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Showing posts from November, 2011

bondage breaker

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      For one of the classes I am taking this fall, I have to read 8 books in 8 weeks.  We are now into the sixth week of the class.  I have enjoyed most of the books quite a bit as it helps to show different counseling methods and models.  This week I initially resisted the ideas presented in the book by Dr.Neil Anderson called "The Bondage Breaker".  I don't know that he really presents a counseling model, but he does remind us that there is a spiritual battle going in in the believers life and this battle starts in the mind.  One of his big ideas is that we are to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ 2 Corinthians 10:5     While I am not endorsing all of the book since I don't believe that believers can be influenced by demons and things like that, I do think that it is a good reminder that what we believe about ourselves is often how we behave.  It is also a good reminder that Satan does not want us to understand who we are "in Christ"

Sent

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      Jesus said, "I can do nothing on My own initiative, As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me."  John 5:30     Years ago, I went to a church where there was a sign at the end of the parking lot.  It said, "Now entering mission field".  The truth is, that though there are professional missionaries who get paid to go to other places and do mission work we are all on mission.  A lot of the time most christians forget that and think they are simply here to do their own will instead of God's.  Jesus Himself repeated many times that he was on a mission that the Father had sent him on.  You'll notice, particularly in the gospel of John, that the word "sent" is used numerous times.  What were you "sent" to do?     I say this because I think it is easy for us to get off of God's agenda for our lives and get on to our own.  We can get caught up in the attraction of

Loaves and Fishes

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    In several places in the gospels, the story is told of Jesus taking a few fish and loaves and feeding a multitude.  One story it is 5,000 men and another situation is 4,000 men not counting women, children and slaves.  Have you ever wondered why these stories are emphasized so much in the gospels?      In Matthew 14:13-21, we have the story of the 5,000 that were fed.  It says that the disciples realized the people were getting hungry and told Jesus that he should send the people away that they might buy food.  But, when they said this Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!" verse 16.   The disciples are quick to point out the impossibility of this claiming that they only have five loaves and two fish.  These fish were more like sardines and what is that among thousands.   In Marks account of this same story in Mark 6 it says that one of the disciples remarked that it would take two hundred denari (about 7 months wages) for them t