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The Foundations of Our Hope

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I've never done a study on hope until today. I was recently asked how to help someone have hope.   That question forced me to look into what hope means.  I found a key to be in this passage: Ephesians 2:11-12 NLT  Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts.  12  In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. This verse presents the idea that there is a strong correlation between the covenant promises of God and hope.  The promises of God raise our expectations.  The promises of God fill us with hope.  No matter our present circumstance, the promises of God birth in us with joy and hope. Romans 15:13 ...
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No Luck. . .

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  According to Google, depending on how you count them, there are between 783,137 to 789,629 words in the KJV Bible, and not a single one of them is "LUCK or LUCKY". These are not words found in the Bible. . . I catch myself sometimes saying, "that sure was lucky', before coming to God I would say that quite often. After coming to God, and seeing how He works, I'm not sure that pure luck exists. . . One of my favorite passages of the Bible: Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. In ALL thy ways acknowledge Him. . . and He shall direct thy paths. Give Him credit. Don't give credit to random luck, when it is really the hand of God. . . "LUCK or LUCKY" are not words found in the Bible. . . Maybe they should also disappear from my vocabulary. . . I love You my Lord. . . For so long I was blind to the work of Your hands. ....
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Jezebel's Death Threat

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  I was listening to my audio Bible as I walked this afternoon, and I heard the passage in 1 Kings of the contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal.  This is one of the great miracles in the Bible.  If you’re not familiar with it, it’s an exciting read. 1 Kings 18:38-40 KJV  Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.  39  And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.  40  And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. Elijah and the prophets of Baal have a contest to show which God is real.  Elijah/God wins, and Elijah has the prophets of Baal killed. The queen of the land Jezebel, a believer of Baal, is humiliated and furio...
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Give Him Your Bible. . .

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  Yesterday I ordered a very nice Bible.  The nicest I've ever had.  It brought back a memory from years ago. . .  I had purchased another really nice Bible.  I was ministering as a chaplain in the local jail.  The first day of owning my new Bible, I went to the Wednesday evening meetings. We had to be out of the jail before lockdown/headcount at 10 p.m.  A few minutes before 10, the last meeting had ended, the inmates were going back to their cells, and I was approached by an inmate, who was being sent downstate to the Indiana dept. of corrections, very soon. . . maybe even that night, if my memory serves me correctly. He asked me for a Bible, as he didn't have one.  In those days an inmate could take their personal Bible with them down to DOC.  There wasn't time for me to go to the chaplain's office to get a Bible for him. . . I clearly heard God say to me, "Give him your Bible." . . . Lord. . . my brand new beautiful Bible?  It was li...
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Lord of Glory

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  Lord of Glory I’m continuing to make my list of names of Jesus.  This morning I’m in 1 Corinthians, where I ran across this verse: 1 Corinthians 2:8 KJV  Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Lord of glory.  I didn’t remember this name for Jesus.  A mirror of an Old Testament passage: Psalms 24:7-10 KJV  Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.  8  Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.  9  Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.  10  Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah. Several of my beloved compound names of Jehovah found here: Lord strong and mighty - Jehovah-'Izoa Hakaboth Lord mighty in battle - Jehovah-Gador Milchamah Lord...
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Location: LaGrange, IN 46761, USA
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  Law of Expectation 2 I taught our mid-week Bible study at church on the Law of Expectation.  I began with Joseph, and how hated he was of his brothers.  His father loved him more than his siblings, and gave him a special coat of many colors as proof of that love and favoritism, and then to add to their hatred of him, God gave him two dreams, where the symbolism was without doubt, that Joseph would rule over his siblings, and even his mother and father. I believe that this strong foundation of huge expectation in his life, allowed Joseph to overcome the extreme events. . . sold into slavery, placed into prison, forgotten promises of Pharoah’s butler to remember him. To most of us, such terrible events in our life would have led us to withdraw. . . become angry, and sullen thereby ensuring our life in the dregs. . . but Joseph. . . with self-confidence born of his earthly father’s love, and clear messages from God, did not allow his circumstance to dictate his attitude....
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Lord of All

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  Continuing on my reading of the book of Acts.  I am developing my own list of the names of Jesus.  I'm focused on the scriptures differently than I usually am, and I am amazed at what I'm finding. Acts 10:36  The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: ( he is Lord of all :) Lord of all. . .  Loud echoes from the Old Testament: Joshua 3:11-13 KJV  Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.  12  Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.  13  And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap. The Hebrew people after 40 years in the wilderness, now passing ove...
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