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purplesurveys · 5 years ago

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Where is the last place you had a kiss? My girlfriend’s couch. I normally wouldn’t kiss her inside her house but we were alone, so it just happened. What did you eat for breakfast yesterday? I skipped breakfast yesterday and went straight to having a macchiato, which was a horrible idea considering I had a badddd hangover. My body made me pay for it soon enough when my stomach started unusually heating up, so I bought a sandwich by around lunch to help it feel better. When was the last time you were at an amusement park? 2013. I don’t like amusement parks so when my friends make plans I don’t go along with them. Two weeks ago I was at a school fair which kinda has the same amenities as an amusement park, but I guess it’s not the real thing so it doesn’t count. When was the last time you cried out of physical pain? Last Wednesday. My friend Leigh was trying to demonstrate for me the concept of just-noticeable difference by pinching the skin on my hand. I don’t like feeling pain anywhere on my body, so when she started amping up her pinching I had to yell out. Have you ever done anything to Support the Troops? No. Can’t relate.

Do you donate blood? Nooooo no nope. I just said I didn’t like feeling discomfort on any part of my body hahaha and getting pricked is the worst sensation for me. I wouldn’t be able to donate blood even if I wanted to either – as far as I know you have to be of a certain weight to be qualified, and I’ve never met that requirement. Are you wearing two shirts? No. It’s never too cold to be wearing two shirts here. The only time I had to really do this in a local sense was in Sagada. That weather was b r u t a l. It was the first time my dad turned on the heater in our car and I didn’t even know Filipino cars came with heaters lmaaaaaaao. This was a very long way of saying no. Have you ever owned the socks with toes on them? Never have. What were you the last time you went trick or treating? I went as my best friend at the time, Sofie. I didn’t have time (and wasn’t as extroverted as I am now) to come up with a detailed costume, so I went as her – black dress, eyebags, winged eyeliner, and thick hair that was never combed. It had the least effort of all my friends’ costumes, but I got the most compliments on social media lol. What's your favorite morning activity? I am so not a morning person, and I just like sleeping/lying in whenever I can. Can you cook? I am hopeless in that department. Is there a lot of laundry in your hamper? No. My mom’s laundry day is Friday, so it’s basically empty the whole weekend. When do you think you'll have children? In a little less than a decade, honestly. I’m pretty firm in my decision to have kids; it’s my biggest dream if anything. I mean I’m also willing to wait until I’m in my 30s because god knows how expensive everything is rapidly getting these days, but I just know I’ll end up having kids one way or another. Can you point out constellations in the night sky? No. The only thing I can safely point out for you is Orion’s Belt, and that’s because it’s essentially a giveaway lmao. What was your favorite part about studying ancient Greeks and Romans? Nothing. It’s one of my least favorite topics. The only thing that got me to enjoy them for a brief period was the Percy Jackson series, but when I finished the books my interest in that world waned fast. Have you ever eaten a gyro? Nah, but close enough – I’ve had shawarma. What's your favorite flavor of Tootsie pops? Mmmm not really a fan of Tootsie Pops, or like candy in general. What's the last thing you bought at a mall? If I remember correctly, I got a toasted siopao in Coffee Bean. Where did your mom go to high school? She went to Colegio de Santa Rosa in Makati. What's a subject you would never major in? Philosophy. My college curriculum required me to take one Philosophy elective, and not only was it the worst experience ever, but I got my second-lowest mark in college from that class. Is there someone who you can turn to for money and not be ashamed? No. I hate asking for money, even from my parents. When's the last time you took a bubble bath? A little over a year ago, probs. I love bubble baths when I manage to get settled in one, but because I’m usually in a hurry when I take showers, the concept of staying and relaxing in a bathtub is a little weird to me so I never do it haha. Have you ever swam in a river? I have photos of me when I was 1, my mom, her sisters-in-law, and their kids (my cousins) swimming in some river. Are there any dirty clothes underneathe your bed? No. I know I could be messy, but that’s just disgusting. What food do you love the smell of while it's cooking? Curry. What food do you hate the smell of uncooked? I just hate the smell of wasabi in general. Your #2--what's their occupation? Your #3--what color are their eyes? Your #1--what cartoon character would they be? Your #4--are they allergic to anything? All Myspace questions that I’m skipping, lmao. Has a bee ever stung you? No. That’s like one of my top 3 fears so I never allow myself to be near bees or wasps. If there’s any nearby I run the fuckkkkk away. Where did you last go camping? I have never been camping for real. In what month do you start Christmas shopping? Last year I had some stuff ordered by early November – but those were gifts for just my girlfriend. I bought everyone else’s gifts like a week before Christmas. Have you ever slept in a bed with someone with bad BO? I’m sure I have; I just don’t let it bother me because no one’s breath is supposed to smell great in the morning lmao. Do you have a favorite flavor at Baskin Robbins? I have never had Baskin Robbins and I dunno if I will, because it’s just so expensive. Philippine suppliers looove bringing foreign brands like Shake Shack and Baskin Robbins over here and slapping insanely high prices on them just so they’re seen as high-end lmao, it’s sad. Are there fast food wrappers/cups in your car? No not at the moment. If anything there are old receipts. Do you read the newspaper? Very seldom, but given that I’m a journalism student, I encounter newspapers a lot because they’re everywhere in the college. What search engine do you use? Google. Have you ever posted a question on Yahoo questions? Nope. But the website is useful and I just look for people asking the same question I have at the moment. Have you ever been on a dating website? I made a Tinder account a few years ago just to observe it and just for fun. I never needed it but I was curious, so I joined it but I used a fake name and a photo of a cat I saw in school as my profile picture so that no one knew who it was. Have you ever had a crush on a celebrity of the same sex? Save for CM Punk, I’ve only ever had crushes on female celebrities. What kind of flowers would you plant in your garden? I dunno, I’ve never felt interested in growing flowers...or a garden, in general. Would you rather have a flat tire or overheated car? Flat tire. As far as I know that can be fixed a little more easily than a completely overheated car. What's the safest form of transportation? Private car, lmao. That’s really your safest bet in this country. Do you believe that kids should be taught abstinence? They can be taught about it so they’re aware of what it means and asks of them, but kids should also be reminded that at the end of the day it’s an option that they can choose to take or not. When's the next time you'll go to the grocery store? I only ever go when my dad is home because he likes having us along, so maybe in a month or two. When's the last time you went to Chuck E. Cheese? Never. What's your favorite cheese or cheese flavored food? Mozzarella sticks. Do you like black licorice? It’s decent, at best. I won’t spit it out, but it’s not my first candy of choice either. Can you count to 100 in another language? Two, Filipino and Spanish. We use Spanish when referring to currency, so that’s why it’s easy to memorize. Like I’d say I have labing-limang (fifteen in Filipino) notebooks, but when I have to say fifteen pesos, we say it as kinse (fifteen in Spanish). Idk, it’s a weird quirk with Filipinos but yeah. What's the nearest thing to you that can bounce? I don’t think there is anything bouncy in the living room at the moment. Do you hate cleaning? If I have to do it I get lazy. But when I actually want to clean, it can be relaxing. Do you clear dishes in the garbage disposal or in the garbage can? My mom takes out the garbage. Do you watch anything on the E! network? I don’t think our cable comes with E! so the only times I get to encounter it is when we’re staying over at hotels. I like having Keeping Up With the Kardashians on when we do have that channel. Have you ever tried out or thought of trying out for American Idol? I loved the show during its peak days, but I never had the desire to join it. Where's your car keys? Upstairs, on my bedside drawer. Did you keep any momentos of high school dances? From my high school ball, yes. I still have my old gown, photos with Mike, the instrument he used to ask me to ball (a Starbucks cup with the proposal written on it by the barista), and my old corsage. I like keeping stuff like that around so that I don’t forget, not because I still like him lmao. My prom could fuck off, and I have nothing from that night. Do you still have clothes from your high school dances? I have no idea. My high school prom dress disappeared after a while, but I still have my ball gown. The last person you laid in bed with said... I don’t know what you’re referring to but our last conversation was her telling me to drive home safe. Can you touch your nose with your tongue? I can’t. Which celebrities would you want to hang out with at a bbq? The Friends cast. Do you think you could do better drawings than Napolean Dynamite? I have never seen the movie. What are you doing on Superbowl Sunday? Isn’t it over already? I saw my aunts and uncles post about it on Facebook so I’m pretty sure it’s over. Anyway, I don’t care for football. Ever been to the original 13 colonies? No. Have you ever been to a concert that got out of control? Not really. The most ‘rebellious’ thing that ever happened was at my One Direction concert. The organizers made the stupid decision of holding the show on FLAT concert grounds and not a stadium, for a concert that probably held 10,000-20,000 people. Can you imagine holding that on just the GROUND??? Anyway, my sister and I had the third best tickets which was supposed to bring us to the semi-front, but it turned out to be so far from the stage. Everyone from my section all the way to the back resorted to standing up on the monobloc chairs which really isn’t allowed, but duh it’s One Direction and we wanted to see them. Harry had to call us out and ask us to get down from the chairs and just stand on the ground for our safety, but we kept protesting until they just gave up and continued the show. What's the last thing you watched on tv? Titanic, but we watched it on Netflix. I haven’t seen cable TV in a whiiiiiiile.

Whose show should be cancelled? 13 Reasons Why. Do you like Lindsay Lohan as a blonde? It doesn’t bother me. When's the last time you ate fruit? Last Friday I tried some of Laurice’s green mango with bagoong. Can you jump rope double dutch? Nope. I know jump rope but I never went that far.

#survey #surveys

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trinuviel · 7 years ago

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The Long Night - Myth and Mystery

About 8.000 years before Aegon’s Conquest, a period of darkness fell upon the know world - and lasted, according to legends, for years. This event is called the Long Night and it was a global phenomenon that left its marks in legends all across the known world.

In the novels, a second Long Night seems to be in the making. However, the purpose of this post is not to speculate about how this second Long Night will be averted but rather to take a look at the different legends about the first Long Night - as well as to speculate about what caused it in the first place and if there’s a connection to the strange seasonal patterns in Westeros and beyond.

THE LONG NIGHT IN LEGEND

Essos

The Far East

In the far east of the known world, they tells stories of a warrior with a burning sword fighting back the darkness with an army of the virtuous. Who did they fight? According to legend, it may have been the Lion of the Night, one of the gods of the Great Empire of the Dawn - or if not then god, then is his demonic minions.

In the annals of the Further East, it was the Blood Betrayal, as his usurpation is named, that ushered in the age of darkness called the Long Night. Despairing of the evil that had been unleashed on earth, the Maiden-Made-of-Light turned her back upon the world, and the Lion of Night came forth in all his wroth to punish the wickedness of men. How long the darkness endured no man can say, but all agree that it was only when a great warrior — known variously as Hyrkoon the Hero, Azor Ahai, Yin Tar, Neferion, and Eldric Shadowchaser — arose to give courage to the race of men and lead the virtuous into battle with his blazing sword Lightbringer that the darkness was put to rout, and light and love returned once more to the world. (TWoIaF, The Bones and Beyond: Yi-Ti)

(Hyrkoon the Hero. Art by Jordi Gonzales Escamilla)

Azor Ahai, Hyrkoon the Hero, Yin Tar, Neferion, and Eldric Shadowchaser. Whether all of these names refer to the same person is unknown but what is important is the fact that these stories are all variations on a common theme: The Hero with the Magic Sword, which is a common trope in fantasy fiction.

Asshai

Among all these stories of the warrior with the burning swords, the story of Azor Ahai and Lightbringer is of special importance since it has become co-opted by the cult of R’hllor.

It is also written that there are annals in Asshai of such a darkness, and of a hero who fought against it with a red sword. His deeds are said to have been performed before the rise of Valyria, in the earliest age when Old Ghis was first forming its empire. This legend has spread west from Asshai, and the followers of R'hllor claim that this hero was named Azor Ahai, and prophesy his return. (TWoIaF, Ancient History: The Long Night)

The story of Azor Ahai hails from Asshai and it has spread throughout Essos through the followers of R’hllor who regard AA as a kind of messiah and thus prophesy his rebirth.

Yi-Ti

However, not all the legends of the Long Night feature martial heroes with magical swords. Such as this story from Yi-Ti:

In the Jade Compendium, Colloquo Votar recounts a curious legend from Yi Ti, which states that the sun hid its face from the earth for a lifetime, ashamed at something none could discover, and that disaster was averted only by the deeds of a woman with a monkey's tail. (TWoIaF, Ancient History: The Long Night)

There’s no mention of war in here and it is also unusual that the hero in this tale is a woman but it doesn’t elaborate on what deeds she performed to bring back the light of the sun. The monkey tail is also an interesting detail as it reminds me of the trickster monkey god of Chinese legend. Could the woman with the monkey’s tail be a kind of trickster figure?

The Rhoynar

Not all of the legends about the Long Night feature warriors or battles. The descendants of the Rhoynar tell a very different story.

Lomas Longstrider, in his Wonders Made by Man, recounts meeting descendants of the Rhoynar in the ruins of the festival city of Chroyane who have tales of a darkness that made the Rhoyne dwindle and disappear, her waters frozen as far south as the joining of the Selhoru. According to these tales, the return of the sun came only when a hero convinced Mother Rhoyne's many children — lesser gods such as the Crab King and the Old Man of the River — to put aside their bickering and join together to sing a secret song that brought back the day. (TWoIaF, Ancient History: the Long Night)

Here, the hero is not a warrior or a trickster but a negotiator of a kind who seeks out all the lesser gods and convinces them to join forces to bring back daylight through a secret song. Why a song? Though not much is known about them, the book does mention a certain kind of magic users called spellsingers. Could it be that the story is talking about a powerful spell?

Westeros

The Long Night and the Others

The legends of the Long Night vary according to culture and nationality but the legends in Westeros differ in two ways: 1) the world doesn’t just go dark for a generation but the darkness also brings an almost endless winter, and 2) humankind is faced by an implacable supernatural enemy - the Others.

"Oh, my sweet summer child," Old Nan said quietly, "what do you know of fear? Fear is for the winter, my little lord, when the snows fall a hundred feet deep and the ice wind comes howling out of the north. Fear is for the long night, when the sun hides its face for years at a time, and little children are born and live and die all in darkness while the direwolves grow gaunt and hungry, and the white walkers move through the woods." "You mean the Others," Bran said querulously.

"The Others," Old Nan agreed. "Thousands and thousands of years ago, a winter fell that was cold and hard and endless beyond all memory of man. There came a night that lasted a generation, and kings shivered and died in their castles even as the swineherds in their hovels. Women smothered their children rather than see them starve, and cried, and felt their tears freeze on their cheeks." Her voice and her needles fell silent, and she glanced up at Bran with pale, filmy eyes and asked, "So, child. This is the sort of story you like?"

Old Nan nodded. "In that darkness, the Others came for the first time," she said as her needles went click click click. "They were cold things, dead things, that hated iron and fire and the touch of the sun, and every creature with hot blood in its veins. They swept over holdfasts and cities and kingdoms, felled heroes and armies by the score, riding their pale dead horses and leading hosts of the slain. All the swords of men could not stay their advance, and even maidens and suckling babes found no pity in them. They hunted the maids through frozen forests, and fed their dead servants on the flesh of human children." (AGoT, Bran IV)

While the Others have become legend, the events of the novels tell us that they are indeed frightfully real. However, they do seem to be a threat that is specific to Westeros. They do not appear in the Essosi tales of the Long Night whereas the Westerosi stories tell about a relentless march that drove the First Men south.

The Others are a threat that is specific to Westeros as they don’t appear in the myths from Essos. The show reveals that it was the Children of the Forest that created the Others as a weapon against the First Men.

The origins of the Others is such a HUGE plot point that I think that we can safely assume that this will be the case in the books as well - but perhaps in a different manner. On r/eddit the poster u/Lucifer_Lightbringer argues that the Others were indeed created by the Children of the Forest and that they are, in some way, related to the weirwood trees - the Others are also called the White Walkers of the Woods and there are tales of the CotF making warriors of the tree suring the war with the First Men 12.000 years before Aegon’s Conquest (AC). The poster presents some intriguing textual evidence for this theory. The creation of the Others as a weapon also forms a nice symmetry with how the Valyrians weaponized the dragons - as the dragons are Fire made Flesh, so are the Others Ice made Flesh as I have argued elsewhere. The magical incarnations of Ice and Fire were both weapons.

If the Children of the Forest did indeed create the Others, then these icy creatures are much older than the Long Night. The war between the The CotF and the First Men took place between 12.000 and 10.000 years before AC. The war ended with the Pact on the Isle of Faces more that 10.000 years before AC.

In the show, the remaining CotF tell Bran that they lost control with their creation, which is a classic tale of hubris - a magical, prehistoric version of Frankenstein’s monster.

The Long Night happened 8.000 or 6.000 years before AC, which would mean that the Others had been dormant for millenia. Whatever caused the Long Night, it woke the Others and strenghtened them.

The Last Hero

The legends of the North tell of an unnamed hero who seek out the Children of the Forest for advice on how to defeat the Others.

(The Last Hero. Art by Roman Papsuev)

So as cold and death filled the earth, the last hero determined to seek out the children, in the hopes that their ancient magics could win back what the armies of men had lost. He set out into the dead lands with a sword, a horse, a dog, and a dozen companions. For years he searched, until he despaired of ever finding the children of the forest in their secret cities. One by one his friends died, and his horse, and finally even his dog, and his sword froze so hard the blade snapped when he tried to use it. And the Others smelled the hot blood in him, and came silent on his trail, stalking him with packs of pale white spiders big as hounds—" (AGoT, Bran IV)

All Bran could think of was Old Nan's story of the Others and the last hero, hounded through the white woods by dead men and spiders big as hounds. He was afraid for a moment, until he remembered how that story ended. "The children will help him," he blurted, "the children of the forest!" (AGoT, Bran IV)

The stories do not reveal the identity of the Last Hero but I’ve argued elsewhere that it is possible to make a case for Bran the Builder, the legendary founder of House Stark, as the Last Hero. Bran the builder is also credited with the building of the Wall and the formation of the Night’s Watch.

The Battle for the Dawn

The legends of the North also tell of a great battle that routed the Others and marked the end of the Long Night.

How the Long Night came to an end is a matter of legend, as all such matters of the distant past have become. In the North, they tell of a last hero who sought out the intercession of the children of the forest, his companions abandoning him or dying one by one as they faced ravenous giants, cold servants, and the Others themselves. Alone he finally reached the children, despite the efforts of the white walkers, and all the tales agree this was a turning point. Thanks to the children, the first men of the Night's Watch banded together and were able to fight—and win—the Battle for the Dawn: the last battle that broke the endless winter and sent the Others fleeing to the icy north. Now, six thousand years later (or eight thousand as True History puts forward), the Wall made to defend the realms of men is still manned by the sworn brothers of the Night's Watch, and neither the Others nor the children have been seen in many centuries. (TWoIaF, Ancient History: The Long Night)

In this Battle for the Dawn, the very first members of the Night’s Watch rode out to meet the Others in battle and they prevailed - as told in the song The Night That Ended. Other legends seem to imply that the Children of the Forest also participated in the defeat of the Others, which would indicate that they did indeed loose control of their creation and therefore joined forces with their old enemy. However, the Others were only driven back (to the Lands of Always Winter) - now they have awoken to threaten humankind with eternal winter and death once again.

The Legends - similarities and differences.

All of these legends about the Long Night are different from each other but they all have one common denominator: a hero that sets out to put things right. However, that is where the commonalities end. The stories from the Far East of Essos feature a warrior hero with a magic sword and the stories are cast in a moralistic light - humankind is punished by the gods for their wickedness and the Chosen One with the Magic Sword is a leader of the virtuous only. I find that last detail somewhat ominous but it also explains why one of the variants of this tale (Azor Ahai) has been adopted by religious fanatics like the cult of R’hllor.

The story from Yi-Ti is vague but fascinating because here the hero is a woman who is also a possible trickster. The legend from the Rhoynar cast the hero as a negotiator who intercedes with the gods and convinces them to work together. That last bit is important.

The story of the Last Hero is interesting because this hero is both a warrior and a negotiator who intercedes with a magical race (the Children of the Forest). If the Last Hero is indeed Bran the Builder, then he was not only a warrior and negotiator that unified people under a common cause - he was also a builder, someone who both destroys (through war) was but also creates (through architecture).

THE MYSTERY

While different cultures in both Westeros and Essos have old legends about the Long Night, almost none of them mention what brought it on. The cause of the Long Night remains shrouded in mystery. However, a clue may have been left in the companion book The World of Ice and Fire - because the legends of the Far East of Essos claim that it was the Bloodstone Emperor and his usurpation of his sister the Amethyst Empress that brought on the Long Night.

When the daughter of the Opal Emperor succeeded him as the Amethyst Empress, her envious younger brother cast her down and slew her, proclaiming himself the Bloodstone Emperor and beginning a reign of terror. He practiced dark arts, torture, and necromancy, enslaved his people, took a tiger-woman for his bride, feasted on human flesh, and cast down the true gods to worship a black stone that had fallen from the sky. (Many scholars count the Bloodstone Emperor as the first High Priest of the sinister Church of Starry Wisdom, which persists to this day in many port cities throughout the known world). In the annals of the Further East, it was the Blood Betrayal, as his usurpation is named, that ushered in the age of darkness called the Long Night. Despairing of the evil that had been unleashed on earth, the Maiden-Made-of-Light turned her back upon the world, and the Lion of Night came forth in all his wroth to punish the wickedness of men. (TWoIaF, The Bones and Beyond: Yi-Ti)

The Bloodstone Emperor was the last ruler of the Great Empire of the Dawn. I have previously argued that Asshai could have been a central city in the lost empire. Asshai and its environs are the most magically polluted places in the known world. The land is completely sterile and its inhabitants are dependent on the import of food and fresh water - animals die in the city and no children are born.

(Asshai by the Shadow. Art by René Aigner)

I’d argue that the pollution of Asshai was caused by a cataclysm that was magical in nature - and that particular catastrophe was the cause of the Long Night. The stories tell of a black stone fallen from the sky and that could perhaps be one cause though that wouldn’t explain the magical aspect of the pollution. If the Bloodstone Emperor did indeed cause the Long Night then it would be because he meddled magically with nature on a level that has never been seen before or after (with the possible exception of the Doom of Valyria)

THE LONG NIGHT AND THE SEASONAL IMBALANCE

One curious aspect of the world of Ice and Fire is the uneven length of the seasons, where each season lasts several years. The novels offer no explanation on this strange phenomena but the companion book give us a tantalizing hint that this seasonal imbalance is not natural.

Though the Citadel has long sought to learn the manner by which it may predict the length and change of seasons, all efforts have been confounded. Septon Barth appeared to argue, in a fragmentary treatise, that the inconstancy of the seasons was a matter of magical art rather than trustworthy knowledge. Maester Nicol's The Measure of the Days—otherwise a laudable work containing much of use—seems influenced by this argument. Based upon his work on the movement of stars in the firmament, Nicol argues unconvincingly that the seasons might once have been of a regular length, determined solely by the way in which the globe faces the sun in its heavenly course. The notion behind it seems true enough—that the lengthening and shortening of days, if more regular, would have led to more regular seasons—but he could find no evidence that such was ever the case, beyond the most ancient of tales. (TWoIaF, Ancient History: The Long Night)

It is always worth paying attention to what Septon Barth has said about things historical and magical (x) - so when Barth has argued that the season imbalance was due to magic, it is worth to take it seriously, especially since GRRM himself has said that the answer to the mystery of the season will be a magical one (x).

However, I’ll go a step farther and say that it was the Long Night that messed up the seasons in Westeros (and Essos). The quote above appears in a sidebar in the companion book - and it is worth paying attention to these sidebars as they are written by GRRM himself while his co-authors were responsible for the main text (x). Furthermore, this particular sidebar about the inconstant seasons is placed in the section about the Long Night! So there are Doylist reasons for believing that it was the Long Night that changed the seasonal patterns in this universe.

#asoaif #a song of ice and fire #game of thrones #meta #the long night #myths #legends

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seekfirstme · 4 years ago

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Meditation: What would you do if Jesus knocked on your door and said, "I must stay at your home today"? Would you be excited or embarrassed? Jesus often "dropped-in" at unexpected times and he often visited the "uninvited" - the poor, the lame, and even public sinners like Zacchaeus, the tax collector! Tax collectors were despised and treated as outcasts, no doubt because they over-charged people and accumulated great wealth at the expense of others.

Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector and was much hated by all the people. Why would Jesus single him out for the honor of staying at his home? Zacchaeus needed God's merciful love and forgiveness. In his encounter with Jesus he found more than he imagined possible. He shows the depth of his repentance by deciding to give half of his goods to the poor and to use the other half for making restitution for fraud. Zacchaeus' testimony included more than words. His change of heart resulted in a change of life, a change that the whole community could experience as genuine.

Faith welcomes Christ in our heart and home

Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) urges us to climb the sycamore tree like Zacchaeus that we might see Jesus and embrace his cross for our lives:

Zacchaeus climbed away from the crowd and saw Jesus without the crowd getting in his way. The crowd laughs at the lowly, to people walking the way of humility, who leave the wrongs they suffer in God's hands and do not insist on getting back at their enemies. The crowd laughs at the lowly and says, 'You helpless, miserable clod, you cannot even stick up for yourself and get back what is your own.' The crowd gets in the way and prevents Jesus from being seen. The crowd boasts and crows when it is able to get back what it owns. It blocks the sight of the one who said as he hung on the cross, 'Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing... He ignored the crowd that was getting in his way. He instead climbed a sycamore tree, a tree of 'silly fruit.' As the apostle says, 'We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block indeed to the Jews, [now notice the sycamore] but folly to the Gentiles.' Finally, the wise people of this world laugh at us about the cross of Christ and say, 'What sort of minds do you people have, who worship a crucified God?' What sort of minds do we have? They are certainly not your kind of mind. 'The wisdom of this world is folly with God.' No, we do not have your kind of mind. You call our minds foolish. Say what you like, but for our part, let us climb the sycamore tree and see Jesus. The reason you cannot see Jesus is that you are ashamed to climb the sycamore tree.

Let Zacchaeus grasp the sycamore tree, and let the humble person climb the cross. That is little enough, merely to climb it. We must not be ashamed of the cross of Christ, but we must fix it on our foreheads, where the seat of shame is. Above where all our blushes show is the place we must firmly fix that for which we should never blush. As for you, I rather think you make fun of the sycamore, and yet that is what has enabled me to see Jesus. You make fun of the sycamore, because you are just a person, but 'the foolishness of God is wiser than men.'[Sermon 174.3.]

The Lord Jesus is always ready to make his home with each one of us. Do you make room for him in your heart and in every area of your life?

"Lord Jesus, come and stay with me. Fill my life with your peace, my home with your presence, and my heart with your praise. Help me to show kindness, mercy, and goodness to all, even to those who cause me ill-will or harm."

YOU MAKE ME SICK!

“Because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spew you out of My mouth!” —Revelation 3:16

Jesus said that the lukewarm Christians of Laodicea made Him feel like vomiting. Then He knocked at their door and wanted to have supper with them (Rv 3:20). Isn’t it contradictory to want to have supper with people who make you sick? Yet Jesus loves us so much that He is willing to be sick, to suffer, and to die so as to share His life with us.

Zacchaeus, the little tax collector, was another sickening person. Tax collectors, because of their complicity with the oppressive Roman government, made Jews sick. The Jews didn’t vomit, but they would sometimes spit at the tax collectors. Jesus also was repulsed by the sins of Zacchaeus and by the thought of having to atone for them on Calvary. However, Jesus reached out to Zacchaeus, invited Himself to share supper, and brought salvation to Zacchaeus’ house (Lk 19:5, 9).

We have been or are sickening in our sins. Even when we can’t stand ourselves, Jesus is knocking at the door. Open up to Him.

Prayer: Jesus, come into my life this very hour.

Promise: “I will never erase his name from the book of the living, but will acknowledge him in the presence of My Father and His angels.” —Rv 3:5

Praise: St. Elizabeth never let her royal bloodline get in the way of serving the poor. Inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, a contemporary, she founded a hospital in his honor. She is the patron of Catholic charities and the secular Franciscan Order.

Reference: (For a related teaching on Spiritual Anorexia, order, listen to, or download our CD 101-1 or DVD 101 on our website.)

Rescript: "In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for One Bread, One Body covering the period from October 1, 2020 through November 30, 2020. Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio February 25, 2020"

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements

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hellojulie1971 · 7 years ago

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All Things Glorious

Let me ask you a question. Way back in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve initially sinned, disobeying God's command forbidding them to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, what was the very first thing they were aware of after doing so? What was it that really got them all shook up? Unfortunately, it was not the error of their ways, or their disobedience to God's command, or even a heavy heart of repentance, but instead it was that they were aware of their nakedness! (Genesis 3:7). And the very first thing they did was to begin to sew fig leaves together as an attempt to cover up.

Why was this so startling to them? After all, most of the pictures or paintings we've seen that depict their life in the Garden, show them as being naked, don't they? You need to understand that those pictures or images we've been accustomed to are grossly incorrect. You see, up until that time they had been plugged into the life, the presence and the goodness of God, and His glory was their covering and daily life. They had never been without it; it was apart of their day to day experience and a major part of who they were.

It's important for us to take a moment and gain an understanding of what the glory really is; the glory is the essence, the sheen, the brilliance, the radiance, the magnificence, the goodness, the wealth and anointing of the life of God, and it clothed them and flowed through them. Needless to say, it greatly enhanced their lives in every way possible and added the beauty of God to their very being.

When the glory was removed, due to their sin, it exposed their nakedness, which went far beyond just the mere exposing of their flesh. It left them with a sense of an utter aloneness within their spirit, a feeling they had never experienced before, and they were in shock over this new state of awareness they had encountered. What they were experiencing was the effects of spiritual death, being cut off from the life of God and all His glory, the brightness and beauty of His being. It's important to note that, within the heart of God, mankind was never created to be without it!!!

When we think of the life of God, that same thought should reflect and include His glory. We need to begin to understand them as inseparable, and should think of them in this new way, as a hyphenated word: Life-Glory. Because really they are one. We should retrain our thinking to include both terms when either one is thought of in reference to our life in Christ.

Now you may be wondering where we fit in to all of this? Ephesians 2:4-5 reads; "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)."

Let's look also at 1 Corinthians 1:30; "But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God and righteousness and sanctification and redemption."

Praise God, though once we were dead, separated from God, we are now alive because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. Yes, having been born-again, we are now "in Christ." And the Bible tells us that "He is the way, the truth and the life!" (John 14:6). So, if we are in Christ, then we are positionally in the life of God, and therefore we are also in the glory. If we have the right to experience His life, then we also have the right to experience His glory. Again, His life is the glory.

Romans 5:1-3 lays out our covenant right that we have been given to expect the glory:"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

The word "hope" in the original New Testament Greek language, does not have the uncertain meaning of "wish," something that may or may not take place. Alternatively, the biblical word for hope is much different than we've come to know in our modern cultural thinking. Instead, it is a very strong and sure word. Biblical hope has the meaning of earnest expectation of something that is definitely going to take place, but just hasn't happened yet. It is every bit a concrete and sure word like faith. The difference being that faith takes place in the present, and hope refers to a future event - a sure event.

So the last part of that scripture tells us that we can earnestly expect the glory to show up, because we are in Christ!!! We have a right to expect this, and we should. After all, it's a sure event, and it will come to pass. Don't allow the enemy to persuade you to give up through discouragement and let go of your expectancy. Remember what Galatians 6:9 tells us, "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."

You see, we've unfortunately been trained by natural circumstances and events, going by what we've seen and experienced, not to expect victory and blessing in our lives. The world models a"just get by the best way you can" mentality. However, we need to remember that they are not plugged into the life of God! Therefore we need to change our thinking, and cause it to line up with what the Word says. And yes, we need to get our hopes turned WAY UP and begin to expect His life, His glory to manifest and permeate our very being and all that concerns us, regardless of the situations life may be revealing to us at the moment. Know this: Your will and where you direct it, what you expect based on what you believe, and the tenacity in which you stand, is key to the degree of victory you will experience in this life.

Let's take a look at a sampling of some of the Scriptures that pertain to the glory in relation to us.

Romans 9:23-24"And that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory , even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?" NOTE - You were prepared for glory, and not just glory, but the riches of His glory. That ought to make you want to stand up and shout!

2 Corinthians 3:18"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." NOTE - We are to grow in this glory, going from one glorious situation to another, and another. This does not mean that we will not experience problems from time to time, but we expect them to become glorious, we expect the victory.

Ephesians 1:17-19"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power." NOTE - Check out the glorious will of God for us! Should we expect anything less? I think not!

Philippians 4:19"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." NOTE - And His supply to us stems from His glory. When you really understand the covenant, His glory is ours to experience because we are one with Him. It's not something He is deciding, He already decided when He went to the cross.

Ephesians 3:16"That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man." NOTE - Again, He is not holding back His glorious supply to us. It meets every need.

Colossians 1:26-27"The mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory ." NOTE - Look at the will of God here - He wants you to know and experience fully the riches of the glory - Christ in you the hope, the expectancy of glory. Begin to expect all things to become glorious.

1 Thessalonians 2:12"That you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory." NOTE - You are called into His glory. Think on this for a moment, let it sink in - you are called, ordained for it. You've got a calling to experience His glory. It's your destiny!

2 Thessalonians 2:13-14"But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." NOTE - When we receive Christ, we receive also His glory.

Hebrews 2:10-11"For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory , to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren." NOTE - In Christ you are a son or a daughter of glory!!! It's your place of being in Him and part of your right standing.

1 Peter 4:14 "If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified." NOTE - Get a hold of this. The Holy Spirit is called here the Spirit of glory, and He is in you. How can you not expect the glory - it's in you!

Romans 8:30 Amplified Version"And those whom He thus foreordained, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified (acquitted, made righteous, putting them into right standing with Himself). And those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity and condition or state of being]" NOTE - If you're born-again, then you're justified, and therefore glorified in His eyes. Believe it, receive it and act upon it!

1 Corinthians 2:7"But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." NOTE - God ordained this wisdom for our glory - now in this life. I love how it calls Him the Lord of Glory, and He's our Lord, our God - our Glory!!!

Romans 3:23-24"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." NOTE - This says it as clear as can be. Before we accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we fell short of His Glory. But now being in Christ, it is our birthright, our inheritance, our covenant right!

I hope by now you are as excited about this as I am! After reading these wonderful Scriptures, there can absolutely be no doubt that we've been living far below what God's will for His people is. Obviously, there is much more for us to believe for and I want to break through the lies of the devil that you've possibly been believing, that you don't deserve anything better. That's a down right lie from the pit of hell and the Word of God proves it. Know that you are a special treasure in the eyes of the Lord. That's right - you are a special, prized gem to Him and He wants to bless your socks right off!

Whatever your situation is today, I want to encourage you to begin to expect the glory. Yes, expect that your circumstances, whatever they are, will become glorious and saturated with the life of God. Begin to praise Him and thank Him for it! After all, if Adam and Eve had it, and they were plugged into the life of God, then it only stands to reason that we should have it too, because we are born-again and therefore one with Christ, who is the Life-Glory! Romans 8:2 tell us; "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." And that includes you! Begin to expect the law of the Life of God, begin to expect the Glory!!!

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seekfirstme · 5 years ago

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Meditation: Do you make good use of your money and possessions? Jesus seemed to praise a steward (a manager entrusted with his master's goods) who misused his employer's money. What did the steward do that made Jesus praise him? The steward was responsible for managing his wealthy landowner's property. The steward very likely overcharged his master's tenants for their use of the land and kept more than his fair share of the profit. When the landowner discovered the steward's dishonest practice he immediately removed him from his job, leaving him penniless and ashamed to beg or do manual work.

The necessity of prudent foresight to avert disaster

Before news of his dismissal became public knowledge, the shrewd steward struck a deal with his master's debtors. In discounting their debts he probably was giving up his generous commission. Such a deal won him great favor with the debtors. Since the steward acted as the landowner's agent, such a deal made his master look very generous and forgiving towards those who owned him money. Surely everyone would praise such a generous landowner as the town hero! Since the master could not undo the steward's cancellation of the debts without losing face and making his debtors resent him, he praised the steward for outwitting him and making him appear as a generous and merciful landowner.

Jesus obviously thought that the example of a very clever steward would be a perfect illustration for a spiritual lesson about God and how God treats those who belong to his kingdom. What's the point of Jesus' parable? The dishonest steward is commended not for mishandling his master's wealth, but for his shrewd provision in averting personal disaster and in securing his future livelihood. The original meaning of "shrewdness" is "foresight". A shrewd person grasps a critical situation with resolution, foresight, and the determination to avoid serious loss or disaster.

Faith and prudent foresight can save us from moral and spiritual disaster

Jesus is concerned here with something more critical than a financial or economic crisis. His concern is that we avert spiritual crisis and personal moral disaster through the exercise of faith and foresight. If Christians would only expend as much foresight and energy to spiritual matters, which have eternal consequences, as they do to earthly matters which have temporal consequences, then they would be truly better off, both in this life and in the age to come.

God loves good stewardship and generosity

Ambrose, a 4th century bishop said: The bosoms of the poor, the houses of widows, the mouths of children are the barns which last forever. True wealth consists not in what we keep but in what we give away. Possessions are a great responsibility. The Lord expects us to use them honestly and responsibly and to put them at his service and the service of others. We belong to God and all that we have is his as well. He expects us to make a good return on what he gives us.

God loves generosity and he gives liberally to those who share his gifts with others. The Pharisees, however, had little room for God or others in their hearts. The Gospel says they were lovers of money (Luke 16:14). Love of money and wealth crowd out love of God and love of neighbor. Jesus makes clear that our hearts must either be possessed by God's love or our hearts will be possessed by the love of something else. What do you most treasure in your heart?

"Lord Jesus, all that I have is a gift from you. May I love you freely and generously with all that I possess. Help me to be a wise and faithful steward of the resources you put at my disposal, including the use of my time, money, and possessions."

THE MISSION TO THE UNBELIEVERS

"It has been a point of honor with me never to preach in places where Christ's name was already known." Romans 15:20

Paul focused on proclaiming Christ to people who had never heard of Jesus. We may not have the same call, but we should maximize opportunities to share our faith with unbelievers. For example, we should join groups in which unbelievers participate. This gives us a forum in which to share our faith. We should invite unbelievers to share meals with us. We love them whether or not they accept the Lord, and want to show it in simple, practical ways.

We should develop the habit of striking up a conversation with anybody, even strangers. Sometimes this will open up the opportunity for us to give others the most precious gift, life with Christ. We should also pray to meet unbelievers. We will better recognize opportunities to share our faith if we make ourselves available for the Lord's work with unbelievers. Finally, like Jesus, we must be willing to suffer at the hands of unbelievers and for their benefit. We want so much for them to live for Jesus that we are willing to die for them.

Prayer: Father, bring more unbelievers into my life. Help me love them and share You with them. Promise: "God has given me the grace to be a minister of Christ Jesus among the Gentiles, with the priestly duty of preaching the gospel of God so that the Gentiles may be offered up as a pleasing sacrifice, consecrated by the Holy Spirit." —Rm 15:15-16 Praise: Like his namesake, Peter prays for street beggars. (For a related teaching on Misson Impossible, order, view or download our leaflet or order, listen to, or download our or on our website.)

Rescript: In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") for One Bread, One Body covering the period from October 1, 2019 through November 30, 2019.

Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, March 11, 2019.

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hellojulie1971 · 7 years ago

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God's Word is His personal covenant promise to you! In fact, Jesus staked His life on it and shed His blood to establish this truth. His present desire and will is that you would take full advantage of this by acting upon the Word of God by faith. Know that when you do, His desire is for you to begin to expect the glory! He wants you to get your hope set, becoming fully convinced, that your present situation or circumstance will become glorious, based upon His promise to you. Let me ask you a question. Way back in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve initially sinned, disobeying God's command forbidding them to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, what was the very first thing they were aware of after doing so? What was it that really got them all shook up? Unfortunately, it was not the error of their ways, or their disobedience to God's command, or even a heavy heart of repentance, but instead it was that they were aware of their nakedness! (Genesis 3:7). And the very first thing they did was to begin to sew fig leaves together as an attempt to cover up. Why was this so startling to them? After all, most of the pictures or paintings we've seen that depict their life in the Garden, show them as being naked, don't they? You need to understand that those pictures or images we've been accustomed to are grossly incorrect. You see, up until that time they had been plugged into the life, the presence and the goodness of God, and His glory was their covering and daily life. They had never been without it; it was apart of their day to day experience and a major part of who they were. It's important for us to take a moment and gain an understanding of what the glory really is; the glory is the essence, the sheen, the brilliance, the radiance, the magnificence, the goodness, the wealth and anointing of the life of God, and it clothed them and flowed through them. Needless to say, it greatly enhanced their lives in every way possible and added the beauty of God to their very being. When the glory was removed, due to their sin, it exposed their nakedness, which went far beyond just the mere exposing of their flesh. It left them with a sense of an utter aloneness within their spirit, a feeling they had never experienced before, and they were in shock over this new state of awareness they had encountered. What they were experiencing was the effects of spiritual death, being cut off from the life of God and all His glory, the brightness and beauty of His being. It's important to note that, within the heart of God, mankind was never created to be without it!!! When we think of the life of God, that same thought should reflect and include His glory. We need to begin to understand them as inseparable, and should think of them in this new way, as a hyphenated word: Life-Glory. Because really they are one. We should retrain our thinking to include both terms when either one is thought of in reference to our life in Christ. Now you may be wondering where we fit in to all of this? Ephesians 2:4-5 reads; "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)." Let's look also at 1 Corinthians 1:30; "But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God and righteousness and sanctification and redemption." Praise God, though once we were dead, separated from God, we are now alive because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. Yes, having been born-again, we are now "in Christ." And the Bible tells us that "He is the way, the truth and the life!" (John 14:6). So, if we are in Christ, then we are positionally in the life of God, and therefore we are also in the glory. If we have the right to experience His life, then we also have the right to experience His glory. Again, His life is the glory. Romans 5:1-3 lays out our covenant right that we have been given to expect the glory:"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." The word "hope" in the original New Testament Greek language, does not have the uncertain meaning of "wish," something that may or may not take place. Alternatively, the biblical word for hope is much different than we've come to know in our modern cultural thinking. Instead, it is a very strong and sure word. Biblical hope has the meaning of earnest expectation of something that is definitely going to take place, but just hasn't happened yet. It is every bit a concrete and sure word like faith. The difference being that faith takes place in the present, and hope refers to a future event - a sure event. So the last part of that scripture tells us that we can earnestly expect the glory to show up, because we are in Christ!!! We have a right to expect this, and we should. After all, it's a sure event, and it will come to pass. Don't allow the enemy to persuade you to give up through discouragement and let go of your expectancy. Remember what Galatians 6:9 tells us, "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." You see, we've unfortunately been trained by natural circumstances and events, going by what we've seen and experienced, not to expect victory and blessing in our lives. The world models a"just get by the best way you can" mentality. However, we need to remember that they are not plugged into the life of God! Therefore we need to change our thinking, and cause it to line up with what the Word says. And yes, we need to get our hopes turned WAY UP and begin to expect His life, His glory to manifest and permeate our very being and all that concerns us, regardless of the situations life may be revealing to us at the moment. Know this: Your will and where you direct it, what you expect based on what you believe, and the tenacity in which you stand, is key to the degree of victory you will experience in this life. Let's take a look at a sampling of some of the Scriptures that pertain to the glory in relation to us. Romans 9:23-24"And that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory , even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?" NOTE - You were prepared for glory, and not just glory, but the riches of His glory. That ought to make you want to stand up and shout! 2 Corinthians 3:18"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." NOTE - We are to grow in this glory, going from one glorious situation to another, and another. This does not mean that we will not experience problems from time to time, but we expect them to become glorious, we expect the victory. Ephesians 1:17-19"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power." NOTE - Check out the glorious will of God for us! Should we expect anything less? I think not! Philippians 4:19"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." NOTE - And His supply to us stems from His glory. When you really understand the covenant, His glory is ours to experience because we are one with Him. It's not something He is deciding, He already decided when He went to the cross. Ephesians 3:16"That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man." NOTE - Again, He is not holding back His glorious supply to us. It meets every need. Colossians 1:26-27"The mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory ." NOTE - Look at the will of God here - He wants you to know and experience fully the riches of the glory - Christ in you the hope, the expectancy of glory. Begin to expect all things to become glorious. 1 Thessalonians 2:12"That you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory." NOTE - You are called into His glory. Think on this for a moment, let it sink in - you are called, ordained for it. You've got a calling to experience His glory. It's your destiny! 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14"But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." NOTE - When we receive Christ, we receive also His glory. Hebrews 2:10-11"For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory , to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren." NOTE - In Christ you are a son or a daughter of glory!!! It's your place of being in Him and part of your right standing. 1 Peter 4:14 "If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified." NOTE - Get a hold of this. The Holy Spirit is called here the Spirit of glory, and He is in you. How can you not expect the glory - it's in you! Romans 8:30 Amplified Version"And those whom He thus foreordained, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified (acquitted, made righteous, putting them into right standing with Himself). And those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity and condition or state of being]" NOTE - If you're born-again, then you're justified, and therefore glorified in His eyes. Believe it, receive it and act upon it! 1 Corinthians 2:7"But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." NOTE - God ordained this wisdom for our glory - now in this life. I love how it calls Him the Lord of Glory, and He's our Lord, our God - our Glory!!! Romans 3:23-24"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." NOTE - This says it as clear as can be. Before we accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we fell short of His Glory. But now being in Christ, it is our birthright, our inheritance, our covenant right! I hope by now you are as excited about this as I am! After reading these wonderful Scriptures, there can absolutely be no doubt that we've been living far below what God's will for His people is. Obviously, there is much more for us to believe for and I want to break through the lies of the devil that you've possibly been believing, that you don't deserve anything better. That's a down right lie from the pit of hell and the Word of God proves it. Know that you are a special treasure in the eyes of the Lord. That's right - you are a special, prized gem to Him and He wants to bless your socks right off! Whatever your situation is today, I want to encourage you to begin to expect the glory. Yes, expect that your circumstances, whatever they are, will become glorious and saturated with the life of God. Begin to praise Him and thank Him for it! After all, if Adam and Eve had it, and they were plugged into the life of God, then it only stands to reason that we should have it too, because we are born-again and therefore one with Christ, who is the Life-Glory! Romans 8:2 tell us; "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." And that includes you! Begin to expect the law of the Life of God, begin to expect the Glory!!!

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hellojulie1971 · 7 years ago

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http://allchristiansarewelcome.blogspot.com/2017/11/all-things-glorious.html

#All Things Glorious <div style="background-color: white; color: 1d2129; font-family: Helvetica #Ari

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hellojulie1971 · 7 years ago

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#All Things Glorious http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png <div style="background-color: white; c

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