Tag: Faith changed life

Faith, Dance, Books, advocacy

Crosswords: The word of trust

It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. Luke 23:44‭-‬46 NIV

“In that day,” declares the Sovereign Lord, “I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight. I will turn your religious festivals into mourning and all your singing into weeping. I will make all of you wear sackcloth and shave your heads. I will make that time like mourning for an only son and the end of it like a bitter day.
Amos 8:9‭-‬10 NIV

That day will be a day of wrath— a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness—
Zephaniah 1:15 NIV

Memory Verse

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV

What is so Good about Friday

1. God’s love was the catalyst for the cross

2. God’s longing to be with his beloved compelled him to remove any barriers.

When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
Luke 3:21‭-‬22 NIV

The Bottom Line: The message of the cross is one we have been commissioned to share

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
2 Corinthians 5:18‭-‬20 NIV

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Faith, Dance, Books, advocacy

When My World is Falling apart

Memory Verse

He sang: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. He is my refuge, my savior, the one who saves me from violence. I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies.
2 Samuel 22:2‭-‬4

The Five Steps we need to take when our world is falling apart

  • Reorient the disoriented. Stay in a routine
  • Call out to God. It’s a sign of a healthy relationship with him. He wants you to talk to him.
  • Recall the story of God. Remind yourself of God’s faithfulness by reading his word and by reflecting on the ways he’s been faithful to you.
  • Claim his promises
  • Contend by his power. God is our Father, not a 🧞 genie, so when we ask him for help, he might ask us to fight alongside him.

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Faith, Dance, Books, advocacy

What’s in a Name? Jehovah Rohi

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalms 23:1‭-‬6

Jehovah Rohi Reveals

1. He provides

  • Everything we need
  • Restoration
  • For His Glory

2. God as shepherd means he protects.

3. God as our Shepherd means we can trust him.

  • The Lord has our Shepard is perfectly displayed in Jesus.

Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”
1 Samuel 17:33‭-‬37

Memory Verse

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
Psalms 20:7

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Faith, Dance, Books, advocacy

Empty Worshíp

Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”
Matthew 15:1‭-‬2

You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: “ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ ”
Matthew 15:7‭-‬9

Worship isn’t outward style. It’s an inward condition of my heart

Unkown

How do we express our worship?

1. Sometimes, we now in reverence

Come, let us worship and now down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker.

Psalm 95:6

2. Sometimes we lift our hands in adoration

I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer.

Psalm 63:4

3. Sometimes rejoicing in celebration

Praise his name with dancing , accompanied by tambourine and harp.

Psalm 149:3

4. Sometimes, our worship is a sacrifice

Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.

Hebrews 13:15

Worship isn’t based on our circumstances but on God’s Character.

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5. every time we surrender our lives to the Lord, it’s an act of worship.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
Romans 12:1

Memory Verse

God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
John 4:24

The Bottom Line

Worship isn’t something we do; a worshiper is who we are.

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Faith, Dance, Books, advocacy

What Would Jesus Undo: indifference

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
Revelation 3:15‭-‬16

The causes of spiritual indifference

  • Self sufficiency

You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
Revelation 3:17

  • Distractions of this world

but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.
Mark 4:19

The indicators of Spiritual indifference

1. Being more concerned with impressing people than living for God

2. Being more obsessed with life on earth than eternity

3. Rationalizing sin and living without fearing God

4. Believing in Jesus but rarely sharing my faith.

5. Only turning to God when I need something

6. Only giving when it doesn’t hinder my standard of living

How do I reignite my spiritual fire?

1. Say sorry and turn from your lukewarm indifference

2. Respond to the invitation of Jesus

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
Revelation 3:20 N

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Faith, Dance, Books, advocacy

What keeps you up at night? Feeling overwhelmed

Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me.

Numbers 11:13‭-‬14

Memory Verse

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13

God will often allow you to have more than you can handle.

The Gift of too much

If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.” The Lord said to Moses: “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with you. I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.
Numbers 11:15‭-‬17

God’s Gift teaches you to

1. Put something down

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:41‭-‬42

Too much teaches you to say or instead of And

2. Hand something off

Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.
Exodus 18:17‭-‬18

3. Give something to God

Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you

Psalm 55:22

Each time God said, ” My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness

2 Corinthians 12:9

Feeling overwhelmed

Faith, Dance, Books, advocacy

Keep The Change: A plan for change

Today I found 11 old pages of sermon notes in my room, and I am going to share them on all my platforms, including here

Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:21‭-‬27

God calls us to do four things in response to hearing his word

  • Hear consistently , in order to receive the planted word you have to be planted yourself.

planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God.
Psalms 92:13

  • Act immediately

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
James 1:22

“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
Matthew 7:24

  • Information is meant to lead to application, and when that happens, the result will be transformation
  • Speak carefully

Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.
James 1:26

  • Serve Regularly

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27

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Faith, Dance, Books, advocacy

Developing A Heart for God: Finding the Courage to face giants

1 Samuel 17:1-51

Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Sokoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Sokoh and Azekah. Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines. The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them. A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span.
1 Samuel 17:1‭-‬4 NIV

Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.
1 Samuel 17:8‭-‬11

David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”
1 Samuel 17:32‭-‬37

As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine’s sword and drew it from the sheath. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran.
1 Samuel 17:48‭-‬51

Facing Fear With confidence

Find out the facts

Eliminate defeatist thinking

Apply the tools God has given me

Remember God’s help in the past

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
Psalms 20:7

Finding the courage to face Giants

Faith, Dance, Books, advocacy

Three Keys to greatness

14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” 17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. 21 But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. 22 The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!” 23 They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this. 24 A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles Lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. Luke 22:14‭-‬27

Three Keys to greatness

  • Start by calling sin sin
  • Commit to outserving your friends, family, and others
  • Don’t try to be the greatest you; you can be. Try to be the best Jesus you can be.

1 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” 9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” 10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. 12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
John 13:1‭-‬17

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
Galatians 5:13

3 keys to.greatness

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Meals with Jesus: Free Lunch

10 When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, 11 but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing. 12 Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.” 13 He replied, “You give them something to eat.” They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.” 14 (About five thousand men were there.) But he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 The disciples did so, and everyone sat down. 16 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. 17 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. Luke 9:10‭-‬17

Three Lessons from this free Lunch

  • Jesus has compassion for people in need.
  • Jesus uses people to accomplish his plan. Key phrase: You feed them
  • Where God guides, he provides

Three questions for personal application

1. What do I think is too big for God to handle?

2. What do I think is too little for God to use?

3. What will I do because I believe God will provide?

33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 6:33

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