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Post by savedbygrace on Mar 3, 2018 6:23:19 GMT -7
That web site has a number of helpful blogs or videos. For example, one is about measuring progress. Of course, I am to measure whether I am acting out in a sinful way or walking in freedom. But there must be more. What am I learning? My falls seem to come without warning, but in actuality, there are probably warnings that I am missing. What am I leaning about God from His word?
So yes, that site has lots of good stuff, the above only being one example.
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Post by savedbygrace on Mar 3, 2018 6:26:32 GMT -7
I am coming to believe that Psalm 18 may have been put in the Bible especially for people with battles like ours. The battle is not with military forces but powerful spiritual forces (Ephesians ch 6). The power of God is real and awesome. David uses this Psalm to praise and thank God.
What I give you here is only the first 6 verses - an intro to the whole thing.
1 I love you, O LORD, my strength. 2 The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3 I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. 4 The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me; 5 the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. 6 In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.
--from ESV
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Post by savedbygrace on Mar 5, 2018 7:07:47 GMT -7
Next, we have Psalm 18:7-15 - God's very strong emotions about this, and His answer to David's cry :
7 Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry. 8 Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him. 9 He bowed the heavens and came down; thick darkness was under his feet. 10 He rode on a cherub and flew; he came swiftly on the wings of the wind. 11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him, thick clouds dark with water. 12 Out of the brightness before him hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds. 13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice, hailstones and coals of fire. 14 And he sent out his arrows and scattered them; he flashed forth lightnings and routed them. 15 Then the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils. (from ESV)
David's enemies were military; mine are both inside my mind and from outside. All too powerful for me. GOD promises to hear and answer me - Heb. 4:16
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Post by savedbygrace on Mar 6, 2018 15:08:22 GMT -7
David continues Psalm 18 - vv 16-21 from ESV
16 He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. 17 He rescued me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. 18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support. 19 He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me. 20 The LORD dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me. 21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
It's like sinking in many waters. Those enemies hate me and are totally too strong for me in that "day of calamity."
Here we see God responding to David's cry because David is a righteous person. How can this help, we might ask? The whole battle is because I want to BE righteous!
I think it's because if I have given my heart to Jesus Christ, He sees my heart! He sees my desire to resist this evil! And He is coming to my aid as I wait for Him!
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Post by savedbygrace on Mar 7, 2018 6:29:22 GMT -7
Psalm 18:22-27 (ESV)
22 For all his rules were before me, and his statutes I did not put away from me. 23 I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from my guilt. 24 So the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight. 25 With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless; 26 with the purified you show yourself pure; and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous. 27 For you save a humble people, but the haughty eyes you bring down.
My part is to stay the course. To keep God's "rules" - the promises and commands of His Word - before me.
In verse 23, some translations leave out the word "my," but it's there for a reason. I must choose to keep myself from MY personal guilt and sin, this one in particular. No, I'll never be sinlessly perfect, but right now it is THIS that God is dealing with me about. As I choose to continue on God's path, He comes to meet me with His strength!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by savedbygrace on Mar 8, 2018 6:09:20 GMT -7
Thursday!
Psalm 18:28-32 What God has done! HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD!!
28 For it is you who light my lamp; the LORD my God lightens my darkness. 29 For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. 30 This God--his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. 31 For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?-- 32 the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless.
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Post by savedbygrace on Mar 9, 2018 10:25:14 GMT -7
Discouraging. Down again.
Returning to Tony Evans' book, Victory in Spiritual Warfare. I need to remind myself of the basics.
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Post by savedbygrace on Mar 10, 2018 4:44:31 GMT -7
In that "zone" of temptation, I have been believing Satan's lies. Even in remembering Scripture promises, I am thinking, This is too strong for me; those promises don't help me now.
Same lie he told Eve in the garden.... "You will not surely die..."
God says to me: God is our refuge and strength, a VERY PRESENT help in trouble. Psalm 46:1
Satan has no power at all; he was defeated at the cross and the empty tomb. But time and time again he has gotten me to believe his lies.
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Post by savedbygrace on Mar 10, 2018 5:20:55 GMT -7
And so, as Tony Evans says in that book, this is a fierce spiritual battle against the forces of evil. ALL of whom are already defeated, but try to get me to believe their lies.
When that feeling of temptation overpowers me, I must learn to slam the door in Satan's face, vigorously pursue what God has put in front of me to do, and allow the Holy Spirit to drive those thoughts away. They are there because I still have that old nature on board, and I am the one who put them there, BUT GOD IS STRONGER. He will help me fill my mind with good things if I keep pursuing and don't give up. He has PROMISED he is with me.
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Post by savedbygrace on Mar 11, 2018 3:48:02 GMT -7
Physically drained due to the time change, spiritually filled with good hope through grace.
FOCUS - not on my failures, my track record, etc. Focus: a Scripture from somewhere - I AM THE LORD WHO HEALS YOU. Focus on Who God Is.
I am learning some very specific steps that I will follow when I am surrounded by that powerless and seemingly hopeless feeling in the zone of temptation. It's ONLY a feeling. The truth of God's Word stands.
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Post by savedbygrace on Mar 13, 2018 3:28:27 GMT -7
I will walk with Jesus today.
I will learn from Him. I must sit at His feet, and ask Him to teach me from His word.
I will believe that He is totally on my side, and that He will help me to rise up and walk again.
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Post by savedbygrace on Mar 14, 2018 2:41:57 GMT -7
The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe. (Proverbs 18:10 ESV)
I saw a safe zone created for a school classroom -- with practice, the kids can get inside it very quickly and be protected. I need a spiritual safe zone - where I know I am safe even if I'm feeling tempted - where I can just quiet down and talk to Jesus about it all. Depending on the weather, it can be one of several physical places; what's important is stepping away into the LORD's Name (all that He is) --- He who loves me and is totally strong.
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Post by savedbygrace on Mar 15, 2018 2:13:30 GMT -7
Less coffee today. Yes, I'm really that addicted. Every step is progress. 1 Cor. 6:12
Today's Our Daily Bread brought me to Psalm 25. They chose verses 1-11, but actually I find ALL of it is for me. Despite my many failures, I have chosen be one of those who fear God. The promises within this Psalm are for ME!
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Post by savedbygrace on Mar 16, 2018 2:46:16 GMT -7
"Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him." -Mark 11:23 ESV
In today's world, this whole area of porn and lust has become a huge stronghold straight from Satan, the god of this world. When we pray against it, we can know for absolute fact that God's will is to destroy it and cast it into the ocean forever. We know for sure that our prayers are for something very close to God's heart.
So before we give up, and conclude that our faith is just too small, let's remember the man who told Jesus, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief! We must come to Jesus with the faith that we have!
Or the foreign lady in Mark chapter 7. Jesus tested her by giving her an answer she didn't want to hear. But when she persisted, He blessed her with the answer she sought! It was all only a test!!!!
Mark 7:25-29 (ESV) ----- But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And he said to her, "Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." But she answered him, "Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." And he said to her, "For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter."
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Post by savedbygrace on Mar 17, 2018 2:14:36 GMT -7
"For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”
-Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT)
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