IN ME: HOLY SPIRIT, LEAD ME!

MEDITATION MONDAY

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"For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God." Romans 8:14
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• The Holy Spirit of God lives in christians.
• The Holy Spirit of God works in and through His church.
• The Holy Spirit of God leads and guides believers, connecting thoughts, events, conversations, and interactions for His glory.

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I saw it again yesterday!

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Our Sunday morning Bible class, sermon, AND songs connected amazingly with what we've been talking about on this blog.

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I've been attending Mike's adult Bible class on the "Do Not Be Afraid" passages in the Bible. Yesterday's class hit a home run with me:

• Patti, do not be afraid to speak up about Jesus...but when you do...PURSUE PEACE! This peace is more about helping people to make peace with their God than about making sure nobody gets their feelings hurt.
• The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead can speak through us: 2 Corinthians 4:13-14 "But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, " I believed, therefore I spoke, "we also believe, therefore also we speak; knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you."
• We must not be concerned about "pleasing people." Although the book of 2 Corinthians tells us of many things that Paul had to endure when He spoke up about the Spirit Who lived in him, when we read one of his conclusions in 2 Corinthians 5:9, it makes sense. It says, "So we make it our goal to please Him..."
• Blessed are the Peacemakers, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven!

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Guess what we heard in Steve's sermon as he continued our study in Nehemiah? He talked about how Nehemiah was a praying man who listened to God's Spirit. Even though, He was tempted to be afraid of the king, he knew how important it was for him to speak on the behalf of what God had put on His heart. He chose to speak inspite of his fear. He followed through, being led by God and he was victorious. Here are some of Steve's outstanding points:
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1. THREE trilogies on HOW TO be led by the Holy Spirit. These trilogies are the nine Be-Attitudes broken down into three groups of three: poor in spirit/ mourn/meek...hunger & thirst for righteousness/merciful/pure in heart... peacemaker/persecuted/rejoicing...
2. THREE passages from Nehemiah on Holy Spirit leadership: Nehemiah 2:11-15; Nehemiah 7:5; and, Nehemiah 9:12,19, 20
3. THREE truths that Steve has discovered about the Holy Spirit: a) He may choose to lead one person in order to lead others; b) He leads many through His spiritual gifts that He gives; c) He is NOT politically correct! (see Nehemiah 13).
4. THREE ways how NOT to be led by the Holy Spirit: a)Resist the Spirit by being arrogant, prideful, and stiffnecked; b) Worship other gods/idols; c) Live lives disobedient to God's word.

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And the songs! "Yes, LORD, Yes!" , "He Bore it All", "We Place You on the Highest Place!", and "Restore my spirit LORD!" What a blessing yesterdays Spirit led lessons were of sermon and song!

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John 10:3

"He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out."

If you are a child of God, are you truly letting Him lead you?

IN ME

SUNDAY IN THE SON

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When you become a christian,

God's Holy Spirit comes to live inside of you.

You want to know more..

You want to learn from Him...

to please Him and be led by Him...

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Our scripture theme this week continues

with the third "Be-attitude" focus

and adds the fourth "Be-Attitude":

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit...

2. Blessed are they that mourn...

3. Blessed are the meek...

4. Blessed are those who

hunger and thirst for righteousness...

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This week's theme song by Casting Crowns is IN ME. I have the words below and then two videos. Some of you may not like the way they do the words on the first video so I added the second video which is great except it has a few blurry pics. If you are a member of the Pitman church, I think you will be amazed at how today's sermon goes right along with what we have been studying.

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"In Me"
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1.
If you ask me to leap,
Out of my boat on the crashing waves…
If You ask me to go,
Preach to the lost world that Jesus saves…
I'll go, but I cannot go alone!
Cause I know I'm nothing on my own!
But the power of Christ in me…
makes me strong…
makes me strong!

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CHORUS:
Cause when I'm weak,
You make me strong!
When I'm blind,
You shine Your light on me!
Cause I'll never get by living on my own ability.
How refreshing to know You don't need me.
How amazing to find that you want me!
So I'll stand on Your truth,
and I'll fight with Your strength
Until You bring the victory,
by the power of Christ in me.

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2.
If You ask me to run,
And carry Your light into foreign land…
If You ask me to fight,
Deliver Your people from Satan's hand…
I'll go, but I cannot go alone!
Cause I know I'm nothing on my own!
But the power of Christ in me…
makes me strong…
makes me strong!

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CHORUS:
Cause when I'm weak,
You make me strong
When I'm blind,
You shine Your light on me!
Cause I'll never get by living on my own ability.
How refreshing to know You don't need me.
How amazing to find that You want me!
So I'll stand on Your truth,
and I'll fight with Your strength
Until You bring the victory,
by the power of Christ in me.

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3.
To reach out with Your hands
To learn through Your eyes
To love with the love of a Savior
To feel with Your heart
And to think with Your mind
I'd give my last breath for Your glory!
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CHORUS:
…When I'm weak,
You make me strong
When I'm blind,
You shine Your light on me!
Cause I'll never get by living on my own ability.

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CHORUS:
…When I'm weak,
You make me strong
When I'm blind,
You shine Your light on me!
Cause I'll never get by living on my own ability.
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4.
How refreshing to know You don't need me!
How amazing to find that you want me!
So I'll stand on Your truth,
and I'll fight with Your strength
Until You bring the victory,
by the power of Christ in me…
the power of Christ in me…
the power of Christ in me.
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YOU ARE MY KING - LOVE SO AMAZING!

KETCHUP AND MUSTARD SATURDAY

"Catch Up and Must Do!"

Welcome, friend! Thanks for joining me over a burger! Hope you're enjoying your Saturday. I've loved our theme song this week. It really sums up what we've been talking about this month - Jesus' first three Be-attiudes in His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5. His love for us is so amazing! Our response matters!

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BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT FOR THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN...

• Basically, the first step in becoming part of God's kingdom is by seeing ourselves in the right perspective. Life is not all about me! It's about God! Once that sobering reality begins to sink in and I realize my own sinfulness and what a mess I make of things on my own, then...

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BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO MOURN FOR THEY SHALL BE COMFORTED...

• Because I am poor in spirit I can cry out and say, "I'm sorry! I messed up! Will you forgive me?" Jesus stretches out His arms and says, "Of, course! That's why I died for you! You have confessed your sins...now you need to confess me as LORD. Then, you need to become part of My family so that your sins can be washed away. I want to lead you as shepherd and friend and live inside of you!"

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BLESSED ARE THE MEEK FOR THEY SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH...

• It's so important to have the willingness to be led! Meek does not mean weak! It means I've chosen to be wise and gentle ... not kicking and fighting all along the journey as God tries to lead me. If I will follow His lead, then His promise is true, "All things work together for those who love the LORD..."

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Using our theme song for this week, here are a few questions and answers, according to the Bible!

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QUESTION #1: The song says, "I'm forgiven because You were forsaken. I'm accepted. You were condemned." So how does that work?

ANSWER #1a: Jesus came to earth claiming to be the Son of God in the flesh. He was on a mission to reconnect people to God. It was hard! Yet, He lived a perfect (sinless) life. He knew that soon He would be tried, denied, and crucified. So, He told God as He prayed in the garden, "Not my will...but Yours!" Why did He have to be tried, denied, and crucified?
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ANSWER #1b: Jesus knew that He needed to die for us to show us His love for us and allow us to be forgiven. After all, His Father God created us! He put the plan in action based on love. Adam and Eve messed up! They broke God's rules, which is called sin. Everyone since then has sinned except for Jesus. God cannot stand sin! Sin seperates us from God! God's book, The Bible, says in...

• Hebrews 9:22, "...without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness."


• Acts 2:38-39 And Peter said to them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. "

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QUESTION #2:

So, what happens when someone is "baptized" as a baby? Does that count?

ANSWER #2:

Had they sinned? Did they repent? By the verse above, it looks like a person must repent (change from their wicked ways) and then be baptized to receive God's forgiveness and Spirit. Examples of conversion to christianity in the Bible are of people who had sinned, became poor in spirit and mourned over their own sinfulness, knowing that they needed a Savior. God gives each an opportunity to know that there must be a Creator who has a plan for why we are here...

• John 3:1-19 "Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." "Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?" Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. "Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." ... ...14 "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whoever believes may in Him have eternal life. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17 "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.

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QUESTION #3: Some people say that all you have to do is believe and pray Jesus into your heart to be saved. If that's the case, then why baptism?

ANSWER #3: Becoming a christian is a "heart matter"! I agree! Yet, much more than that, it's trusting and obeying the One who wants to save us with His amazing love! Jesus became poor in spirit (Not My will but Thine!), mourned (Father forgive them!), meek (It makes no earthly sense but I'm ready! Spirit, I want You to lead Me!)... He asks us to do the same and also be buried in water the way He was buried in the ground and then rise as He was risen to be born again!

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• I Peter 3:18-22 "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also-not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand-with angels, authorities and powers in submission to Him."

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Once I became a christian I was able to sing the rest of this song with confidence!

"I'm alive and well.Your Spirit is within me.
Because You died and rose again..
Amazing love! How can it be
That You, my King would die for me?
Amazing love! I know it's true.
It's my joy to honor You..
You are my King!
You are my King!
Jesus, You are my King!
Jesus, You are my King!
Amazing love!

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Last Sunday, I posted 2 videos with this week's theme song. Below is a video of another song that speaks to His LOVE SO AMAZING! Join me tomorrow as we continue learning to live the Be-Attitudes!

YOU ARE MY KING! YOU BLESS...BLESS MORE...BLESS THE MOST...

Maybe next Friday I'll share with you the parable of the hand. Those of you who have known Steve or I for very long at all have probably heard it more than once. Today, I'm just going to use the concepts to help us do something.
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PHYSICAL! Each person in your family is a PHYSICAL being with PHYSICAL blessings, needs, strengths, and weaknesses that are different than others.

• short, tall, or in between
• skinny, fat, or in between
• rich, poor, or in between
• junk food junkie, nutrition conscious, or in between
• physically fit, disabled, or in between
• run fast, walk slow, or in between
• white teeth, brown teeth, or in between
• BLESSINGS: good health, enough money to neither be too poor or too rich, food/water/shelter...

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INTELLECTUAL! Each person in your family is an INTELLECTUAL being with INTELLECTUAL blessings, needs, strengths, and weaknesses that are different than others.

• critical thinker, creative thinker, or in between
• comprehender, non-comprehender, or in between
• memorizer, forgetter, or in between
• analyzer, non-detailed, or in between
• organizer, disorganizer, or in between
• all book learning, all hands on learning, or in between
• BLESSINGS: abilities to think, reason, memorize, organize, comprehend...

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RELATIONAL! Each person in your family is a RELATIONAL being with RELATIONAL blessings, needs, strengths, and weaknesses that are different than others.

• many friends, few friends, or in between
• extrovert, introvert, or in between
• telephone talker, non-talker, or in between
• online chatter, no chatting, or in between
• BLESSINGS: friends, family, fellowship, neighbors, enemies...
  

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EMOTIONAL! Each person in your family is an EMOTIONAL being with EMOTIONAL blessings, needs, strengths, and weaknesses that are different than others.

• feel happy, feel sad, or in between
• feel frustrated, feel content, or in between
• feel ignored, feel accepted, or in between
• feel confident, feel insecure, or in between
• BLESSINGS: the opportunity to feel an array of emotions including EMPATHY!

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SPIRITUAL! Each person in your family is a SPIRITUAL being with SPIRITUAL blessings, needs, strengths, and weaknesses that are different than others.

• whatever is happening inside of you because JESUS CHRIST is in your life.

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What about a list? Well, last Friday, I put out the 100 SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS CHALLENGE. I encouraged YOU, my readers, to talk with your families about this and come up with your own list of Spiritual Blessings in Christ. Then, add them on to the comments of last Friday's post. Sisters, shame on us! We certainly can think of more that 18 spiritual blessings! Please join me this weekend in getting the list to 100.

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Ask for help! You husband, children, friends... and link up here to add them now or sometime in the next few days! May you be overly encouraged by the list!

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http://momstransformed.blogspot.com/2009/01/whatever-youre-doing-inside-of-me-im_23.html

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YOU ARE MY KING! GUIDANCE PLEASE!

TRANSFORMING THURSDAY

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Someone sent me this forward recently and I saved it to share with you on just the right day. Today is that day:

Dancing With God
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When I meditated on the word Guidance,
I kept seeing 'dance' at the end of the word.
I remember reading that doing God's will

is a lot like dancing.
When two people try to lead,

nothing feels right.
The movement doesn't flow with the music,
and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.
When one person realizes that,

and lets the other lead,
both bodies begin to flow with the music.
One gives gentle cues,

perhaps with a nudge to the back
or by pressing Lightly in one direction or another.
It's as if two become one body,

moving beautifully.
The dance takes surrender,

willingness,
and attentiveness from one person
and gentle guidance and skill from the other.
My eyes drew back to the word Guidance.
When I saw 'G': I thought of God,

followed by 'u' and 'i'.
'God, 'u' and 'i' dance.'
God, you, and I dance.
As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust
that I would get guidance about my life.
Once again, I became willing to let God lead.
My prayer for you today is that God's blessings
and mercies are upon you on this day and everyday.
May you abide in God, as God abides in you.
Dance together with God,

trusting God to lead
and to guide you through each season of your life.
And I Hope You Dance !

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"BLESSED ARE THE MEEK..."

YOU ARE MY KING!

WOMEN IN THE WORD WEDNESDAY

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My friend, when you become a christian, God becomes your God and He is with you...He will lead you...He will live inside of you...memorize this with me, please...

Acts 2:38

And Peter said to them,

"Repent,

and let each of you be baptized

in the name of Jesus Christ

for the forgiveness of your sins;

and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

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Now, try to fill in the blanks as you practice:

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Acts 2:38
And _______ ______ to them,
"Repent,
and let each of you be baptized
in the name of _________ __________
for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:38
And Peter said to ______,
"Repent,
and let each of ______ be baptized
in the name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of ______ sins;
and ______ shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:38
And Peter said to them,
"________,
and let each of you be _______
in the name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you shall _________ ____ _____ of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:38
And Peter said to them,
"Repent,
and ___ _____ ___ _____ be baptized
____ ____ _____ of Jesus Christ
____ ____ forgiveness of your sins;
and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:38
And Peter said to them,
"Repent,
and let each of you be baptized
in the name of Jesus Christ
for the ________________ ____ ___ ______;
and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:38
And Peter said to them,
"Repent,
and let each of you be baptized
in the name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you shall receive the _____ ___ ___ ______ _______.

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YOU ARE MY KING! YOU KNOW ME!

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I am so thankful that God is SPIRIT! He's omnipresent! He lives inside of christians! And, He's powerful enough to take control of each and every situation if we let Him. .

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I can be thinking something and find out later that a christian friend has been thinking on the same things. This happened this week. We've been talking about the Be-Attitudes and we're on #3:

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"Blessed are the meek..."
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A big part of being meek is being gentle enough to give up the reins of our lives to THE ONE who knows how to lead and guide us. Recently I did a post on being GOD'S DOG. Last year, one of my favorite posts that I've done, I entitled HOW ABOUT THEM HORSES? about letting God put that bridle and bit on so He can take the reins of our lives. And now, my Spirit led sister and friend, Annette, posted HE KNOWS ME! This week, God wrote through her in a mighty way! Amazing! Please link up to these three posts and be encouraged to thank God that He knows you and that He is in control!

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GOD'S DOG!

http://momstransformed.blogspot.com/2009/01/i-surrender-all-i-want-to-be-gods-dog.html

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HOW ABOUT THEM HORSES?!?!

http://momstransformed.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-about-them-horses.html

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MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL, DO YOU SEE JESUS IN ME AT ALL?

HE KNOWS ME!

http://ichoosejoytoday.blogspot.com/

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HAVE YOU TAKEN THE SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS CHALLENGE YET? GO HERE:

http://momstransformed.blogspot.com/2009/01/whatever-youre-doing-inside-of-me-im_23.html

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