HOLY...WORDS...

WOMEN IN THE WORD WEDNESDAY

"Do everything without complaining

or arguing,

so that you may become

blameless

and

pure,

children of God

without fault

in a crooked and depraved generation,

in which you

SHINE LIKE STARS

in the universe

as you hold out the word of LIFE..."

HOLY... 3/16...

3:16

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Today is March 16 or 3/16.

It is also a day to be thankful for

"the word of LIFE" in John 3:16.

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"For God so loved the world

that He gave His only Son

that whosoever believes in Him

shall not perish

but have ETERNAL LIFE."

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How should you and I

share that LIFE with others?

Philippians has something to say about that,

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"Do everything without complaining or arguing,

so that you may become blameless and pure,

children of God without fault

in a crooked and depraved generation,

in which you SHINE LIKE STARS in the universe...

as you hold out the word of LIFE..."

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God is clear! Want to shine for Me?

Then, no complaining or arguing!

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Astronomers selected the top ten most amazing pictures taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. Here are 3 that might help us think about "stars in the universe". Once again, here it is another week, that I am so thankful for the visuals God gives us!
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VISUAL 1
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The Sombrero Galaxy

(28 million light years from Earth)

was voted best picture taken by the Hubble telescope.

The dimensions of the galaxy,

officially called M104,

are as spectacular as it's appearance.

It has 800 billion suns and is 50,000 light years across.

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VISUAL 2

Starry Night,

so named because it reminded astronomers

of the Van Gogh painting.

It is a halo of light around

a star in the Milky Way.

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VISUAL 3

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The Trifid Nebula.

A 'stellar nursery',

9,000 light years from here,

where new stars are being born.

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VISUAL 4

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Dwight and Mary Lea are a couple who live out Philippians 2:14-16. I've spoken of them on this blog before. The other day, I was in the town where they have lived for decades. I was at an elementary school supervising one of my clinical practice students for the first time. As I was introduced to multiple teachers and administrators, I shared who I knew from their town to make connections. Each time I mentioned Mary Lea's name (a former teacher) their eyes would light up. "What a wonderful person!" "What a remarkable lady!" I smiled because I know her secret! She is a holy sanctuary who shines! How? Look at the verse above for starters.

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Transformed Mom, Mary Lea, sets her cell phone to go off each day at 3:16 to remind her to pray for the lost and dying of this world. Mary Lea's desire to let God live and shine through her is evident in the next visual. Mary Lea was Kristy's teacher. Kristy's mother liked what she saw in Mary Lea.

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VISUAL 5
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This is Kathy and her daughter Kristy. I have shared about these two previously as well. They shine! In fact, on Sunday several people on different occasions made the comment about how the light of Christ shines "from their eyes." Kathy and Kristy became christians because of how Mary Lea let Jesus shine through her!

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In our Sunday morning women's class at church, different women are sharing their stories. This past Sunday, Kristy shared about her recent trip to Haiti. No complaining... just faithful service and thanksgiving! You can link here to learn more about Kristy's trip to Haiti... http://gigattaattgig.blogspot.com/

HOLY...LESSONS LEARNED...

MEDITATION MONDAY

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The first week of the year, on this blog, we began with the theme HOLY. It is a thread that will weave throughout the year. There are some concepts that we will visit today from from the blog and from Steve's sermon yesterday that I will gladly share with you.

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One main concept that I want us to think about today is:

• "Secret sin and incomplete obedience lead to faith, holiness, and life being sucked right out of us!"
• We are set aside for sacred living... holiness... to be a saint... to be a sanctuary... .

It's not often anymore that I hear the hymn "HOLY, HOLY, HOLY" sung. It is a message that the generations living on this planet today need to hear. "Holy! Holy! Holy! Lord, God Almighty! Early in the morning my song shall rise to thee! Only Thou art Holy! There is none beside Thee! Perfect in power, in love, and purity!"

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1. LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT HOLINESS FROM OTHER SONGS THAT ARE ON THIS PLAYLIST:

• HOLY: And now all I have is gratitude to offer You! ...and somehow all that matters now is: You are Holy,,, Holy! Only me! On my knees! ...singing “Holy! Holy!”
• SANCTUARY: "Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary Pure and Holy, tried and true... with thanksgiving, I'll be a living Sanctuary for You..."
• TESTIFY TO LOVE: "I'll be a witness in the silences when words are not enough... with every breath I take I will give thanks to God above.For as long as I shall live I will testify to love..."
• THERE IS A FOUNTAIN: "There is a fountain filled with blood Drawn from Immanuel's veins And sinners plunged beneath that flood Lose all their guilty stains Lose all their guilty stains Lose all their guilty stains And sinners plunged beneath that flood Lose all their guilty stains The dying thief rejoiced to see That fountain in his day And there may I, though vile as he Wash all my sins away..."
• IN CHRIST ALONE: In Christ alone, who took on flesh Fullness of God in helpless babe This gift of love and righteousness Scorned by the ones He came to save ‘Til on that cross as Jesus died The wrath of God was satisfied For every sin on Him was laid Here in the death of Christ I live There in the ground His body lay Light of the world by darkness slain Then bursting forth in glorious Day Up from the grave He rose again And as He stands in victory Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me For I am His and He is mine Bought with the precious blood of Christ

2. LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT HOLINESS FROM OUR MONTHLY MEMORY VERSES:

• "Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS, the author and perfecter of our faith..."
• "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you SHINE LIKE STARS in the universe..."

3. STEVE SHARED LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT HOLINESS FROM PEOPLE IN THE OLD and NEW TESTAMENT:

• Joshua 7: Achan's secret sin and it's consequences led to the death of 36 men; He saw... He coveted... He took... He hid...
• 1 Corinthians: The people of Corinth struggled with sin, especially sexual sins. In chapter 6, Paul tells the Corinthians that:
• .....The body is for the Lord and NOT for fornication.
• .....Bodies of Christians are members of Christ.
• .....Fornication is a sin against our own bodies.
• .....Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit
• .....We are under obligation to glorify God with our body and spirit.

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4. FINALLY, STEVE SHARED LESSONS ABOUT HOLINESS AND HOW TO OVERCOME SIN: I will use his thoughts several times this week. For today, I'll share a short 5 chapter version by Portia Nelson about how this might work.

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AUTOBIOGRAPHY IN FIVE SHORT CHAPTERS

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by Portia Nelson

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I
I walk down the street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I fall in.

I am lost ... I am helpless.

It isn't my fault.

It takes me forever to find a way out.

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II
I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I pretend I don't see it.

I fall in again.

I can't believe I am in the same place but,

it isn't my fault.

It still takes a long time to get out.

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III
I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I see it is there.

I still fall in ... it's a habit.

My eyes are open.

I know where I am.

It is my fault.

I get out immediately.

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IV
I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I walk around it.

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V
I walk down another street.

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HOLY

SUNDAY IN THE SON

HOLY
As Sung By Nicole Nordeman

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1. How many roads did I travel

before I walked down one that led me to You?

And how many dreams did unravel

before I believed in a hope that was true?

How long? How far?

What was meant to fulfill,

only emptied me still

and all You ever wanted....

CHORUS:

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Only me!

On my knees!

Singing “Holy! Holy!”

And somehow all that matters now is:

You are Holy,,, Holy!

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2. How many deaths did I die

before I was awakened to new life again?

How many half truths did I bear witness to

til the proof was disproved in the end?

How long? How far?

What was meant to illuminate only shadowed me still

and all You ever wanted...
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CHORUS:

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Only me!

On my knee!

Singing “Holy! Holy!”

And somehow all that matters now is:

You are Holy,,, Holy!

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And now all I have is gratitude to offer You!

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and somehow all that matters now is:

You are Holy,,, Holy!

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Only me!

On my knees!

Singing “Holy! Holy!”

And somehow all that matters now is:

You are Holy,,, Holy!

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You are Holy,,, Holy!

You are Holy,,, Holy!

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HOLY!

• 
  

SANCTUARY... AS THE STORMS RAGE...

KETCHUP AND MUSTARD SATURDAY

Catch Up and Must Do

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"...for it is GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU to will

and to act according to His good purpose."

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I have tried, more than usual, this week to be aware that God is working in me and through me. Our memory verse has reminded me that He is my constant companion, whether I feel like He's there or not.

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Throughout my life, I have found that the more I am in tune to God and His working in and through me, that the storms seem to rage even more. As I have focused on this memory verse this week, the storms have been over the top in almost every area of my life. There have been many temptations for discouragement, doubt, anger, frustration, and just quitting. Then, a still small voice reminds me that "WORK IS MESSY... EVEN GOD'S WORK".

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Yesterday, God gave me several amazing encouragements in my work as a teacher. He confirmed for me once again that He is working in me and that my life is about His good purpose (in His timing). I will say this, I will basically not get a Spring Break this next week when the rest of the university does. There are some "have-to's" that will give me an opportunity to shine for Him.

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As the storm at the cross raged before Him, Jesus said, "Father, not my will but Thine!"

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As the storms physically rage outside our home today and in my daughter's body... as they rage in other ways through family and work, I choose to say, "I don't wanna' but I'm a gonna!"

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I choose this day to remain a SANCTUARY - PURE AND HOLY, TRIED AND TRUE... WITH THANKSGIVING...

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As I was finishing up writing this post, w received this link from Steve's Aunt Kathryn. "Let the little children lead..."

SANCTUARY... GOD'S FAMILY OF SAINTS...

This week we have talked briefly about each christian being a vessel, a holy residence, a sanctuary for the Living God. Yesterday, I referred to those of us who are christians... sanctuaries... as saints. There does not have to be a vote for you to achieve sainthood. You do not have to go through a series of hoops to be crowned a saint. In fact, according to scripture, all people who have become christians are saints. Paul uses this word often as he writes letters to various churches - groups of christians - the family of God. Here are a few of the 60 New Testament scriptures that refer to saints.

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Romans 1:7 says,

"To all in Rome who are loved by God

and called to be saints:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father

and from the Lord Jesus Christ."

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Romans 8:27

"And He who searches our hearts

knows the mind of the Spirit,

because the Spirit intercedes

for the saints

in accordance with God's will."

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1 Corinthians 6:1-2

"If any of you has a dispute with another,

dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment

instead of before the saints?

Do you not know that the saints

will judge the world? "
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Ephesians 1:18-19

"I pray also that the eyes of your heart

may be enlightened

in order that you may know

the hope to which He has called you,

the riches of His glorious inheritance

in the saints,

and His incomparably great power

for us who believe."

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Ephesians 3:14-19

"For this reason I kneel before the Father,

from whom His whole family

in heaven and on earth derives its name.

I pray that out of His glorious riches

He may strengthen you with power

through His Spirit in your inner being (sanctuary),

so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

And I pray that you,

being rooted and established in love,

may have power,

together with all the saints, to grasp

how wide and long and high and deep

is the love of Christ,

and to know this love

that surpasses knowledge-

that you may be filled

to the measure of all the fullness of God."

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As you ponder your salvation, your place in the family of God, I hope you have time to listen to this inspirational version of our theme song this week. Be sure and pause the playlist above before playing this video.

SANCTUARY... SAINT...

TRANSFORMING THURSDAY

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Once I became a christian, I became "a sinner saved by grace".

Once I became a christian, I could hang out at my new Daddy's place.

Once I became a christian, I could be a vessel of His light and love...

...A SANCTUARY for His Holy Spirit from above.

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Once I became a christian, darkness was no longer my friend.

Once I became a christian, it was on Jesus I began to depend.

Once I became a christian, I had a huge reframe...

I became a SAINT by the blood of the Lamb...

...the NAME above all names.

Written by Patti Sikes, 3/2010

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NOTE:

God's workmanship transforms us

from sinnerhood to sainthood.

Live each new day like you are a SAINT!

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