Just Say, "Thank You."
From the pilot's vantage point, the other plane couldn't be seen, but the control tower had the whole picture in sight. If the pilot had leaned on His own understanding, ignoring the control tower that had a different, more broad perspective and was able to see the whole picture, it could have easily resulted in a major disaster.
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Things To Remember When Serving The Lord
4. ALWAYS value your reputation with God more than your reputation with man.
Listen, sometimes we think that we have to say, preach, or post the most popular/attention catching thing because that other ministry does it and everyone and their momma loves it! "Crowds come and go. The same crowd that shouts "Hosanna" today will shout "crucify him" next week. Be a God pleaser, not a man pleaser." Say what God tells you to say and not what man wants you to say!
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Listen, sometimes we think that we have to say, preach, or post the most popular/attention catching thing because that other ministry does it and everyone and their momma loves it! "Crowds come and go. The same crowd that shouts "Hosanna" today will shout "crucify him" next week. Be a God pleaser, not a man pleaser." Say what God tells you to say and not what man wants you to say!
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As For YOU, Follow ME!
The Lord has had this particular segment of scripture in my spirit for a while now. Here we see Jesus telling Peter how he would die. Peter then turns around, notices John {known as the disciple that Jesus loved} watching them from afar and says to Jesus, "What about him, Lord?" Jesus then replies with what I believe we all need to keep in mind, "What is it to you? As for you, follow Me." Whew! Talk about a focus check. So many times along our individual journeys we get distracted. God calls us to do something outside of what we had planned or tells us to do something that doesn't exactly make sense or leads us to do something that we really just don't want to do and we look around at "Sheila" or "Bobby," and say, "What about her/him, Lord?"
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Don't You Dare Compare Yourself.....
"That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original." Galatians 5:26 MSG
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The Crowd or The Cross?!?
"Because of the Cross my interest in the crowd died long ago." Apostle Paul
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My Name Is Pride
My name is Pride. I am a cheater. I cheat you of your God-given destiny because you demand your own way. I cheat you of contentment because you “deserve better than this.”
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Contentment
I am a woman that loves to plan. Many people who know me often make fun of my many planners and my ability to schedule away the day! lol! But in this season of my life God has been dealing with me about giving up my agenda/plans and following His. Proverbs 19:21 NLT says, "You can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail." This summer God said, "I'm interrupting your plans, for my purpose." Little did I know that this interruption would be at times very difficult and uncomfortable, but ultimately joyful because it was and is the will of God for my life. Word for this season: Contentment
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What About My ENEMIES?!?!
Enemies. Some of us "think" we have them and some of us "think" we don't. Sure, Satan is our true enemy, after all, "we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12 NLT). Clearly, we are fighting against Satan and winning because we belong to Christ....but what about our earthly enemies. The Word clearly tells us that we are not fighting against them, but still......what about them?!?
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Renewing Your Mind
The battleground of the mind is where life's most precious victories are won or lost!! Guard your mind!
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Guarding Your Heart
Your heart is like fertile soil that will produce whatever is planted in it. Like a garden, if you plant the right seeds, you will reap a desirable harvest. Likewise, you have to make sure you do not allow any "weeds" into your heart garden.
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Spirit Led Living
God might deal with YOU about something that no one else would think anything about. But friend, if you want to grow in God, YOU must be quick to hear and change EVEN the LITTLE things. This is not about being legalistic or "religious." This is about being obedient and having a relationship with Jesus, one of which you are so in love with Him that saying yes to Him no longer is a discipline of your heart, but rather the delight of your life!
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No Stress!
"Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them ALL" (Psalm 34:19). What would happen to your stress level if you meditated on the truth that God will ALWAYS deliver you out of trouble?
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Faith vs. Fear
Fear produces bondage. Faith produces FREEDOM!
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Spending Time With Christ
1 Chronicles 16:11 ESV says, "Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! There is nothing more important than spending quality, consistent time with God. Everything you could ever need is found in His presence.....not in people or things....but in His presence! For this reason, it is vital that we spend time with our Savior daily!
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Commanding Your Morning
It was at that time that the Lord said to me, "It's time that YOU start commanding YOUR morning!" Friend, putting on the garment of praise is what lifts our spirits and keeps us shining and filled with the joy of the Lord. The decision to praise God in good times and bad can cause us to deal with the pressures, stresses, failures, and successes of everyday life with ease.
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Forgiveness
A boy has a bandage over his wound, but he continues to pull the bandage back in order to show everyone what happened to his knee. He would cover the wound and then reveal it, cover it and reveal it, until eventually it was reopened.
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Friendships
"As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend" (Proverbs 27:17 NLT). Iron sharpens iron. This is the way it should be in our friendships. Friends sharpen one another for the greater things of God.
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Run To Jesus
Many times when I am disappointed, hurt, or just plain mad I will run to my phone and call my mom to vent. Let's stop here: "Your circle of associates will influence the way you think-----good or bad. Surround yourself with wise, godly people!" Pastor Creflo Dollar
Now, although my mother is my closest friend and although I completely trust her…….AND although she is truly a woman of God……AND although she always gives me great, godly advice…….she is not and cannot take the place of Jesus! The Bible tells us that God is our refuge and strength, our help in times of trouble (Ps. 46:1-2) and that the name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe (Pro. 18:10 NLT). These two scriptures tell me who to run to. "It's easy to forget, and so easy for us to run in other directions. Where we go says a lot about who we are. The "higher ground" we seek reveals the geography of our values." Kyle Idleman
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Now, although my mother is my closest friend and although I completely trust her…….AND although she is truly a woman of God……AND although she always gives me great, godly advice…….she is not and cannot take the place of Jesus! The Bible tells us that God is our refuge and strength, our help in times of trouble (Ps. 46:1-2) and that the name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe (Pro. 18:10 NLT). These two scriptures tell me who to run to. "It's easy to forget, and so easy for us to run in other directions. Where we go says a lot about who we are. The "higher ground" we seek reveals the geography of our values." Kyle Idleman
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What Is In Your Mouth?
I love to exercise, but I found that if I don’t watch what I eat I will either stay the same weight or gain. I also found that in order for a diet to be effective it must have some nutritional value. What is in your mouth? Are you eating things that are just for temporary comfort/relief? Are you speaking things that are of no spiritual value? Now is the time for you to open your mouth and speak words of faith, not unbelief and doubt!
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It's Time To Get Focused!
Have you ever been driving down the road, and something catches your eye? Within seconds, your attention has been seized from something apart from your destination. Suddenly you find yourself driving into the direction of what you see. Know this: as you walk with God, there will be many suggestions outside of His purpose for your life. These suggestions can become distractions if you are not focus on God and God alone! It’s time to get focused!
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Hold Up....I Belong To Jesus
Three questions: Who are you? Whose are you? Who do you represent? Most of us have heard the story of David and Goliath. David, a young boy who kept his father’s sheep and Goliath a giant who had been a warrior from his youth, were going to go head to head in battle. Despite the odds that were against David; David knew who he was, whose he was and who he represented. David knew that he was a child of God and that he belonged to God! He also knew that he represented the Kingdom and being certain of this fact, David with Godly confidence and boldness prepared to defeat Goliath!
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Trusting God
Living in a world where many people will say one thing and do another can make it very difficult to trust anyone. Circumstances, obstacles, and seemingly impossible situations come into our lives at times and make us question, “Can I really trust God? Will God do what He said He would do? And when He does fix this situation, will I be satisfied?” Friend, the answer to all of these questions is YES!
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The Thermometer vs. Thermostat
Are you a thermometer or a thermostat? A thermometer is an instrument for determining temperature. It simply reflects the environment. Individuals that are thermometers will say what everyone else says and do what everyone else does. However, God has called all of His children to be thermostats. A thermostat is an automatic device for regulating temperature.....it sets the atmosphere! As a blood bought believer, it is important that you don't just live in this world, but that you set the atmosphere by being an example.
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Being Thankful
Are you thankful? No....really....are you? As I shared last month, this season is all about me being content. Well, being thankful is a directly associated with it. John Piper once said, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." This quote has truly resonated in my spirit in this season.
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Circle 'Yes' or 'No'
We can all remember the notes we passed to our friends when we were younger. Up until about the fourth grade, boys and girls didn't want to have anything to do with each other. But in the fifth or sixth grade, things started to change and everyone began to write little notes, saying "I like you. Do you like me? Circle: Yes, No, Maybe." People were in their own little way looking for "love" (puppy love), but really deep down looking for acceptance from someone they liked. While typing this I can't help but laugh because I can remember writing myself a note and pretending like it was from someone, because no one ever wrote me a note! lol! "Raven, I like you. Do you like me? Circle: Yes, No, Maybe." I had all of my little classmates in elementary school wondering who in the world sent Raven that!!
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Your Life Story
"Don't put a comma, where God has put a period!" I tell you, recently I was sitting in my room spending time with God....and to be honest I just began to cry out to God. He is truly a constant friend in my life and that day I laid down at His feet every fear, doubt, anxiety, worry, issue, circumstance, opinion.....etc., (yea, it was one of those days!) I poured out my heart to the One who paid so much on the cross for me and it was at that time that He said, "Raven, let me write the story of your life. Rest and trust in ME!"
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