Apr 10
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jackielovesjon added a text contribution Easter comes more than one time per year!In Luke 2:40 we see that Easter started long before Jesus ever hung on the cross. As a child, he was found in the Temple - that was church back then. He was reading the Bible, and discussing it with others. He grew strong in body and wise in spirit. And the grace of God was on him. You see, Jesus didn't just wake up one day with the command to go to the cross. He grew up learning to hear God's voice, practicing obedience, disciplining himself to get to know God through His Word. The sa… Read more »
Apr 7
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jackielovesjon added a text contribution This is my life work...Ephesians 3:7 in the message says, "This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message. It came as a sheer gift to me, a real surprise, God handling all the details." Gosh, this is EXACTLY how I feel. So surprised that God would choose me to do ANYTHING good... weaknesses, mistakes, dirty stuff and all! I'm determined to do it 'til the end! Read more »
Apr 2
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jackielovesjon added a text contribution Confidence Vs. PrideI TOTALLY have a crush on Paul! This man's boldness and confidence amazes me. Sometimes he seems so full of faith, confidence and boldness that his words sound more like pride, arrogance or cockiness to me. Their lingo in context makes it hard... I guess I need to study it out to understand the difference better. Same thing with David. When he goes to fight Goliath he sounds like a cocky little punk kid! ;-) Both David and Paul were passionate for Christ and submitted to their authorities.… Read more »
Apr 1
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jackielovesjon added a text contribution I love a faithful man.Justus was a man mentioned in Acts 1:23; I'm not sure we ever hear of him again... But, what a faithful man! The 120 disciples of Jesus in the Upper Room nominated two men, one of whom would replace Judas as the final disciple of Jesus' circle of twelve. Matthias won, but I often think of Justus. The Bible says he stayed together with Jesus and His disciples from the time Jesus was baptized by John up to the day of His ascension, a witness to Jesus resurrection. That means he followed… Read more »
Mar 31
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jackielovesjon added a text contribution Love puts up with anything.I remember trying to memorize this scripture passage, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. No matter how hard I try, I can only remember the first and very last parts well... "Love is patient, love is kind... Love never fails." I know there's more to it; a lot more. But, I find these to be the toughest... to be patient, and to never fail (give-up). I don't know about you, but that's really hard for me. I'm energetic, easily distracted; a starter, an "idea person"... neve… Read more »
Mar 17
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jackielovesjon added a text contribution I want fruit, so it's time to pull some weeds!I really like the parable of the soils. If you'll notice, each example begins with someone who hears the Word. This is not a parable about the lost, but those who've heard the Word. Well, if I'm in danger of being any of these types of soil, it's going to be the soil full of weeds. I'm the oldest child, the first in my family ever to graduate from college, and daughter to parents who both grew up on the edge of poverty. To this day, my folks will ask when I'm plan… Read more »
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jackielovesjon added a text contribution God loves the poor!We followers of Christ don't just operate in churches and neighborhoods, we're teachers, bankers, engineers, business owners, government officials, and more. I love it when God addresses these roles in showing us His will for our lives. Reading here from Lev. 25:35 in The Message, God has a lot to say about our responsibility to the indigent and poor from a business perspective. I know old testament writings are generally meant to be taken figuratively, still, we see that the heart of… Read more »
Mar 7
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jackielovesjon added a text contribution Don't worry.God is on top of the world's problems, the big ones and little ones. He's bigger than things, stuff you need and stuff you don't. He's not worried, stressed, confused or frustrated. He's in control. He's the one true God. He's smarter than anyone. No one knows more than Him and His rules still stand. Outshining everything, we can trust Him. We can trust God with everything. Really. It's gonna be o.k. Read more »
Mar 5
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jackielovesjon added a text contribution UncleannessI know this sounds crazy, but this chapter of Leviticus with all the "unclean" rules reminds me of God's incredible proactivity. Here, he tries to protect his people from eating things that could lead to sickness & disease for which they had no treatment or cure. But, with all our medicines, doctors, and technological medical advances we take His call to purity and clean living rather lightly. Still, life is God's masterpiece and He knows how it works. He also understands… Read more »
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jackielovesjon added a text contribution Credentials in ministry.Wow! For those of us who live to serve the body of Christ, what liberating inspiration 2 Cor. 3:1-4 offers! There are no degrees, certificates, or letters of recommendation needed to prove our effectiveness or productivity. In the shade of our trees lie either good fruit or bad. In the lives of those we serve, growth in God quantifies our fruitfulness. No more frustration at the thought of not having pleased other leaders around us. No more fear of letting a pastor, parent, or "partner"… Read more »
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jackielovesjon added a text contribution Holding hands, gaining honor."Sweetheart, please pick up those toys." "Fine! But then it's MY turn to watch a movie!" Obedience without honor. Jordan and I are currently memorizing this passage, Eph. 6:1-4. Even as a teenager I read it and wondered what the difference was between "honoring" someone and "obeying" them. So, today I looked it up... and I'm soooo glad I did! I found that when we obey, we are doing what we were told. When we honor, we are placing a high value on… Read more »
Feb 23
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jackielovesjon added a text contribution God's reassurance? "I am God."I love encouragement. I love to encourage others. I love it when others try to encourage me. Even if I see them "trying", and it doesn't seem quite effective, it becomes effective because I'm encouraged by seeing them try to encourage me!!! ;-) What does that have to do with Exodus 6:2? I love God's encouragement to Moses here. Moses is being asked by God to go do the equivalent of approaching the president of the United States, in person, and demanding that he allow aro… Read more »
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jackielovesjon added a text contribution Didn't you realize? Purity is about faith."Didn't you realize that your body is a sacred place,,,"? The Bible gives us the underlying reason we defile our body and stray from God's will in this area - He's breaking it down for us to help us change. It says that if we realized just how huge a deal it is that our body houses God Himself, we would treat our body much better and would not live "however we please". We'd be careful. WAY more careful. So, in a way you could say that real faith yields dis… Read more »
Feb 12
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jackielovesjon added a text contribution Hurting people hurt people.In JUMP! last night we talked about how God is a fighter and He made us in His image - fighters too! But, God's enemies are powers, not people. Psalm 75:10 in the Message says, "The fists of the wicked are bloody stumps..." So, the wicked are injured as they fight, but God's fight never bloodies our fists. Punch a "power" not a person and your fists will be just fine! But, haven't we all had to take a punch or two before? It makes me think of something a Pasto… Read more »
Feb 9
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jackielovesjon added a text contribution Jesus didn't let people just sit around in church!If you read Mark 5:18 & 19 you may wonder why Jesus did not allow the demon-delivered man to go with him. He told the man to go home and tell his people what God did and how he had mercy on him. I tell you, Jesus does not want your story kept a secret! I don't care how "shy", soft-spoken, reserved, meek or quiet you are, it is NOT the will of God for you to keep sitting in your pew covering up the great testimony of God's work in your life. Wherever and with whomever w… Read more »
Feb 5
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jackielovesjon added a text contribution Go camping at least once per year"Take a good look at God’s wonders— they’ll take your breath away." We get too easily distracted by our routines to regularly take a good look at God's wonders. We take them for granted, and eventually take advantage of them. They are not just found in nature, but that's what this verse makes me think about... that if for no other reason than obedience to this verse, everyone should go camping at least once per year! :) Read more »
Feb 4
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jackielovesjon added a text contribution Debt of loveThe Message says here, "Don't run up debts, except for the huge debt of love you owe each other." So often we look at loving each other as the right thing to do... something that we should do if we possibly can. But, I love how God says it is a debt that we owe. It is THE priority and must be paid back. It is not small or optional. There are consequences if it goes unpaid. From a financial perspective, future investments are actually hindered when debts go unpaid. Think of t… Read more »
Feb 3
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jackielovesjon added a text contribution "God hardened Pharaoh"I have never understood this... that God hardened Pharoah's heart. In one way, it seems wonderful, that even when someone seems to have a horrible, hardened heart that despises and utterly rejects you, God can be completely in control. And, like Moses, God can totally protect us from those hard-hearted people. But, on the other hand it is sort of scary... that God would harden someone's heart like that. Because if He hardened Pharaoh's heart, couldn't He do the same to my hea… Read more »
Feb 2
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jackielovesjon added a link contribution I Know Who I AmThis goes with my comment on "Understanding ourselves by understanding God." I love this song... we can know who we are by knowing who God is! Read more »
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jackielovesjon added a text contribution The only accurate way to understand ourselves...I really appreciate the balance with which The Message handles Romans 12. Peterson not only writes what God wants from individuals and the body so that we can accomplish His perfect will on the Earth. Yes, there are dirty details about why, when and how we should live life, but he also reveals the sin potential of us operating in our gifts. Meaning, if we're not careful, here's the harm we could do. But, then he provides the key strategy for overcoming our inevitable sin... to accurate… Read more »
Jan 31
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jackielovesjon added a text contribution Kids with CourageThe amazing compassion and courage of a child! This little girl, Miriam, cared so much that she had to watch while her own mother sent baby brother down the Nile to a certain death... watching a baby drown sounds so horrible I don't know if I could do it. Still, Miriam had to see what would happen. Could her brother possibly survive it? Compassion cares, but courage acts. Miriam did both. And, I want both for my kids... for every kid. How did Miriam get it? Her parents modeled it. 1. Th… Read more »