaports of the eastern <i>Mediterranean.</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="font-size: large;">The apostle <i>Paul </i>may have been imprisoned here for a time and very likely set sail for some of his journeys from this port.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Because of that, I've always thought on my trips to <i>Israel </i>(which typically BEGIN with a visit to <i>Caeserea </i>and END at the <i>Garden Tomb </i>in <i>Jerusalem) </i>that the trip to <i>Caeserea </i>should come at the very conclusion of our tour - the last thing we see.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Once again I stood in the harbor last week and looked out west across the <i>Mediterranean, </i>imagining <i>Paul </i>setting sail for <i>Greece </i>or <i>Italy </i>or other parts in order to spread the Gospel of Christ.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Jesus told His disciples that He would make them 'fishers of people' if they would follow Him. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I doubt they had any idea what that meant when He said it to them. They were used to catching fish. How do you catch 'people?'</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Truthfully, none of the disciples of Jesus were very good at it at the beginning, but by the end, <i>Andrew </i>and <i>Peter,</i> <i>James </i>and <i>John </i>and a whole bunch more had become just that ... fishers of people. So had a tax collector ... so had a prostitute ... so had a woman who'd been married five times ... so had a guy who'd been afflicted with demons ... so had a <i>blind man ... </i>so had a guy who'd previously persecuted Christians. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Eventually many of them got into boats at places just like <i>Caeserea </i>and set out to tell others about Jesus - who told others about Jesus - who told others about Jesus - who told others - who told others - who told others - who told others ---- until somebody told you.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Fortunately for us, none of those folks thought religion was private or quiet. Personal, yes; private, no. They believed it was something you talked about. And because they were willing to set out across the waters way back when and talk about it, here we are now - <i>2,000 </i>years later - with a living faith in our hearts.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">And now ... Jesus is calling us to get in our own 'boats' and sail across our own 'personal seas' and become fishers of people.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">He says: <i>'Follow Me and I'll make you fishers ... I'll leverage everything I've placed in your life for My glory - your personality - your experiences - your heart and passion - your abilities - your giftings -- I'll use them all to perfectly position you in your neighborhood and in your job -- to fish.'</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="font-size: large;">We were all fish once. Get sailing. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">And be blessed.</span></div>
PK's BLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17362489973339375947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153655709233863276.post-32398671423550341942018-10-25T12:42:00.002-05:002018-10-25T12:42:52.853-05:00UNCENSORED 6<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg1IWjxol3mgC0y0VDGNpSPFKygzD3JuAy3W1wl17snHYAEHbLpDW48skkeA8gJlmsSzHUteEux7omQOL9oqSFXCX4FP4nA-CP-oaWjE2NhA0YwjtMCSQb8wdfPnBxzYZh3HEuZL2xRah6/s1600/UNCENSORED.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg1IWjxol3mgC0y0VDGNpSPFKygzD3JuAy3W1wl17snHYAEHbLpDW48skkeA8gJlmsSzHUteEux7omQOL9oqSFXCX4FP4nA-CP-oaWjE2NhA0YwjtMCSQb8wdfPnBxzYZh3HEuZL2xRah6/s320/UNCENSORED.jpg" width="320" /></a><i><span style="font-size: medium;">In our recent four-week "UNCENSORED" series at Journey Church, we invited folks to submit questions on marriage, sex, purity and relationships. </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: medium;"><i>Below is one of those questions ...</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Q: We're married but no longer in love. What now?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">A: Wow. I can almost feel your pain as I read that - just short and sweet - and tough. But before you go down a road that could be equally painful, let me ask you to stop for a moment. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">If God commands us to love our enemies, can you love a spouse who is no longer very 'lovely?' I understand that you can no longer muster the good feelings that once used to accompany the relationship. I get that things have happened that make that long ago feeling impossible now ... but is your covenant good only until one of you falls out of love? I hope it isn't.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Nobody stands at an altar and says the words, <i>"For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, for better or for worse," </i>and thinks for a moment that they'll have the poor finance part - or the bad health part - or the 'worse' part. But sometimes it happens.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We do not leave the covenant when the vows we've stated begin to be challenged. The covenant is continual. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">It isn't love that sustains your marriage; it's your marriage that sustains love. And when you love your spouse out of sheer obedience to Christ - and when you pray for them - God helps love grow and He restores what has been lost.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm praying for you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">And be blessed.</span></div>
PK's BLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17362489973339375947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153655709233863276.post-79563476252891544062018-10-24T08:22:00.000-05:002018-10-24T08:22:09.090-05:00UNCENSORED 5<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVfu2uE8GZOSL0pZ5vRmm2noScgQ6kbzZ9-ST3w0NIQG9TOcE5sI2PNJ1vrPGMvlLMweI7KZkAunxkcfLhO_j8PhMAZ_7oA0SR3SmuoUbnyKLaIkFLiCaT94aqFJsTRg270B2QcQrw6utv/s1600/UNCENSORED.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVfu2uE8GZOSL0pZ5vRmm2noScgQ6kbzZ9-ST3w0NIQG9TOcE5sI2PNJ1vrPGMvlLMweI7KZkAunxkcfLhO_j8PhMAZ_7oA0SR3SmuoUbnyKLaIkFLiCaT94aqFJsTRg270B2QcQrw6utv/s320/UNCENSORED.jpg" width="320" /></a><i><span style="font-size: large;">In our recent four-week "UNCENSORED" series at Journey Church, we invited folks to submit questions on marriage, sex, purity and relationships. </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><i>Below is one of those questions ...</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Q: You've told us to 'Encourage our partner and he/she will rise to the level of our praise.' What if I do that and it doesn't work?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">A: Another great question.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">In a healthy marriage or relationship you can make this happen. <i>Joelene </i>can speak correction, counsel and direction into my life and I'll receive that, though not always with a smile.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Actually, the unhealthier the relationship, the MORE this principle actually applies, not the less. Because criticism, even when constructively given, in an unhealthy relationship, can't be received the way it was intended. Where there is constant tension and conflict, what one hears is rarely what the other one said. This kind of interaction only makes a bad situation worse.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Further, the Bible never tells us to change anyone. It says to get a mirror - look in there - and change that person.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>I Peter 3 </i>tells us: <i>'Wives, if your husband does not obey the word, live in a way that he may be won without a word by the conduct of your pure lifestyle.'</i></span><br />
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The work of the Holy Spirit isn't to be done by you. You make a terrible Holy Spirit. And if the Holy Spirit can't get through to him/her, you're certainly not going to be able to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Submit everything to God in prayer - and keep encouraging him/her. Those are some of your greatest weapons.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm praying for you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">And be blessed.</span></div>
PK's BLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17362489973339375947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153655709233863276.post-40016949235065781272018-10-20T14:45:00.002-05:002018-10-20T15:00:32.858-05:00UNCENSORED 4<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><i>In our recent four-week "UNCENSORED" series at Journey Church, we invited folks to submit questions on marriage, sex, purity and relationships. </i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5jsIIxBdNfTmeff4fouGkKntO4xUD4AhePXHiW-4yptuRWL4jGEjzaHMn5AAV_Nc3QILkYmQoVEMiJb7KiQ2-n0PdrIAUZVQ5BfZGLTQymn7GKqy3ylm4sfgHnWqnlryiItEZzI4PocxP/s1600/UNCENSORED.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5jsIIxBdNfTmeff4fouGkKntO4xUD4AhePXHiW-4yptuRWL4jGEjzaHMn5AAV_Nc3QILkYmQoVEMiJb7KiQ2-n0PdrIAUZVQ5BfZGLTQymn7GKqy3ylm4sfgHnWqnlryiItEZzI4PocxP/s320/UNCENSORED.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><i>Below is one of those questions ...</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: xx-small;">Q: I'm confused about the term 'covenant.' It seems as though covenant has no conditions. In Deuteronomy, over and over, God mentions His covenant and tells the Israelites they need to remember it SO THAT it might go well with them. He says, </span><i style="font-family: helvetica;">'IF you pay </i><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: xx-small;"><i>attention to these laws of the covenant and are careful to follow them, THEN the Lord your God will keep His covenant of love with you, but IF you ever forget the Lord and follow other gods, you will surely be destroyed.' (Deuteronomy 8:19)</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: xx-small;">That sounds conditional; if someone breaks the covenant, then the deal is off. Yet the message seems to be that a covenant can't have conditions - it's forever - no matter how someone behaves toward us.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A. First of all, great question.</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: xx-small;"><b>To clarify, we have said on many occasions that we do not advocate for a person remaining in a home that is unsafe. There are certain times when leaving is better.</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: xx-small;"><b>The Bible also gives us some careful stipulations regarding folks who are victims of a partner's lifestyle of adultery, seriously dishonoring the marriage. This doesn't mean whenever any kind of mistake in this area is made, the offended partner has the 'Biblical right' to depart the marriage. The issue goes far deeper than that and we have seen many marriages healed and re-committed to - re-covenanted - where there was a one-time tragic moment or a series of moments of indefinite. Where someone has a repentant heart, the miraculous can happen.</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: xx-small;"><b>In Deuteronomy, although God did give conditions for the Israelites being blessed, He was saying if they chose to go their own way, they'd be given over to their own destruction because of their evil hearts and actions. Even then, God never left them -- and God didn't say HE would destroy them; only that their own end would come should they break the covenant. </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: xx-small;"><b>Then in Jeremiah 31, there is a New Covenant prophesied: <i>'I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, not like the covenant I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant they broke, though I was their Husband. But this is the new covenant I will make with them: </i>"I will put My law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God and they shall be My people. For I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more."'</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: xx-small;"><b><i>Hebrews 8, 9 - ' ... in speaking of a new covenant, He makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away ... therefore He is the Mediator of a new covenant ... '</i></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: xx-small;"><b>Then Jesus also speaks in <i>Luke 22 </i>as He's leading His disciples in the Last Supper: <i>"This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood."</i></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: xx-small;"><b>You're living today in the New Covenant, made possible for you by the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Hold fast to your marriage covenant. Jesus died for it.</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: xx-small;">I'm praying for you.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: xx-small;">And be blessed.</span></span></div>
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PK's BLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17362489973339375947noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153655709233863276.post-38505553886340953962018-10-18T15:12:00.001-05:002018-10-18T15:14:44.440-05:00UNCENSORED 3<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>In our recent four-week "UNCENSORED" series at Journey Church, we invited folks to submit questions on marriage, sex, purity and relationships. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Q: I feel like a sex object to my husband. He wants sex with me as a way to relieve stress or to calm down when he’s angry or to feel better when he’s sick. He tells me I have to enjoy watching him self-gratify because I’m his wife and should enjoy him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>A: First, you as a wife are not sinning by doing this for him. Having said that, we aren’t objects or animals. We aren’t just bodies having sex. We are souls bonding together in the act. We’re loving people in covenant relationship with God and with each other. Marriage is about servanthood, not about getting your personal needs met.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>At the core of this issue is <i>Philippians chapter 2 </i>where we’re told to ‘prefer the other person over ourselves.’ </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>There are certainly times and moments when we selflessly do things for our partners sexually and other ways because it’s what they need at the moment, but a pattern of selfishness isn’t God’s way.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>However, a husband who tells his wife she is compelled to watch him self-gratify because ‘she’s his wife and should enjoy him’ is a husband who has his roots deep in the mire of self. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>As strong an issue might be that in order to fulfill and complete the self-gratification, the husband is very likely thinking and concentrating and lusting about people other than his wife during the process.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Sex is created to be mutual. Our need is for intimacy. Sex that is purely physical is shallow. Done right, it encompasses the emotional and the spiritual. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Men make love to feel loved; women need to feel love in order to make love. When sex and intimacy work like they're supposed to, both partners start to look more and more like Christ.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>But as a person focuses more and more on his/her own needs instead of on their partner’s needs, the partner begins to become incidental. Ultimately the urge for sexual release is taken care of, which means he/she no longer has a need to reach out any longer and meet the other one’s needs. The motivation to be other-focused is gone.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>It’s a dangerous road to go down because when we self-gratify in marriage, we short circuit the process God put in place for us to move toward closeness and knowing. The more one self-gratifies, the more they drift from their partner. Self-gratification within marriage will always weaken it; not build it.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>So sit down and talk to your husband about this. You may need to speak with a counselor, pastor, third party or mentor couple. I suggest Marriage Mentors at </b><a href="http://jrnychurch.com/marriage/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><b>http://jrnychurch.com/marriage/</b></span></a><b>. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I’m praying for you.</span></div>
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And be blessed.</span></div>
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PK's BLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17362489973339375947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153655709233863276.post-86118230593185258282018-10-15T21:34:00.003-05:002018-10-15T21:38:56.717-05:00UNCENSORED 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>In our recent four-week "UNCENSORED" series at Journey Church, we invited folks to submit questions on marriage, sex, purity and relationships. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Below are a couple of those questions ... </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Q: 'My girlfriend and I have been together for a year and six month. We've been intimate. I'd like to change that, but she doesn't. I love her with all my heart and don't want to lose her.'</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Q: 'I want to know if my soul will be compromised regarding salvation if I have intercourse before marriage.'</span></div>
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A: Remember ... your </i><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><i>highest</i></span></span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px;"> priority as a Christ follower is obedience to God in all things, not obedience to man or woman.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i></i></b></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>What we DON'T say is: </i>'I'll go ahead and be disobedient because I know God will forgive me.'</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><br />
Paul speaks to that in <i>Romans 6 </i>when he writes: <i>'Shall we continue sinning because we know grace abounds? How shall we who died to sin still live in it?' </i>Then he answers his own question with a short sentence: <i>'No, we can't do that.'</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i></i></b></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>It's a rhetorical question <i>Paul </i>asks, and rhetorical questions don't expect answers; rhetorical questions make statements.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><br />
For example, if a dad says to his son: <i>"How are you going to keep your room neat if you throw your clothes all over the floor?" </i>He isn't looking for an answer; he's making a statement. <i>'You won't have an awesome room unless you hang up your clothes.' </i>If a mom says to her daughter, <i>'How can you expect people to be your friend if you aren't friendly?' </i>She isn't looking for an answer; she's making a statement. <i>'You won't have any friends if you aren't friendly.'</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>That's what <i>Paul </i>is saying. He isn't expecting an answer; he's making a statement -- <i>'How shall we who died to sin continue on living in it?' </i>Answer: <i>We can't.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Our goal as followers of Christ isn't to slip in to heaven by the skin of our teeth, but to live an increasingly obedient life to Christ here - and now. Follow HIS rules and laws first; and where man's expectations conflict with God's laws, follow God. And don't enter into a lifelong covenant where you aren't in agreement over the most basic beliefs of Christianity.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><br />
When we say: <i>'I think I'll keep on sinning because I know God is full of grace and forgiveness,' </i>it's a clear sign we don't understand either grace or forgiveness. When we truly grasp the deep, deep mercy and goodness of God for us - when we begin to understand the covenant He's made with us - it makes us want to sin less, not more.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><br />
Resolve your allegiance to God first. Determine to follow His way. Because once you're married, the covenant must be 'worked out' within the marriage, and that can be very hard.</b></span></div>
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</b>I'm praying for you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">And be blessed.</span></div>
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PK's BLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17362489973339375947noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153655709233863276.post-78849316144908910552018-10-14T22:13:00.002-05:002018-10-15T21:10:10.710-05:00UNCENSORED 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVapa9l0KEkVtkpRxzbdFpZtTLqzbLGm38dSi3QciF6WxMpuM2lxQcL-5Ihcbj4LhyphenhyphenArkPGfqwx2gyFIfDaNFXdpDu_B6pVB1w1PomQRGU3MflO-JwbrXoELxCpuEuJFXTd9ygw7SYGqW9/s1600/UNCENSORED.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVapa9l0KEkVtkpRxzbdFpZtTLqzbLGm38dSi3QciF6WxMpuM2lxQcL-5Ihcbj4LhyphenhyphenArkPGfqwx2gyFIfDaNFXdpDu_B6pVB1w1PomQRGU3MflO-JwbrXoELxCpuEuJFXTd9ygw7SYGqW9/s320/UNCENSORED.jpg" width="320" /></a><i>In our recent four-week "UNCENSORED" series at Journey Church, we invited folks to submit questions on marriage, sex, purity and relationships. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Below is one of those questions ... </i><br />
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Q: 'You say we don't make very good <i>Holy Spirits </i>for our spouses - but is it OK to share Bible verses, podcasts or sermons that we feel are really good with a spouse who isn't really stepping to their role?'<br />
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<b>A: Great question. Be careful about sharing with an unbelieving spouse or a spouse who says he/she is following Jesus but has little fruit to show. Depending on your relationship, a spouse can get easily defensive when you bring up a shortcoming and suggest the way to fix it is to 'listen to this podcast' or 'read this Scripture.' While your intentions are no doubt good, it isn't always received well by the other partner. You can push them further away. </b><br />
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<b>Again, listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit without trying to assume the role of the Holy Spirit in his/her life. God might open a door for you to make one of those suggestions to him/her. I guarantee you the Holy Spirit is working on him/her, so we don't want to get in the way of that. Sometimes it can be better for someone other than you to make suggestions like these - again, depending on your relationship. </b><br />
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<b>I Peter 3 tells us that when we have a partner who is unbelieving (or who acts like an unbeliever), our role as the believing partner is to exhibit a respectful, pure and caring conduct in front of him/her, to display a beautifully quiet and gentle spirit and heart toward him/her -- and to pray.</b><br />
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<i>You can find links to all the "UNCENSORED" message podcasts at http://jrnychurch.com/messages/ </i><br />
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And be blessed.</div>
PK's BLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17362489973339375947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153655709233863276.post-20913603024081131882018-08-01T12:04:00.000-05:002018-08-01T12:04:13.713-05:00LUVVVVV<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3pGNQML5stiy6yrrm2agHUkj91o8cqX5rXDYhy_x9isJmV3Okl6Jv-aAkxnftCp-B0RCpljUOjoYJ8EtZfBp173HaigURc55cGc2Obm2Jrhmluj0a5FK10-o8d4qN3C71cwZm6x7m1Ci/s1600/LUV.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="132" data-original-width="383" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3pGNQML5stiy6yrrm2agHUkj91o8cqX5rXDYhy_x9isJmV3Okl6Jv-aAkxnftCp-B0RCpljUOjoYJ8EtZfBp173HaigURc55cGc2Obm2Jrhmluj0a5FK10-o8d4qN3C71cwZm6x7m1Ci/s320/LUV.png" width="320" /></a>God is good.<br />
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<i>Psalm 119:68 </i>tells us. <i>'God, You are good and You do good.'</i><br />
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Simple verse. Easy to memorize. You could meditate on that verse for <i>700 years </i>and it would still be a great verse.<br />
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God is love.<br />
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<i>'The love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us.' (I John 4:9, 10)</i><br />
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God is good - and God is love.<br />
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When we use words, we use them a couple of different ways.<br />
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We use them as ONE WORD, ONE MEANING.<br />
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If I say, <i>'I love you and Joelene loves you,' </i>I'm using the same word with the same meaning. We both love you.<br />
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But I can also use ONE WORD with DIFFERENT MEANINGS.<br />
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<i>'I love you and I love Joelene.'</i><br />
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I don't want to hurt your feelings, but I don't love you the way I LUVVVV <i>Joelene. </i>Fair enough? I LUVVVV her - but I don't LUVVVV you.<br />
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Do you get me?<br />
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Some of you are like: <i>'Well, I'm GLAD you don't LUVVVV me the way you LUVVVV Joelene.'</i><br />
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Same word ... different meanings.<br />
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God is good. But God isn't good the way you and I are good - not even close - but it's the same word.<br />
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God is love. But God doesn't love the way you and I love. <i>'As far as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for you.' (Psalm 103:11)</i><br />
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<i>'Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life ... ' (John 15:13)</i><br />
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That's what Jesus did for you. He made a way for you to have relationship with the Father God by His death on a cross.<br />
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He really, really, really LUVVVVVs you.<br />
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And be blessed.</div>
PK's BLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17362489973339375947noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153655709233863276.post-14562563645973449112018-07-03T08:48:00.003-05:002018-07-03T08:48:59.898-05:00WELL<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhW1Uyij3Ds9zOdLYoCWBac-otju963DkSibXooIdaNqbJUSzVCsgZUiIofqevADAp3XbU20FyEuXQ-A73vB7UA6qX_tY9d0xuv0oEgGDC-iVrnICesCpobsUzGsEdopHvqcfFBtUqL1gg/s1600/IMG_1640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhW1Uyij3Ds9zOdLYoCWBac-otju963DkSibXooIdaNqbJUSzVCsgZUiIofqevADAp3XbU20FyEuXQ-A73vB7UA6qX_tY9d0xuv0oEgGDC-iVrnICesCpobsUzGsEdopHvqcfFBtUqL1gg/s320/IMG_1640.jpg" width="240" /></a>I have been in <i>Tanzania, Africa </i>for the past eight days as part of a <i>WorldServe </i>team visiting <i>Dolfi & Gilagwenda Maunda, </i>missionaries to the <i>Datooga </i>bush tribe. <br />
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<i>Gilagwenda </i>is himself a <i>Datooga. Dolfi </i>is from <i>Journey Church </i>and they married in the bush more than ten years ago. <br />
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We have said at <i>Journey </i>that the <i>Church We Imagine </i>is one that is willing to pour the Living Water out of vessels we've never drank from, realizing that the Gospel takes many shapes, not just the ones we're comfortable with.<br />
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I've always known water was important; you probably have too. You can't live without it for long.<br />
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But imagine not having any. You just go to your tap every day and turn it to 'hot' without thinking about it. You lean into your shower every morning and turn the lever 'up and to the left.' And <i>voila! </i>Water comes out. You hit a button and water pours in to your washing machine to clean the dirty laundry. <br />
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But imagine walking for miles in one direction to find a well - perhaps half-a-day in order to fill up one solitary bucket. You aren't bringing it back just for you, but for many in your village. It isn't for bathing - it isn't for doing laundry - it isn't for cooking even - it's just for drinking. There isn't enough water to do all those other tasks. And tomorrow, you're going go repeat that whole process because your village doesn't have access to potable water. And every day. Forever.<br />
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This is the work <i>WorldServe </i>is doing in some of the hardest to reach places on the continent of <i>Africa</i>. The place we visited this week - <i>Gasala </i>in <i>Tanzania - </i>took us four hours one way to reach from the small town we were based in. After the first <i>10 minutes, </i>there were no roads any more. Just ruts. You can't even reach the village without a helicopter six months of the year because heavy rains wash out the roads, making them impassible for weeks and weeks. It's the dry season right now, so we were able to navigate there. This well with the young girl washing her hands was on the way - hours away by walking. <br />
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The landscape is desert bush land. Inhospitable. Hot. Forsaken. Dusty. Dirt gets in your ears, your eyes, your clothes, your phone, your underwear, your toes. Everywhere. Nothing is unstained.<br />
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But this water-in-the-desert is the pathway to Jesus for these folks, most of whom have never heard the name of Jesus before. Water opens their hearts to the eternal Gospel of the Living Water. Water makes their lives a hundred times easier and a thousand times better. <br />
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In these parts of the globe, water is the carrier of Christ. Water is. They don't want to talk to you until you can help them get water.<br />
<br />
There was a woman at a well in the Bible who had the same issue. Ultimately Jesus told her He had water that would make <br />
her never thirst again. But there has to be a well for them to come to in order to tell them about the Living Water.<br />
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It's all about the well. It's all about the water.<br />
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Let's dig some wells.<br />
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And be blessed.</div>
PK's BLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17362489973339375947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153655709233863276.post-66733962001810488772018-06-26T11:55:00.001-05:002018-06-26T11:55:06.405-05:00FISHER<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw8TA3Oo-yzAje36CotyFVx4kcYTUAIS9RYQX1SrIXGlXvrfASRnWKE0SrOw1tFIsfWZXzV_yuOPE8QClynyYE_O8L47xBg-Wssfa1zCE0Kyh9SQqHT2n3pBaR9GqdlJKLBB8IMABuVGDO/s1600/Fisher.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="163" data-original-width="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw8TA3Oo-yzAje36CotyFVx4kcYTUAIS9RYQX1SrIXGlXvrfASRnWKE0SrOw1tFIsfWZXzV_yuOPE8QClynyYE_O8L47xBg-Wssfa1zCE0Kyh9SQqHT2n3pBaR9GqdlJKLBB8IMABuVGDO/s1600/Fisher.png" /></a>Jesus says, <i>'Follow Me and I will make you fishers of people' -- </i> because you are perfectly positioned in your neighborhood ... in your job ... with your personality ... holding the life cards you've been dealt -- to fish.<br />
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So we could pray: <i>'God, if You can use my life to impact another person toward faith, then use me. Help me live a life where people would ask questions. I'll be praying for open doors. I'll be watching - waiting - listening - for that opportunity to be a fisher -- not of the masses -- not of hundreds -- not of dozens even -- but of the one guy on my street - the one lady at my office - the guy I did that last deal with.'</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
And I really do hope we continue growing in our discipleship and growing in our worship and growing in our giving and growing in our community -- grow, grow, grow, grow, grow, grow.<br />
<br />
And I hope we become better students and better husbands and better wives and better dads and better moms and better single adults -- better, better, better, better, better, better.<br />
<br />
But more than all of that, I hope that we start living questionable lives - and that we never stop sharing about our relationship with Christ because we understand that with the incredible discovery we've made of Jesus that we also have an incredible responsibility to GO FISH.<br />
<br />
And be blessed.</div>
PK's BLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17362489973339375947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153655709233863276.post-51863148261298393212018-06-18T18:00:00.002-05:002018-06-18T18:00:55.468-05:00CONSCIENCE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiC5phyYh50NAqTyarJalVhUzIjLTMoMiVDcDQ-3SoTyo0Va4btFJ9I3tgHG-wo3MSCRKaa1VvmYox22p5p7R4w37YciiyZxzaNwSmP40H538sPmTwI3agkoiKx15uaFspoTlOblohlGOd/s1600/Conscience.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="152" data-original-width="332" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiC5phyYh50NAqTyarJalVhUzIjLTMoMiVDcDQ-3SoTyo0Va4btFJ9I3tgHG-wo3MSCRKaa1VvmYox22p5p7R4w37YciiyZxzaNwSmP40H538sPmTwI3agkoiKx15uaFspoTlOblohlGOd/s320/Conscience.png" width="320" /></a>In the early <i>1980s, </i>an <i>Avianca Airlines </i>jet crashed into a mountain in <i>Spain. </i>Reports said the black box cockpit recorder revealed that a few minutes before impact the automatic warning system told the crew repeatedly to <i>'Pull up ... pull up ... pull up!'</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
The pilot, annoyed by the racket, thinking it was a malfunction, switched the system off -- minutes before the plane plowed into the side of a mountain. The entire crew and passengers died.<br />
<br />
You have a little black box inside of you.<br />
You have an automatic warning system inside of you.<br />
<br />
We can treat it one of two ways -- listen and respond to it -- or be annoyed with it, shut it off, ignore it and wait for a crash.<br />
<br />
The amazing wisdom of secular society today counsels us to switch off our internal accountability system whenever we're plagued with guilt or bad feelings. It tells us those feelings are almost always personally hurtful, if not flat out wrong.<br />
<br />
But is that so?<br />
<br />
Your little 'black box' is called your conscience. Your conscience isn't really the voice of God. <i>Puritan Richard Sibbes </i>said: <i>'The conscience is the soul reflecting on itself.'</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
But it has been taught and trained to get a particular reflection. It didn't get it on its own. It learned what to mirror. It was programmed what to reflect back.<br />
<br />
Because of that it's critical to get God's standard for holiness, purity and Godliness into our hearts. Anything less reflects inaccurately, poorly, and dangerously.<br />
<br />
In fact, your conscience can become so out of whack that it actually mirrors back that you ought to be lying, cheating or gossiping. It can make you think that if you aren't getting drunk, having sex outside of marriage, or cheating someone that there's something wrong with you compared to everybody around you.<br />
<br />
To get your conscience to mirror back properly, feed it regularly on the richness of truth -- from God's Word. Establish His law deep inside your heart.<br />
<br />
When you do, your conscience will work the way God meant it to work. It will steer you, protect you, guard you and cause you to walk paths that are healthy, good and honorable.<br />
<br />
And be blessed.</div>
PK's BLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17362489973339375947noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153655709233863276.post-63589974434468746382018-06-16T20:06:00.001-05:002018-06-16T20:06:03.148-05:00MEPHIBOSHETH<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqqDQ4ukr7CSdfIGzWdj0H2LjlDEmoR6a0g58Q2JhbkI7dP4DNqsULul1S7xSnq5O04I7Ka8iJIFrtNApUmzQSl72G8VxI8EH61XXWfZsAgIn4NXqJvtxo1bdm21Sg5RjTbHUAocsfTnDY/s1600/Mephibosheth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqqDQ4ukr7CSdfIGzWdj0H2LjlDEmoR6a0g58Q2JhbkI7dP4DNqsULul1S7xSnq5O04I7Ka8iJIFrtNApUmzQSl72G8VxI8EH61XXWfZsAgIn4NXqJvtxo1bdm21Sg5RjTbHUAocsfTnDY/s320/Mephibosheth.jpg" width="320" /></a>We've been given an inheritance because we've been adopted by God into His own family.<br />
<br />
Hear it this way.<br />
<br />
<i>Mephibosheth is a very interesting Old Testament character and here's why. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>
<i>Saul is the first king of Israel. He had a son named Jonathan. Jonathan was a close friend of David, who would become the second king of Israel. Saul hated David, even though his own son was David's best friend. He was jealous of David because he thought David was a threat to his throne. So he tried to kill David to get him out of the way, but Jonathan helped David escape the hand of his own father.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Complicated, right?<br />
<br />
<i>After both Saul and Jonathan die in battle on the very same day, David is eventually elevated as king of Israel. And he asks if there is anybody from the house of Saul - the one who tried to kill him - who David could take care of for the sake of his friend, Jonathan. There was one -- Jonathan's own son, Mephibosheth.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Interestingly, the name Mephibosheth means 'shameful one.' I'm not sure why anyone would name their child that, but when Mephibosheth was only five years old, he was dropped by his governess and as a result he was lame and couldn't walk.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>At the time David was looking for someone from Saul's house to care for, Mephibosheth was living in a place called Lo-Debar. It was a town on the outskirts - a desert - ugly - not a place you'd ever brag about being from. He's living in a barren place - empty - a location for outcasts.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>And what does David do? He calls Mephibosheth to him. And Mephibosheth comes - hobbling, humbled, head down, fearful - thinking maybe he's going to be killed since he's part of the family that was so mean to David.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>But David tells Mephibosheth he's going to give him an inheritance - all of his grandfather Saul's inheritance.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>And David adopts Mephibosheth into his own family and he lets Mephibosheth eat at the king's table. And the tablecloth of grace and adoption covers Mephibosheth's broken and wounded feet and spirit.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
Friends, we are <i>Mephibosheths. </i>Spiritually, we're outcasts. We're shameful in our sin, emotionally crippled, seeking significance, searching for status, looking for grace, desperate for mercy, hungry for life.<br />
<br />
Then God comes along and reveals to us what real life is about. He shows us meaning and purpose. He gives us Jesus. He lets us eat at His table. He shows us love. He cares for us and showers us with grace. He doesn't evaluate us by our broken feet or our wounds and scars. His tablecloth of grace covers us and He adopts us into his family.<br />
<br />
You are loved by God.<br />
You are forgiven by God.<br />
You are protected by God.<br />
You are chosen by God.<br />
You are accepted by God.<br />
<br />
And be blessed.</div>
PK's BLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17362489973339375947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153655709233863276.post-91917786198414035672018-06-06T13:02:00.000-05:002018-06-06T13:02:10.318-05:00SIGNIFICANCE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Everybody's looking for significance. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCkV_QZgrMXMWct0MZkz3IhY05gnU6fYBKq1csl8wV4hctnmxLzOZ2EoXfu3uP5WxsYhl6C4zp4TBJAREe6b48zg9TgnzABCkHvWxnbR-afNfzo3DBiI-hZGGpBwnHyDMLP-zfuMloGQjE/s1600/Significance.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="167" data-original-width="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCkV_QZgrMXMWct0MZkz3IhY05gnU6fYBKq1csl8wV4hctnmxLzOZ2EoXfu3uP5WxsYhl6C4zp4TBJAREe6b48zg9TgnzABCkHvWxnbR-afNfzo3DBiI-hZGGpBwnHyDMLP-zfuMloGQjE/s1600/Significance.png" /></a>The problem with being a significance-seeker is that your status eventually becomes your ultimate goal. And people will do some shocking things to achieve that.<br />
<br />
Some will obsess about their career path. Am I climbing the corporate ladder fast enough?<br />
Some will be consumed with their relational portfolio. Am I popular enough? <br />
They'll be consumed by their social media network. How many followers do I have? Who's 'liked' my Instagram pics lately? Who's unfriended me this week?<br />
<br />
I know none of you do that, but . . .<br />
<br />
Parents can be plagued about whether their children are stacking up against other kids academically, musically, athletically.<br />
Couples can worry about how their marriage compares to other marriages. <br />
Is the car nice enough? Was the vacation great enough? Are my clothes good enough?<br />
<br />
It never ends.<br />
<br />
Who you are and what you are - your true significance - your real value - needs to be grounded in the Gospel.<br />
<br />
What does God say about you? What does He tell you in His Word? Because the Gospel brings us away from all of that. The Gospel teaches us to be Truth-seekers.<br />
<br />
There's no greater position, friends, than being a follower of Christ. Nothing else has eternal significance. Just Jesus. Everything else is small by comparison. Everything else is temporary.<br />
<br />
And be blessed.</div>
PK's BLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17362489973339375947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153655709233863276.post-62285523922827033012018-06-01T23:21:00.000-05:002018-06-01T23:21:36.633-05:00DOUGHNUT<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5pIgdNwAhqOHNnIJ024yDoIE_4AL5ALnWoaiShtZ9gRGBQ6H9ZtHV-7Ed3T-oDuf-F0DIIJUz_7AaekNJ8yoM0HLrw9de_JGRWmEjAqGQ4A4c4C0GMc7MC6GzpDjeY8ItF9-2_IdaPJ1/s1600/Doughnuts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="639" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5pIgdNwAhqOHNnIJ024yDoIE_4AL5ALnWoaiShtZ9gRGBQ6H9ZtHV-7Ed3T-oDuf-F0DIIJUz_7AaekNJ8yoM0HLrw9de_JGRWmEjAqGQ4A4c4C0GMc7MC6GzpDjeY8ItF9-2_IdaPJ1/s320/Doughnuts.jpg" width="320" /></a>Well, since today is National Doughnut Day, it seems fitting to recognize <i>Paielli's Bakery </i>right here in <i>Kenosha, </i>named Best Doughnut Shop in <i>Wisconsin</i> by <i>Travelocity</i>.<br />
<br />
Way to go, <i>Paielli's!</i><br />
<br />
Way to go to our very own, <i>Dave & Ellen Paielli!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Time to eat one.<br />
<br />
And be blessed.</div>
PK's BLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17362489973339375947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153655709233863276.post-89508563668572595922018-05-29T08:52:00.001-05:002018-05-29T08:52:25.623-05:00BIGGER<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPjyaTJ_FgF8JvXn4Et4neZFDj0E9yobiMVbP-RO8NPeh2Xc8Dg7YMiW2EXinjiX5M4EFlQ1lVgkHriy1tjWT31oQHAvCSBZQFkLHKGHtqYwsNdBcmKMatJKBbG3XNiDWPuxbjB2xZ83gc/s1600/Bigger.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPjyaTJ_FgF8JvXn4Et4neZFDj0E9yobiMVbP-RO8NPeh2Xc8Dg7YMiW2EXinjiX5M4EFlQ1lVgkHriy1tjWT31oQHAvCSBZQFkLHKGHtqYwsNdBcmKMatJKBbG3XNiDWPuxbjB2xZ83gc/s1600/Bigger.png" /></a>Everybody needs a dream - but not just their own dream - we need a dream that comes from God.<br />
<br />
How do you know it's from God and not from you?<br />
<br />
You'll know it's God's dream if it's bigger than you.<br />
<br />
What are you attempting that you figure you're bound to fail at unless God shows up? It's too big for you to accomplish on your own, without His help.<br />
<br />
Is your dream impossible enough? Does it go beyond you enough to even qualify for God's help? If it does, that might be God's dream for your life.<br />
<br />
You might also know it's a dream from God if you can't let it go. You'd be willing to give everything for it. It keeps bugging you. Because a God-given dream is bothersome. It continues bobbing to the surface, clamoring for your attention.<br />
<br />
A God dream draws you, like a giant magnet pulling you toward itself. If that's how your dream behaves, it's probably from God.<br />
<br />
Then, you'll know it's God's dream if it brings Him glory. Not everything does.<br />
<br />
If it's your dream to have a great job and make a lot of money, live in an amazing house, drive a cool car and retire early, with all respect, that isn't God's dream.<br />
<br />
How do you know that, PK?<br />
<br />
Because that dream only changes you.<br />
<br />
But if you want to make a lot of money in order to give it away to serve God's Kingdom - if you want to retire early so you can start something new and fresh with God for His glory, that dream is certainly from God.<br />
<br />
<i>'God, by His mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare ask or imagine, infinitely beyond our highest desires, thoughts or hopes.' (Ephesians 3:20)</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Dream bigger.<br />
<br />
And be blessed.</div>
PK's BLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17362489973339375947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153655709233863276.post-50717076054939993102018-05-28T07:45:00.001-05:002018-05-28T07:45:45.841-05:00MEMORIAL<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNTfMC_641jwqrFgiqplrielmj_SXQY0bIGTNEkc3mnN3Tz3_1RfhDPvwFQSqVjnqUit1dDKAm6wJxlB4Fzz808kv8Uu-V-cAytb95m1_RvZ7ZRWZPexBBlcLHRbJp__pcpeB5lvdzxhJj/s1600/Memorial+Day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="175" data-original-width="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNTfMC_641jwqrFgiqplrielmj_SXQY0bIGTNEkc3mnN3Tz3_1RfhDPvwFQSqVjnqUit1dDKAm6wJxlB4Fzz808kv8Uu-V-cAytb95m1_RvZ7ZRWZPexBBlcLHRbJp__pcpeB5lvdzxhJj/s1600/Memorial+Day.jpg" /></a>Today is Memorial Day. It isn't just a day to pull out the grill and barbecue with friends. It isn't just a day to have off work and take a long weekend vacation. <br />
<br />
We shouldn't lose sight of what it's really about. It's about remembering and honoring those who paid an ultimate sacrifice so that we could be free in this great country.<br />
<br />
It's Memorial Day all day long, of course, but Congress has also established an exact MINUTE of remembrance. It's called the <i>National Moment of Remembrance Act, </i>adopted in <i>2000. </i>The <i>Act </i>encourages you to pause today at your local time exactly at <i>3 p.m. </i>to remember the price paid for your liberty.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqHeMvawJo90KppmcfEOtDYKlgrr1pUNn0IvA-TQvYVQVkfYVr9vuzO5qElf_IRKc5SLM0v5ifVhaZL-ulCaXxawJRApCjNd9-RNe1wyE_WjGPbKxN3RJ9FSH_QjxwVYC-o_5AdAnpWApY/s1600/Memorial+Day1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="170" data-original-width="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqHeMvawJo90KppmcfEOtDYKlgrr1pUNn0IvA-TQvYVQVkfYVr9vuzO5qElf_IRKc5SLM0v5ifVhaZL-ulCaXxawJRApCjNd9-RNe1wyE_WjGPbKxN3RJ9FSH_QjxwVYC-o_5AdAnpWApY/s1600/Memorial+Day1.jpg" /></a>Major League baseball games going on today will pause at that time. AMTRAK engineers will blow their horns.<br />
<br />
What will you do?<br />
<br />
And be blessed.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
PK's BLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17362489973339375947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153655709233863276.post-47642943850554742862018-05-06T17:51:00.000-05:002018-05-06T17:51:44.693-05:00CLIMB<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1A_R0QNweRLr_KN0bmRSO0942Ogyxuti-b8wg6nUw5tyUC0ENldzwhh4mob4Yr7e6Bk325fROurJCqlvIdgXbBnIQIuvt3IezY4na5twrtS_TMTlxXV3LqbsIqb2asisU3uwX0rrKiXw/s1600/Climb.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1A_R0QNweRLr_KN0bmRSO0942Ogyxuti-b8wg6nUw5tyUC0ENldzwhh4mob4Yr7e6Bk325fROurJCqlvIdgXbBnIQIuvt3IezY4na5twrtS_TMTlxXV3LqbsIqb2asisU3uwX0rrKiXw/s1600/Climb.png" /></a>Rock climbers will tell you that you can get in certain spots when you're climbing where you feel fairly safe and secure. Your hands are gripped on stable rocks - your feet feel planted where they are. <br />
<br />
But there are a couple of problems with staying in that secure place - because you're burning some energy in that position. It actually takes great strength to hold on to the spot you're in at the moment.<br />
<br />
The other issue is that there's no progress if you stay there. If you want to move to the next spot higher up you have to release your grip on the very secure place you are in right now.<br />
<br />
There are a lot of people who have given up on progressing to where they know God wants them to go - they've simply settled for not falling.<br />
<br />
That's their life at the moment - burning all kinds of energy hanging on so tightly to their security that their entire life is pretty much about not losing their grip and falling.<br />
<br />
There has to be a moment when you let go of the security and safety and reach out for what God has for you next by faith.<br />
<br />
Maybe you've put your confidence in your job title - in another person - in your income. That's where you've come to trust.<br />
<br />
Whatever it is besides Jesus that makes you feel safe, you'll be more secure when you let go of it and take the hand of a loving God who watches over you and who cares about you.<br />
<br />
And be blessed.</div>
PK's BLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17362489973339375947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153655709233863276.post-38076927266814245802018-05-04T17:10:00.000-05:002018-05-04T17:10:45.262-05:00GARDENER<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifijBkoBsA1klLcW9LCP_Gxfs5DDhobe2ObezRERMdaVludrlPK6bbbNZsgRMK3Yy9kfi8W11aMAxUBjyFyRtfSao1v2Yg7KBuy37TUfVJ7j2sPnK9gO4J7tPomw6xYbVha5gsOseQD6-V/s1600/Master+Gardener2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="207" data-original-width="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifijBkoBsA1klLcW9LCP_Gxfs5DDhobe2ObezRERMdaVludrlPK6bbbNZsgRMK3Yy9kfi8W11aMAxUBjyFyRtfSao1v2Yg7KBuy37TUfVJ7j2sPnK9gO4J7tPomw6xYbVha5gsOseQD6-V/s1600/Master+Gardener2.jpg" /></a></div>
Your Heavenly Father is the Master Gardener in your life.<br />
<br />
That's an interesting way to say that, don't you think? My Father is the Gardener?<br />
<br />
That's basically what Jesus was saying: <i>'I am the true vine and My Father is the Vinedresser. Every branch in Me that doesn't bear fruit He takes away and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.' (John 15:1, 2)</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
"So God, be the Master Gardener in my life."<br />
<br />
That kind of prayer is important because the most vital thing in your heart and mind is what you believe about God - because for a lot of folks there are great and wrong assumptions about who He is and what He's all about.<br />
<br />
All the wars and sicknesses and disasters - all the things we fear - there can't be a good God. In fact, God must be destructive. In fact, God must be out to hurt people.<br />
<br />
No. He's the Gardener. He tends to you. He watches over you. That's why we can trust Him. That's why we don't need to be afraid.<br />
<br />
<i>Joelene </i>has a very green thumb. We've had some amazing gardens over the years. She'd have all these seed catalogs showing vegetables you'd never heard of -- foods you only had nightmares about eating. There were times she'd work so hard on that soil out there - because she knew the soil was the key to a good harvest. There were seasons she wanted me to create a compost corner in the garden so she could make everything we didn't want to eat.<br />
<br />
The good gardener will do whatever it takes to make the garden bear fruit. God, the Master Gardener, wants more than anything for you to thrive. He wants more than anything for you to live with hope - to be at peace - to move beyond your past.<br />
<br />
Is He good? Yes.<br />
Is He kind? Yes.<br />
Is He loving? Yes.<br />
Does He care? Yes.<br />
Are you one of His kids? Yes.<br />
<br />
And be blessed.</div>
PK's BLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17362489973339375947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153655709233863276.post-30966271045273855742018-05-02T23:01:00.000-05:002018-05-02T23:01:30.267-05:00BLANKET<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
You are not alone.<br />
<br />
Because God doesn't sleep. Ever. He's watching. You're the watch-ee. You need to be watched over, you ornery thing you. God knows that. He cares. You're the care-ee.<br />
<br />
But be honest. There have been times you felt God just wasn't showing up. At times you felt He didn't care. At times you wondered if He even knew you existed. At times you became convinced He was absolutely clueless about your situation. At times you were sure He'd abandoned you and your family.<br />
<br />
In those moments there is an urge to run to your safe spot because everything is spinning out of control.<br />
<br />
Where is your safe spot? When you were a kid where was it?<br />
Your bedroom?<br />
Your <i>'Linus' </i>blanket?<br />
The backyard treehouse?<br />
Everybody has something; everyone has somewhere.<br />
<br />
Over time we exchange old hiding places for new ones. I mean, hiding under a blanket doesn't work anymore, so we create fresh hiding places.<br />
<br />
Now it's a glass of liquor.<br />
Now it's a bottle of pills.<br />
Now it's a relationship you know is death for you.<br />
Now it's workaholism. You're proving your worth to yourself and everyone else.<br />
Now it's the depression you sink into.<br />
Everybody has something; everyone has somewhere.<br />
<br />
And let's face it. Those things do give some temporary relief, but the biggest problem with those hiding places is that they will never deliver the long term peace you so desperately seek.<br />
<br />
God wants to walk through your wall of fear today. He starts by saying, <i>'Peace be with you.'</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Take hold of that. Peace isn't a thing; peace is a person.<br />
<br />
And be blessed.</div>
PK's BLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17362489973339375947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153655709233863276.post-61828593035870275652018-05-01T21:05:00.001-05:002018-05-01T21:05:41.362-05:00PLANS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When we become afraid or worried we shift into SELF-control mode. We start trying to fix things we weren't made to fix. We assume a position in the universe we don't own.<br />
<br />
I want to trust in me. You want to trust in you - your finances - my abilities - your pedigree - my achievements - but none of those work.<br />
<br />
Fear comes in when things down turn out the way we've been trying so hard to make happen.<br />
<br />
You thought you'd be married by now - that was your plan - but you aren't, so there's anxiety.<br />
You thought your career would be here, but it's over there.<br />
You thought you'd have kids by this time, but you don't.<br />
You thought the cancer would be gone by now, but it isn't.<br />
It isn't turning out the way you thought.<br />
<br />
Who's in charge?<br />
<br />
God says: <i>'I know the plans I have for you, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.' (Jer. 29:11)</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
It doesn't say, <i>I know the plans YOU have for you. </i>He says, <i>'I know the plans I have for you.'</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
His plans. Rest in that.<br />
<br />
And be blessed.</div>
PK's BLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17362489973339375947noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153655709233863276.post-86534738004749405252018-04-19T16:38:00.001-05:002018-04-19T16:39:06.637-05:00CLAIM<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5_EdCOU10Mt7ON1wxNwT55rEKK2h4uHhkS7AO9jcLiI8FvPLqrfcviuiOMk9GXKbUPtVmwbZQyWtUUD7UORbzQE5LVqv7Qo8VG8MHeAngJ3cffG0xnGXRiN-q_SLbYOIzz9XzUxqnuhE/s1600/Claim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5_EdCOU10Mt7ON1wxNwT55rEKK2h4uHhkS7AO9jcLiI8FvPLqrfcviuiOMk9GXKbUPtVmwbZQyWtUUD7UORbzQE5LVqv7Qo8VG8MHeAngJ3cffG0xnGXRiN-q_SLbYOIzz9XzUxqnuhE/s1600/Claim.jpg" /></a>Sometimes people ask: <i>'Why do Christians think their way is the best way to believe? How come Jesus is the answer? What about every other faith leader? Aren't their religions just as good?'</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Those are valid questions.<br />
<br />
It is this<br />
single event, the resurrection of Jesus from the grave, that defines our hope as Christ-followers. It's the thing that sets our faith apart from every other religious point of view -- because our Teacher isn't dead. Our Leader isn't in the grave. Jesus is alive and on this our future rests.<br />
<br />
If we don't have this truth, then we are just another religion with leaders who head a movement and teach some good things and attract some followers. But when those other leaders die, they stay dead.<br />
<br />
But to get up out of your coffin and smile at the folks gathered for your funeral, that's the ultimate. To walk out of a tomb, living and breathing, holding out your hands so they can check the nail scars to see if it's really you, that's the ultimate.<br />
<br />
Jesus alone can make this claim because He alone conquered death and it's the greatest news we'll ever have to tell.<br />
<br />
And be blessed.</div>
PK's BLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17362489973339375947noreply@blogger.com0