Faith
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: 12/06/15- “Note To Self—Then Too Everyone Else!” (James1:2-3)
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: 12/06/15- “Note To Self—Then Too Everyone Else!” (James 1:2-3)
Premise Question: Is there ever any good thing that can come, when we, The Company of The Redeemed, choose to complain, mumble, grumble or groan; rather than, looking at it with joy and considering it a privileged opportunity to grow and see the purpose and will of Papa God revealed in us?
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.” (James 1:2-3 NLT)
Acknowledge, accept and embrace the difficult times in your life. Recognize them all, as honored and privileged opportunities, to experience the ultimate in pure delight, with great felicity, my dearly beloved fellow members in The Company of The Redeemed. For whenever, whomever and wherever you may encounter these difficult people and times, which will be hardships that are numerous, varied and sundry in kind, don’t ever let any of it, in any way, throttle or disable you, due to the reality of what you should already be aware, “au courant” of and familiar with; that being, the ongoing process, in your sojourn and walk of faith, of the evaluation and verification of your full confidence and complete trust and reliance that you’ve placed upon and in The LORD GOD Almighty. This then, will have the perfect result and effect of bringing into existence into your life, not just a lofty desire, thought or wonderful aspiration, but a valiant tenacious courage, a resolute determination and steady persistence, which will empower you, enabling you to stay on, not stray from, and to walk uprightly upon the path of Papa God’s divine purpose for your life. (James 1:2-3 PDCP)
Bottom Line: Nope! Complaining, mumbling, grumbling and groaning has never brought or bought anything good or righteous into our lives! Therefore, here’s something for everyone of us to seriously consider, then diligently, with devotion and dogged determination, follow! Note to self, then to everyone else: no more giving into moaning and groaning, mumbling and grumbling, bumbling and stumbling, crumbling into a heap of desperation and despair, being depressed and oppressed, completely suppressed, kept under duress. But, choose to joyfully accept, embrace and endure the hardships in your life, as part and partial of the process, for they are only a trace of Papa God’s unique and divine purpose being fully accomplished, in your sojourn of this life. So, choose to always rejoice in the midst of your ordeal and trial, knowing full well, that His perfect purpose is soon to be fulfilled. Blessings…
http://www.theshipministry.com papadoncox.wordpress.com #countitalljoy #choosetorejoice
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: PDCP- 12/02/15- “We Are Papa God’s Masterpiece—Saved By Grace—Created To Do Good Works!” (Ephesians 2:8-10)
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: 12/02/15- “We Are Papa God’s Masterpiece—Saved By Grace—Created To Do Good Works!” (Ephesians 2:8-10)
Premise Question: How did you become a legitimate member of The Company of The Redeemed, who are you, as a member of the Company of The Redeemed, and what are you to be doing, as a member of The Company of The Redeemed?
“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT)
For it is only because of Papa God’s unmerited favor, kindness and great love shown towards you, that you’ve been rescued and redeemed from certain death, becoming an accepted and recognized member, in right standing, in The Company of The Redeemed; and this, through your personal confession of faith and belief in His Son, Jesus Christ, when you placed your complete trust and reliance on Him. And even then, it’s not based on anything that’s been generated by your good behavior, actions or deeds, for there’s not any sort of effort, work accomplishment or achievement, that you can do or attempt to do, that will ever suffice; as it is indeed, solely based entirely upon His love for you and His free merciful gift of salvation, provided by and through the mighty works of Papa God Himself and His Son. He’s done it in this way, so that there wouldn’t ever be any personal aggrandizement to be claimed by anyone; for there’s no boasting allowed, except in The LORD and what He has done. For we, all members of The Company of The Redeemed, are the unique and perfectly designed masterpiece, created by the hands of the Master Himself, our Papa God Almighty in Heaven, brought forth out of darkness and renewed by His Son, Jesus Christ, for the purpose of doing His divine works of righteousness, that Papa God had in His mind, already prepared in waiting, for each of us to do, long before we were even members of The Company of The Redeemed. (Ephesians 2:8-10 PDCP)
Bottom Line: You are saved by grace, through your faith, but not on your own, for it is a gift that comes only from God, The Heavenly Father; which can’t be earned or bought, but should be sought, so that you’ll be caught, to then be taught, in order, to do and accomplish, with The LORD’S help, the work that’s been prepared and is ready in waiting, for you to begin to do. So, get to work! Blessings…
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SCRIPT FOR TODAY: PDCP- 12/01/15- “Time To Buck Up, Soul!” (Psalms 42:11)
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: 12/01/15- “Time To Buck Up, Soul!” (Psalms 42:11)
Premise Question: Should we really attempt to have a serious conversation with our own soul, when we are down and out, discouraged and disturbed?
“Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!” (Psalms 42:11 NLT)
Why, O my soul, and for what earthly reason could there ever be an occasion, on which I would ever allow you to stay in a state of despondency, spiraling downward, feeling dejected, disheartened and depressed? Why, O my soul, would you perpetually be distressed, disrupted and disturbed deep within the within of my inmost being, in disharmony and in complete disarray? Listen up, here’s what you should immediately do, O my soul, because it’s what I’m going to do whether you want or are even ready for me to do so! I firmly put, I resolutely place, I fasten tightly, my complete hope, faith and trust, in and upon The Sovereign LORD GOD Almighty! I determinedly do this right now, by worshiping, with exuberant and joyful praise, The LORD GOD Almighty, my Redeemer and my most merciful, loving and full of gracious favor, Papa God! (Psalms 42:11 PDCP)
Bottom Line: Yes! We need to have a serious conversation with our soul, expressing to our soul, that no matter what is going on in our life, there is nothing in this world that we should fear or be worried about; for He, The LORD Himself, will quiet and put us at perfect peace, deep within the within of the inmost part of our being. And, He, and He alone, is able to truly satisfy the hunger, quench the thirst and fulfill the deepest yearnings, longings and desires of our souls. It’s time to tell our souls to buck up! Blessings…
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11/08-SCRIPT FOR TODAY: 11/08/15- “Love And Embrace The LORD’s Discipline!” (Proverbs 3:11-12)
Premise Question: Why, and for what specific purpose, does The LORD discipline those He cherishes and loves, and how should one respond to The LORD’s discipline, when on the receiving end?
“My child, don’t reject the LORD’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you. For the LORD corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.” (Proverbs 3:11-12 NLT)
My most beloved and precious child, do not regard with contempt, disdain or disgust, The LORD’s faithful instruction and training in righteousness; for it is for your greatest good and benefit, as it produces godliness in you. Rather, welcome and embrace it! Don’t try to hide from it, escape or avoid it, but always relish and revel in it. Be ever thankful for it and take it as a wonderful sign, an indication and beautiful expression, of His great love for you. Furthermore, don’t ever try to circumvent, obfuscate, finagle or manipulate it, but always quickly accept it, with a grateful heart, for you’ll be better off, in so doing. And, whatever you do, refuse to take offense or be annoyed, irritated, irked or indignant, when The LORD decides to reprimand you because of His disapproval of your ungodly behaviors, actions and attitudes. For He only ever brings His directed correction into the lives of those He truly cherishes and dearly loves. Even as a loving and caring earthly parent will administer carefully crafted correction to their own precious child, whom they take the greatest of pleasure, enjoyment and contentment in, knowing that the discipline they administer will bring much benefit to the child; so too, it is for this very reason, that The LORD faithfully administers, with great care, His loving discipline to His own children. (Proverbs 3:11-12 PDCP)
Bottom Line: The simple and most obvious reason why The LORD disciplines those He loves, is because His greatest desire is to have a holy, honorable, right, good, satisfying, flourishing and completely fulfilling relationship, with a strong unbreakable connection, that will not ever be disconnected, discontinued or broken, with them. He derives His greatest pleasure and delight from interacting, protecting, providing for and seeing His very own unique creation, revel, rejoice and succeed in life. He, The LORD GOD, The Creator, absolutely adores us, as He has placed His great love and strong affinity for us above all others and everything else in His creation; whether they be in Heaven or on earth. His allegiance and unfailing love shown towards all of humankind, by not holding His best back from them, but freely offering the very best of Himself, in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ and the power and personal presence of His Holy Spirit, to redeem, lead, guide, direct and help them in their daily lives. In all of this, He proves His undying love, care and concern for His very own chosen and unique people.
Now, for the specific purposes, that He disciplines His own, I’ve already touched on, but here is the central core of what His purpose is. He does it for our own good and greatest benefit, as well as, the benefit of others and so that we will not only be completely fit, in spirit, soul and body, but also that we will be fit for The Kingdom and enabled to do the work of The Kingdom. He will be faithful and diligent to make sure that we will become, achieve and do all that we were intentionally designed and created to do. This, because we are His greatest masterpiece and workmanship, in the whole of His creation.
Finally, our response to The LORD’s discipline being administered to us in our daily lives, should be one of gratitude, thankfulness, great appreciation and also, that it is such a huge honor to be so fortunate to be loved and cherished in this manner and fashion, by our creator, The LORD GOD Almighty. So, love and embrace The LORD’s discipline in your life. You can’t go wrong by doing it; and it really is in your best interest and for your greatest good! Blessings…
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SCRIPT FOR TODAY: PDCP- 06/06/15- “Put To Death The Person You Once Were!” (Galatians 2:20)
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: 06/06/15- “Put To Death The Person You Once Were!” (Galatians 2:20)
Premise Question: What is the most important decision that each one of us, who are members of The Company of The Redeemed, must necessarily make on a daily basis?
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20 NLT)
By my own free will, I have chosen to put to death the person I once was. I do this continually, each day, by personally choosing to identify with Christ’s crucifixion; and therefore, I lay my life down and die daily to my old self, and then, I follow Him only. For now, it is the life of Christ living inside of me that leads, guides, directs, motivates and sustains every part of my life, spirit, soul and body. My existence, as I live and breathe here on this earth, is now lived out of my faith and my complete trust placed in Jesus Christ, The One and only Son of The One True Sovereign Papa God, who showed His love for me, by personally laying His life down; thereby, immediately paying the ransom required and demanded, for the redemption of my life. (Galatians 2:20 PDCP)
Bottom Line: There comes a time, in the life of every believer, when, with much humility and sincerity, a decision must and should be made, to no longer live for one’s own desires and pleasures. For that time, at the moment of our salvation, has already come and past and should be long gone; the time where one lives their life for and only unto themselves, being self-centered, self-indulged and completely self-consumed. So, it is therefore, much wiser and much more prudent, to put to death the old flesh and self-life and allow the new life and walk of faith to come fully alive, along with the wonderful blessings and benefits attached to living a new self-less life, and no longer living the flesh self-life, which produces dire curses and consequences. Because Christ now lives in me, and I now live my life in Christ, He lives in me, through me and for others! This is the most important decision that we, as believers and members of The Company of The Redeemed, must necessarily make each and every day of our lives! Blessings…
http://www.theshipministry.com #YouVersion #dietooldself #comealivetonewself #fleshlife #faithlife
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: PDCP- 05/21/15- “The Only Thing That Really Matters!” (Galatians 5:6)
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: 05/21/15- “The Only Thing That Really Matters!”
(Galatians 5:6)
Premise Question: What is the most important thing, the thing that really matters the most and is superior to everything else, as it relates to the daily focus of our lives, as true followers of Jesus Christ, in our walk of faith?
For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love. (Galatians 5:6 NLT)
For when you are a true follower of Jesus Christ, you become an integral and most valued part of the family of Papa God, The Company of The Redeemed. And, it matters not what background, race, culture, or station in life, that you’ve come from; for it doesn’t have any relative worth or significance. The one and only thing that really matters or has any meaning at all; for it is superior to any and all other things and nothing else will actually work or have the desired effect, so is therefore, absolutely meaningless; is our belief in and our walk with Papa God, showing by our overt and caring actions towards others, that we are walking in His love, when we are loving others and giving His love away unconditionally! (Galatians 5:6 PDCP)
Bottom Line: Once we become members of The Company of The Redeemed, which are the true followers of Jesus Christ, our priorities and focus must change and be transformed. It is quite commendable to become a scholar, an apologist and linguist in biblical languages, history, culture and anthropology. It’s wonderful to be able to quote, from memory, large portions of The Holy Scriptures, to have great understanding and insight into doctrine and the tenets of faith. It’s a remarkable thing to be able to express your knowledge and wisdom of all the great mysteries of The Scriptures to others, expressing yourself as an orator or writer. To be recognized, by others, for following a strict standard of rules to live your life by, or incredible accomplishments, world travel, building of magnificent edifices, your talents, abilities or being gifted, may be a great honor and feel good, but it is not nearly as important as the thing that really matters the most! The most important and significant thing that really matters is our authentic faith expressing itself in real love, the love of Papa God being expressed towards everyone, for it is superior to all other expressions, activities and accomplishments that we could ever do or be involved in. Our faith expressing itself in love towards others is the true barometer and measure, the revealer of the condition and authenticity of our actual faith walk! Check out 1 Corinthians 13! Blessings…
http://www.theshipministry.com #YouVersion #faithexpressingitselfinlove #authenticfaith
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: PDCP- 04/23/15- “All Who Call!” (Acts 2:21)
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: 04/23/15- “All Who Call!” (Acts 2:21)
Premise Question: Is it possible for someone to call upon The Name of The LORD for salvation, without ever expressing a believing faith in Him, and still be saved?
But everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.’
(Acts of the Apostles 2:21 NLT)
Even though there will be such horribly awful and terrible things happening all around, as the world experiences trouble and is in complete turmoil, anyone and everyone, regardless of their people group, their past or present circumstances or situation, culture or creed, from anywhere and everywhere, it truly does not matter, for if they will humbly, with a contrite heart, cry out in believing faith to The LORD, by simply asking Him to hear their plea for mercy, they shall immediately and absolutely, without a doubt, be eternally recused from certain death and eternal separation from Papa God’s joy filled and wonderful, eternally blissful, presence. (Acts 2:21 PDCP)
Bottom Line: Nope! It is not even a remote possibility for someone to be rescued from certain death and eternal separation from the presence of Papa God without a believing faith in His Son, our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ! So, the question comes back on us, the members of The Company of The Redeemed. What is our part, our call of duty and obligation, as believers? The Apostle Paul makes the case in Romans chapter 10 for what the honorable right thing and our obligation is for us to be engaged in fully. According to Paul, no one has the ability to call upon The LORD, to be rescued and saved by Him, unless they believe in Him! And no one can ever possibly believe in Him unless and until they have heard the good news about Him! And, in fact, when they do hear, they will respond, by calling upon His Name to be saved! Furthermore, Paul surmises, it’s not even a remote possibility for anyone to hear about the good news of Jesus Christ unless there is someone who is willing to share it with them! And finally, there will not be anyone to share the wonderful good news with those who’ve not ever heard, unless and until they are willing to go, and are, in actuality, sent! (Romans 10:14-15) Now, that being the case, and because of this marvelous and wonderful truth, we, all members of The Company of The Redeemed, must have a tantamount sense of duty and joyful obligation, along with great urgency, to go, send and be sent everywhere, for the express purpose of sharing the good news, by telling everyone about Jesus Christ! Blessings…
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SCRIPT FOR TODAY: PDCP- 01/02/15- “Nothing Else Matters, If I’m Bereft Of True Authentic Love!”
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: 01/02/15-“Nothing Else Matters, If I’m Bereft Of True Authentic Love!” (1 Corinthians 13:2)
Premise Question: Is there anything else, in this world, more important, than being able to fully experience, first, by receiving and possessing, then, by the giving and expressing of, God’s true, authentic love?
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:2 NIV)
Let’s assume, that I have the unique ability of being able to make inspired declarations, with absolute accuracy and also, that I’m able to apprehend the comprehension of quite puzzling and absurdly perplexing enigmas, as well as, being fully aware and enlightened, with perfect perception. And, furthermore, let’s also say, that I am in possession of a great and overcoming faith, powerful enough to remove and uproot the mountains from their very foundations, hurling them into the sea; but, all of this tremendous display of extraordinarily and unearthly glorious ability is completely meaningless and amounts to and counts for nothing, for if I do not possess and express God’s true, authentic love, I am a useless nobody. (1 Corinthians 13:2 PDCP)
Bottom Line: In answer to the question of whether there be anything more important, in his life, than possessing and expressing God’s true, authentic love, no there isn’t; for it matters not how talented we may be, or how many unique and splendid abilities we can display in a spectacular fashion and manner; all of it is for naught, and doesn’t count for or amount to anything, if we haven’t first, personally experienced, by receiving, then, personally given, by expressing God’s true, authentic love towards others. Blessings…
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Script for today: PDCP- 12/11/14- “Believing Is Truly Seeing!”
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1 NIV)
Now concerning our Rock Solid unshakable faith, which is the sure foundation upon which everything in our existence is built on, for faith is what gives us the supreme confidence, being fully convinced, that what we hope for, in this life and beyond, even though we can not actually see it, with our physical eyes, we still have the absolute assurance of our strong convictions; therefore, our faith is all the evidence that we need, in order to believe in what we can not see with our physical eyes. (Hebrews 11:1 PDCP)
Bottom Line: We should take a firm grip upon faith, but even more important, is allowing faith to take a strong hold upon us, for whether it’s in the past time, present time or some future time, the concept of “now” always applies and should be a continuum for all time, when we consider faith! So, when evaluating our own faith, “seeing is not believing,” but, “believing is seeing with the eyes of faith and being fully assured with a heart full of expectant hope!” Blessings…
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