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| 180 degrees |
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Repent has always been a struggle when it comes to addictions. (most recently smoking) As the more I struggle to turn away from something the more I think about it, and the more I think about it the more I want to do it. I notices lately as I've let myself go thru praise and worship, the more I focus on what I'm praising. Long story short repenting is a lot easier if I focus on what I'm turning to (God) than what I'm turning from.
7:18 For I am conscious that in me, that is, in my flesh, there is nothing good: I have the mind but not the power to do what is right. 7:19 For the good which I have a mind to do, I do not: but the evil which I have no mind to do, that I do. 7:20 But if I do what I have no mind to do, it is no longer I who do it, but the sin living in me. 7:21 So I see a law that, though I have a mind to do good, evil is present in me. 7:22 In my heart I take pleasure in the law of God, 7:23 But I see another law in my body, working against the law of my mind, and making me the servant of the law of sin which is in my flesh. 7:24 How unhappy am I! who will make me free from the body of this death? 7:25 I give praise to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So with my mind I am a servant to the law of God, but with my flesh to the law of sin. I don't know why I'm adding this next quote it's just a favorite. 13:1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. 13:2 And if I have `the gift of' prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 13:3 And if I bestow all my goods to feed `the poor', and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing. 13:4 Love suffereth long, `and' is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 13:5 doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil; 13:6 rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth; 13:7 beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 13:8 Love never faileth: but whether `there be' prophecies, they shall be done away; whether `there be' tongues, they shall cease; whether `there be' knowledge, it shall be done away. 13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; 13:10 but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things. 13:12 For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known. 13:13 But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.
Maybe a reminder as I head into work for the evening shift, working with addicts fresh from jail. I need to remember the only way to meet evil is with Love. And to remember to not take it personal when I was first getting off drugs I was Hateful and angry all day long. I'm glad I don't live in all that hate anymore.
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| To add a comment to "180 degrees" |
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| September 04, 2007 |
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| Thanks PT and thanks for your earlier post. |
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| September 04, 2007 |
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| I love this, Dave: . . . repenting is a lot easier if I focus on what I'm turning to (God) than what I'm turning from. Profound and true! (And 1 Cor. 13 is one of my favorite passages too!) |
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| September 04, 2007 |
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| Thanks Cathy, when I find myself battling depression Iput myself on a daily regimen of ! cor 13 Ifind it's more effective than Prozac |
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| September 05, 2007 |
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Seems to me that you're really growing, Dave. You have a tough job but obviously you have and still are being equipped to deal with these lost souls. It's no wonder then that 1 Cor.13 is on your mind and in your heart, it is indeed applicable.
Blessings
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| September 05, 2007 |
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Thanks Bev; I just think if we are to combat evil with Love we are better aff spending as much time with the source of love. Or something like that... |
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| September 05, 2007 |
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| You can just repeat Kathy's comment right here for mine. Ditto to all! |
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| September 06, 2007 |
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| Thanks Jen. |
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| September 06, 2007 |
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Dave,
Keep yours upon Jesus and you will walk in His light.
We are all a work in progress and God is doing the work. Keep following and serving as He leads! Well done Dave.
peace
Glenn |
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| September 06, 2007 |
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| Thanks always glad to hear from ya. |
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| September 11, 2007 |
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No doubt your job is challenging, but then, you can do all things through Christ Who is your strength. Did you know that over 800 men commit suicide every week in Japan? Know why that is? 1 Corinthians 13 holds a part of the answer: "Now there is faith, HOPE, and love, but the greatest of these is love." Japanese folk have NO HOPE and since they do not know the love of Jesus, they commit philao-suicide. Several men will get together and commit communal suicide. Or, they jump in front of a passenger train. Or, a number of other ways.
Check out www.sm-intl.org. God may want some of you to go to Japan as a short-term missionary and bring HOPE to the masses who have none. rjs |
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| September 11, 2007 |
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| Thanx Ima, and Shannon. |
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| September 17, 2007 |
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Dave,
The work of regeneration is a work of God through the Spirit of God. It is always a great struggle to turn away from sin whenever it is done in the flesh. We can not do it in and of ourselves. But God, whenever we mortify the deeds of the flesh by the Spirist we will have victory over sin and our old man. I believe Romans 8: 1-13 gives answers to our spiritual walk and victory over sin in our lives.
Great Blod, Dave
--JR |
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| September 18, 2007 |
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Thanks JR
Dave |
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