Feb 23
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s_starrenburg added a text contribution Mark 4- says 3 times - listen to this. 'be wary of the shrewd advice that tells you how to get ahead in the world onyour own. Giving, not getting, is the way' Lord, please reveal to me what you want me to do with my days!!!! with MANY stories, he presented his message to them FITTING the stories to their experience and maturity he was NEVER WITHOUT a story when he spoke Read more »
Feb 22
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s_starrenburg added a text contribution Storiess: 'He taught by using stories, many stories' o and a: He used stories to teach. Stories are inexact, open to interpretation, personal, subjective, indirect, metaphorical. We don't need to be afraid of being ambiguous when we teach. Sometimes its better. If its annointed, it can still reveal truth. He also used many stories. That's the key. When you use a collection of stories, a collection of arts, the connections and relationships and paterns are what reveal the truth… Read more »
Feb 14
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s_starrenburg added a text contribution signsThe temple curtain split There was an earthquake Rocks split Dead people came to life and came out of their tombs How did people miss the significance of this? What do I miss the significance of in my own life even though God is throwing signs at me left right and centre? The ones that realised what was happened, or at least that something big was happening, were those that were physically close to Jesus. they could see him. He was in their vision. They were involved. It was first h… Read more »
Feb 10
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s_starrenburg added a text contribution matt 25 pt 2I can never ever forget the fundamental duties of carrying Jesus name - I must always be on the lookout for those who are overlooked or ignored, those who are in real need, and provide for them. That fundamental duty never ever ceases. There is nothing more important. I can never allow myself to get distracted by other good things and forget to simply love and minister to people in need. Read more »
Feb 9
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s_starrenburg added a text contribution Matt 25O: The smart virgins had enough resources to do what they needed to do. They didn't jeopardize their ability to faithfully complete what they were responsible for by trying to make up for the lack of preparation by others. A: Sometimes its easy to want to use my own emotional, energy, time resources to help someone who has put themselves in an unpreparaed situation. However, if this puts at risk my own ability to complete my existing responsibilities and calling then it is not compassio… Read more »
Jan 12
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s_starrenburg added a text contribution Matt 9:2o: Jesus was impressed by their bold belief and responded in kind with not only what they were looking for, but more A: I still don't totally understand the back and forth between prayer, god's will, boldness before god, etc - but clearly boldness of belief pleases god and moves him to action P: God, please help me to be bolder in my vision, my expectation and my prayer with you Read more »
Jan 8
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s_starrenburg added a text contribution matt 6S: "If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light" "careless in the care of God" "don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving" "Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiave, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find… Read more »
Jan 7
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s_starrenburg added a text contribution Matt 6:9O: Before anything else comes the request for revelation of who God is A: I need to ensure that I keep relationship and revelation of God, not just his principles or knowledge about him, first place in my walk with him. Therefore, I need to make sure I am continually inviting the Holy spirit to speak to me and bring that revelation as I meditate on God and his word, pray and worship, and live out my life. P: Lord God, I desire greater revleation of you. Please help me to stay alert to the… Read more »
Jan 6
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s_starrenburg added a text contribution matt 5O: Always be willing to give more than necessary, be more gracious than necessary, not only when the other person is gracious, but when they are combative as well A: I shouldn't demand my fair shair, or try to only give what is demanded or expected. I should be always looking for ways to bless others, to be more gracious than necessary. When someone is demanding and aggressive, I can not enter into that tone of relationship - I can choose to remain in control of my approach and walk in G… Read more »
Jan 5
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s_starrenburg added a text contribution Matt 5 - The beatitudesI grew up on the NIV, which puts the beatitudes as 'Blessed are the poor...etc'. The NLT that I am reading here, however, gives a different sense of tense - "God blesses those who are poor...etc' In the NIV, there was a bit of a confusing sense for me, at least, that the blessing was in the difficulty, in a way. This NLT wording, however, for me, puts the focus back on the blesser, God, and on the hope of future blessing. For me, the wording, the sense of tense, is much easi… Read more »
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s_starrenburg added a text contribution Matt 4O: It was the leading of the Spirit that took Jesus into the place of testing. It wasn't anything he did wrong. It was part of the plan. How does this fit with the Lord's prayer of 'lead me not into temptation?' I guess it shows the power of prayer to actually influence God. Clearly leading us into temptation is a process he does use to produce growth. And clearly asking him not to can stop him from doing it. However, if the spirit led Jesus into testing and temptation, then… Read more »
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s_starrenburg added a text contribution Matt 4O: It was the leading of the Spirit that took Jesus into the place of testing. It wasn't anything he did wrong. It was part of the plan. How does this fit with the Lord's prayer of 'lead me not into temptation?' I guess it shows the power of prayer to actually influence God. Clearly leading us into temptation is a process he does use to produce growth. And clearly asking him not to can stop him from doing it. However, if the spirit led Jesus into testing and temptation, then… Read more »
Jan 4
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s_starrenburg added a text contribution Matt 3Jesus was baptised by John. This required humility, submission, understanding, strategy and hearing from God. As a result, the spirit of God came on him, bringing affirmation, relationship, power and guidance. Read more »
Jan 2
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s_starrenburg added a text contribution Matt 2O: The people who Jesus was born to save, were terrified when they heard of his birth. They completely misunderstood the meaning of the circumstances around them, and what impact it would have on them. A: I need to make sure that I seek God for divine understanding of events and circumstances, rather than listening to the interpretation of others, or my own fear or foolishness. P: Lord, please help me to have wisdom and your insight and understanding of the world around me and the circumta… Read more »
Jan 1
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s_starrenburg added a text contribution Matt 1O: 1 - as soon as Joseph received God's instructions, he acted. 2 - the angel didn't actually say not to sleep with mary till after the baby was born. He must have decided to err on the side of wisdom and create a situation where the truth was above reproach from any behaviour of theirs. Noone at the time probably would have believed the virgin birth story anyway, so he could have easily thought 'what's the diference?' that wasn't part of the instruction. But he was… Read more »
User Info
Name: Sarah Starrenburg
User Since: December 2008
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Website: www.sarahjanestarrenbu…
Contributions: 27
Tags: 107