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I’M A MAN {MANKIND INCLUDES WOMEN} Psalms 8:3 When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers – the moon and the stars you have set in place – 4 what are mortals (MAN) that you should think of us, mere humans that you should care for us? 5 For you made us only a little lower than God (Elohim), and you crowned us with glory and honor. 6 You put us in charge of everything you made, giving us authority over all things. ADAM AND EVE FAILED GOD LOVED US AND SOUGHT US Matthew 13:44 "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field – and to get the treasure, too! 45 "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a pearl merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. 46 When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it! 1 Corinthians 6:20a for God bought you with a high price. I’M A CHILD OF GOD Romans 8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God's very own children, adopted into his f am ily – calling him "Father, dear Father." 16 For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God's children. I’M A LOVED PRODIGAL Luke 15:8 "Or suppose a woman has ten valuable silver coins and loses one. Won't she light a l am p and look in every corner of the house and sweep every nook and cranny until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors to rejoice with her because she has found her lost coin. 10 In the s am e way, there is joy in the presence of God's angels when even one sinner repents." Luke 15:20 "So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long distance away, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’ 22 "But his father said to the servants, 'Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger, and sandals for his feet. 23 And kill the calf we have been fattening in the pen. We must celebrate with a feast, 24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.' So the party began. I’M CALLED TO BE A LOVER 2 John 6 Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning. John 4:19 We love each other as a result of his loving us first. 20 If someone says, "I love God," but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we have not seen? 21 And God himself has commanded that we must love not only him but our Christian brothers and sisters, too. John 15:9 "I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey me, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12 I command you to love each other in the s am e way that I love you. 13 And here is how to measure it – the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends. 14 You are my friends if you obey me. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a master doesn't confide in his servants. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. 16 You didn't choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my n am e. 17 I command you to love each other. I’M CALLED TO SPREAD THE NEWS Matthew 28:18 Jesus c am e and told his disciples, "I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the n am e of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." O I’m a man I’m the meaning of the universe; Yes, I’m a man I’m the meaning of the universe; God made me such, I am so much; I’m the center and the meaning of the universe; Christ lives in me He’s the meaning of my human life; Christ lives in me He’s the meaning of my human life; Yes, He’s in me My all to be; He’s the meaning and the reality of my human life; What shall we do? We should go and tell the world of this. What shall we do? We should go and tell the world of this. Disciple all This is our call. Let us go and spread the news to our friends and neighbors, too.
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Sit, Walk, Stand Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; Psalm 1:1 Often in the Psalms a concept, lesson, or word is defined by the principle of opposites and highlighted by the use of contrast. In Psalm 1, we learn what a person who is blessed does not do, behaviors he does not engage in, and people he does not associate with. There are three actions pictured in this verse: sitting, walking, and standing. A simple outline of the book of Ephesians is similar to this progressive pattern of action: sit (Ephesians 1-3), walk (Ephesians 4-6:9), and stand (Ephesians 6:10-end). Here we have our comparison of what a man should not do to be blessed (Psalm 1:1) and what he does instead by contrast. - Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, but walks worthy of the calling with which he was called (Ephesians 4:1).
- Blessed is the man who does not stand in the path of sinners, but puts on the full armor of God so that he can take a stand against the enemy (Ephesians 6:11).
- Blessed is the man who does not sit in the seat of the scornful but knows that God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the Heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:7).
We are seated with Christ (at rest) because the work is finished. We walk in Him because our new life is that of an ambassador—in our relationships (work, marriage, family, friends) we represent Him to the world. We stand equipped by Him to fight against the enemy: the world, the flesh, and the devil. Prayer: Father, help me to not live my life according to worldly advise. Keep me away from the path of sinners. Oh Lord, help me to be thankful, to stay away from the complainers. Help me to see me seated at Your right hand in the Heavenly realms, walking worthy of my calling and fighting in a standing position since You have made me more than a conqueror.
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Draw Near to God
Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 19 So, friends, we can now - without hesitation - walk right up to God, into "the Holy Place ." Jesus has cleared the way by the blood of his sacrifice, acting as our priest before God. The "curtain" into God's presence is his body. 20 21 22 So let's do it - full of belief, confident that we're presentable inside and out. 23 Let's keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word.
J am es 4:8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 7 So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him sc am per. 8 Say a quiet yes to God and he'll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. 9 Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and g am es are over. Get serious, really serious. 10 Get down on your knees before the Master; it's the only way you'll get on your feet.
Isaiah 55:6 Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. 6 Seek God while he's here to be found, pray to him while he's close at hand. 7 Let the wicked abandon their way of life and the evil their way of thinking. Let them come back to God, who is merciful, come back to our God, who is lavish with forgiveness. 8 "I don't think the way you think. The way you work isn't the way I work." God's Decree. 9 "For as the sky soars high above earth, so the way I work surpasses the way you work, and the way I think is beyond the way you think. 10 Just as rain and snow descend from the skies and don't go back until they've watered the earth, Doing their work of making things grow and blossom, producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry, 11 So will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed. They'll do the work I sent them to do, they'll complete the assignment I gave them. 12 "So you'll go out in joy, you'll be led into a whole and complete life.
Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. 11 So let's keep at it and eventually arrive at the place of rest, not drop out through some sort of disobedience. 12 God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon's scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. 13 Nothing and no one is impervious to God's Word. We can't get away from it - no matter what. The High Priest Who Cried Out in Pain 14 Now that we know what we have - Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God - let's not let it slip through our fingers. 15 We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it all - all but the sin. 16 So let's walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.
Psalm 145:18 The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. 17 Everything God does is right - the trademark on all his works is love. 18 God's there, listening for all who pray, for all who pray and mean it. 19 He does what's best for those who fear him - hears them call out, and saves them. 20 God sticks by all who love him, but it's all over for those who don't. 21 My mouth is filled with God's praise. Let everything living bless him, bless his holy n am e from now to eternity!
Psalm 73:28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds. 21 When I was beleaguered and bitter, totally consumed by envy, 22 I was totally ignorant, a dumb ox in your very presence. 23 I'm still in your presence, but you've taken my hand. 24 You wisely and tenderly lead me, and then you bless me. 25 You're all I want in heaven! You're all I want on earth! 26 When my skin sags and my bones get brittle, God is rock-firm and faithful. 27 Look! Those who left you are falling apart! Deserters, they'll never be heard from again. 28 But I'm in the very presence of God - oh, how refreshing it is! I've made Lord God my home. God, I'm telling the world what you do!
Hosea 6:1 "Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. 2 After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. 1 "Come on, let's go back to God. He hurt us, but he'll heal us. He hit us hard, but he'll put us right again. 2 In a couple of days we'll feel better. By the third day he'll have made us brand-new, Alive and on our feet, fit to face him. 3 We're ready to study God, eager for God-knowledge. As sure as dawn breaks, so sure is his daily arrival. He comes as rain comes, as spring rain refreshing the ground."
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Bagel by the Sea: A Collection of Devotional Essays and Poems is a collection of essays that have been written over the years, previously available on her website www.moreofjesus.com. Two of these essays, "Drive Through God" and "Worship Him" have been featured Bible studies on www.worshiptogether.com. This publication is available in hardback and paperback. http://stores.lulu.com/bridgetwillard
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