Resist the devil ......Part 2

Some more study notes from when I did a study on Spiritual Warfare and the Weapons of our Warfare. Hope they bless you some way.

Hugs, GG

Historical faith :
is the receiving of and agreeing to certain statements which are regarded as mere facts of history.

Temporary Faith:

is that state of mind which is awakened in men (e.g., Felix/Agrippa ) by the revelation of the truth and by the influence of religious sympathy/empathy or by what is called operation of the Holy Spirit.

Saving Faith:

is so called because it has eternal life inseparably connected with it. It "Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel." Saving faith is the whole revealed Word of God.
Faith accepts and believes it as the very truth most sure.

But the special act of faith ( Saving Faith) which unites to Christ , has as its
Core the person and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ

Joh:7:38: He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water

Ac:16:31: And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

This is the specific act of faith ( Saving Faith ) by which a
sinner is justified before God . In this act of faith the believer and rests on Christ alone for our eternal salvation, in all His office.

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Ro:3:22: Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
Ro:3:23: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Ro:3:24: Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Ro:3:25: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
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Ga:2:16: Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Ph'p:3:9: And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Ac:10:43: To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

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Joh:3:16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh:3:17: For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh:3:18: He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Joh:3:19: And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Joh:3:20: For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Joh:3:21: But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Joh:3:22: After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.
Joh:3:23: And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.
Joh:3:24: For John was not yet cast into prison.
Joh:3:25: Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying.
Joh:3:26: And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.
Joh:3:27: John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
Joh:3:28: Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
Joh:3:29: He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
Joh:3:30: He must increase, but I must decrease.
Joh:3:31: He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.
Joh:3:32: And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.
Joh:3:33: He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.
Joh:3:34: For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
Joh:3:35: The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
Joh:3:36: He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
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Our belief in the truth received upon the testimony of Christ has connected with it a deep sense of sin, a individual view of Christ, a yielding will, and a loving heart, together with a reliance on, a trusting in, or resting in Christ.

It is that state of mind in which a sinner, conscious of his sin, flees from his guilty self to Christ his Saviour, and rolls over the burden of all his sins on him.

It consists predominately , in the total influence of the testimony of God in his Word, and acceptance with total trust and faith in the one and only Saviour whom God reveals.

This trust and reliance is of the core or essence of faith. Saving faith is a ethical act, as it proceeds from a renewed will, and a renewed will is necessary to the truth of God (1 Cor. 2:14; 2 Cor. 4:4).

Faith, therefore, has its seat in the moral part of our nature fully as much as in the intellectual.

The mind must first be enlightened by divine teaching (John 6:44; Acts 13:48; 2 Cor. 4:6; Eph. 1:17, 18) before it can discern the things of the Spirit.

Faith is necessary to our salvation (Mark 16:16).

The grounds of faith is the divine testimony, not
the rationality of what God says, but the simple fact that he
says it.

Faith rests immediately on, "Thus saith the Lord."

God's word encourages and makes confident the sinner to
personally engage with Christ as God's gift, to draw close with
him, embrace him, give himself to Christ, and take Christ as
his.

That word comes with power, for it is the word of God who
has revealed himself in his works, and especially in the cross.
God is to be believed for his word's sake, but also for his
name's sake.

Faith in Christ obtains for the believer freedom from
condemnation, or justification before God; partaking in
the life that is in Christ, the divine life, eternal life .

All who thus believe in Christ will certainly be saved
(John 6:37, 40; 10:27, 28; Rom. 8:1).

I watched this incredible video at Miss Lauries Blog ......Maybe I'll Blog. It was posted on Youtube by her son 19 years old. Powerful.
Hugs, GG
Proverb:22:6: Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Faith Bear Template

This is a great tool to teach children and adults about our spiritual "Weapons", Faith, The Armour of God .

I have made this little Bear several times. I have used construction paper, that big craft paper from Dollar Tree , I think they are 3 for $1.00. I have also made 2 " Stuffed Teddy Bears" with all their weapons.

This template, I drew for a friend. So it is not the neatest......I am also doing "Fruits" now too. Little cut out fruits with the fruits of the Spirit written on them from Galations.

Hugs, GG

A Worried Christian ??????

A Worried Christian?

by John MacArthurAdapted from Anxiety Attacked, © 1993 by John MacArthur.

All rights reserved.

We all have to admit that worry is a common temptation in life—for many it is a favorite pastime. America, the most affluent society in the world is also the most worry-filled society in the world—that is, if spending on security, mental illnesses, and intoxicants are any indication.

Americans worry, and worry is a sin. It is neither insignificant, nor inconsequential. And for the Christian, it is absolutely contrary to faith Christ. Jesus categorically prohibited worry in a familiar portion of the Sermon on the Mount—Matthew 6:25-34.

Three times in that short passage He commanded, “Do not worry!”, and the way He said it shows the comprehensiveness of His charge.

In verse 25 He acknowledges worry as a common practice and says, “Stop worrying;” in verses 31 and 34 He uses the same word, but in a way that means “Don’t even start worrying.”

To continue worrying about anything, or to start worrying in the first place, is to violate the Lord’s command.

If you worry, what kind of faith do you manifest? “Little faith,” according to Jesus (Matt. 6:30).

Now if you are a child of God, by definition you have a Heavenly Father.

To act like you don’t—nervously asking, “What shall I eat? What shall I drink? With what shall I clothe myself?”—is to act like an unbeliever in God’s eyes (vv. 31-32).

Think about it this way: Christians who worry believe God can redeem them, break the shackles of Satan, take them from hell to heaven, put them into His kingdom, and give them eternal life, but just don’t think He can get them through the next couple of days.

That is pretty ridiculous, isn’t it? That we can believe God for the greater gift and then stumble and not believe Him for the lesser one reveals an embarrassing lack of faith.

The Worrier Strikes Out at God Someone might say, “Why make a big deal out of worry? It’s just a trivial sin.” No, it is not.

I suspect a majority of mental illnesses and some physical illnesses are directly related to worry.

Many cases of drunkenness and drug addiction are symptomatic of worry. And because of worry, many make foolish life decisions, incurring painful consequences. Worry is devastating.

But more important than what worry does to you is what you are communicating about God. When you worry you are saying in effect, “God, I just don’t think I can trust You.”

Worry strikes a blow at the person and character of God.

The Worrier Disbelieves Scripture It breaks my heart to hear some Christians claim to believe in the inerrancy of Scripture, and then live as perpetual worriers.

If you do that, you are saying one thing out of one side of your mouth, and another thing out of the other.

It is incongruous to say how much you believe the Bible and then worry about God fulfilling what He says in it.

The Worrier Is Mastered by Circumstances When you worry, you are choosing to be mastered by your circumstances instead of by the truth of God.

The vicissitudes and trials of life pale in comparison to the greatness of salvation. Jesus wants you to realize it doesn’t make sense to believe God can save you from eternal hell, but not help you in the practical matters of life.

The Apostle Paul reflects a similar desire in Ephesians 1:18-19: “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.” When you catch yourself worrying, go back to Scripture and let God open your eyes again.

The Worrier Distrusts God When you worry, you are not trusting your Heavenly Father. That means you don’t know Him well enough. Take heart—there’s an effective remedy: Study the Word of God to find out who He really is and how He has supplied the needs of His people in the past. That will build confidence for the future.

Stay fresh in the Word every day so that God is in your mind. Otherwise Satan is apt to move into the vacuum and tempt you to worry about something.

Let God’s track record in Scripture and in your own life assure you that worry is needless because of God’s bounty, senseless because of God’s promise, useless because of its impotence to do anything productive, and faithless because it is characteristic of unbelievers.

Worry Is Unwise Because of Our Future Jesus said, “Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matt. 6:34).

He was saying, “Don’t worry about the future. Even though it will have its share of problems, they have a way of working themselves out at the time. Just deal with them as they come, for there’s no way to solve them in advance.”

Providing for tomorrow is good, but worrying about tomorrow is sin because God is the God of tomorrow just like He is the God of today. Lamentations 3:23 tells us His mercies “are new every morning.”

He feeds us like He fed the Children of Israel—with just enough manna for the day.

Worrying paralyzes you, making you too upset to accomplish anything productive. It will seek to do that to you by taking you mentally into tomorrow until you find something to worry about. Refuse to go along for the ride.

The Lord says you have enough to deal with today. Apply today’s resources to today’s needs or you will lose today’s joy. God gives you the glorious gift of life today; live in the light and full joy of that day, using the resources God supplies.

Don’t push yourself into the future and forfeit the day’s joy over an anticipated tomorrow that may never happen. Today is all you really have, for God permits none of us to live in tomorrow until it turns into today.

Understand this: God gives you strength one day at a time. He gives you what you need when you need it and doesn’t encumber you with excess baggage. Perhaps your worst fear is how you’d handle a loved one’s death.

Let me assure you as a pastor who has kept watch over many Christians finding themselves in that situation, this is the attitude I most often encounter: “It is so wonderful how God has sustained me! I naturally miss my beloved, but I feel such incredible strength and confidence and a gladness in my heart that my loved one is with the Lord.”

God gives us His grace in the hour we need it. If we worry about the future now, we double our pain without having the grace to deal with it.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever” (Heb. 13:8).

That means He will be doing the same thing tomorrow that He was doing yesterday. If you have any question about the future, look at the past. Did He sustain you then? Don’t worry—He will sustain you in the future as well.
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I just love the ministry of John MacArthur. This is their website http://www.gty.org/

Hugs & Prayers, GG

If you love seafood y..............

Hot Crab and Swiss Dip

1/2 C. Chopped Red Bell Pepper

1/4 C. Chopped Green onions

1 tbsp. metled butter/margarine

8 oz of Crab Meat Chopped, or you can use 1/2 of a 16 oz package of imitation crabmeat

1/3 C. condensed cream of celery soup( Undiluted

1 C. Shredded Swiss Cheese

1/2 tsp. Crushed red pepper flakes

Pita Bread , toasted and cut into triangles.

Cook bell pepper & green onions in butter on medium heat until tender.

Stir in crab, soup, cheese and red pepper flakes. REduce heat to low and cook until heated through 5-10 minutes. Serve on the pita bread , garnished with fresh parsley ( I prefer dill)

Yummy ..........

Hugs, GG

Resist the Devil........Part 1

I was studing out this scripture from James a few years ago as part of a larger study on our Spiritual Weapons/Spiritual Warfare.

These are notes and thoughts on the topic of Steadfast Faith and how we can use to to resist. Thought I would share it .
Hugs, GG



Jas:4:7: Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Resist = To actively oppose . To withstand as so not to be impressed by; to form a impediment or hinderance. To Strive or struggle against actively.

Flee= To hasten or to run away; as from danger or evil, to resort to a shelter ; to retreat.
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1Pe:5:8: Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

1Pe:5:9: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.


Stedfast:= Firm, Hard, Unwavering, Trustworthy, fixed , sure, certain. That which does not move or waver. Immoveable, that which you may rely upon.
True, safe, sure

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FAITH

Faith is= Tangible, is has substance . It is material. Faith makes you do something.

Examples;

Faith complelled Abel to offer a sacrafice to God that ......." Pleased God"

Faith complelled Enoch and God Translated him, Enoch had the testimony ....he "Pleased God".

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Heb:11:1: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Substance ***********************Evidence

Evidence: Enables our mind to "see' the truth. Evidence brings clarity to prove to our mind.

Substance: Is actually existing, it is real , it is not imaginary. It is evidence . It is proof.

Faith: Makes our minds able to "See" TRUTH!

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Faith is in general the persuasion of the mind that a certain
statement is true .

Its primary idea is trust. A thing is true, and therefore worthy of trust. My favorite preacher/pastor , Dr. Robert Costa Jr, taught a sermon called
“ Fully persuaded” and in it he made the comment

“ Truth in and of itself, has no effect, Unless, it is true to you “


Ph'p:1:27: Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

2Th:2:13: But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: (faith)

Faith is the result of teaching (Rom. 10:14-17).

Ro:10:14: How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Ro:10:15: And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Ro:10:16: But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
Ro:10:17: So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

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Knowledge is an essential element in all faith, and is often times it is spoken of as an equivalent to faith

Joh:10:38: But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him
1Jo:2:3: And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

Yet the two are different in this respect, that faith includes in the admitting of the mind to truth ,which is an act of the will in addition to the act of the understanding.

The act ( Action /verb) of our minds admitting or agreeing to the truth is of the essence ( Substance ) of faith, and the ultimate ground on which our agreeing with truth to any revealed truth rests in this that God Is the TRUTH .

Frugal Decorating............

This is my "funky" buffet. I repurposed two attic treasures to form this "new" piece . I like it for my bowls. The bottom piece is a vintage head board from a twin bed circa 1950's , I turned it upside down .

And the top piece is from a 1940's dresser it held a mirror long since gone. The two little shelfs on it open up and are little storage areas. Not a "look" for everyone, but I just love it.

Hugs, GG

Storm on the Horizon

Storm on the Horizon

There is a storm on the horizon. If you have eye's to see.

It's impact will be felt by you and me.

It is headed this way, its course willnot change.

It is fueled by men's hearts.It's all been arranged.

For they loved the darkness more than the light.

And they would not repent and come in from the night.

After the storm there awaits a day, when all that are His will be swept away.

Shining and bright, all things made new. This is my prayer for me and for you.

Copyright ©2009

Hugs & Prayers , GG

First Project with my Fabric Blessing.........

Linens for my Bathroom............... Curtain. I added a Fabric Roman Shade since this picture was taken

Found this lovely vintage Drapery Rod in our Attic, so my husband adjusted it for me so that I could use it as a Rod for the shower curtain

Shower Curtain.................. I made two Panels and Tie Backs which are not in this picture.

My "Old" Elgin.............I love it .

Working my way to the next project............. Aprons for my Daughter and my two Grand-daughters.

Hugs, GG

Blessed are the...........Re:14:13

Hugs, Love & Prayers,
GG

Happy Valentines Day

OXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO





Looks just like me and my Sweetie . LOL .

Happy Valentines Dear Friends!!!!!
Hugs & Prayers,
GG

Let me bear fruit Lord ....................

Oh Lord in this season of days we are living in ................Let me bear Fruit.

Ga:5:16: This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Ga:5:17: For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Ga:5:18: But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Ga:5:19: Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Ga:5:20: Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Ga:5:21: Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Ga:5:22: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Ga:5:23: Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Ga:5:24: And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Ga:5:25: If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Ga:5:26: Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Works of the Flesh
1) Adultery

2) Fornication

3) Uncleanness
4) Lasciviousness
5) Idolatry
6) Witchcraft

7) Hatred

8) Variance
9) Emulations

10) Wrath
11) Strife
12) Seditions
13) Heresies
14) Envyings,
15) Murders
16) Drunkenness
17) Revellings

Fruit of the Spirit
1) Love
2) Joy
3) Peace
4) Longsuffering
5) Gentleness
6) Goodness
7) Faith
8) Meekness
9) Temperance

Hugs & Prayers , GG

A Wonderful Blessing.....

My Daughter and I went a picked up "Some Fabric" from a fellow free-cycler .

The some fabric has turned out to be hundreds of yards of fabric, Cordoroy, Cotton Linen, Jersey, Denim, burlap, velour, beautiful vintage and new .

I felt like a kid at Christmas.

The most interesting part of this blessing is that my fellow-freecycler is a Neighbor who lives right down the street from me.

She and her husband own and operate one of the premier custom painting and wallcovering businesses in our city. What a lovely lady and very giving.

She and her husband do so much work for charities and children in our city ,so I promised her I would also pass along a blessing from her blessing.

God is so intricatly involved in our life's .......he knows the desires of our heart and so often he will just open up the windows of heaven and pour us out a blessing that we are almost unable to contain! What a mighty God we serve. There are 7 more Boxes of fabric just like this . Now..... to clean my fabric closet. Whoo Hoo!!!!!

Hugs, GG

Phil's Prediction..................

Well,
I guess it is six more weeks of winter if you are banking on Phil.
ICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is all I can say ICK!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so done with winter!!!!!!Hugs, GG