Don’t Hurt the Lord

April 21st, 2011 by JDVaughn No comments »

April 21, 2011

Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? —John 14:9

 

Our Lord must be repeatedly astounded at us-astounded at how “un-simple” we are. It is our own opinions that make us dense and slow to understand, but when we are simple we are never dense; we have discernment all the time. Philip expected the future revelation of a tremendous mystery, but not in Jesus, the Person he thought he already knew. The mystery of God is not in what is going to be-it is now, though we look for it to be revealed in the future in some overwhelming, momentous event. We have no reluctance to obey Jesus, but it is highly probable that we are hurting Him by what we ask-”Lord, show us the Father . . .” (John 14:8). His response immediately comes back to us as He says, “Can’t you see Him? He is always right here or He is nowhere to be found.” We look for God to exhibit Himself to His children, but God only exhibits Himself in His children. And while others see the evidence, the child of God does not. We want to be fully aware of what God is doing in us, but we cannot have complete awareness and expect to remain reasonable or balanced in our expectations of Him. If all we are asking God to give us is experiences, and the awareness of those experiences is blocking our way, we hurt the Lord. The very questions we ask hurt Jesus, because they are not the questions of a child.

“Let not your heart be troubled . . .” (14:1, 27). Am I then hurting Jesus by allowing my heart to be troubled? . If I believe in Jesus and His attributes, am I living up to my belief? Am I allowing anything to disturb my heart, or am I allowing any questions to come in which are unsound or unbalanced? I have to get to the point of the absolute and unquestionable relationship that takes everything exactly as it comes from Him. God never guides us at some time in the future, but always here and now. Realize that the Lord is here now, and the freedom you receive is immediate.

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April 21, 2011

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Lord sometimes I feel like there is way too much to remember after the three hundred and eighty fifth devotional….one more reminder by Chambers that I need to try and remember.  Or in Chambers’ case two or three more important things to remember. He says..I need to remain balanced in my expectations. Avoid asking You to give me experiences, or I will hurt You….and not allow questions that are unbalanced. These are just the admonitions of Chambers for today! How can I keep it all together when I am also trying to keep a handle on my nature?

And God says…”You are not capable of remembering all the lessons, and sometimes My greatest teachers can deliver too much. Come to Me as a little child, trust Me as children trust their parents. Focus on Me and let Me transform you. There is only one thing to remember; love Me and trust in Me with all your heart, mind and soul and you will be transformed into the image of Christ. Everything else will take care of itself. You do not have to remember or recall all the lessons you have been taught, you are not strong enough. But I am strong enough and I live through you.”

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Can a Saint Falsely Accuse God?

April 20th, 2011 by JDVaughn No comments »

 

April 20, 2011

All the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen . . . —2 Corinthians 1:20

Jesus’ parable of the talents recorded in Matthew 25:14-30  was a warning that it is possible for us to misjudge our capacities. This parable has nothing to do with natural gifts and abilities, but relates to the gift of the Holy Spirit as He was first given at Pentecost. We must never measure our spiritual capacity on the basis of our education or our intellect; our capacity in spiritual things is measured on the basis of the promises of God. If we get less than God wants us to have, we will falsely accuse Him as the servant falsely accused his master when he said, “You expect more of me than you gave me the power to do. You demand too much of me, and I cannot stand true to you here where you have placed me.” When it is a question of God’s Almighty Spirit, never say, “I can’t.” Never allow the limitation of your own natural ability to enter into the matter. If we have received the Holy Spirit, God expects the work of the Holy Spirit to be exhibited in us.

The servant justified himself, while condemning his lord on every point, as if to say, “Your demand on me is way out of proportion to what you gave to me.” Have we been falsely accusing God by daring to worry after He has said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you”? (Matthew 6:33). Worrying means exactly what this servant implied— “I know your intent is to leave me unprotected and vulnerable.” A person who is lazy in the natural realm is always critical, saying, “I haven’t had a decent chance,” and someone who is lazy in the spiritual realm is critical of God. Lazy people always strike out at others in an independent way.

Never forget that our capacity and capability in spiritual matters is measured by, and based on, the promises of God. Is God able to fulfill His promises? Our answer depends on whether or not we have received the Holy Spirit.

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Journal Entry for Today-JDV

April 20, 2011

This lesson really hit home this morning Lord; the thought that You have provided me all that I need to live a victorious life here on earth. This idea that all my needs are (already) addressed by You , regardless of what I can see, touch or sense brings me right back to the idea that I am to praise You at all times.  When I do not feel close to You I am not to trust anything as fickle as my feelings, I am to take You at your word, and praise You for what You have provided and will provide….and more importantly I am to praise for who You are. For it is within this praise and worship that our intimate relationship manifests itself in my sense of well being.

And God says…”When you praise and worship Me, the Holy Spirit joins with you so that you are intimately connected with Me at the very highest level. Your faith, hope and joy are renewed and restored and as you worship, praise and pray, you will notice the peace that passes all understanding permeates your heart, mind and soul. Seek the kingdom of God through your worship and praise and then realize that I have met all your needs according to MY riches in heaven.”

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Beware of the Least Likely Temptation

April 19th, 2011 by Dave No comments »


Joab had defected to Adonijah, though he had not defected to Absalom —1 Kings 2:28

Joab withstood the greatest test of his life, remaining absolutely loyal to David by not turning to follow after the fascinating and ambitious Absalom. Yet toward the end of his life he turned to follow after the weak and cowardly Adonijah. Always remain alert to the fact that where one person has turned back is exactly where anyone may be tempted to turn back (see 1 Corinthians 10:11-13). You may have just victoriously gone through a great crisis, but now be alert about the things that may appear to be the least likely to tempt you. Beware of thinking that the areas of your life where you have experienced victory in the past are now the least likely to cause you to stumble and fall.

We are apt to say, “It is not at all likely that having been through the greatest crisis of my life I would now turn back to the things of the world.” Do not try to predict where the temptation will come; it is the least likely thing that is the real danger. It is in the aftermath of a great spiritual event that the least likely things begin to have an effect. They may not be forceful and dominant, but they are there. And if you are not careful to be forewarned, they will trip you. You have remained true to God under great and intense trials— now beware of the undercurrent. Do not be abnormally examining your inner self, looking forward with dread, but stay alert; keep your memory sharp before God. Unguarded strength is actually a double weakness, because that is where the least likely temptations will be effective in sapping strength. The Bible characters stumbled over their strong points, never their weak ones.

“. . . kept by the power of God . . .”— that is the only safety. (1 Peter 1:5).

DJR Journal 4 19 11

Good Morning, Lord      Is the reminder to stay alert and rehearse our reliance and connection to you related to your command, “do this in remembrance of me?”

It is one of the reasons it was put in the book.

This is the first time I have really seen the value of the rest of that admonition, “as often as you gather.”   Almost none of the Protestant church see the need to obey that “as often” part.   Perhaps if we more often reminded ourselves of what you did, what it provided and what you conquered, and that without you, we could (will) fall, but in the power that is ours provided by your sacrifice … that we can stand … perhaps we wouldn’t have so many stumbles.    My current church is the first place I’ve been that does communion every week.  I like it.   It’s an opportunity to review and rehearse all that you provided and also remind myself that without diligence I can relax and easily get tripped up.   It’s a way of tightening up my connection with you.     Thank you.

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April 19, 2011

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

We are to be vigilant. I understand that we can be tempted from anywhere and even in our supposed strengths fall….or perhaps it is within our supposed strengths that we do fall.

And God says…” When you feel strongest, you are the most vulnerable. When you are capable of meeting your needs, you are the least filled with Me. When you are strong you “soldier on” and “man up”. These traits take you inside of yourself, trusting your own strength.  I do not allow trials and difficulties in your life so that you can “soldier on” and “man up’, I allow them so that you can see your need for Me. Trust in Me with all your heart and do not rely on your own strength, and I will make your paths straight.”

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Readiness

April 18th, 2011 by JDVaughn No comments »

April 18, 2011
God called to him . . . . And he said, ’Here I am’ —Exodus 3:4
 

When God speaks, many of us are like people in a fog, and we give no answer. Moses’ reply to God revealed that he knew where he was and that he was ready. Readiness means having a right relationship to God and having the knowledge of where we are. We are so busy telling God where we would like to go. Yet the man or woman who is ready for God and His work is the one who receives the prize when the summons comes. We wait with the idea that some great opportunity or something sensational will be coming our way, and when it does come we are quick to cry out, “Here I am.” Whenever we sense that Jesus Christ is rising up to take authority over some great task, we are there, but we are not ready for some obscure duty.

Readiness for God means that we are prepared to do the smallest thing or the largest thing— it makes no difference. It means we have no choice in what we want to do, but that whatever God’s plans may be, we are there and ready. Whenever any duty presents itself, we hear God’s voice as our Lord heard His Father’s voice, and we are ready for it with the total readiness of our love for Him. Jesus Christ expects to do with us just as His Father did with Him. He can put us wherever He wants, in pleasant duties or in menial ones, because our union with Him is the same as His union with the Father. “. . . that they may be one just as We are one . . .” (John 17:22).

Be ready for the sudden surprise visits of God. A ready person never needs to get ready— he is ready. Think of the time we waste trying to get ready once God has called! The burning bush is a symbol of everything that surrounds the person who is ready, and it is on fire with the presence of God Himself.

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April 18, 2011

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

It is amazing how praising God can bring on the most reverent sense of connection, and while I do not want to judge my closeness or intimacy with God by something as unreliable as my feelings, it is nonetheless joyful to have this sense of connection. I wonder why I forget that praise is the solution to my sense of spiritual well-being.

And God says…”When you praise Me you are telling Me that you trust Me and I am your God. The first commandment given you by Jesus was to love Me with all your heart, mind and soul. Jesus knew that when you focus on Me and your overwhelming love for Me, you would experience a supernatural sense of wellbeing. Try this. Whenever you are hurting, in doubt, anxious and or doubting My role in your life, simply begin to praise Me. Notice the change inside your heart and mind. Acknowledge the Lord in all your ways and He will make your paths straight. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.”

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The Failure To Pay Close Attention

April 15th, 2011 by JDVaughn No comments »

April 15, 2011
 
The high places were not removed from Israel. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was loyal all his days —2 Chronicles 15:17
 

Asa was not completely obedient in the outward, visible areas of his life. He was obedient in what he considered the most important areas, but he was not entirely right. Beware of ever thinking, “Oh, that thing in my life doesn’t matter much.” The fact that it doesn’t matter much to you may mean that it matters a great deal to God. Nothing should be considered a trivial matter by a child of God. How much longer are we going to prevent God from teaching us even one thing? But He keeps trying to teach us and He never loses patience. You say, “I know I am right with God”— yet the “high places” still remain in your life. There is still an area of disobedience. Do you protest that your heart is right with God, and yet there is something in your life He causes you to doubt? Whenever God causes a doubt about something, stop it immediately, no matter what it may be. Nothing in our lives is a mere insignificant detail to God.

Are there some things regarding your physical or intellectual life to which you have been paying no attention at all? If so, you may think you are all correct in the important areas, but you are careless— you are failing to concentrate or to focus properly. You no more need a day off from spiritual concentration on matters in your life than your heart needs a day off from beating. As you cannot take a day off morally and remain moral, neither can you take a day off spiritually and remain spiritual. God wants you to be entirely His, and it requires paying close attention to keep yourself fit. It also takes a tremendous amount of time. Yet some of us expect to rise above all of our problems, going from one mountaintop experience to another, with only a few minutes’ effort.

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April 15, 2011

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Being completely surrendered seems to require that I am dependent on You. And for me to be dependent on You requires that I am unable to cope with some of the very important and compelling issues and circumstances in my life. When I can handle my circumstances I simply …”handle my circumstances”. But deep down I know the only way I can truly find peace is to trust You to lead, guide and direct my future. And for that to occur, I often need a future so uncertain that I am compelled to hand it over to You Lord.

And God says…”When you examine your life, circumstances and uncertain future, consider what it takes for you to; seek first the Kingdom of God, and to acknowledge Me in ALL your ways. What kinds of circumstances are required for you to place yourself completely in My hands and to find joy, peace and love in uncertainty?  I love you enough to allow and create those kinds of circumstances with the accompanying uncertainty. I came to give you life and life more abundantly, and this is one of the ways I accomplish just that.”

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Inner Invincibility

April 14th, 2011 by JDVaughn No comments »

April 14, 2011
 
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me . . . —Matthew 11:29
 

Whom the Lord loves He chastens . . .” (Hebrews 12:6). How petty our complaining is! Our Lord begins to bring us to the point where we can have fellowship with Him, only to hear us moan and groan, saying, “Oh Lord, just let me be like other people!” Jesus is asking us to get beside Him and take one end of the yoke, so that we can pull together. That’s why Jesus says to us, “My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). Are you closely identified with the Lord Jesus like that? If so, you will thank God when you feel the pressure of His hand upon you.

“. . . to those who have no might He increases strength” (Isaiah 40:29). God comes and takes us out of our emotionalism, and then our complaining turns into a hymn of praise. The only way to know the strength of God is to take the yoke of Jesus upon us and to learn from Him.

“. . . the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). Where do the saints get their joy? If we did not know some Christians well, we might think from just observing them that they have no burdens at all to bear. But we must lift the veil from our eyes. The fact that the peace, light, and joy of God is in them is proof that a burden is there as well. The burden that God places on us squeezes the grapes in our lives and produces the wine, but most of us see only the wine and not the burden. No power on earth or in hell can conquer the Spirit of God living within the human spirit; it creates an inner invincibility.

If your life is producing only a whine, instead of the wine, then ruthlessly kick it out. It is definitely a crime for a Christian to be weak in God’s strength.

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April 14, 2010

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

You are everything that I need even though I think I need more of this, less of that. Even when I believe that this certain change in my life will bring me peace and joy and happiness, you steer me back to the place where I realize that You truly are everything I need. And I realize that You do not require me to live without the things I want and need, especially when and if I have turned over my wants and needs to You. Even when you provided me with all that I could ever ask for or imagine, and I was NOT connected in an intimate relationship with You, I was empty.  Thank You Lord for filling me with You. Thank you for the joy, peace and love that flows from that filling, regardless of my circumstances.

And God says…”Seek first the kingdom of God. Acknowledge the Lord in all your ways, Delight yourself in the Lord. Wait on the Lord. Come onto Me, if you abide in Me and My words abide in you………These are all conditional promises that I have given you to reassure you that if you first seek Me, I will answer and meet all your needs. I have provided you promise after promise to instruct you in how to live. Start with our relationship, start with Me before you start anything, and you will have life and life more abundantly. Live this way and you will have peace that passes all understanding. “

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What To Do When Your Burden Is Overwhelming

April 13th, 2011 by JDVaughn No comments »
April 13, 2011
Cast your burden on the Lord . . . —Psalm 55:22

We must recognize the difference between burdens that are right for us to bear and burdens that are wrong. We should never bear the burdens of sin or doubt, but there are some burdens placed on us by God which He does not intend to lift off. God wants us to roll them back on Him— to literally “cast your burden,” which He has given you, “on the Lord . . . .” If we set out to serve God and do His work but get out of touch with Him, the sense of responsibility we feel will be overwhelming and defeating. But if we will only roll back on God the burdens He has placed on us, He will take away that immense feeling of responsibility, replacing it with an awareness and understanding of Himself and His presence.

Many servants set out to serve God with great courage and with the right motives. But with no intimate fellowship with Jesus Christ, they are soon defeated. They do not know what to do with their burden, and it produces weariness in their lives. Others will see this and say, “What a sad end to something that had such a great beginning!”

“Cast your burden on the Lord . . . .” You have been bearing it all, but you need to deliberately place one end on God’s shoulder. “. . . the government will be upon His shoulder” (Isaiah 9:6). Commit to God whatever burden He has placed on you. Don’t just cast it aside, but put it over onto Him and place yourself there with it. You will see that your burden is then lightened by the sense of companionship. But you should never try to separate yourself from your burden.

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April 13, 2011

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

The song lyric is, “What if your blessings come through raindrops, what if your blessings come through tears?” And that is the fact of the matter is it not? The blessings that create the faith, hope and love for that we require for our lives do in fact come through raindrops and tears. On this side of a great trial or burden I can see the plan. Inside the trial or burden it is much more difficult.

And God says…”Of course it is more difficult to see the benefit of fear and heartache when you are inside your circumstance. But you do not have to wait until you are outside of the trial or burden to experience the blessings of my faith, hope and love. You can cast your burdens upon Me and experience the peace that passes all understanding even as raindrops and tears surround you. I did not come to take all your burdens away, I came to take all your burdens on myself and provide you the strength, hope, and courage to accept, endure or overcome.  Your happiness and peace is not dependent on your circumstances changing. Your happiness, peace and joy comes from Me. Delight yourself in the Lord and I will give you the desires of your heart.”

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Complete and Effective Dominion

April 12th, 2011 by JDVaughn No comments »

April 12, 2011
Death no longer has dominion over Him. . . . the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God . . . —Romans 6:9-11

Co-Eternal Life. Eternal life is the life which Jesus Christ exhibited on the human level. And it is this same life, not simply a copy of it, which is made evident in our mortal flesh when we are born again. Eternal life is not a gift from God; eternal life is the gift of God. The energy and the power which was so very evident in Jesus will be exhibited in us by an act of the absolute sovereign grace of God, once we have made that complete and effective decision about sin.

“You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you . . .” (Acts 1:8)— not power as a gift from the Holy Spirit; the power is the Holy Spirit, not something that He gives us. The life that was in Jesus becomes ours because of His Cross, once we make the decision to be identified with Him. If it is difficult to get right with God, it is because we refuse to make this moral decision about sin. But once we do decide, the full life of God comes in immediately. Jesus came to give us an endless supply of life— “. . . that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19). Eternal life has nothing to do with time. It is the life which Jesus lived when He was down here, and the only Source of life is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Even the weakest saint can experience the power of the deity of the Son of God, when he is willing to “let go.” But any effort to “hang on” to the least bit of our own power will only diminish the life of Jesus in us. We have to keep letting go, and slowly, but surely, the great full life of God will invade us, penetrating every part. Then Jesus will have complete and effective dominion in us, and people will take notice that we have been with Him.

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April 12, 2011

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Thank you God for the reminder that there is a way, that you will make a way when there appears to be……no way. Thank you for the reassurance that You are The Way, The Truth and The Light. It seems that I may be at the end of this particular lesson on faith and trust in light of very difficult circumstances. Once again You brought me through when I could not see a way through the obstacles.

And God says…”When you look at your obstacles instead of Me, you find no peace, hope or reassurance. You can only see your obstacles. But when you look to Me, your faith, hope and love are magnified and you become transformed by the faith that I provide you. I know your faith and hope are insufficient, but I am sufficient. Trust in Me, lean on Me, lean not on your own understanding and I will make your paths straight. Delight yourself in the Lord and I will give you the desires of your heart.

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Complete and Effective Divinity

April 11th, 2011 by Dave No comments »



If we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection . . . —Romans 6:5

Co-Resurrection. The proof that I have experienced crucifixion with Jesus is that I have a definite likeness to Him. The Spirit of Jesus entering me rearranges my personal life before God.

The resurrection of Jesus has given Him the authority to give the life of God to me, and the experiences of my life must now be built on the foundation of His life. I can have the resurrection life of Jesus here and now, and it will exhibit itself through holiness.
The idea all through the apostle Paul’s writings is that after the decision to be identified with Jesus in His death has been made, the resurrection life of Jesus penetrates every bit of my human nature. It takes the omnipotence of God— His complete and effective divinity— to live the life of the Son of God in human flesh. The Holy Spirit cannot be accepted as a guest in merely one room of the house— He invades all of it. And once I decide that my “old man” (that is, my heredity of sin) should be identified with the death of Jesus, the Holy Spirit invades me. He takes charge of everything. My part is to walk in the light and to obey all that He reveals to me.

Once I have made that important decision about sin, it is easy to “reckon” that I am actually “dead indeed to sin,” because I find the life of Jesus in me all the time (Romans 6:11). Just as there is only one kind of humanity, there is only one kind of holiness— the holiness of Jesus.And it is His holiness that has been given to me. God puts the holiness of His Son into me, and I belong to a new spiritual order.


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Why We Lack Understanding

April 7th, 2011 by JDVaughn No comments »

April 07, 2011
 
He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead —Mark 9:9
 

As the disciples were commanded, you should also say nothing until the Son of Man has risen in you— until the life of the risen Christ so dominates you that you truly understand what He taught while here on earth. When you grow and develop the right condition inwardly, the words Jesus spoke become so clear that you are amazed you did not grasp them before. In fact, you were not able to understand them before because you had not yet developed the proper spiritual condition to deal with them.

Our Lord doesn’t hide these things from us, but we are not prepared to receive them until we are in the right condition in our spiritual life. Jesus said, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now” (John 16:12). We must have a oneness with His risen life before we are prepared to bear any particular truth from Him. Do we really know anything about the indwelling of the risen life of Jesus? The evidence that we do is that His Word is becoming understandable to us. God cannot reveal anything to us if we don’t have His Spirit. And our own unyielding and headstrong opinions will effectively prevent God from revealing anything to us. But our insensible thinking will end immediately once His resurrection life has its way with us.

“. . . tell no one . . . .” But so many people do tell what they saw on the Mount of Transfiguration— their mountaintop experience. They have seen a vision and they testify to it, but there is no connection between what they say and how they live. Their lives don’t add up because the Son of Man has not yet risen in them. How long will it be before His resurrection life is formed and evident in you and in me?

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April 7, 2011

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Lord, thank you for the lessons while being remade. I had no idea what it meant to gain my life by losing it until I lived it. I know I have gone through the process so far, kicking and screaming on occasion, but Lord I am thankful.  I know I have not embraced the rapid changes and difficult circumstances, and have found myself attending a number of “pity parties” en route to the learning, but Lord I look back and can understand that there was really no other way for me to learn some very powerful and essential lessons. I know I do not say it often enough, but thank you Lord for loving me enough to not only send your Son but the lessons that drive me closer to Him as well.

And God says…”Acknowledge the Lord in all your ways and do not rely on your own understanding and He will make your paths straight. When you wait on Me you will grow stronger and rise up like on the wings of eagles and take flight. You gain wisdom and understanding because you seek my counsel and have asked to become a man after my own heart.  You have been pushed, tried and stretched from every angle so that you are stronger and more flexible; in much better shape to reach out to others and live a testimony of life more abundantly.”

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