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Added for You - The Two Most Important Commandments - Love
Here is a list of Ten Tips to Prepare your Home for a Sale:Use a "buyer's eye"-Don't rely on your own judgment in terms of how your home is presented to a buyer. Our homes are like children; we often don't see their flaws, as they are our own. It is important to have someone provide candid feedback about the showing of your home. You'll need to fix any issues with flooring, walls, peeling paint or wallpaper, lighting, windows, etc. You'd better believe a buyer will notice all of these items as they step into your home for the first time. Call a handyman if necessary but be sure to eliminate leaks and creaks.Clean Up- Ensure that your house is the cleanest is has ever been. We're talking Q-tip clean. It is a large job so hire a cleaning company if you have to that specializes in move in/move out services. Any sort of mold, dirt, dust and stuffiness will immediately turn off buyers. Bathrooms and kitchens must sparkle! If what a buyer sees is clean they'll assume that what they haven't seen is also clean.Curb Appeal is #1-A buyer's first impression is a lasting one! Catching your buyers before they walk in is a must. Landscaping must be pruned, flowers blooms in urns by the front door, entryway clutter-free and well lit. If you don't catch their attention on the outside they are more likely to not want to see what is on the inside. Freshen door and shutter paint, repair a cracked or uneven walkway, provide polished or new door hardware, doormat, and a seasonal wreath for
HIS GOODNESS
Oh, yes, the Lord is Good. I can think of countless situations in my life where His goodness, (manifested in compassion, mercy, and forgiveness) brought me out of very dark places. You should take some time to meditate every day on the goodness He has shown to you in your life.
No time? Yes, there is. In the shower, driving here and there, as you lay in bed, blow drying your hair, putting make up on, cooking dinner, washing dishes, get up earlier, go to bed later, and right now. We say, “we don't have time." Yes, we do. We should always find time to think about the goodness of God and praise His Holy Name!
The Bible has many Scriptures on the Goodness of God. I have listed a few of my favorites.
Titus 3:4-6 ...when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Savior to man appeared, He saved us, not because of any righteousness that we had done, but because of His own pity and mercy...
Psalm 31:19 Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear, revere, and worship You. Goodness which You have wrought for those who trust and take refuge in You before the sons of men!
Acts 14:17 Yet He did not neglect to leave some witness of Himself, for He did you good and showed you kindness and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with nourishment and happiness.
Psalm 145:7-9 They shall pour forth like a fountain the fame of Your great and abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of Your rightness and justice. The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and abounding in mercy a
I have used article marketing nearly exclusively to create high quality, responsive traffic to my web sites. Article marketing is one of my favorite forms of traffic generation.The process with Article Marketing is, you're going to write an article that's related to something on your website. Particularly something that a buyer of your product on your website might be interested in reading. You're going to put a link to your website, preferably to a squeeze-page, or a name squeeze-page, or a landing page, whatever you call it, where you give somebody the opportunity to opt in to your Opt-In email list. And the third thing that you do with Article Marketing is you submit those articles to the various online article directories. And that's my number one recommended strategy to get maximum traffic to your website. Now, I will say this, the traffic, the sheer numbers of traffic that you generate through article marketing is not going to be the same that you get through pay per click advertising or some other cheap traffic source. However, the responsiveness and quality of the traffic that you get may be a hundred times or a thousand times better. So I would trade one visitor, one unique visitor in Article Marketing for one-hundred pay-per-clicks. Or a thousand, or two-thousand of some type of classified advertising. That's how strongly I believe in the responsiveness of Article Marketing.Article marketing has been the backbone of my traffic generation efforts for the last 9 months.
I am sure that we have all heard this verse many times in our Christian lives. But, do we really get it? How do we love God? Why should we love God? Let's explore How to love God today, and tomorrow we'll get into why.
How Do We Love Him?
It is very simply stated by Jesus in John 14:15, If you really love me, you will keep (obey) my commands. As simple as it sounds....it seems to be a very difficult task....or is it? Well, yes and no. If we study the Word, get it into our hearts and minds; it is easier to submit to the Holy Spirit...
However, when we fill our minds with the world, i.e.,
Soap Operas - which encourage adultery, lust, impurity, fornication, lies, deceit, and many other sinful desires.
I struggled with these for years. I didn't just watch one...not even just one channel. I would watch one channel and tape another. I was watching six different daytime dramas and several evening ones. I eventually cut back and convinced myself that was good enough. But, no, God wanted me to lay them all down. My mind had become so absorbed with this unrealistic, ungodly world. I didn't want to let go. Of course I eventually did...not without a fight though. The enemy was on full attack mode when I decided to submit to the Lord (obey His commands). I kid you not my TV would just turn on at the precise moment, my VCR would start taping when I didn't set it to, and the grocery store checkout...It was ugly. I didn't give up...and now I am FREE!
Entertainment Magazines - which are filled with gossip, wrong information, slander, hurtful situations in human lives, and really none of our business anyway. These were another stronghold in my life. My favorite was In Touch...or like my husband used to call it, "in touch with the devil." LOL. Let me tell you, I loved these things. I had to know who was cheating on whom, and what this one said about that one....I'm sure there are some of you who know exactly what I am talking about.
Guess what? God wanted these put down too. My flesh fought hard. Honestly, I still have to catch myself. Those grocery store checkout lines are filled with them...I try hard not to even look at them. I am happy to say that I no longer buy them...or even touch them.
Secular music - which is mostly provocative lyrics, self, and worldly principals.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that every non-Christian song is sinful. I'm saying be careful what goes in. It will come out. The Bible says in Galatians 6:7 that we reap what we sow. If we sow junk into our minds we will reap junk. If your searching through the stations looking for a good song to listen to...make sure it is good for your spirit not your flesh.
These examples are ones many Christian women face. You may be thinking I have gone too far...I don't know what I'm talking about. Yes, I do. I know because the Word tells me so.
In I John 2:15 it says, Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. if anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life or stability of earthly things - these do not come from the Father, but are from the world itself. And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides forever.
Why Should We Love Him?
I'm sure this would seem like an obvious answer. Yet, I think it is important that we really understand the depth of the answer. Why do we or why should we love God? Well, there are more answers to this question then could be answered in a lifetime. But, I will give the best answer I can...
- HE IS INCOMPARABLE. THERE IS NONE LIKE HIM : II Samuel 7:22 says; Therefore You are great, O Lord God; for none is like You, nor is there any God besides You... No other religion has a God like ours. HE IS!
- HIS WAYS ARE PERFECT. HE IS PERFECT: Psalm 18:30 says; As for God, His way is perfect!
- HE IS OUR ROCK AND SHIELD: Psalm 18:30-31 says; ...He is a shield to all those who take refuge and put their trust in Him. For who is God except the Lord? Or who is the Rock save our God? It says it right there...if we will take refuge...He will shield us. How many of us actually take refuge in Him?
- HE IS THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS: This is covered in Genesis 1. Isaiah 40:12, 22 & 26 as well as countless other verses. What other God created the Universe?
- HE IS EVERLASTING: Habakkuk 3:6 says; He stood and measured the earth; He looked and shook the nations, and the eternal mountains were scattered and the perpetual hills bowed low. His ways are everlasting and His goings are of old.
- HE IS JUST, TRUE, MIGHTY AND SOVEREIGN: Revelation 15:3 says; ...Mighty and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God the Omnipotent! Just and true are Your ways, O Sovereign of the ages. Sing that for a while and you'll feel His presence all around you.
- HE IS MY STRENGTH AND MY SONG: When I am weak I know I can count on Him to be my Strength. Exodus 15:2 says; The Lord is my Strength and my Song....Keep reading that chapter alone for many reasons to love Him.
- HE LOVED US FIRST: I John 4:19 says; We love Him, because He first loved us.
- HE IS OMNIPOTENT (ALL-POWERFUL): Jeremiah 32:17 says; Alas, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by Your outstretched arm! There is nothing too hard for you.
- HE IS OMNIPRESENT (EVER-PRESENT): Read Psalm 139:7-12. He is always here...He is always there. You are never alone. What other "god" can say that?
- HE IS OMNISCIENCE (ALL-KNOWING): I John 3:20 says; ...For He is above and greater than our consciences (our hearts), and He knows and understands everything, nothing is hidden from Him.
These aren’t even the tip of the iceberg...There is not enough time or words to tell all the reasons to love our God. He is The Great I Am, The King of Kings, The Lord of Lords, Jehovah-jireh (my Provider), Jehovah-nissi (He reigns in victory), Jehovah-shalom (my Peace), God Almighty, Heavenly Father, Abba (Father), Holy, Loving, Kind, Gentle, Patient, Worthy, Good, Gracious.....
Do you see what I mean? I really could go on forever.
There is however, another area of "Why" that I would like to talk about...
HIS GOODNESS
Oh, yes, the Lord is Good. I can think of countless situations in my life where His goodness, (manifested in compassion, mercy, and forgiveness) brought me out of very dark places. You should take some time to meditate every day on the goodness He has shown to you in your life.
No time? Yes, there is. In the shower, driving here and there, as you lay in bed, blow drying your hair, putting make up on, cooking dinner, washing dishes, get up earlier, go to bed later, and right now. We say, “we don't have time." Yes, we do. We should always find time to think about the goodness of God and praise His Holy Name!
The Bible has many Scriptures on the Goodness of God. I have listed a few of my favorites.
Titus 3:4-6 ...when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Savior to man appeared, He saved us, not because of any righteousness that we had done, but because of His own pity and mercy...
Psalm 31:19 Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear, revere, and worship You. Goodness which You have wrought for those who trust and take refuge in You before the sons of men!
Acts 14:17 Yet He did not neglect to leave some witness of Himself, for He did you good and showed you kindness and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with nourishment and happiness.
Psalm 145:7-9 They shall pour forth like a fountain the fame of Your great and abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of Your rightness and justice. The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and abounding in mercy an
While the variables are infinite (that's a good thing - it means that every logo can be unique) there are certain benchmarks (I hesitate to call them rules) that if you follow, will pretty well insure that you'll end up with a decent and workable logo. While whether or not a logo is 'good' remains completely subjective, following these pointers will give you a logo that's usable, practical and promising a long shelf life.1) Uniqueness Your logo should be able to stand out as completely 'yours'. It's surprising how many times we get asked to 'copy' logos - we've even had clients request a 'version' of my brand. Not a good idea. On top of the potential legal complications nothing screams 'unprofessional' like a logo that's looks even remotely like someone else's. Do not copy. I'll say it again. Do. Not. Copy.2) Timeless Every few years there's a trend, or fad, that new logos seems to embrace. A few years ago it was the 'swoosh' - made logos all hi-tech and 'internety'. Trouble is, everybody jumped on that bandwagon and the treatment rapidly became hackneyed and trite. Few years hence, and we've got lots of people stuck with out of date designs. The latest design logo trend is so-called 2.0, a technique that (like a lot of design trends) can be traced back to Apple Computers. Take your logo, add a 'gel' treatment, give it glassy reflection at the bottom and you're all set. (hey - the 3D version of our house could qualify). Web 2.0 is still going strong, but I'll go out on a limb and say it will be yesterday's news by end of sum
Entertainment Magazines - which are filled with gossip, wrong information, slander, hurtful situations in human lives, and really none of our business anyway. These were another stronghold in my life. My favorite was In Touch...or like my husband used to call it, "in touch with the devil." LOL. Let me tell you, I loved these things. I had to know who was cheating on whom, and what this one said about that one....I'm sure there are some of you who know exactly what I am talking about.
Guess what? God wanted these put down too. My flesh fought hard. Honestly, I still have to catch myself. Those grocery store checkout lines are filled with them...I try hard not to even look at them. I am happy to say that I no longer buy them...or even touch them.
Secular music - which is mostly provocative lyrics, self, and worldly principals.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that every non-Christian song is sinful. I'm saying be careful what goes in. It will come out. The Bible says in Galatians 6:7 that we reap what we sow. If we sow junk into our minds we will reap junk. If your searching through the stations looking for a good song to listen to...make sure it is good for your spirit not your flesh.
These examples are ones many Christian women face. You may be thinking I have gone too far...I don't know what I'm talking about. Yes, I do. I know because the Word tells me so.
In I John 2:15 it says, Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. if anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life or stability of earthly things - these do not come from the Father, but are from the world itself. And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides forever.
Why Should We Love Him?
I'm sure this would seem like an obvious answer. Yet, I think it is important that we really understand the depth of the answer. Why do we or why should we love God? Well, there are more answers to this question then could be answered in a lifetime. But, I will give the best answer I can...
- HE IS INCOMPARABLE. THERE IS NONE LIKE HIM : II Samuel 7:22 says; Therefore You are great, O Lord God; for none is like You, nor is there any God besides You... No other religion has a God like ours. HE IS!
- HIS WAYS ARE PERFECT. HE IS PERFECT: Psalm 18:30 says; As for God, His way is perfect!
- HE IS OUR ROCK AND SHIELD: Psalm 18:30-31 says; ...He is a shield to all those who take refuge and put their trust in Him. For who is God except the Lord? Or who is the Rock save our God? It says it right there...if we will take refuge...He will shield us. How many of us actually take refuge in Him?
- HE IS THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS: This is covered in Genesis 1. Isaiah 40:12, 22 & 26 as well as countless other verses. What other God created the Universe?
- HE IS EVERLASTING: Habakkuk 3:6 says; He stood and measured the earth; He looked and shook the nations, and the eternal mountains were scattered and the perpetual hills bowed low. His ways are everlasting and His goings are of old.
- HE IS JUST, TRUE, MIGHTY AND SOVEREIGN: Revelation 15:3 says; ...Mighty and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God the Omnipotent! Just and true are Your ways, O Sovereign of the ages. Sing that for a while and you'll feel His presence all around you.
- HE IS MY STRENGTH AND MY SONG: When I am weak I know I can count on Him to be my Strength. Exodus 15:2 says; The Lord is my Strength and my Song....Keep reading that chapter alone for many reasons to love Him.
- HE LOVED US FIRST: I John 4:19 says; We love Him, because He first loved us.
- HE IS OMNIPOTENT (ALL-POWERFUL): Jeremiah 32:17 says; Alas, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by Your outstretched arm! There is nothing too hard for you.
- HE IS OMNIPRESENT (EVER-PRESENT): Read Psalm 139:7-12. He is always here...He is always there. You are never alone. What other "god" can say that?
- HE IS OMNISCIENCE (ALL-KNOWING): I John 3:20 says; ...For He is above and greater than our consciences (our hearts), and He knows and understands everything, nothing is hidden from Him.
These aren’t even the tip of the iceberg...There is not enough time or words to tell all the reasons to love our God. He is The Great I Am, The King of Kings, The Lord of Lords, Jehovah-jireh (my Provider), Jehovah-nissi (He reigns in victory), Jehovah-shalom (my Peace), God Almighty, Heavenly Father, Abba (Father), Holy, Loving, Kind, Gentle, Patient, Worthy, Good, Gracious.....
Do you see what I mean? I really could go on forever.
There is however, another area of "Why" that I would like to talk about...
HIS GOODNESS
Oh, yes, the Lord is Good. I can think of countless situations in my life where His goodness, (manifested in compassion, mercy, and forgiveness) brought me out of very dark places. You should take some time to meditate every day on the goodness He has shown to you in your life.
No time? Yes, there is. In the shower, driving here and there, as you lay in bed, blow drying your hair, putting make up on, cooking dinner, washing dishes, get up earlier, go to bed later, and right now. We say, “we don't have time." Yes, we do. We should always find time to think about the goodness of God and praise His Holy Name!
The Bible has many Scriptures on the Goodness of God. I have listed a few of my favorites.
Titus 3:4-6 ...when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Savior to man appeared, He saved us, not because of any righteousness that we had done, but because of His own pity and mercy...
Psalm 31:19 Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear, revere, and worship You. Goodness which You have wrought for those who trust and take refuge in You before the sons of men!
Acts 14:17 Yet He did not neglect to leave some witness of Himself, for He did you good and showed you kindness and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with nourishment and happiness.
Psalm 145:7-9 They shall pour forth like a fountain the fame of Your great and abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of Your rightness and justice. The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and abounding in mercy a
When I told a friend of mine about my information quest, he asked me to do some research on MLM. The first person I talked to was a friend of mine that always seemed to be involved in one enterprise after another. He had some interesting information on the attitude of people towards MLM."A lot of people got a little jaded (including the author) about MLM because the old style of doing the MLM business was so secretive. The approach they wanted you to take was to some how lure someone to a meeting where all would be revealed. Then for the most part it was all about the money first and the products last", he told me. I understood that because I had been approached a few times exactly like that."Today many MLM companies have a different attitude", he continued, "a more professional method where people, the product/s and benefits of the product/s are the number one reasons to approach someone. If you believe in the products and the benefits for people then talking to people becomes much easier, you feel better about it, and there's no secrets. The number one reason should be to help make someone's life easier, not about how much money they could be making."He told me about the products that his MLM company offered. It was very interesting and in fact I want do more research on those, which of course will lead to more articles.After I had talked my friend I did some more digging. In turns out that the MLM method of buying products is one of the fastest growing enterprise in the world today. It makes sense when you think about it.
Why Should We Love Him?
I'm sure this would seem like an obvious answer. Yet, I think it is important that we really understand the depth of the answer. Why do we or why should we love God? Well, there are more answers to this question then could be answered in a lifetime. But, I will give the best answer I can...
- HE IS INCOMPARABLE. THERE IS NONE LIKE HIM : II Samuel 7:22 says; Therefore You are great, O Lord God; for none is like You, nor is there any God besides You... No other religion has a God like ours. HE IS!
- HIS WAYS ARE PERFECT. HE IS PERFECT: Psalm 18:30 says; As for God, His way is perfect!
- HE IS OUR ROCK AND SHIELD: Psalm 18:30-31 says; ...He is a shield to all those who take refuge and put their trust in Him. For who is God except the Lord? Or who is the Rock save our God? It says it right there...if we will take refuge...He will shield us. How many of us actually take refuge in Him?
- HE IS THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS: This is covered in Genesis 1. Isaiah 40:12, 22 & 26 as well as countless other verses. What other God created the Universe?
- HE IS EVERLASTING: Habakkuk 3:6 says; He stood and measured the earth; He looked and shook the nations, and the eternal mountains were scattered and the perpetual hills bowed low. His ways are everlasting and His goings are of old.
- HE IS JUST, TRUE, MIGHTY AND SOVEREIGN: Revelation 15:3 says; ...Mighty and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God the Omnipotent! Just and true are Your ways, O Sovereign of the ages. Sing that for a while and you'll feel His presence all around you.
- HE IS MY STRENGTH AND MY SONG: When I am weak I know I can count on Him to be my Strength. Exodus 15:2 says; The Lord is my Strength and my Song....Keep reading that chapter alone for many reasons to love Him.
- HE LOVED US FIRST: I John 4:19 says; We love Him, because He first loved us.
- HE IS OMNIPOTENT (ALL-POWERFUL): Jeremiah 32:17 says; Alas, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by Your outstretched arm! There is nothing too hard for you.
- HE IS OMNIPRESENT (EVER-PRESENT): Read Psalm 139:7-12. He is always here...He is always there. You are never alone. What other "god" can say that?
- HE IS OMNISCIENCE (ALL-KNOWING): I John 3:20 says; ...For He is above and greater than our consciences (our hearts), and He knows and understands everything, nothing is hidden from Him.
These aren’t even the tip of the iceberg...There is not enough time or words to tell all the reasons to love our God. He is The Great I Am, The King of Kings, The Lord of Lords, Jehovah-jireh (my Provider), Jehovah-nissi (He reigns in victory), Jehovah-shalom (my Peace), God Almighty, Heavenly Father, Abba (Father), Holy, Loving, Kind, Gentle, Patient, Worthy, Good, Gracious.....
Do you see what I mean? I really could go on forever.
There is however, another area of "Why" that I would like to talk about...
HIS GOODNESS
Oh, yes, the Lord is Good. I can think of countless situations in my life where His goodness, (manifested in compassion, mercy, and forgiveness) brought me out of very dark places. You should take some time to meditate every day on the goodness He has shown to you in your life.
No time? Yes, there is. In the shower, driving here and there, as you lay in bed, blow drying your hair, putting make up on, cooking dinner, washing dishes, get up earlier, go to bed later, and right now. We say, “we don't have time." Yes, we do. We should always find time to think about the goodness of God and praise His Holy Name!
The Bible has many Scriptures on the Goodness of God. I have listed a few of my favorites.
Titus 3:4-6 ...when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Savior to man appeared, He saved us, not because of any righteousness that we had done, but because of His own pity and mercy...
Psalm 31:19 Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear, revere, and worship You. Goodness which You have wrought for those who trust and take refuge in You before the sons of men!
Acts 14:17 Yet He did not neglect to leave some witness of Himself, for He did you good and showed you kindness and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with nourishment and happiness.
Psalm 145:7-9 They shall pour forth like a fountain the fame of Your great and abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of Your rightness and justice. The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and abounding in mercy a
Color has a profound affect on how we feel. This has been reflected in our language, when we talk about someone feeling blue, or seeing red, or looking at life through rose colored glasses. Over time, color experts have noticed how specific colors affect us, and you can use this knowledge to help you mentally and emotionally.In school, we learned that the seven basic colors of the rainbow are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Each of these colors has a special affect on the way people feel and behave. Red tends to be energizing, and can help with self-confidence. Orange can make people more sociable, and more success-oriented, while yellow helps with mental clarity and curiosity. Both orange and yellow can have an uplifting effect on people.If you find yourself nervous, green might help. Green has a harmonizing and calming effect on your emotions. Use blue if you want to improve your communication skills or relax mentally. Indigo may help you develop a more accurate perception of things. If you are feeling stuck in your creative pursuits, violet may help by bringing you inspiration.Equipped with this knowledge, you need to bring these colors into your life. There are many ways to do this. Certainly one way you can do this very readily is by bringing color into your immediate environment. The colors of the walls in your home can have a strong effect on your feelings. For instance, a room with deep red walls will have a completely different effect on you than a room with calming green walls.There are, howe
- HE IS JUST, TRUE, MIGHTY AND SOVEREIGN: Revelation 15:3 says; ...Mighty and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God the Omnipotent! Just and true are Your ways, O Sovereign of the ages. Sing that for a while and you'll feel His presence all around you.
- HE IS MY STRENGTH AND MY SONG: When I am weak I know I can count on Him to be my Strength. Exodus 15:2 says; The Lord is my Strength and my Song....Keep reading that chapter alone for many reasons to love Him.
- HE LOVED US FIRST: I John 4:19 says; We love Him, because He first loved us.
- HE IS OMNIPOTENT (ALL-POWERFUL): Jeremiah 32:17 says; Alas, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by Your outstretched arm! There is nothing too hard for you.
- HE IS OMNIPRESENT (EVER-PRESENT): Read Psalm 139:7-12. He is always here...He is always there. You are never alone. What other "god" can say that?
- HE IS OMNISCIENCE (ALL-KNOWING): I John 3:20 says; ...For He is above and greater than our consciences (our hearts), and He knows and understands everything, nothing is hidden from Him.
These aren’t even the tip of the iceberg...There is not enough time or words to tell all the reasons to love our God. He is The Great I Am, The King of Kings, The Lord of Lords, Jehovah-jireh (my Provider), Jehovah-nissi (He reigns in victory), Jehovah-shalom (my Peace), God Almighty, Heavenly Father, Abba (Father), Holy, Loving, Kind, Gentle, Patient, Worthy, Good, Gracious.....
Do you see what I mean? I really could go on forever.
There is however, another area of "Why" that I would like to talk about...
HIS GOODNESS
Oh, yes, the Lord is Good. I can think of countless situations in my life where His goodness, (manifested in compassion, mercy, and forgiveness) brought me out of very dark places. You should take some time to meditate every day on the goodness He has shown to you in your life.
No time? Yes, there is. In the shower, driving here and there, as you lay in bed, blow drying your hair, putting make up on, cooking dinner, washing dishes, get up earlier, go to bed later, and right now. We say, “we don't have time." Yes, we do. We should always find time to think about the goodness of God and praise His Holy Name!
The Bible has many Scriptures on the Goodness of God. I have listed a few of my favorites.
Titus 3:4-6 ...when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Savior to man appeared, He saved us, not because of any righteousness that we had done, but because of His own pity and mercy...
Psalm 31:19 Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear, revere, and worship You. Goodness which You have wrought for those who trust and take refuge in You before the sons of men!
Acts 14:17 Yet He did not neglect to leave some witness of Himself, for He did you good and showed you kindness and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with nourishment and happiness.
Psalm 145:7-9 They shall pour forth like a fountain the fame of Your great and abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of Your rightness and justice. The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and abounding in mercy a
Now Christmas is over - that time of year when we spend our time and money on our family and friends. Valentine's Day is quickly approaching - the time of year to spend time and money on yourself and your lover.Sexy lingerie is a Valentine's Day gift that pleases both of you. What makes lingerie such a sought after and much-given Valentine's Day gift - more treasured than chocolates, flowers, stuffed animals and even jewelry? Lingerie says, "I love you and I want you." It says, "You are beautiful and deserve to wear beautiful things. I think you are desireable."Sexy clothing is not THE only Valentines Day gift you should give her. If your lover is a chocolate fiend then you better get her some fancy chocolates too - and flowers are never a waste, but opt for two or three smaller boquets around the room instead of one big overbearing grouping. Choose different types of flowers - daisies, wild flowers, carnations - with maybe one rose tied with a ribbon. The rose will be romantic and the hardier flowers will last longer. Think about adding a slim book of erotic stories, some massage oil, adult toys or a special piece of jewelry with an encrypted romantic inscription.Take the time to write a note to tell her or him exactly what it is about your relationship that turns you on. Don't be afraid to get a little naughty - it will be remembered for many years to come.From a practical standpoint, it can be hard for guys to know what kind of lingerie to choose or what size to buy. If you make a purchase at a lingerie store the clerks c
HIS GOODNESS
Oh, yes, the Lord is Good. I can think of countless situations in my life where His goodness, (manifested in compassion, mercy, and forgiveness) brought me out of very dark places. You should take some time to meditate every day on the goodness He has shown to you in your life.
No time? Yes, there is. In the shower, driving here and there, as you lay in bed, blow drying your hair, putting make up on, cooking dinner, washing dishes, get up earlier, go to bed later, and right now. We say, “we don't have time." Yes, we do. We should always find time to think about the goodness of God and praise His Holy Name!
The Bible has many Scriptures on the Goodness of God. I have listed a few of my favorites.
Titus 3:4-6 ...when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Savior to man appeared, He saved us, not because of any righteousness that we had done, but because of His own pity and mercy...
Psalm 31:19 Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear, revere, and worship You. Goodness which You have wrought for those who trust and take refuge in You before the sons of men!
Acts 14:17 Yet He did not neglect to leave some witness of Himself, for He did you good and showed you kindness and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with nourishment and happiness.
Psalm 145:7-9 They shall pour forth like a fountain the fame of Your great and abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of Your rightness and justice. The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and abounding in mercy and loving-kindness. The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works, the entirety of His creation.
Psalm 86:5 For You, O Lord, are good, and ready to forgive our trespasses, letting them go completely and forever; and You are abundant in mercy and loving-kindness to all those who call upon You.
And let's not forget the Israelites in the Book of Exodus. They wandered around the desert for forty years...griping, complaining, unthankful, and unfaithful. Yet, our loving and merciful God still fed them every day, kept them safe, and even prevented their shoes from aging!
God is GOOD! We should never forget His goodness. If we would just reflect on His goodness in our lives and the Scriptures...we would have a whole lot more peace.
At the beginning of this study, I gave you our foundation Scripture Matthew 22:37-38. In it Jesus was telling a lawyer about two commandments. The first was what we have been discussing.
I would like to end this study with the second commandment that Jesus gave in Matthew 22:39; And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as you do yourself.
I don't know about you...but...that is a very hard thing to do. It is not impossible though. We have to choose to Love.
Other Christians can be very difficult to love...for a variety of reasons that I am sure you are aware of. Yet in the book of John, Jesus tells us why it is important to love each other. John 13:34-35 says; I give you a new commandment; that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you love one another [If you keep on showing love among yourselves].
Jesus doesn't just mean our brothers and sisters in the Lord...He means our enemies too. In Matthew 5:44 Jesus said, ...Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. But wait...He goes even further in Luke 6:27-28; But I say to you who are listening now to me: Make it a practice to love your enemies, treat well (do good to, act nobly toward) those who detest you and pursue you with hatred. Invoke blessings upon and pray for the happiness of those who curse you, implore God's favor upon those who abuse you and misuse you.
WHEW...those are some pretty strong words. This is no easy task. Let's go deeper...
WHAT IS LOVE?
I'm sure you've heard it and/or read it...
I Corinthians 13:4-8 - Love endures long and is patient and kind; love is never envious nor boils over with jealousy, it is not boastful and does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited; it is not rude and does not act unbecomingly. Love (GOD'S LOVE IN US) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails...
There really isn't anything more I can add. God has explained "what" love is thoroughly. The next question would be...how?
HOW DO WE LOVE?
In part one of this study we learned that the Scriptures tell us that if we love God...we will keep His commandments. Well, this is one of His commandments. Obviously, we don't just snap our fingers and suddenly have the kind of love described in I Corinthians. It comes gradually over time as we study and learn His Word (His ways). The Word says that God is Love in I John 4:16. So, if we pour enough of God into our lives and spirits...we will automatically love more like He loves. It is what naturally happens as we submit our lives to Him and His will. We grow the "fruit" of love.
We cannot beat ourselves up when we fail. The enemy would love that. We must press on. Make it a point to read I Corinthians 13 as often as you can. Get it in you. And PRAY!
Note: All Scripture was taken from the Amplified Translation.
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