creative commons 2.0. attribution: dackelprincess, flickr.
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
Monday, February 26, 2018
Sunday, February 25, 2018
st. sophia
St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church - The Life of St. Sophia
faith, hope and love are gifts from God. accepting God's gifts is a willful act on our part. if we choose to have faith, hope and love, and if we choose to practice faith, hope and love in our lives daily, then we will have faith, hope and love abundantly.
Praise and thanks to God forever. amen
Praise and thanks to God forever. amen
Thursday, February 22, 2018
Saturday, February 17, 2018
Friday, February 16, 2018
nightmares, Satan, faith
I have nightmares--persistent, frequent, frightening. Often I awake in an agitated state. It can take me some time to calm down and return to reality.
_-_James_Tissot_-_overall.jpg)
Why do I have nightmares? Why are they so frequent, frightening and persistent? Is this Satan's work? Is Satan using my most vulnerable time, when I'm asleep, unconscious, to exploit my weak faith? I believe so.
Satan’s Strategy and Your Defense | Desiring God
Satan’s Strategy and Your Defense | Desiring God
"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith." (1 Peter 5:8–9)
The two great enemies of our souls are sin and Satan. And sin is the worst enemy, because the only way that Satan can destroy us is by getting us to sin, and keeping us from repenting. The only thing that damns us is unforgiven sin. Not Satan.
God may give him leash enough to rough us up, the way he did Job, or even to kill us, the way he did the saints in Smyrna (Revelation 2:10); but Satan cannot condemn us or rob us of eternal life. The only way he can do us ultimate harm is by influencing us to sin, and keep us from repentance. Which is exactly what he aims to do.
So, Satan’s main business is to advocate, promote, assist, titillate, and confirm our bent to sinning. And to keep us from faith and repentance.
We see this in Ephesians 2:1–2: “You were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked . . . according to the prince of the power of the air” (NASB). Sinning “accords” with Satan’s power in the world. When he brings about moral evil, it is through sin. When we sin, we move in his sphere. We come into accord with him. When we sin, we give place to the devil (Ephesians 4:27).
The only thing that will condemn us at the judgment day is unforgiven sin — not sickness or afflictions or persecutions or intimidations or apparitions or nightmares. Satan knows this. Therefore, his great focus is not primarily on how to scare Christians with weird phenomena (though there’s plenty of that), but on how to corrupt Christians with worthless fads and evil thoughts.
Satan wants to catch us at a time when our faith is not firm, when it is vulnerable. It makes sense that the very thing Satan wants to destroy would also be the means of our resisting his efforts. That’s why Peter says, “Resist him, firm in your faith.” It is also why Paul says that the “shield of faith” can “extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16).
The way to thwart the devil is to strengthen the very thing he is trying most to destroy — your faith."
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/satan-s-strategy-and-your-defense
Calm Your Anxious Mind - Soul Shepherding
My prayer is this:
Please, God, help me to strengthen my faith. I am weak. Satan knows that when I'm asleep I'm most vulnerable to his attacks on my weak faith.
So, Satan’s main business is to advocate, promote, assist, titillate, and confirm our bent to sinning. And to keep us from faith and repentance.
We see this in Ephesians 2:1–2: “You were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked . . . according to the prince of the power of the air” (NASB). Sinning “accords” with Satan’s power in the world. When he brings about moral evil, it is through sin. When we sin, we move in his sphere. We come into accord with him. When we sin, we give place to the devil (Ephesians 4:27).
The only thing that will condemn us at the judgment day is unforgiven sin — not sickness or afflictions or persecutions or intimidations or apparitions or nightmares. Satan knows this. Therefore, his great focus is not primarily on how to scare Christians with weird phenomena (though there’s plenty of that), but on how to corrupt Christians with worthless fads and evil thoughts.
Satan wants to catch us at a time when our faith is not firm, when it is vulnerable. It makes sense that the very thing Satan wants to destroy would also be the means of our resisting his efforts. That’s why Peter says, “Resist him, firm in your faith.” It is also why Paul says that the “shield of faith” can “extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16).
The way to thwart the devil is to strengthen the very thing he is trying most to destroy — your faith."
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/satan-s-strategy-and-your-defense
Calm Your Anxious Mind - Soul Shepherding
My prayer is this:
Please, God, help me to strengthen my faith. I am weak. Satan knows that when I'm asleep I'm most vulnerable to his attacks on my weak faith.
Satan is strong; but, You, God, are stronger. Help me to resist Satan's attacks. Help me to strengthen my faith in You, knowing that with You and in You that there is never anything to fear.
I ask this in Jesus' holy name. Amen
I ask this in Jesus' holy name. Amen
James Tissot [No restrictions or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Monday, February 12, 2018
finish strong
"For I am already being poured out like a libation, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance."
2 Timothy 4:6-8
there are no losers among those "...who have longed for his appearance".
there are no losers among those "...who have longed for his appearance".
Monday, February 5, 2018
does God take our sins and failings personally?
are sins failings? are failings sins?
Praise the Father, Praise the Son - Chris Tomlin
Oh sovereign God, Oh matchless King
The saints adore, the angels sing
And fall before the throne of grace
To You belongs the highest praise
These sufferings, this passing tide
Under Your wings I will abide
And every enemy shall flee
You are my hope and victory
(Chorus)
Praise the Father, praise the Son
Praise the Spirit, Three in One
Clothed in power and in grace
The name above all other names
To the valley, for my soul
Thy great descent has made me whole
Your word my heart has welcomed home
Now peace like water ever flows
Yours is the kingdom
Yours is the power
Yours is the glory
Forever
Yours is the kingdom
Yours is the power
Yours is the glory
Forever
Praise the Father, praise the Son
Praise the Spirit, Three in One
Clothed in power and in grace
The name above all other names
The name above all other names
Chris Tomlin - Praise the Father Praise the Son - SPIRIT - YouTube
Praise The Father, Praise the Son (lyrics) Chris Tomlin - YouTube
are sins deliberate by definition? are failings not?
does God take our sins and failings personally?
I don't know the answers to these questions. Neither does anyone else--except God.
Romans 11: 33-34
God's answers to these questions may be: it depends. our failings may be sins--particularly if they're deliberate. And God may take our sins and failings personally--particularly if they're deliberate.
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I don't know the answers to these questions. Neither does anyone else--except God.
Romans 11: 33-34
1 Corinthians 2: 11-16
Isaiah 40:13
God's answers to these questions may be: it depends. our failings may be sins--particularly if they're deliberate. And God may take our sins and failings personally--particularly if they're deliberate.
image by Michael Gäbler
an old bull--many years behind me.
LOTS of scars--sins and failings--they're all mine.
I'm sorry, God--I could have, and should have, done better.
Have mercy on me, a sinner.
Praise the Father, Praise the Son - Chris Tomlin
Oh sovereign God, Oh matchless King
The saints adore, the angels sing
And fall before the throne of grace
To You belongs the highest praise
These sufferings, this passing tide
Under Your wings I will abide
And every enemy shall flee
You are my hope and victory
(Chorus)
Praise the Father, praise the Son
Praise the Spirit, Three in One
Clothed in power and in grace
The name above all other names
To the valley, for my soul
Thy great descent has made me whole
Your word my heart has welcomed home
Now peace like water ever flows
So praise the Father, praise the Son
Praise the Spirit, Three in One
Clothed in power and in grace
The name above all other names
Oh, praise the Father, praise the Son
Praise the Spirit, Three in One
Clothed in power and in grace
The name above all other names
Clothed in power and in grace
The name above all other names
Oh, praise the Father, praise the Son
Praise the Spirit, Three in One
Clothed in power and in grace
The name above all other names
Yours is the kingdom
Yours is the power
Yours is the glory
Forever
Yours is the kingdom
Yours is the power
Yours is the glory
Forever
Praise the Father, praise the Son
Praise the Spirit, Three in One
Clothed in power and in grace
The name above all other names
The name above all other names
Chris Tomlin - Praise the Father Praise the Son - SPIRIT - YouTube
Praise The Father, Praise the Son (lyrics) Chris Tomlin - YouTube
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