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One of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him. 'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?' Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. A second likewise is... -
Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 'How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, that murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. Tell them, As I live, says Yahweh, surely as you have spoken in my ears, so will I do to you' N...
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Elijah said to him, Elisha, please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me to Jericho. He said, As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. So they came to Jericho. 2 Kings 2:4 WEBElisha had worked serving the prophet Elijah for several years when he suddenly asked him to stay behind. E...
The Repetition Competition
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For You will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; You will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalms 51:1617 ESV
When I first came to the Lord, I was so ecstatic that I wanted to make up for everything that I had ever done wrong in the past. I enrolled in Bible college and like many others there, I developed a very legalistic view. I fasted for weeks, gave all that I had, tried to memorize the Bible, prayed all day, and listened to the Bible all night. I wanted to earn my salvation and prove that my dedication to the Lord was strong. It soon became a repetition competition.In record time, my attitude turned all of my friends into enemies.
I knew a lot about Jesus, I just did not know Him.I talked a lot about Jesus, but I never talked to Him. I sang a lot about Jesus, but I did not sing to Him. Jesus said that there would be those who called Him, "Lord, Lord", and He would say, I never knew you. That was me.
The Lord eventually broke me down to nothing, and I finally dropped my church face and started to just involve God in my everyday life. I learned to just be myself, relax, and include Him in whatever decision I had to make. Only then did a relationship begin to develop and that became life changing.
Attending church, fasting, praying, giving, reading the Bible, singing, is all good in moderation but do not neglect Him while doing it. Believe me, you can because I have done it. I encourage you to make Jesus a part of your normal life each day. Be a real person, serving God the best you can. When you stumble, repent and get back up. We do not get points for repetition and this walk is not a competition.
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Good morning to all my brothers n sisters through Christ who strengthens us, Thank you PASTOR Todd for giving us another place to meet n encourage one another, every message speaks truth n depth n i am glad to see your message every morning. I am one at times that has done the repetition prayer life, yes we must have a relationship with our brother Jesus in order to cimpletly understand him, we must love him as he loves us, Amen.... may all have a truly blessed day !:)
Good morning! This spoke to me so clearly this morning. I am preparing to preach this morning and my sermon touches on this very subject - knowing God - not just going through the motions. Being still in his presence and having intimate conversations and time with him. Thank you so much for sharing this devotional this morning, at this time; God knew exactly what I needed because I've come to know Him.! Be Blessed!
What a powerful message some of us show our outerwear and not our inner wear. GOD is not looking at what on the outside he is looking at what on the inside some of us are walking around like everything is well. Deep in side we are hurting. GOD wants us to just be our self. Some of us are walking around like every thing is okay. For example : the thing is when you ask someone how are you doing they said OK because they are so ashamed to say that they are not. Thank you God and pastor Todd for this message and reminder amen. They are lots of us walking around saying that they are your friends but you don't even know them .
When I first started going to church I was hurt by a lot of people who knew a lot about Jesus but did not know him. They almost drove me away from him. But then so much of what Jesus said made sense. Let him without sin throw the first stone, love your neighbour as yourself, turn the other cheek. And I knew pride had no place in God's love.
Amen! I don't like negative words or actions, and I don't like neglecting Jesus or loved ones. My faith, too, Pastor Todd has been hindered since I started my closer walk with God. Since then, it has been easier to recognize that I was being hindered and able to stop it once I did so. That's reality for a Christian person!
That is well written. I had to leave a church in the past after I brought in a friend and they made them feel like a speck of dirt in the middle of white rice. What was worse was that I knew it was all an act because I knew these people in and out of church, and they were no better, just religious. You can know a lot about Jesus and yet not know Him at all.
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