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New Year's 2018

12/31/2017

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I do not know what the New Year holds for me, however, I know where I will spend it...

The "In Christ" fact is the vital side of the Plan of Redemption; it is always in the present tense.

"Wherefore if any man is in Christ he is a New Creation."

The New Birth is an "In Him" fact.

Righteousness comes to us, "In Him." 

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them the are in Christ."

When we were born again, we came into Christ.

That is the vine and the branch life.

You are grafted in to Christ.

You become a part of Christ. His nature flows through you.
His ability belongs to you.

Just as your blood flows through your body so does eternal life flow through you.

We cannot understand it any more than we can understand the circulation of blood in our own body.

It is, "In whom we have our Redemption"

Satan's dominion, power an authority are broken over you, "In Him."

"We are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Him."

We have come into the New Life of oneness "In Him."

"In Him was life and that life was the light of men."

I am "In Him."

In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and life, and I am "In Him."

E.W. Kenyon
Artwork by Rick Fry

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Your Name Has Been Changed

12/26/2017

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In the Old Testament, to behave differently required a name (nature) change - Abram to Abraham, Sarai to Sarah, Jacob to Israel.
We, New Testament people were crucified with Christ, buried with Christ and raised to new life in Christ. Scripture tells us we ARE a new creation, the old is gone the new has come. 
Our name change?
From In Adam to In Christ 
From Lost to Found
From Prodigal to Beloved Son and Daughter

Today, within you is everything you need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). You can be every good thing you desire, for you already are. The source of the life you desire is within you and the fact that you desire this life is proof He is within. 
Walk in the truth as He is in the truth.

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What If?

12/26/2017

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What if, "It is finished?" What if the "rest that remains for the people of God" is yours today? What if He has given you "everything you need for life and godliness"? What if He really does "love you with an everlasting love"? What if He "remembers your sins no more"?
What if these things are true?
How might your life experience at this very time be different
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Encouraging Me Till The Lies Go Away

12/25/2017

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Cherishing me is all that you do
At all times and every day
 Encouraging me till the lies go away.

Completed, finished, resting in You
That's all I've ever wanted to do
Finding peace upon your knee
There I sit, a refugee

Bruised and battered from the world
Around me all the garbage whirled
Yet now I know and now I see
Your love for me is full and free

    Oh, to be loved by You
    Cherishing me is all that You do
    At all times and every day
    Encouraging me till the lies go away

Thank You Father, thank You Son,
Thank You Spirit, to you I run
The race on earth, successfully
Knowing You are pleased with me.

All my love I give to You
Worshipping You, I gladly do
You are God and Lord and King
I'm in Your Son and NOW reigning

I'm in Your image 
I look like You
Your glory upon me
All the day through

I AM TRUTH, I SET YOU FREE
GO, BEAR MY IMAGE, BRING MANY TO ME
IT'S BY THE SPIRIT THAT MEN I DRAW
THAT IN THEIR HEARTS, FOR ME, WILL BE AWE.
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Free to Celebrate

12/24/2017

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Reading in Zechariah this morning, and I come across chapter 7:5-6, where God speaks to the people and says (paraphrased), “was it really for me when you were fasting and even now in your holy festivals aren’t you eating and drinking just to please yourselves?” In other words, the source matters. Eating has no value on its own, nor fasting.

Consider these verses (paraphrased):
Rom 14:23 Anything not done with faith is sin.
Allow God to speak to your heart. Walk in these things. Don’t do because you should, do because He has freed you to do whatever He leads you in. Don’t judge it. We don’t see fully, rather, trust Him in all things.

1 Cor 3:13 Each man’s work with be revealed with fire that will test the quality of the work.
(quality = kind) Did this thing arise from our will and the performance-expectations of the world, or did they arise in the heart of God within you? This isn’t about fear of being exposed, rather about the freedom that walking in His freedom, even when others judge it, is acceptable, peaceable and profitable. Trust Him.

Luke 7:33-34 John the Baptist did not eat bread or wine and was considered demon possessed, while Jesus feasts and drinks and you call Him a glutton and a drunkard.
The world judges. No matter which way you go. This world of performance-based approval has us trying, doing, restraining and always questioning if we are good enough. You are...you are His. It’s not about effort but identity. It’s not about appearance but intimacy with Him who loves you.

As we celebrate the birth of the King, may we be free from the performance of “restraint.” May we be in reckless abandon and freedom in celebration at this miraculous time of year.

Once, years ago, leading a small group, I was trying to lose weight. I was bombarded with the thoughts, ‘My body is the temple, honor the temple, gluttony is a sin,” etc. As I struggled, God spoke clearly to my heart, “Vicki, you are “safe”. You are “huggable”. You are a port for these to rest with. Be who you be.” He spoke and I was given the freedom to be who He made me to be, size, weight, appearance – at least for that season. It was in listening to Him, that I walked in the weight I carried, allowing Him to order my steps in choices, and not concerned with what people would say, for He had spoken.

Today and tomorrow and through the new year, many of us will feel the need to restrain, to hold back, to exercise our will and refrain from the fullness of the celebration.

I just want to encourage you, that eating or not, drinking or not, is of no value unless Spirit led. Talk with Him. Ask Him what celebration look like for you and put aside all manner of performance-based approval. Hear His heart for you and celebrate in the beauty of the freedom He has given you. It was God who designed the temples and gave instruction for their dimensions and design, not the builders and not the worshippers. It will look different for each of us. Cookies and eggnog for me, different for others, yet as we walk in the space He gives, honoring Him, trusting Him we find the fullness of enjoyment and peace…without restraint.
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Getting Past the BUT of Our Problem

12/1/2017

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From E. Stanley Jones: "Forgive me when I put the blame elsewhere than on me for the way I am."
I think the hardest thing in this life is to realize we were not created to live independent of God and when we do often life goes wrong - or we experience life, "wrongly". 
Consider: In this life you will have tribulation, BUT be of good cheer…, and, Lord if it is possible remove this cup, BUT not my will but Yours…. 
It isn't in our identifying our victimhood or past, but uncovering those hidden lies and beliefs that are affecting us. IF we could get past our defense mechanisms and see what is there we could process, grieve, accept, forgive, learn, grow, change and move forward. It is in our desperate attempts to hold the pieces together that we fall further apart, kick, scream and blame in our temper tantrum. After all, it's about us, right?
Rather, it is in release and rest we find that He has always held us together - He knit us together and our essence can never be lost.
In returning (to your Creator) and rest (He's got you and your best interests at heart) you will be saved (liberated, freed). 
It isn't in holding your edges close to protect yourself, but rather in exposing your nakedness with Him that you find yourself fully covered, protected and prospered in Him. 
The problem isn't outside. It isn't your circumstances. We experience our life as troubling. We blame others. We lash out at those times we lose sight of the great love He has for us. These are times we have forgotten the intimacy we have with Him and chosen to live our lives independently. 
Perichoresis, a view of the Trinity defined by Alister McGrath, "allows the individuality of the persons to be maintained, while insisting that each person shares in the life of the other two.” 
In living intimately with God, in the presence of His indwelling Spirit, we do not lose who we are, rather we are elevated to live our lives from Him, in Him and with Him. From this place, we live life at its fullest and find we can survive and even thrive in life’s difficulties.

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    Author

    My heart's desire is to walk with people until they believe every good thing that God says about them. This happens as they are introduced to intimate relationship with the lover of their soul. 

    I love living in Utah with my husband and know a Broadway song appropriate for every occasion in life. I  typically get jokes two minutes after they are told.

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