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noandpickles · 2 years ago

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I wanna talk about a specific form of gaslighting I experienced as a teen that I haven't seen discussed elsewhere. Fair warning, this is going to require a discussion of some Mormon doctrine, and details of my own deconversion. But first, I know there's a lot of discourse about misuse of psychiatric terms, especially gaslighting, so let's start with a definition.

Gaslighting doesn't have a clinical definition, but I think this definition from Medical News Today sums it up pretty well:

"Gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse in which a person or group causes someone to question their own sanity, memories, or perception of reality."

Now for the Mormon doctrine, specifically a piece of scripture called Moroni's Challenge or Moroni's Promise. Moroni's Challenge is in the Book of Mormon, near the end, and is heavily emphasized in Mormon teachings as one of the key takeaways of the book. The relevant passage (Moroni, Chapter 10, Verse 4) reads:

"And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost."

This is the final hard sell of every Mormon missionary, every faith-affirming address in a church meeting, every script they teach for converting your friends and neighbors. If you read the book and ask god if it's true, and you really really mean it, you'll get the answer.

Moroni 10:4 is often compared to James 1:5-6, which, according to the church's foundational myth, is the scripture that led Joseph Smith to say the prayer that led to the founding of the church:

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."

I can't overemphasize how significant these two passages are to Mormons. When I was a member (and for a few years after) I could quote both of these from memory. This is the instruction manual Mormons are given for saving souls, including their own.

And with the scene set, on to the story.

When I was a teen, I decided it was time for me to take Moroni's Challenge and find my own unwavering conviction that the church was true. Mormons call this "gaining a testimony," and it's something every Mormon is meant to do. I had already read the Book of Mormon, the Bible, and the other Mormon holy books a couple times, so I started by simply praying. And nothing happened.

Not to be deterred, I set about doing all the various things Mormons are taught to do when they need spiritual guidance and the reception's a bit fuzzy. I started reading the Book of Mormon more often, fasting for a day at a time, trying to cut out "satanic" influences in my life, etc. In case a lack of faith was the problem, I started reading articles by Mormon leaders about how to strengthen my faith, and following their advice.

Aaaand nothing happened.

It's not like the bar was high here. Mormons describe these spiritual confirmations as any one of a range of vague feelings. But no matter how much I wanted that confirmation, I didn't feel anything that I could convince myself was a sign.

This went on for a period of a few months. I don't need to go into much more detail about that process here, except to say that it was an increasingly desperate, frightening, and depressing experience, and I didn't allow myself to consider the possibility that there might not be an answer coming until I was sure I'd done everything I was meant to and received no response. In other words, by the time I stopped believing, I was as certain as I could possibly be.

Eventually, I started trying to talk to people in my life about what I had experienced, and the conclusion I had reached. I'm from a heavily Mormon area. Nearly everyone I'd ever met was Mormon, and everyone I spoke to about my faith in those days certainly was. From family to friends to, on one occasion, Mormon apostle Jeffrey Holland. These conversations took place over a long period, beginning when I was still hoping to get my confirmation somehow but was beginning to despair, and continuing until well after I had stopped believing. In each conversation, my question was basically the same: "I've read the scriptures, fasted, and prayed with faith for confirmation, and I've received no answer. What do you think that means?" And in each conversation, the immediate response was the same: "That didn't happen. Either you weren't faithful enough, or you got your answer and ignored it."

It's not hard to understand why every Mormon I spoke to reacted in the same way. They were just taking the easy out that was built into Moroni's Challenge. "If ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ." Those qualities are impossible to measure or prove. I couldn't demonstrate what my intentions were to anyone else, no matter how sure I was myself. So upon hearing my story, the people I spoke to could conclude one of three things: that the religion their entire life was built around was false, that I was lying, or that I had misremembered or misunderstood some part of my own internal experience.

The first option was obviously not on the table, and people don't like to accuse people they know and like of lying, so every one of them took the third option. These were not generally people with a history of manipulation or abuse. As far as I can remember, my mother had never gaslit or abused me before I lost my faith. And yet, because of this one piece of Mormon doctrine, otherwise caring people just trying to do the right thing ended up gaslighting a scared teenager who was reaching out to them for help. They weren't bad people, and they weren't behaving irrationally. Their decision-making skills were working fine, but they were operating on faulty information, and so they inflicted lasting psychological damage on someone they cared about.

To this day, when I second guess myself about the other shit I went through, telling myself "maybe it wasn't that bad, you're exaggerating, you're misremembering," I hear it in my mother's voice. I doubt my own memories frequently, especially memories of my own thoughts and feelings. Like nearly all the ex-Mormons I've known, I've gone through periods of intense interest in Mormon history and counter-apologetics. Because I'm still never quite sure if I can trust my own memory, but maybe I can back up my experiences with other sources that help confirm my conclusions.

This isn't something I've seen discussed in detail, although I've seen lots of ex-Mormons with similar deconversion stories say that their friends and family just dismissed what they'd experienced. I think our discussions of what we've gone through as ex-Mormons would be helped by understanding this as a form of gaslighting. It's not intentional or malicious, but the effects are the same.

#gaslighting #ex-mormon #exmo #exmormon #ex mormon #cult survivor

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vincentsims333 · 8 months ago

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According to Biblical scripture, sin is presented as a force that is inherent in human nature, but not insurmountable – a challenge that calls for discipline and spiritual guidance to overcome. Passages like Romans 6:14 assure the faithful, stating, "For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace." This encapsulates the mighty promise that, through faith and the grace extended by God, believers have the power to resist and rule over sin.

Moreover, the Bible teaches that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, one can exercise self-control, one of the fruits of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23. The letters of the Apostle Paul, especially, delve into the concept of dying to one's sinful nature and being reborn in the spirit of righteousness—a powerful metaphor for the transformative power of faith.

In the book of James, chapter 4, verse 7, the Bible also encourages believers to "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." This passage underscores the importance of willful submission to divine will as a strategy for sin control, promising that with such surrender comes victory over temptation.

Another important scripture, 1 Corinthians 10:13, offers both solace and strategy, affirming that God is faithful and "will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear." This verse speaks volumes about the divine support system in place for those who strive to control sin—it reassures us that there is always a way out or a means to bear up under temptation, empowering every believer with hope and perseverance.

And let us not forget the wisdom of Proverbs, where in chapter 28, verse 13, it is stated, "Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy." In these words lies the promise of forgiveness and renewal—a reminder that acknowledging our wrongdoings is the first step to mastering them.

Unearthing these scriptural treasures gives us invaluable insights into how the Bible directs us to confront and control sin. By turning to these ancient texts, we gain wisdom that continues to guide and inspire countless individuals in their quest for spiritual growth and moral integrity.

#jesus christ #god #proverbs #bible scripture #bible study

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hiswordsarekisses · 4 months ago

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Most of my Christian walk I focused on the last part of this verse about resisting the devil in trying to resist Satan's attacks and accusations. One day my daughter pointed out to me that we have to pay attention to the first part of the verse first because it is most important and it literally tells you how to do the second part. "Submit yourselves therefore to God" is the actual “victory strategy!”

We cannot resist Satan in our own efforts - but that is exactly what happens when we do not first submit to God.

The key to a successful walk with God - is complete submission to God from your heart. We cannot depend on our own human resistance to the devil.

We have to let go - first of all - giving God everything. That includes everything that may give the enemy an entrance or access into our life that he may use to attack us - and anything that may be hindering or even blocking our spiritual growth. We should always even ask God to expose, and make us aware of the things we do not realize are giving open doors or windows - or causing us not to grow! Because sometimes we do not even realize!!

We have to surrender our own preconceived ideas on how to overcome sin or Satan and rely only on God's Word. His Word and prayer are the only weapons we have and they are the only weapons we need, along with the love of the truth. I literally pray every day that God will put the love of the truth in my heart.

I had to learn to actively set my attention on spiritual matters throughout my day - His Word, His music, etc. Keeping my attention fully on God, with God honoring things.

This is why I tend to post so much, because I’m constantly in the Word throughout the day - in my personal Bible, my Bible app, my strategically filtered newsfeeds, playlists, etc., and when something ministers to me I am compelled to share it, because my thinking it that it’s likely to help others as well.

“For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh. The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We tear down arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” Corinthians 10:4-6

Our main source of attack and conflict in life is not with other people, but against spiritual forces of evil (Eph, 6:12), For that reason, worldly weapons will never defeat our real enemy and demolish Satan's strongholds.

Only the weapons that God provides will do that - and they will help us with things like resisting the devil, ungodliness, and false teaching.

The love of the truth, the Word of God, and prayer are powerful weapons from God against spiritual enemies.

They will literally force demons out of our lives, wash us clean, and literally transform us.

It’s tempting to listen to, and rely on human wisdom - which can seem helpful at times, but not lasting - and it won’t have the spiritual power that comes from God's Word (which is ALIVE and transforming).

Only the power of the Holy Spirit can destroy sin's power in people's lives, and rescue them from Satan's sneaky schemes.

Our spiritual warfare is often fought on the battleground of our minds, and this requires bringing all our thoughts and desires into line with the character and purposes of Jesus, which we find in His Word. When we don’t do not know His Word it leaves us wide open to ungodly thoughts and battles that seem to just take over our lives.

Some of our thoughts originate from our own desires and imaginations - or they can come from worldly influences - but many come directly from evil forces trying to influence our thinking.

These ungodly thoughts, fears, and temptations will literally resist, oppose and set themselves up “against the knowledge of God!” (His Word!!!) But we do not have to let them hold us captive! We do have control over what we think!

It is not a sin to be tempted or have a thought. Jesus himself was tempted (Matt. 4:1-11). But giving in to temptation is a sin, and dwelling on the thought can lead to sin.

If we deliberately and foolishly expose ourselves to images and situations that we know will bring ungodly thoughts and desires, we have already crossed a boundary line and set ourselves up for failure - God promises a way of escape - but if we choose not to take His way and the escape He shows us - it is definitely sin.

When a thought or temptation comes into our mind, we have to immediately take hold of that thought before it goes any further into our spirit and consider how it measures up to the standards of God's Word. We cannot dwell on the thought - we have to catch it and replace it with the truth of God’s Word.

I will say “No!” Out loud, and then I will say out loud “God please take that out of my heart and replace it with Your character!” And I speak His Word that applies against that thought out loud as well. (Of course if I’m in public I will either speak under my breath or in my mind!) it’s no good scaring people lol!

I always ask for His strength, especially if I’m having trouble with being bombarded with a certain thought, or a train of thought.

Like: "God, here it is; take it. You already dealt with this as you suffered for my sin. I need your help with this issue, and I submit my thoughts to you."

Philippians 4:8 says that "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable - if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."

These kinds of thoughts will actually guard our mind against ungodly desires and help us say "No!" to the devil, temptation and sin.

This is how we “set our mind” (and thoughts) on God, His Word, and eternal things, rather than on earthly things.

We have to be careful what our eyes see and our ears hear, because these are the absolutely powerful doors to our mind.

“Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace” Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭5‬-‭6‬‬

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gatekeeper-watchman · 3 days ago

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Daily Devotionals for November 23, 2024

Proverbs: God's Wisdom for Daily Living

Devotional Scripture:

Proverbs 28:23-24 (KJV): 23 He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue. 24 Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression; the same is the companion of a destroyer. Proverbs 28:23-24 (AMP): 23 He who rebukes a man shall afterward find more favor than he who flatters with the tongue. 24 Whoever robs his father or his mother and says, This is no sin -- he is in the same class as (an open, lawless robber and) a destroyer.

Thought for the Day

Verse 23 - If the body of Christ is to mature, we must conform to Jesus, who is the truth. "That we henceforth be no more children...But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ..." (Ephesians 4:14-15). Giving an honest rebuke is part of speaking the truth in love. This is often difficult to do, since we risk the anger and rejection of the person rebuked. However, we will eventually be appreciated more than a flatterer. A true friend will appreciate our honesty, for it shows genuine concern. Lying flattery leads someone to continue in error. Many portions of Scripture admonish us not to lie to each other, such as Colossians 3:9-10.

A news organization recently did a survey here in America and asked several questions to determine the percentage of people who were dishonest about things. Some of the questions were: "Do you cheat the IRS? "Do you compliment people when you do not mean it? "Do you tell your spouse to tell callers you are not at home? "Do you tell 'little white lies' if it will keep you out of trouble? "Do you tell creditors that the check is in the mail when you have not yet mailed it? "Do you exaggerate when repeating things you have heard?" It was determined that 90% of Americans surveyed are not truthful under certain circumstances.

Lying began with Satan whom Jesus revealed as the father of lies (John 8:43-44,47). We can understand a high percentage of liars in corrupt society, but it is alarming that many Christians are also dishonest. God always keeps His word. He is faithful to every promise recorded in the Bible. That is why we can trust Him. We are called to be like Him, and must prove ourselves honest and trustworthy in order to represent our Father well. Jesus said that a man's words proceed from his heart (Matthew 15:18-20). If we lie, fib or break our word to others (another form of dishonesty), we need to ask God to cleanse our hearts, and begin studying the Bible so that His Word of truth resides in us.

Verse 24 - Those who steal from their parents are likened to destroyers. Grown children can "steal" from their parents in a number of ways; such as living irresponsibly and relying on their parents to pay their bills. Some parents entrust their businesses or their affairs to their children, only to have the children squander them. Thinking one has the right to steal from their parents in this way and making no effort to repay them, is a terrible evil. To deny this sin makes it even worse. Lying and stealing are evils that we must ask the Lord to deliver us from, if we are to become overcomers.

Prayer Devotional for the Day

Dear heavenly Father, I am thankful that You are faithful and that You always keep Your Word. Lord, do a work in the hearts of all Your children and deliver us from lying. May the words that we speak always be the truth. Lord, help us not to make promises that we are unable to keep. We want our words to be like Your words. You not only never lie, but every promise that You have made in the Word of God You will keep. You are not a man that You should lie. Lord, cleanse our hearts so that we will speak the truth in love instead of ignoring confrontations. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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mare-sanguis · 1 year ago

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Notes on "Ambidextrous Angle" here

Notes on "Lady Justice" here

Notes on the Flowers in ep.8 here

Notes on the colors in ep.10 here

Lets talk numerology

As episode 11 will be rescheduled to next week (and while this is quite a bummer), it also gave me a chance to delve deeper into the numbers (+ combinations) present on the plates of the car of No. 3 and KMC.

Its really fascinating and fitting (personality wise) what I found out after a long and deep dive into all of it.

Here we go

Meaning of the numbers

The history/mythology behind each of them (note: I cannot include each mythology or can expand on them)

Korean numerology meaning of the numbers

Interesting fact about KSJs house number (177)

Number plate of the parcel driver

Lets dive into the topic!

Lets start with the number combinations present on the plate of No.3's car

31.

Also called an angel number, 31 represents new beginnings, fresh opportunities, creativity, positivity, motivation and progress. It helps to let go of old habits, to move forwards.

When this number appears in someones life, the angels are telling them that new beginnings are on the way. They want people to trust themselves and the universe to make the necessary changes to achieve their goals.

It also signifies the need for open communication, honest and trust (especially with a partner)

67.

Yet another angel number, 67 exist to represent spiritual awakening, fulfilling purpose and shows the "right path"

It is also associated with new beginnings, fresh starts and new opportunities. If someone is looking for a change in their life, the number 67 may be a sign that they should make some changes. (It is a powerful combination of 6 and 7, more on these numbers later)

In the bible, 67 has a significant meaning as well, It appears on multiple occasions:

1. The Apostle Paul conducts his final and fifth missionary journey between 63 to 67 A.D. His journey begins in Rome after the Roman Empire acquits him of the charges against him and he is freed. He then sails to Crete and travels to Nicopolis where he will write the books of 1. Timothy and Titus. In 67 A.D., while in prison, Paul writes his final and fourteenth book called 2. Timothy. It is a heartfelt letter to his best friend and fellow evangelist Timothy. It offered both encouragement and a warning that his martyrdom was fast approaching. »But as for you, be vigilant in all things, endure hardships, do the work of an evangelist; fully carry out your ministry. For I (Paul) am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight; I have finished the course; I have kept the faith (2Timothy 4:5 - 7)« 67 A.D. will prove to be the last full year of Paul's life. Nero, who had recently begun the first state sponsored persecution of Christians, shows no mercy to Paul the Roman citizen. He condemns him to death by beheading in 68 A.D. just before he himself commits suicide on June 9.

2. The twelve Minor Prophets (Amos, Habakkuk, Haggai, Hosea, Joel, Jonah, Malachi, Micah, Nahum, Obadiah, Zechariah, and Zephaniah) have a total number of 67 chapters.

3. Psalm 67, credited to King David, is a song praising God that expresses his desire that the whole world come to understand the salvation the Eternal offers to all humans. »May God be gracious to us, and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us. Selah. So that Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations . . . Let the people praise You, O God; let all the people praise You (verses 1 - 2, 5).«

90.

Here we have yet another angel number. This time, it helps to manifestin dreams, signifies positive energy and development and just like 67, its to be associated with enlightenment and spiritual awakening. It also symbolizes the imminent endings and terminations of some events in ones life.

In numerology, a 3 is associated with harmoney, wisdom, understanding, joy, abundance, success and good fortune. It is also associated with Jupiter (both the god and the planet)

It also appears in the bible on multiple occasions:

1. Number 3 is mentioned 467 times in God's word. It derives its symbolism from the fact that it is the first of four spiritually perfect numerals (the others being 7, 10 and 12). The 3 righteous patriarchs before the flood were Abel, Enoch and Noah. After the deluge, there was the three righteous "fathers" of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 2. Jesus prayed three times in the Garden of Gethsemane before His arrest. He was placed on the cross at the 3rd hour of the day (9 a.m.) and died at the 9th hour. There were 3 hours of darkness that covered the land while Jesus was suffering on the cross from the 6th hour to the 9th hour. Christ was dead for three full days and nights. 3. In Christianity, there exists the "threefold office" which states that Christ performs the functions of prophet, priest, and king.

In Norse Mythology it also holds significance

1. Prior to Ragnarök, there will be three hard winters without an intervening summer. These winters are called "Fimbulwinter" (meaning awful, migthy winter in old norse)- these winters mean no summer in between, but filled with snow, bitter frost and icy storms. (There is speculation that climate change, which began in Scandinavia at the end of the Nordic Bronze Age, gave rise to the legend of the Fimbulwinter.) 2. Odin endured three hardships upon the World Tree in his quest for the runes: he hanged himself, wounded himself with a spear, and suffered from hunger and thirst. 3. Bor had three sons: Odin (father god in norse mythology associated with wisdom, healing, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, war, battle, victory, sorcery, poetry, frenzy, and the runic alphabet), Vili and V��. All three sons are the creators of the world.

In greek mythology it too makes its appearance through the 3 sons of Cronos (god of time)

1. Zeus (god of sky and thunder) known for: turning his first wife into a fly which he then ate, cursing Sisyphus to push a giant boulder up a hill forever, chaining prometheus to a rock so an eagle could eat his liver, consistently being unfaithful to his wife (Hera), confining Tantalus in the underworld out of pure reach of nourishment, turning into a cloud to seduce Io, tricking Pandora into opening the box and ultimately turning herself into the burden of humanity, wiping out humankind, binding Ixion to an eternally burning wheel, forcing Atlas to hold the world on his shoulders, raping Callisto (whom he then turned into a bear) as well as Antiope and Alcmene (and many other female gods) 2. Poseidon (god of sea, storms, earthquakes and horses) known for: fighting in the troja war where he created such a huge earthquake it nearly destroyed the underworld, raping Athena and Demeter (and many more) 3. Hades (god of the underworld and the dead) known for kidnapping Persephone and tricking her into marrying him

(The roman equivalents are Saturn, Jupiter, Neptun and Pluto)

Other religions also reference the number 3

The Wiccan Rule of Three. The Triple Goddess: Maiden, Mother, Crone (the three fates) The Slavic god Triglav has three heads. There were three primary gods in Babylonia mythology (Anu, Bel, Ea) Three aspects to the Egyptian sun god (Khepri, Re, Atum)

And it represents the male principles

The number 3 is a very mystical and spiritual number featured in many folktales (three wishes, three guesses, three little pigs, three bears, three billy goats gruff). Plato saw 3 as being symbolic of the triangle, the simplest spatial shape, and considered the world to have been built from triangles.

In German folklore a paper triangle with a cross in each corner and a prayer in the middle was thought to act as protection against gout, as well as protecting a cradle from witches.

Three black animals were often sacrificed when attempting to conjure up demons. On the other hand, a three-coloured cat was a protective spirit. In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth (1606–07) there are three witches, and their spell begins, “Thrice the brindled cat hath mewed,” reflecting such superstitions.

Also, 3 is the dimension of the smallest magic square in which every row, column, and diagonal sums to 15

We continue with the number combination on the plate of KMC's car

21.

Again, another angel number. It signifies good luck and faith.

21 means to enter a time of abundance. For those who have been dealing with a time of transition or facing difficulties, seeing this number can be a positive sign that soon this period will be behind you, and you can take the lessons of the past and put them to good use in your bright and beautiful future. This number has a special meaning - one connected to comfort, protection, and positive energy, helping you enter the next chapter of your life path.

In the bible, 21 is present as well

1. It represents great wickedness of rebellion and sin. After the people left Egyptian bondage, they had twenty-one major rebellious events as they wandered the wilderness. 2. The book of Judges and the gospel of John contain 21 chapter 3. The book of Hebrews contains materials from twetnty-one Old Testament books 4. In 2. Timothy the apostel Paul writes of 21 sins which show the exceeding wickedness of self and sin. He begins chapter 3 with a warning; "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will…" he then proceeds to list the sind humans will indulge in: 1) selfishly love themselves 2) Love money 3) Bragging 4) Be proud of themselves 5) Blaspheme 6) Disregard and disobe their parents 7) Not be thankful for what they have 8) Reject being holy 9) Will not have natural affection 10) Will be uncompromising 11) Falsely accuse others 12) Lack of any self-control 13) Will be fierce 14) Hate anyone who does good 15) Betray others 16) Will act hardheaded 17) Will have exalted, selfish views 18) Lovers of pleasure 19) Reject loving god 20) Will seem superficially to be godly 21) Deny God's power

The number of nothingness. freedom and no limitations. It is also often referred to as the void, as it represents potential and choice. It most likely means that positive change is on the way

In Chinse numerology on the other hand it takes on a quite positive meaning (beginning of all things (and is generally considered a good number, because it sounds like 良 (pinyin: liáng), which means 'good'.

The number of completion, although not a final ending. 9 means "near the final destination", and represents fulfillment of one cycle so you can prelare to initiate the next one as well as ebb and flow.

Again, another important number in the bible

It represents the fruits of God's Holy Spirit. These fruits are faithfulness, gentleness, goodness, joy, kindness, long suffering, love, peace and self-control

And it also appears in Norse Mythology

1. The universe is divided into nine worlds which are all connected by the world tree "Yggdrasil". 2. The number is also associated with Odin, as that is how many days he hung from the world tree Yggdrasil before attaining knowledge of the runes » Odin's self-sacrifice: But he wanted to know everything and gain wisdom and knowledge of things hidden from him (runes). This was a desire that drove him to sacrifice himself. He sacrificed his eye in Mimir's well and he threw himself on his spear Gungnir in a kind of symbolic, ritual suicide.«

As well as in Greek Mythology

1. There exist nine Muses in Greek mythology named: - Calliope (epic poetry) - Clio (history) - Erato (erotic poetry) - Euterpe (lyric poetry) - Melpomene (tragedy) - Polyhymnia (song) - Terpsichore (dance) - Thalia (comedy) - Urania (astronomy). 2. The River Styx, across which souls were ferried to the underworld, is described as having nine twists. 3. It takes nine days (for an anvil) to fall from heaven to earth, and nine more to fall from earth to Tartarus (place of punishment in the underworld) 4. Leto (goddess of motherhood and protectress of the young) labored for nine days and nine nights for Apollo, according to the Homeric Hymn to Delian Apollo.

The number 9 also often represents pain or sadness. The 16th-century Catholic theologian Peter Bungus pointed out that the Ninth Psalm predicts the coming of the Antichrist. In Islamic cosmology the universe is made from nine spheres—the traditional eight of Ptolemy, plus a ninth added by the Arab astronomer Thābit ibn Qurrah about 900 CE to explain the precession of the equinoxes.

In Anglo-Saxon cultures 9 crops up frequently. The early inhabitants of Wales used nine steps to measure distance in legal contexts; for example, a dog that has bitten someone can be killed if it is nine steps away from its owner’s house, and nine people assaulting one constituted a genuine attack.

In German law the ownership of land terminated after the ninth generation. Many folk sayings involve the number 9. A stitch in time saves nine. Cloud nine is the ultimate in happiness. A cat has nine lives.

76.

And of course, yet another angel number and associated with luck, success, wealth, clarity, thought, love and creativity. The number also shows to focus your attention on your goals and continue to work hard to achieve them. It is a powerful combination of the number 6 and 7 (more on these numbers below)

In numerology, the number represents teamwork, service, love, friendship, patience, personal growth, learning, emotional balance, partnership, acceptance, peace, bonding and mutual interests.

It again shows up in Christianity as an important number as it represent Adam (the failure, sinner and destructor) and Jesus (the sucess), Lilith (Adams first wife) and Eva (Adams second wife)

The number 2 symbolizes many of the basic dualities: me/you, male/female, yes/no, alive/dead, left/right, yin/yang, and so on. Dualities are common in human approaches to the world, probably because of our preference for two-valued logic—yet another duality, true/false. Although 2 was female to the Pythagoreans (Members of a religious-philosophical and politically active school, the Pythagoras of Samos in the 20s of the 6th century BC), other numerological schemes viewed it as male.

In Agrippa von Nettesheim’s De occulta philosophia (1533; “On the Philosophy of the Occult”), 2 is the symbol for man, sex, and evil. One reason that some have associated 2 with evil is that the biblical book of Genesis does not use the formula “and it was good” when referring to the second day of Creation.

Some religions are dualistic, with two gods in place of the one God of monotheism. Examples include Zoroastrianism, where Ahura Mazdā (the god of light and goodness) battles with Ahriman (the god of darkness and evil).

The number 2 is often associated with negatives, as in the words duplicity and two-faced. Northwest Coast Indians required the parents of twins to observe various taboos because they believed that supernatural powers would bring the wishes of twins to fruition.

It is also symbolic of the female principles

This part will include number 1, 6 and 7

This number represents confidence, movement, newness, creation, birth of all things, origin of the universe, opportunity, to turn circumstances into anything we wish, control of future, independence, goal oriented, innovative, forceful, risky, doubtful, power and action in numerology.

Not surprisingly, the number 1 is generally treated as a symbol of unity.

The Pythagoreans did not consider 1 to be a number at all because number means plurality and 1 is singular. However, they considered it to be the source of all numbers because adding many 1s together can create any other (positive whole) number. In their system, where odd numbers were male and even numbers female, the number 1 was neither; instead, it changed each to the other. If 1 is added to an even number, it becomes odd; similarly, if 1 is added to an odd number, it becomes even.

In the faiths of Islamic, Jewish and Christian cultures the number 1 is associated with the unity of God. For medieval alchemists and metaphysicians the number was associated with the Philosopher's Stone, the unknown catalyst that was thought to transform base metals magically into gold.

The number 1 is also associated with the following deities:

Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of Love

Apollo, the Greek God of Beauty and Truth

Diana, the Roman Goddess of the Hunt

Vesta, the Roman Hearth Goddess

Freya, the Norse Goddess of Fertility

Pangu, the Chinese God who seperated earth and heaven

The number 1 is associated with the colors red, crimson, scarlet and cherry. Gemstones associated with the number 1 are ruby and garnet. Flowers associated with the number are red roses and red carnations.

Common superstitions about the number one are:

Break one egg and you will break a leg

It is unlucky to walk around the house in one slipper

Only keep money in one pocket or you will lose it.

People with one hand are psychic.

A one-eyed person is a witch.

Seeing one magpie bodes a death in your future.

Seeing one white horse brings bad luck.

If you wash your hair on the first day of the month you will have a short life.

It is unlucky to get married August 1st or January 1st.

The number of domestic happiness, stability, harmony and blessing.

In Christianity, it holds a significance

1. It appears as the number of six days of Creation in Genesis, with God resting on the seventh day. The structure of the Creation parallels the sum 1 + 2 + 3: on day 1 light is created; on days 2 and 3 heaven and earth appear; finally, on days 4, 5, and 6 all living creatures are created. 2. The number 6 and its meaning are related to man and human weakness, the evils of the devil and the manifestation of sin. Man was created on day six of creation week. Men are appointed 6 days to labor and then they are commanded to rest on the seventh day (Friday sunset to Saturday sunset). 3. A Hebrew slave had to serve 6 years before he could be released in the 7th year. Six years were appointed for the land to be sown and harvested. The number is also associated with Satan in his temptation of Jesus 4. The bringing together of triple six is the mark of the end time Beast power of Revelation. As such, it represents the very best system of governance that mankind can produce without God and under the constant influence of his chief adversary.

In Greek Mythology, number 6 represents

The goddess Venus (Goddess of love)

Hermes (God of Commerce)

Athena (Goddess of wisdom)

In Roman Mythology it represents Bacchus (God of Winemaking and Fertility

Some common supersitions about the number 6 are:

Its unlucky to purposely turn the number 6 upside down in jest as it means your projects will not be completed

If you find a rose with six petals it means you will be lucky in love

If you find a pansy petal with six colors on it, it means you will be protected against hurricanes and tornados

It is unlucky to get married on October 6th or November 6th

In numerology, this number is associated with war, protection, eternal life and pefection

The number 7 is equally sacred amongst Islamic, Christian and Jewish religions. According to Jewish and Christian mythologies it took six days to create the world with the seventh day being the holiest day - a day of rest. The Bible, Zohar and other religious texts also recommend that fields were to be left fallow every seventh year as means of allowing the earth to regenerate itself. Some Christians believe the number 7 represents the seven levels of hell.

It is Hebrew tradition to mourn, or sit Shivah, for a period of 7 days.

Deities associated with the number 7 include Frigga (Norse goddess of marriage, life, motherhood and heaven) Minerva (the Roman Goddess of Intelligence and Wisdom) and Mithras (Sun God in Zoroastrian lore)

The number 7 is associated with the colors violet, purple and plum. 7's gemstone is amethyst.

Flowers associated with 7 are irises and deep purple roses.

Some common superstitions about the number 7 are:

If your date of birth can be reduced to a single number that can be divided by seven then you will have a particularly lucky life.

Shattering a mirror brings 7 years of bad luck.

If you sing before 7 am then you will cry before 11 am.

Wrapping her husband's belt 7 times around a tree causes a woman to become fertile. The seventh child of a seventh child is said to have psychic powers.

If you wash your hair on the 7th day of the month you will have trouble with the law.

It is unlucky to get married April 7th or December 7th.

If you dream about the number 7, you will soon meet a soul mate.

Interesting thing about number 321

It represents creativity, joy, harmony, balance and moving forward

Korean supersititions on number 3:

This number also occurs several times in Korean mythology.

One of the key figures in Korean mythology is Hwanung. When Hwanung descended from heaven to earth, he had three seals and was accompanied by 3,000 followers. Also, Hwanung owned three powers: wind, rain, and clouds. Furthermore, according to the myth explaining how the first human appeared on Korean land, a bear stayed in the cave for three weeks. After that time, Hwanung transformed the bear into a beautiful woman.

Korean superstitions on number 9:

Apart from “4”, people in Korea are wary of “9”. When people reach an age ending in 9, for example, 29, 39, and so on, some of them begin to worry. They believe that this particular year will be difficult and misfortunes or failures may occur.

This attitude towards the number is due to the fact that after 9 comes 0. As a result, it is interpreted as the end of the old, and new beginnings from scratch which many people have anxiety about. There is a risk of choosing the wrong path at such an important time, some may even postpone significant events, such as weddings, to a later date.

Interesting fact about KSJs house number (177)

Seeing angel number 77 indicates divine support, and spiritual growth, and calls for a time of self-discovery and freedom.

Aligned with the soul’s purpose

Indicates psychic experiences and heightened spiritual awareness

Represents healing, spiritualism, and psychic abilities

Ruled by the planet Saturn, indicating challenges ahead

In a twin flame context, 77 signals a transition from rocky times to positive changes

Numerologically, 77 signifies freedom, introspection, adventure, and heightened spiritual awareness

Angel number 77 love reading is all about strong, healthy relationships. It advises caution in giving your heart too quickly

Seeing 77 meany to take risks, listen to the inner self and to follow dreams

While the number 77 rarely occurs in the Bible, far more common is the appearance of double 7's, some of which have a special meaning.

Noah wanted to determine the status of the water after the great flood. He sent out a raven and later a dove from the ark (Genesis 8:7 - 8). The dove returned without any symbol of life. Seven days later, he resent the dove. This time it returned with an olive leaf, proving that the waters had almost completely subsided although the ground was likely still water logged. He waited yet another seven days (double 7 or 77) and sent the dove yet again. This time, it did not return, which meant that the ground was dry enough for many kinds of animals.«

In mythology, number 77 is oftentimes symbolic of destruction (gilgamesh epos, which is similar to the noahs ark story)

Moreover, it indicates a time of inner reflection and self-discovery

177

An angle number and a powerful reminder that when we stay true to ourselves, use our creativity, and trust our intuition, anything is possible. It's a sign that we are on the right path and have the courage to pursue our passions and make positive changes in our lives.

It serves as reminder that it is up to us to go after what we want in life. We may be feeling scared, or like we are not good enough.

It will often show up when the reason we arent acting is fear and doubt. Perhaps we fear failure, or doubt that we truly have the ability to achieve something. It could even be that we don’t really think we deserve the things that we want- tells us that these are just symptoms of low self-esteem, and that we need to work on loving ourselves.

It also points to our intuition, and its power to help guide us through life. It is also our intuition that will let us know whether seeing the number 177 is a sign from the Angels.

The number is also always a call to action. It will often show up when we are in a state of indecision or fear which is stopping us from doing the things that we need to do. The number often shows up to help us overcome our fear of moving forward.

The same nudge that causes us to notice the number will prick our intuition and let us know that there is something special about this number.

It serves as a reminder that even when we are doing nothing, we are not standing still, as everything around us is moving, changing our relative position. This means that the main difference between action and inaction, is that when we act, we choose our destination, while when we stay in one place, our destination is chosen for us by other forces.

EDIT

The numbr we get to see on the plate of the parcel driver are 2583

As we already covered 2 and 3, lets focus on 5, 8, 25 and 83

This number is associated with the ruling planet mercury. It is considered to be a numbr to represent freedom and adventure. It represents "a need of variety of exciting experiences to feel fulfilled"- therefore it masters in changes, adapting to situations and experimentations as well.

Deities associated with the number 5

Dionysus, the Greek God of Wine and Ecstatic Revelation

Ishtar, the Babylonian Goddess of Love, Sex and War

Mars the Roman God of War

Thor the Norse God of Thunder.

In the bible, number symbolizes God's grace, goodness and favor toward humans.

In numerology, number 8 is to represent victory, prosperity and overcoming. It heps to lift up personal power and to energize it. As a powerful presence, it also means hidden power, shared resources and deterination.

Deities associated with the number 8 are

Mercury, the Roman God of financial gain, commerce, eloquence, messages, communication (including divination), travelers, boundaries, luck, trickery, and thieves

Gaia, the Greek Goddess of earth (mother earth)

Hera, the Greek goddes of marriage, family, childbirth and women

In the bible the number 8 represents a new beginning, meaning a new order or creation, and man's true "born again" event when he is resurrected from the dead into eternal life.

Number 83 is a number to represent greath strength combined with love, gentleness and sensitivity. Its there to give great love for the world and a desire to heal and restore peace and order

This number is yet again an angel number. It is to represent exchnge of ideas and new beginnings.

In the contrary, some people believe that its an unlucky number because it can represent chaos and destruction.

Number 25 is all about change, progress, challenges and two sides

Represent the Universal Word of God, according to Abellio.

According to saint Augustin, the number 25 represents the Law.

Represent the multiplication of creatures which overlap on the double world of the spirit and the matter, according to R. Allendy: "it is the life graduating on all plans and evolving by the opposite polarity game"

In the Bible the number 25 represents "grace upon grace." It is composed of 20 (meaning redemption) and five (grace) or grace multiplied (5 x 5).

And the Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us (and we ourselves beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten with the Father), full of grace and truth . . . And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:14, 16 - 17, HBFV).

In mesopotamian mythology Ningal, the goddess of dream divination, vision, and interpretatio is associated with the number 25

#the killing vote #국민사형투표 #tkv #kdrama #i almost gave up in the middle of it holy shit #almost passed out lmao

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influencingforjohn · 5 months ago

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Here are some Bible verses and leadership principles to help you become a wonderful leader:

1. Servant Leadership: Matthew 20:26-28 - "Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant."

2. Humility: Philippians 2:3-4 - "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves."

3. Integrity: Proverbs 11:3 - "The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity."

4. Wisdom: James 1:5 - "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."

5. Compassion: Colossians 3:12 - "Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience."

6. Vision: Proverbs 29:18 - "Where there is no vision, the people perish."

7. Accountability: Hebrews 13:17 - "Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account."

8. Empowerment: Ephesians 4:11-12 - "So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up."

9. Communication: Proverbs 16:24 - "Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."

10. Faith: Hebrews 11:6 - "And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

Remember, leadership is not about a title or position, but about serving and influencing others for God's glory.

#leadership #god #self care #christianity #bible #self help #self improvement #jesus #becoming that girl

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psalmonesermons · 1 year ago

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Finding the will of God for your life Part 8/8

How can circumstances inform the will of God?

Circumstances

Circumstances and events will sometimes indicate God's direction for us. Paul wrote about such a circumstance in his life in 2 Corinthians 2:12, "Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord."

Sometimes God opens the opportunity for making something possible, but at other times the door is firmly closed to us. Finances, family, church, travel regulations, health, world events can all be factors that facilitate or hinder the choices that we make. God wants us to be aware of our surroundings and circumstances. The are not the primary means of God talking to us, but they are however, crucial factors as we weigh up all the information.

Phil. 4:11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

1 Thes. 5:18 Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Common Sense

God has made us rational creatures (Gen 2:19-20). He has given us the ability to think, communicate, teach, and invent. We are intellectual beings with rational thought. This intellectual consciousness is what makes us unique. A number Christians believe that they have to stop thinking for themselves and let ‘God do their thinking for them’. God wants us to be down-to-earth common-sense people. Sadly common sense is not that common!

Prov. 2:6 For the LORD gives wisdom,

and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Prov. 19:8 He who gets wisdom loves his own soul.

he who cherishes understanding prospers.

Does the proposed course of action glorify God?

We are God’s ambassadors, and our lives should be a living representation of his nature and character. All too often people convince themselves that what they are doing is in the will of God. Most often than not in these situations God is not being glorified, they individuals are merely doing what makes them happy or brings attention to them.

1 Cor. 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Processing God’s Will

God often reveals his will to us in two or three stages. Initially we may get a ‘sense of direction’ in our spirits. The next thing that we should do is to be praying over that matter to see of we ‘sense anything different’ (Luke 11:9-10 Ask, Seek and Knock). Often his word will bring further confirmation; perhaps a verse will standout and really grab our attention (Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet). Our friends and Christian leaders can be praying with us and advising us in the way we should be going.

This kind of ‘searching’ is often much more beneficial to those who are really serious about ‘seeking God’s will’, it’s deliberate, well thought through and immersed in prayer and bible study. The alternative to this is a ‘quick flash in the pan’ idea that people rush into without thinking through the consequences of their actions.

When God Doesn’t Speak?

God does not always speak to us in a direct manner. Christians often feel that they must be doing something wrong, because God is speaking to everybody else apart from them.

God primarily wants us to live a life of faith. It is a quiet confidence that God is wholly and completely in charge – He is sovereign.

Hab. 3:17 Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails, and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,

18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Saviour.

If we had all the answers and knew God’s will with pin-point accuracy then there would be no place for faith, because faith is being certain of what we do not see…

Heb. 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Seeking is as important as finding God! Through the process of seeking, we are learning to wait upon him, to depend entirely on him and to trust in him.

The most crucial factor in this process of waiting is that we learn to live a life that pleases God (Eph 5:10).

Heb. 12:14 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

It help to remember that is God is always speaking to us through his creation, his word, and his Son. This may not always mean a specific word, but his always trying to communicate his wonder and his love to us.

People often wonder what they should while they are waiting for a specific word of instruction from the lord.

- Be faithful.

- Be patient.

- Be holy.

- Be joyful.

- Be consistent.

- Be available.

Amen

Prayer

This series of teachings was originally delivered as part of a 'Digging deeper' course by Pastor Paul Meiklejohn assisted by Charles Green. Any modifications to the original text were performed by the latter.

#christianity #bible study #bibletruth #blog post #blessings #psalmonesermons #faith #victory #psalm 91 #devotional #circumstances and events #finding gods will #give thanks

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shoesofpeace · 1 year ago

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Spells in the Bible are always described negatively. Deuteronomy 18:10–11 numbers those who cast spells with those who commit other acts detestable to the Lord such as child sacrifice, witchcraft, sorcery, divination, or necromancy (consulting with the dead). Micah 5:12 says that God will destroy witchcraft and those who cast spells. Revelation 18 describes spells as part of the deception that will be used by the Antichrist and his “great city of Babylon” (verses 21–24). Though the end-times deception will be so great that even the elect would be deceived if God did not protect them (Matthew 24:24), God will utterly destroy Satan, the Antichrist, and all who follow them (Revelation 19—20).

Cursing those whom God has blessed is dangerous business. Balaam tried to curse God’s people, Israel, and found that he could not (Numbers 22—24). Wisdom warns that “whoever digs a pit will fall into it; if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them” (Proverbs 26:27). David prayed for help against his enemy who had cursed him: “He loved to pronounce a curse—may it come back on him. . . . He wore cursing as his garment; . . . May it be like a cloak wrapped about him, like a belt tied forever around him” (Psalm 109:17–19). The Christian cannot be cursed. God’s blessing is more powerful than any curse.

The Christian has been born again as a new person in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). As believers, we are in the constant presence of the Holy Spirit who lives within us and under whose protection we dwell (Romans 8:11). We do not need to worry about anyone casting any sort of pagan spell on us. Voodoo, witchcraft, hexes, and curses have no power over us because they come from Satan, and Satan is no match for the Lord. We know that “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

God has won the victory, and in Christ we are overcomers. “Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4). The shield God gives us “can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16). We are free to worship God without fear (John 8:36). “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).

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jzlily333 · 1 month ago

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🌺10/23LiveWell活出美好🌺

There is hope in God! God wants you to improve your self-worth.

You gave me your salvation as a shield; your gentleness made me great (2 Samuel 22:36).

10/23 Bible verses

The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the crookedness of the treacherous will destroy them. (Proverbs 11: 3)

The integrity of the upright will guide him; the perverseness of the treacherous will destroy him (Proverbs 11:3).

10/23Good words of wisdom

1. Be more tolerant, more understanding, and seek common ground while reserving differences. Experience more "thinking about things" from different heights, and try to "see the world" from other people's different perspectives.

2. Dealing with people is like a compass, 45 degrees to be a person, 90 degrees to do things, 180 degrees to be a person, and 360 degrees to do things! If you understand it, it will be of endless use to you throughout your life.

Hymn: Be Kind to Me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7ZNB-ShmNk

🌺10/23活出美好🌺

在上帝有盼望！上帝要你提昇你的自我價值。

祢把祢的救恩給我作盾牌；祢的溫和使我為大 (撒母耳記下22: 36)。

10/23圣经金句

The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the crookedness of the treacherous will destroy them. (Proverbs 11: 3)

正直人的純正，必引導自己；奸詐人的乖僻，必毀滅自己 (箴言11: 3) 。

10/23金玉良言

1. 多一分寬容，多一分理解，多一分求同存異。多體會不同的高度「想事情」，多嘗試從別人不同的角度「看世界」。

2. 為人處事像圓規，45度做人，90度做事，180度為人，360度處事！理解了，一輩子受用無窮。

詩歌：厚恩待我

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7ZNB-ShmNk

#photography #aesthetic #spirituality #positivity #illustration #nature #quotes #music #travel #architecture

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mybeautifulchristianjourney · 9 months ago

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The word "wisdom" is often thrown around, but what does it mean? The dictionary defines the term as "good sense" among other things, but Bible verses about wisdom tell us some much deeper truths — as well as how we can integrate these messages into our daily lives...

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scribeforchrist-blog · 3 months ago

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God’s Special Purpose

MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK

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+ 1 Corinthians 2:5 So that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

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VERSE OF THE DAY

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+ 2 Timothy 2:21 Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master, and prepared to do any good work.

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SUBJECT: God’s Special Purpose

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** SAY THIS BEFORE YOU READ; HERE’S SOME CHRISTIAN TRUTHS **

I AM DOING THE GOOD WORK OF GOD

I AM WALKING IN PURPOSE

I AM STRONG

I AM POWERFUL

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READ TIME: 9 Minutes & 16 Seconds

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THOUGHTS:

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To be used by God, we must be holy; we must have said to him, God, I am doing this because I want to be used by you; and sometimes we don’t have to say it, but to make it more intimate, we say this to let him know I am giving up everything to be holy and a lot of people don’t teach on holiness because they don’t live it themselves and a lot of people find it challenging and it is to a certain degree.

Still, for the most part, it isn't, but when we allow things to become our primary goal. We allow people to come in and tell us how to run our lives and what we should do, and we know it is wrong. We aren’t trying live holy. We are letting them dictate to us. Most people allow society to deem what is holy and pleasing, but friends, we have the good book, which should be the only thing we use and we shouldn’t use outside source unless we have a man or woman of God telling us what thus saith the lord; otherwise, the Bible should be our only source of how to live holy. The Holy Spirit will even tell us what we are doing that isn’t holy to the lord's standards.

Today, we are talking about holiness, which says instruments for special use. I love my Gibson guitar dearly, and I play it occasionally. When I play it, I make sure the strings are tuned, it's not dusty, and the amp is ready. I play for hours because it's my instrument, and when I get done, I put it away because if I leave it out and have a company come by, they will want to play on it. It's not something I allow people to do, but when we have things of this nature, we usually take them and put them away because we don’t want them broken because they're unique or expensive. My guitar cost me over 1000 dollars, and so, of course, it's unique, and I don’t want anyone to break it.

That’s precisely what God wants us to do. He wants us to place ourselves to the side for his use. He doesn’t want anyone to break us, harm us or taint us in any way, but if we allow the world to pour into us and God to pour into us, something isn’t going to mix, and we will be ready to let go of one or the other; that’s why the word says not to serve two masters because we can't. It’s no way to serve God and serve this world; it’s no way to hold on to the teaching of this world. Hold on to the word of God and we will start to draw to the one that’s pleasing to our flesh.

Verse 22: Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart

To stay holy, we must flee from desires and pursue righteousness because if we keep running after youthful evil desires, that’s all we will want , and God is saying no, don’t run after that when we were young or babes in Christ. There were things we still did, but now that we are mature, we shouldn’t be running after those evil desires. Still, just because someone has been a Christian for 10 years, 20 years, or even five, it doesn’t make them holy. What makes us holy is when we separate from evil desires and pursue righteousness, which is holiness.

Verse 23-24: Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments because you know they produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful

I can say that it's hard to do this one because people want to try you on every side, but we must be holy and righteous. God isn’t saying to allow people to run over us in any way, but what he is saying is don’t get into foolish arguments because once we do this, other spirits try to come in anger, wrath, bitterness, jealousy, and all these things cause us not to be holy.

If you have anything like this in your heart, you are not walking in holiness. That’s why he said don’t entertain it. It also says to be kind to others. Many of us don’t know how to be kind because our hearts need to be changed, and we must understand that’s something Jesus said before he left: treat others the way you want to be treated.

1 Peter 1:22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

We must do everything with a pure heart, and as we go through the sanctification stage, we begin to learn to obey God; we learn to love one another regardless of flaws, and that’s what God does and has done with us; he accepts us for who we are. He shows us the truth of the light and how to be better, and he shows us his will for our lives, which is to live a life of holiness.

Romans 6:22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

We are set free from our on going list of sins, and set apart to do the work of God; a lot of times, we think we are saved to do what we like, but we are saved to do the good work of God and we are slaves to God , when someone is a slave they obey but Jesus also calls us friends and that we are no longer slaves to sin BUT friends to him “John 15:15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

We are set apart to be holy; we can’t be unholy and expect to lead the sheep of God, we can’t be unholy and expect to be anointed to do his good work, but when we live a life of holiness, we can teach others about holiness without that we can’t do anything, without the anointing of God leading us into holiness.

God has told us everything we need to live a holy life in his word. Some things will still need to be revealed in time, but it’s up to us to do this and not to always walk in darkness but in light. If today you want to be used by God, set yourself apart and ask God to show you what is in your life that isn’t holy and ask him to show you what is in your life that you need to purify your life in a way that pleases him!

***Today, we learned about holiness and being set apart for the work of God; a lot of us don’t know how to do this because we want to listen and we don’t want to read our word, but to walk in holiness we must be set apart, are you willing to be set apart for Gods good work, the lord doesn’t want us tainted by the world theology and notions. Still, he wants us to be led by him and the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit can lead us into holiness, but as we go through this stage of sanctification, we must understand it’s a different season we will endure, we will season of drought , silence season, loneliness season, all these seasons, but it’s to prune us and make us ready for the use of God allow God to show you what’s in your life that’s not holy and allow him to use you for his perfect use. ©Seer~ Prophetess Lee

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PRAYER

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Heavenly Father, we thank you for today. We ask you today to be with us, lord, continue to help us through this process we are going through. Lord, help us to be holy each day; lord, we submit ourselves to you, and we ask that you mold and shape our lives to your will; lord, today, reveal your perfect will to us and place a head of protection over our lives. Lord, we ask you to forgive us of our sins. Lord, help us to release the sins that are in our life to live a holy life for you, in Jesus' name, amen

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REFERENCES

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+ Jeremiah 15:19 Therefore, thus, says the Lord: “If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before me. If you utter what is precious and not what is worthless, you shall be as my mouth. They shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them.

+ Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.

+ 1 Corinthians 5:7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

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