"...You were dead in your sins..."

-B-29 & B-2

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Mark 5:1-11
 

"...8 For He had been saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” ..."

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Ephesians 2:1-10

"...8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast...." 

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Romans 8

" 1-2 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death...."

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SET ME FREE

It hasn’t always been this way

I remember brighter days

Before the dark ones came

Stole my mind

Wrapped my soul in chains

Now I live among the dead

Fighting voices in my head

Hoping someone hears me crying in the night

And carries me away

Set me free of the chains holding me

Is anybody out there hearing me?

Set me free

Morning breaks another day

Finds me crying in the rain

All alone with my demons I am

Who is this man that comes my way?

The dark ones shriek

They scream His name

Is this the One they say will set the captives free?

Jesus, recue me

As the God man passes by

He looks straight through my eyes

And darkness cannot hide

Do you want to be free?

Lift your chains

I hold the key

All power on Heaven and Earth belong to me

You are free

You are free

You are free

-by Mark Hall

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My easy "Go To" TV

-PLUGGERS

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"Call Back" to Others to Encourage Them Along

 -Kinsman

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Luke 21:13

..."It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony."...

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Life is a steep climb, and it is always encouraging to have those ahead of us “call back” and cheerfully summon us to higher ground. We all climb together, so we should help one another. 

The mountain climbing of life is serious, but glorious, business; it takes strength and steadiness to reach the summit. And as our view becomes better as we gain altitude, and as we discover things of importance, we should “call back” our encouragement to others.

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If you have gone a little way ahead of me, call back--

It will cheer my heart and help my feet along the stony track;

And if, perhaps, Faith's light is dim, because the oil is low,

Your call will guide my lagging course as wearily I go.

Call back, and tell me that He went with you into the storm;

Call back, and say He kept you when the forest's roots were torn;

That, when the heavens thunder and the earthquake shook the hill,

He bore you up and held you where the lofty air was still.

O friend, call back, and tell me for I cannot see your face;

They say it glows with triumph, and your feet sprint in the race;

But there are mists between us and my spirit eyes are dim,

And I cannot see the glory, though I long for word of Him.

But if you'll say He heard you when your prayer was but a cry,

And if you'll say He saw you through the night's sin-darkened sky-

If you have gone a little way ahead, O friend, call back--

It will cheer my heart and help my feet along the stony tack.

--December 19, Streams in the Desert

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Something so Precious...

-PLUGGERS

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Happy St. Patrick's Day

-internet t-shirt

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Scottish 

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"O, LORD, lead me in Your righteousness because of my foes; Make Your way straight before me."

-CH-54B Tarhe (Skycrane), by G. Chatfield

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Psalm 5:8

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Romans 8:28

..."And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."...

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Psalm 42:5

..."Why are you in despair, O my soul?

And why have you become disturbed within me?

Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him

For the help of His presence."...

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Praise You in this Storm

I was sure by now

That You would have reached down

And wiped away our tears away

Stepped in and saved the day

But once again, I say "Amen",

and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls

I barely hear You whisper through the rain

"I'm with you"

And as Your mercy falls

I raise my hands and praise the God who gives

And takes away

I'll praise You in this storm

And I will lift my hands

For You are who You are

No matter where I am 

Every tear I've cried

You hold in Your hand

You never left my side 

And though my heart is torn

I will praise You in this storm

I remember when

I stumbled in the wind

You heard my cry

You raised me up again

My strength is almost gone

How can I carry on

If I can't find You

I lift my eyes unto the hills

Where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord

The Maker of Heaven and Earth

--Mark Hill

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2 Corinthians 4:16-18

..."Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 

For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

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Psalm 121:1-2

"I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;

From where shall my help come?

My help comes from the Lord,

Who made heaven and earth.

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Psalm 3:3-5

..."But You, O Lord, are a shield about me,

My glory, and the One who lifts my head.

I was crying to the Lord with my voice,

And He answered me from His holy mountain. 

I lay down and slept;

I awoke, for the Lord sustains me."...

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This is the Piper's Wife, only my current list would have been left at home.

-PLUGGERS

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Think about what is happening in the USA...

-meme on the net 

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International Bag Pipe Day

-Someone I know 

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A Plaid/Plain, Plain/Plain, not a Plaid and a Plaid

-Pickles

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Cultivate the Heart with More Importance then the Head

-Josh Atkinson Photos

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"The virtues of men are of more consequence to society than their abilities; and for this reason, the heart should be cultivated with more assiduity than the head."


-Noah Webster (1788)

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There is a Moral Truth

-Kinsman

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"We are watching a civilization decide whether it still believes in moral truth at all. 

A culture that abandons 

virtue for outcomes, 

truth for narrative, 

and conscience for consensus 

does not drift gently into decline; 

it slides into something colder and harder, 

where power masquerades as compassion 

and coercion is baptized as care. 

Once “fairness” replaces goodness, literally anything becomes permissible in its name."

-Michael Smith: A Civilization Losing Its Moral Compass

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Beware Counterfeits!

-meme

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Ephesians 2:1-10

"And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.

Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."...

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Reality in Real Life

-Mallard

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A Place for Everything

In my father's house and his back yard

There are piles of junk and two rusted cars

They remind him of his younger days

He keeps his memories all over the place

He's a packrat of some great repute

A fact that no man could dispute

Mom just shakes her head and sighs

And keeps her kitchen clean

Ahh there's a place for everything

So why can't he ever find anything

Still it comforts him just knowing

That it's always there if he needs it

He's built sheds and barns to house his stuff

There are shelves and bins and hooks and dust

His little empire fills him up with pride

The neighbors cringe, he just smiles

Ahh there's a place for everything

So why can't he ever find anything

Still it comforts him just knowing

That it's always there if he needs it

Well I must admit I understand

These traits we share with this old man

Dad's got higher piles of junk than mine

But I'm sure I'll catch up in time

Ahh there's a place for everything

So why can't I ever find anything

Still it comforts me just knowing

That it's always there if I need it

He's got buckets full of rusted bolts and two drawers packed with old remotes from TVs that died long ago and ashes from an old wood stove.

His work bench is piled with wires and screws and things he's not sure what they do, he's got stacks of shingles, he's got a perfect roof and old electric motors too...

Ahh there's a place for everything...

--Lance Cowan/Sam Gray

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Hat tip to Tim and own his dad  :o)

And so much love, happiness, and joy in my memories of my own father...

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Save the Kitty!

-ROSE is ROSE

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*Winter Sweetness*

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Following Jesus? Show No Partiality

-Alistair Begg, photo and devotion,

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Show No Partiality

"My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory."

James 2:1

A living faith is not only a listening faith but also a doing faith. True belief manifests itself in action--and, in some cases, in inaction. In other words, true faith is known not only by what it does but also by what it doesn't do--for example, as James points out, by not showing partiality.

Partiality--the sin of treating people differently due to their outward appearance, status, or usefulness--was a clear and present danger in James's day, and it remains so in our own. James was not condemning all acknowledgment of distinctions, or even preferential treatment for legitimate reasons. A young man who gives up his bus seat for an elderly woman is not running foul of James' teaching! Rather, what James was making absolutely clear is this: external characteristics, and especially those that indicate wealth, in and of themselves do not mean that someone deserves honor.

This is the point of the illustration in James 2: if two men enter our gathering, one in fine clothing and the other in shabby, and the wealthy man gets the place of honor while the poor man gets shoved aside, then we are guilty of the sin of partiality. To give such preferential treatment to the wealthy would be to make "distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts" (v.4). God does not judge us by such distinctions, and so neither should we judge others in this way.

In His life and ministry, Jesus displayed how impartiality ought to look. He was willing to allow a woman of ill repute to weep over Him and for her tears to wash His feet (Luke 7:36-50). And He was just as prepared to call a rich man down from a tree to take Him to his house (19:1-10). Why? Because He knew that great wealth and worldly honor do not and cannot make someone more valuable in God's eyes. He was well-acquainted with both the richest of riches and the lowest circumstances imaginable. In descending from heaven, exchanging honor for humility, Jesus set aside the glory which was His due in order to draw near to and save sinners like us--rich and poor alike.

When we grasp the wonder of this reality, we begin to see the true ugliness of judging others on the basis of the external and superficial.Partiality should have no place among the people of God because if we know God at all, it is because He dealt with us impartially. Be honest with yourself, then, and ask the Lord for the grace to see others in the way He does and to show others the mercy and grace He has shown you.

-Alistair Begg

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Vacation Time!

-PLUGGERS
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Life is tough for a Plugger!

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Salads are good for you.

-internet

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We are running low! We need help!

-KC-135 E refueing to another KC-135 E- by Chatfield

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Help comes from the LORD our God!

He who asks--He will hear!

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Our people need help!

"We see a generation in which too many have been taught that the only truth is in the human will, which then becomes sovereign. 

The past is presented to them as a dark time, now happily superseded; therefore they learn no edifying or useful history. 

The quest for truth dies not only in the humanities, but increasingly in the sciences. 

To think there is one right answer to a math problem has been derided as a racist concept. 

And of course we confuse the sexes."

-Today’s Firestorm and the Declaration, by Larry P. Arnn. Imprimis 11/25, Volume 54/Issue 11

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Psalm 121

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;


From where shall my help come?


My help comes from the Lord,


Who made heaven and earth.


He will not allow your foot to slip;


He who keeps you will not slumber.


Behold, He who keeps Israel


Will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper;


The Lord is your shade on your right hand.


The sun will not smite you by day,


Nor the moon by night.


The Lord will protect you from all evil;


He will keep your soul.


The Lord will guard your going out 

and your coming in


From this time forth and forever.

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Math Anxiety with Peppermint Patty

Charles Schulz

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 Both of my Bible studies are teaching, studying anxiety and trusting the LORD through it all.

Thankful :o)

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Math Issues

-Charles Schulz 

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Sorry, not able to talk about math now....

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Time flies, Projects continue, and Joy is among us

-internet photo

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I have SO many projects going on...I must do what is in front of me!

Every one of my projects are important and there is not enough time to work on them!

What Joy! to accomplish one at a time!

I am so very thankful for the gifts of creating that the Lord has blessed me. 

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Because Someone Laughed Out Loud...

-unknown origin

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Got to go....I have pill containers to fill....
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America: Home of the Brave...

-internet T-shirt

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In1854 the Republican Party was formed in Wisconsin to fight against Slavery.

America still has brave people choosing to be good citizens.

The Brave are still out there. 

Be Brave for America.

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Happy Valentine's Day

 

A Hen Gathers Her Chicks Under Her Wings...

 -a precious bookmark from years ago

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 Matthew 23:37-39

 ...“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! 

How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. 

Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! 

For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

Luke 13:31-35

..."Just at that time some Pharisees approached, saying to Him, 

Go away, leave here, for Herod wants to kill You.” 

And He said to them, 

“Go and tell that fox, 

‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I reach My goal.’

Nevertheless I must journey on today and tomorrow and the next day; for it cannot be that a prophet would perish outside of Jerusalem. 

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! 

How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not have it!

Behold, your house is left to you desolate; and I say to you, you will not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘

Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

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Save the Babies! Jesus Loves You!

-Informed Choices

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We have enjoyed the "flurry" of new born babies these last 2 years!

This means a homemade flannel blanket and a small crocheted green frog. I was so very busy keeping up!

I have been making frogs and flannel blankets for newborns for 44 years.

--Beyond the frogs-- the other flannel blankets I make are for the local pregnancy support clinic.

Jesus Loves You!  Save the Babies!

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Life use to seem so easy, breezy...

-Blue Angels, C-130, by Glenn

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When did life become so wearing?

I remember those sweet days of a young family and life went well. The LORD is our Hope.

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"One of the mysteries of the ages is why the political left has, for centuries, lavished so much attention on the well-being of criminals and paid so little attention to their victims.

-Thomas Sowell

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The LORD is With Those Who Love Him

-Pelican, internet

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A little bird I am,

   Shut from the fields of air,

And in my cage I sit and sing

   To Him who placed me there;

Well pleased a prisoner to be,

   Because, My God, it pleases Thee.

My cage confines me round,

   Freely I cannot fly,

But though my wings are closely bound,

   My soul is at liberty;

For prison walls cannot control

   The flight of freedom of the soul.

-unknown 

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Genesis 39:20-21,23

..."So Joseph’s master took him and put him into the jail, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined; and he was there in the jail. But the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer. The chief jailer committed to Joseph’s charge all the prisoners who were in the jail; so that whatever was done there, he was responsible for it. The chief jailer did not supervise anything under Joseph’s charge because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made to prosper."...

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"When God allows us to go to prison because of our service to Him, it is nearly the most blessed place in the world that we could be, because He goes with us.  

Joseph seems to have known this truth.  He did not sulk, become discouraged, and rebellious, or engage in self-pity by thinking "everything was against him".  If he had done so, the prison warden would never have trusted him.

May we remember that if self-pity is allowed to set in, we will never be used by God again until it is totally removed.

Joseph simply placed everything in joyful trust upon the Lord, and as a result, the prison warden placed everything into Joseph's care."

-unknown

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The Importance of Knowing About History

-photo: Alistair Begg

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from Understanding the Times:

..."History is the study of the way people, based on various religious worldviews, act through time to accomplish their goals. 

The study of history is vital because by looking back on the past we can see how people’s decisions affected their fellow humans’ ability to flourish. 

As George Santayana famously admonished, 

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” 

We thus need an accurate view of the past if we are to sustain trends toward greater wealth, justice, and sustainability. 

History can guide us to learn from our mistakes, act rightly in our current circumstances, and get better over time."...

-Jeff Myers & David A. Noebel, Understanding the Times: A Survey of Competing Worldviews, pg.472

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'How Sweet it is to fall into the embrace of the LORD's blessed arms!'

-internet image

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"It is not necessary to be continually speaking to God, or always hearing from God, in order to have communion or fellowship with Him, for there is an unspeakable fellowship that is sweeter than words.

A little child can sit all day long beside his mother, totally engrossed in his playing, while his mother is consumed by her work, and although both are busy and few words are spoken by either, they are in perfect fellowship.  The child knows his mother is there, and she knows that he is all right.

In the same way, a believer and his Savior can continue many hours in the silent fellowship of love.  And although the believer may be busy with ordinary things of life, he can be mindful that every detail of his life is touched by the character of God's presence, and can have the awareness of His approval and blessing.

Then when troubled with burdens and difficulties too complicated to put into words and too puzzling to express or fully understand; how sweet it is to fall into the embrace of His blessed arms and to simply sob out the sorrow that we cannot speak!"

-unknown

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Romans  8:26-27

..."In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."...

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