As a man thinks

By Jim E. Gray Sr.

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Proverbs 4:23

Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.

IntroductionThe stories you are about to read are truths that God has taught me through life and His word. Facts that I have proven in life using Gods Word. Stories that will comfort and

reasure you as you walk with God. And stories that will lead you to accept Jesus as

your Lord and Savior.

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I will say, The only way to find the truth is to truly seek it. You will never find it by accident. Your not going to stumble over it.

You have to look for it and believe it.

My name is Jim E. Gray Sr. I live in a small town called, Aiken S.C. and I am here to tell you, you are somebody very important. In this book, I will show who you are and what belongs to you. I hope to prove to you, no

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one can take from you, what God has given you. If you will, I ask you to stop reading for just a moment and say a little pray, asking God to open your heart and mind to see His truth not mine. Because His truth will set you free.

Index

"A spiritual Key"

“Here’s a little food for thought.”

~Do it Gods way~4

During Wartime

“God never answers prayer with “no”

Gods hug

Have faith in God and never let go.

“You asked me when I saw Jesus”

It only matters what God thinks

A friend will help

Old age is happy and sad.

TO RECEIVE FROM GOD

The Heart and Mind

The past and future.

To set the record straight.

Top Secret

Talks about, Truth. 5

I have a pea to pick

A few thoughts

Tools

WE ARE CALLED BELIEVERS

Why read the Bible?

The word “God”

A pray, for healing.

Confusion

Foolish Things

Who am I?

The family Bible

“I wish”

Darkness

Our responsibility 6

Reminders

Let not your heart be troubled:

Evil continually

Forgiveness is very important

Doubt not and receive

"A spiritual Key"By Jim E. Gray Sr.

Do you ever wish you could change your life? Or at less change the situations in your life.

What if I could tell you about a key that would change as much of your life and situation as you desire? I will start with a

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very simple thing to do each day to put the change in motion. Although it would help, you don't even have to believe it works; just keep looking for the change.

Let me give you something to raise your hope and know it's possible. If you believe God is real or not, it does not change the fact that God is real and He loves you. He has prepared a table before you, yes even in the presence of your enemy. That is speaking of your life right now.

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Here's the whole chapter, Psalms

Chapter 23

1 (A Psalm of David.) The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

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2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

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You have to look for what God has given you because it is written so that if you are not truly looking for it you won't see it. These blessings are for those who are looking.

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Just like when Jesus said, in 3 John 2

2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

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Now I don't know about you, but I believe if Jesus the Son of The Almighty God say's he wishes something. I believe He gets His wish. AMEN

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So now we know here on this earth we are walking through a valley of the shadow of death, but we don't have to fear any evil for God is with us, He takes care of us. Now if He is doing all of this for us and His Son wishes that we prosper and, are in good health. What more could we ask? Oh yea, how do we put this into motion? Well, eventually we are going to have to believe. But to start out with, let's come at it slowly and easy.

First humble yourself enough to set aside a time, in your busy day. Let's start with 15 minutes. I like the morning time just after I wake up. I find it makes my whole day go well. Start out just thanking God for all the good in your life. Your wife, your kids, and

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your place to live the food you have to eat the friends you have. Thank Him for His love even when it seems He is far away.

I'm not asking you to get all religious, just thank the creator for all the good in your life. Stop looking at the bad in your life. If you will do this, let's say for one week, and look to see if more good comes your way. When you see good things happened, Start thanking God even more. The more you thank and praise God for the good in your life the more will come your way. That's just how it works. When you believe God's word, over man's word (the world's word) you will see prosperity and health. You will be living the good life. Yes there up's and downs in this world, but that's how the

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valley is, but remember, God said He will always be with you and His rod and His staff will comfort you.

OK, one more verse to help you through the valley and I'll close,

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Psalm 91:7 says, A thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

Don’t give up and it will be yours.

Have a blessed day, give God a chance to bless you, stop believing what the world says and what you see, and reach out for what God says is yours. It's on the table before you.

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“Here’s a little food for thought.”

I believe when we are born we cry because we had to leave God’s presence. I also believe babies see the Angels and talk to them. I believe Angels comfort and amuse babies until we teach them otherwise.

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Have you ever seen a baby just talking laughing and looking at something but you see nothing, and wonder why the baby is so happy? I believe they see and talk to Angels even into young childhood until we keep telling them they can’t see them or hear them.

It’s a shame we come into this world crying, and the one thing that makes us the happiest is seeing and talking to the Angels, and then grown up’s take that away from us.

Teach your children about God and Angels don’t take it away.

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~Do it Gods way~By Jim E. Gray Sr.

We all know our world today is in bad shape. Some say it is because of the youth,

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of today, that they weren't raised right. Others say it because of racial problems. Some blame it on greed. The list goes on and on.

We pray that God will fix it, this way or that way. But in all reality, we don't know what to do to fix it. Only God knows what to do and when to do it. God gave us a guideline to live by that would have avoided this entire problem. But our efforts always fall short. We tend to want to do it our way.

That's why God sent His Son Jesus. Because no man was found that could do Gods perfect will. I'm not talking about just taking our sins away, or giving us salvation. I'm talking about loving one another, forgiving each other. Helping one another.

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We all have given in to hate, lust, lovers of money and possessions. We blame it on race and history. Anything but blaming ourselves. Black's blame white's for slavery; Whites throw the blame back on the blacks. We each kill each other. It all just goes around and around, nothing ever gets fixed. We all act like the Hatfield s and McCoy's, and just like them, we don't really know why we hate each other.

So you see if we don't have Jesus to do it for us, it won't get done. Jesus lived His entire life loving everyone. Showing us that we can do it also. I don't have all the answers, but God does. I believe God gave us everything we need to know, when He inspired men of old, to write the Bible. You

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see the Bible is true even though men refuse to believe it. The lessons taught in the Bible are the lessons we need to use today.

People want to take down historical monument because it reminds them of slavery. Yet the pyramids still stand. Are they not one of the oldest reminders of slavery?

And if we did remove all things that remind us of slavery, does that mean it didn't happen? Does that remove the pain in our hearts or the shame in our souls?

I say leave the reminders there, to remind us not to make that mistake again. When all the Jew's from the prison camps are dead. Will that mean it never happened?

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No, it did happen. All our ugly past happened. Did we do it? No. But we all, both sides need to help heal that ugly scar. We all need to find a way to love one another. No one gets a free ride. Not the Red, Yellow, Black, White or Green. Not the rich or the poor. We are all to blame.

Now let us leave the past in the past, but never forget the wrongs each of our ancestors did. Let's stop pointing the fingers and forgive and love each other.

Each of us must reach out to love those we have something against, and those who have something against us. We all must forgive.

I know it is hard to do. But if we want to try and be what God has called us to be. We

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have to try. And if we try with a loving heart, Jesus will do the rest. Because when we try, we show Jesus lives in us and works through us. Then we are seeking the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness. That is when all these things will be added to you.

If you will ask God to go before you and prepare the way and open the hearts to receive the love, He will. Then you will see Jesus has already done it. Jesus did His work, now let us do ours.

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During Wartime

As long as we are in this world we are in a war.

During wartime, most of the action is on the front lines. But those on the front line need the support of those behind the lines. They

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need all the support they can get. But when you’re away from the action you sometimes let your guard down. That's when the enemy slips in. They don't rush in behind the lines. They blend in with everyone and what they are doing.

So it is in our walk with God. We may not always be on the front line. We may be in a place that we don't seem very necessary, even feel forgotten and left out. But in God's Army, no one is left out or left behind. God cares about every one of us. He cares about the smallest things in our lives. He even numbered the hairs on our head. He feels and cares about every hurt and every joyful time in your life. God is

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coming back for all His children not just part of us.

Remember, God is the answer to everything we come up against. He has established a way, and answer to take us through. Not just getting by, but with prosperity and health.

We are not the fruit at the bottom of the barrel. We are the owner of the field. Our Father is the great "I AM" The beginning and the end.

When Jesus gave His life for us, He gave us the keys to the kingdom of God. If we seek His Kingdom and His Righteousness. Everything we want will be added to us.

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I have had people tell me "well God won't give you everything you desire, but God will change your desires." Well, I choose to believe Gods word and not people’s word. God said He will give me the desires of my heart. He didn't say He would change my desires to His desires, He said my desires.

Now we all understand we don't want evil desires or ungodly desires. If God couldn't say what He meant, then why didn't He keep an interpreter here and not let us have His word? I tell you God knows just what He means and He said just what he meant.

But man will tell you, you don't understand. Then they will tell you the way they want you to believe.

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A long time ago when I first started studying the Bible. I didn't understand a lot and I had questions. I went to Preachers and people I knew studied the bible and ask them. Then I saw in the Bible in the presence of 2 or 3 witnesses the truth will be known. So then I started asking 2 or 3 people about it. You know I got 2 or 3 different answers every time.

Then I came across, 1 John 2:27, But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

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We need to study to show ourselves approved. So no one can lead us astray.

So remember we are at war here on this earth. We need more than a form of godliness; we need to be real, not just put on a front for others. Yes, it's nice to go to church on Sunday, and feel good and look good around everyone. But what are you doing the rest of the week? What are you doing when you're all alone, or out with friends? I'm not talking about the places you go or even the things you drink. I'm talking about your heart. Is it truly fixed on God and His love for everyone? Are you showing love for all or do you turn away from some? You know those who made you mad or did something to hurt you.

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They need forgiveness, and we have to forgive if we are going to be true to God. If we want victory in our life and health and if we want to prosper. God laid it all out in His word. He will give you understand of His word if you ask Him and meditate on His word.

God never answers prayer with “no”

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By Jim E. Gray Sr.

God never says no to His children because His children know what to ask for.

When we pray and ask God for something and we don’t see the answer we were looking for, we tend to say God didn’t answer or God said no. What kind of thinking is that?

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Don’t get caught up in man’s words that sound good or make sense according to man.

Once you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you became a member of Gods family. As a member of Gods family, we are

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expected to act and believe and behave in a certain way. Just as we expect our children to do.

When we ask for things, we will get one of two answers, but neither of those answers will be no.

God said, He wants to give us the desires of our hearts.

The Bible says that Gods answer is yes and amen.

He also says be it unto you according to your faith. Now we do need to line up with Gods word. So sometimes the answer may seem slow in getting to us because God is causing things to happen, that will bring us in line to receive what we ask for. If we are

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not prepared and don’t have the wisdom we won’t know how to use what we receive, and that could open a door that should stay shut.

I’m sure we all would love to have millions of dollars. But instant wealth like that, most of the time will cause more damage than you know.

God is a loving God; his ways are way above our ways.

Read His word and know the truth, and the truth will set you free. God said you have not because you ask not.

I don’t have much wealth as the world see wealth. But I want for nothing. God gives me the desires of my heart. He does so

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because I ask Him for my desires according to His word. Then I wait on Him and His timing.

Gods hug

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Around 4:30 or 5 this morning my wife rolls over and lays her head on my side. After a while she laid her head next to mine and gives me a hug. That had to come from God Himself. It was as if God knew I needed to feel His closeness and His love.

That's what happens when you and your wife love and trust in Jesus. Kate and I have a very special love between us. We both know God put us together. You see Kate and I made that decision. You know the only decision there is to make in life. The decision to give our lives to Jesus. When you make that decision Jesus does the rest.

That is the only decision given to man.

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You may think you decide everything in your life but you don't. When you accept Jesus He takes over. Jesus said He will never leave you nor forsake you. He said, by His stripes you are healed. He said, you are blessed going in and coming out. He said, no one can take you away from Him. He said, sin has no dominion over you. He said, He will bless you with many good days. Then when life is done here, we will live with Him forevermore.

To not make that decision, well, you already know, I'm not here to give you the bad news... Only the good news of the gift from The Son Of God, Jesus. That gift is Righteousness and an abundance of Grace. Leading you too Eternal life with Him.

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Have faith in God and never let go.By Jim E. Gray Sr.

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Good morning and blessings to you all. Thank you, to each of you who take the time to read the words I share.

I am blessed to have time to meditate on God’s word each morning. So after my wife goes to work each morning I take time to meditate on God’s word and to pray for family and friends. I also pray for those who request prayer, and for those who think they have no one who cares for them.

I also ask God to give me a word to share with others, in hopes that it may plant a seed and draw others to God. I love telling others of God’s word. So much so that I have to remember some want the short version, because I do tend to get carried

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away. But in my defense, I’ll just say, God has done so much for me; I could tell others of His greatness nonstop for the rest of my days.

As I was talking to God this morning, I was reminded of Nebuchadnezzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Nebuchadnezzar had made an image of gold, He had told everyone in power and those under them that at the sound of music they will all fall down and worship the image Nebuchadnezzar had made. If they did not, they would be thrown into the fiery furnace.

But just as today, greedy people went and told Nebuchadnezzar, there were three

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Jews who did not fall down and worship his image.

Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage and fury and called for the three and ask them, and even gave them another chance to worship his god and his image of gold. But they answered and said, we don’t even have to answer you in this matter. If it be that you put us in your fiery furnace our God whom we serve will deliver us from your fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hands.

Nebuchadnezzar in his rage commanded the furnace be heated seven times hotter. Then ordered men to tie them up, clothes and all and threw them into the furnace. As

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they did the fire lashed out and killed the men who threw them into the furnace.

Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and ask his counselors did not we through three men, bound into the fiery furnish? They answered yes King. But Nebuchadnezzar said, I see four men unbound walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt, and the appearance of the fourth is like a Son of the Gods.

Nebuchadnezzar called Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the highest God, to come out of the fire. Then everyone saw that the fire had no power over them, the hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them.

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Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

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I’m here today to tell you, there is no fire or trouble or storm or situation that God cannot bring you out of. If you will put your faith In Jesus and the one true God, He will see you through all trouble and walk with you every step of the way. Then if you stumble or fall He will pick you up and carry you, until you can stand again.

If you only knew, I along with many others am living proof that Gods word is true. Trust Him today; let Him fix everything that is wrong in your life. He will put a song in your heart, fill it with love and set you free.

Be blessed, my friends. God bless.

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“You asked me when I saw Jesus”

I saw Jesus walking on water. I saw Jesus heal a blind man. I saw Jesus feed a

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multitude. You see I saw Jesus make a lame man walk, and I saw Jesus turn water into wine.

You say that's all written in a book, that I just read it, then how do you explain how I saw Jesus suspended between Heaven and earth to redeem all mankind. But better yet, how do you explain how I saw Jesus bend down and pick me up off my knees, and hold me, and carry me, until I could walk again.

You see I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Now I see Jesus every time I call His Name. Because one day when I saw Jesus, He said I will never leave you, nor forsake you. All sin has been removed from you. Jesus washed me white as snow, and then

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gave me His Righteousness with an abundance of Grace.

I seek the Kingdom of God first and His righteousness.

You too can see Jesus. It is as easy as calling His Name. Just say Jesus, are you there? Fear not, He will answer you.

It only matters what God thinksBy Jim E. Gray Sr.

When I tell people about My God, and our, Lord Jesus not all believe. Some believe

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some don't believe. Some think I am weak and use God as a crouch. Some think, now that I’m old I got scared and believe in God to forgive me, after sinning all my life.

　 You can believe and think whatever you like. You can laugh at me, feel sorry for me, you can scoff at me, you can call me names, you, can even walk away and not be my friend.

　 You see it only natter's what God thinks of me, not you. It doesn’t even matter why I chose to believe and ask for forgiveness. But when time runs out, it will be too late. Too late to tell God you're sorry and ask forgiveness. You will have no excuse, saying I didn’t know. Because this crazy old man

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told you about Jesus, and you choose not to believe.

　 It doesn’t matter what you think of me or what I think of you. God told us to love one another, and help one another. So I tell you about God and His Son Jesus because I love you, I don’t judge you, and I don’t have that right. But if you will call on Jesus and ask Him to come into your life, He will. He will judge you forgiven. He will also write your name in the Lambs book of life. Forgive all your sins, and place them in the sea of forgetfulness never to be remembered again.

　 When Jesus hung on the cross, your judgment of sin was placed on Him. He paid the price for your life. The price for sin

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is death. He gave you His righteousness, so when God looks at you, He sees the righteousness of Jesus, your sins are hidden in the sea of forgetfulness. Jesus gave His life for you.

　　The price has been paid but you have to believe and accept it. If someone buys a car and gives it to you, it's yours free, but you have to accept it for it to be any good to you.

　 　 ACCEPT JESUS AS YOUR LORD TODAY.

A friend will help

We all have friends who will help us when it's convenient, and good friends who will help us, when it somewhat inconvenient.

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But we also have one friend who will help us every day, 24/7 and He even died for us. Better yet, He rose from the dead, so we could live. Knowing how much we need Him, He came back from the dead to be our true friend forever.

If you don't know He is your friend, just call His name and He will answer always. His name is Jesus.

Old age is happy and sad.By Jim E. Gray Sr.

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No matter how great our golden years are, there is also a hard part to it. That is, seeing our friends die. Although it hurts to see our friends go, I am reminded, we are spirits who live in this earthly body. Spirits never die. As spirits, we have a job to do for God and then we return to God. We will see each other again. So while I am still here I will encourage my family and friends, learn what God has for you to do. If we turn our backs on God, He will turn our spirit away. When we leave this world, spirits, only have two places they can go. So call on Jesus and let Him show you what He wants out of you before it's too late.

Remember in the end, there is only one truth and that is, Jesus gave His life for you.

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TO RECEIVE FROM GOD

1. Believe that God is.

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2. Believe that His Son Jesus gave His life for you.

3. Accept Jesus as your Savior.

4. Ask God for what you want in Jesus' name.

5. Then believe you receive what you ask for. If this didn't work for you, you missed something. Go back and try again and again until you get it right.

God loves you and has forgiven you of sin already. Salvation is free.

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But like any free gift, you have to accept it. So accept it, and it's yours forever, no one can take it away.

The Heart and MindBy Jim E. Gray Sr.

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What controls us, our hearts or our minds? The Bible says, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. So where did that abundance come from, and how did it get there?

As we grow from childhood to adults, our minds are filled with, good and evil. As parents, we are to teach our children right from wrong, what is good and what is evil. But generation after generation, we get farther and farther away from the teachings of God word. Each generation allows a little more ungodliness until we have become an ungodly people even more so than in the days of Jesus.

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Our minds think, well I don’t see what’s wrong with this or that until we convince our hearts it’s ok. So now our minds say it’s ok to use foul language. It’s ok to degrade another race of people. It’s ok to put the blame on others.

Remember the first time you said a curse word, you know the time, you were all alone no one to hear you, you just wanted to try it out. Thought you would speak it out loud to see how it sounded coming from your mouth. Did it give you goosebumps, did you feel ashamed. If it did, that was Gods Holy Spirit convicting you. Telling you, that’s not right. But over time you kept on until the conviction was callused over and it didn’t bother you

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anymore. That’s when it was stored up in your heart. One by one we store up things in our hearts that become words out of our mouths later.

How do we fix it? How do we make the abundance of our hearts good? I believe we start by praying, first for forgiveness, then for God to show us what it is and ask God to help us to clean our hearts and fill it with His Righteousness.

As for me, although I had never been racist I found the way the world has become I was being racist. So I have started praying for those who made me feel that way. Because I believe when you pray for someone or something your heart will begin to change. I believe that is what is wrong with the

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world today. Our hearts have become filled with evil so much that we don’t know what evil is anymore.

We hate people for things they do because we don’t like them. We don’t even know why we don’t like them; it’s just what is in our hearts. So it goes on and on year after year, generation after generation. We keep saying something has to be done. Someone has to do something.

That someone is you, (Us) each person has to take their share of the blame. Each of us has to clean up our hearts.

When God showed me how dirty my heart was, I had no words to speak, but, Father forgive me, and help me. Now as for me, I chose to change the abundance of my

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heart. I chose to fill my heart with Gods word. I chose to seek first Gods kingdom and His righteous.

If I have to live in this world with only a few friends, I want those friends when they speak of me, to tell other, he was a man after Gods' heart. That I knew who I was, and I strived to be better through Gods word.

I want to be part of the solution not part of the problem. If I can help one person to understand, then I’m doing my job, one person at a time. Then if God allows me the time, I will bring back to Him more than I led away from Him, one person, at a time if need be.

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Is it your time. Will you decide before time runs out? Jesus will hear an answer if you will just call out to Him.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. I hope if you haven’t trusted in Jesus, you will. I’m not perfect, not even close. But the one I live for is. So this is my way of telling others about Him. I pray you have a blessed day.

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The past and future.Jim E. Gray Sr.

All through time, we see people worried about the past. God even changed people's names to make them see their future. Just like Abram's name was changed to Abraham, which means Father of many nations. When people call out ‘Abraham’, he heard 'Father of many nations'. As long as Abram looked at the past he couldn't see his future. God helped him see the real future.

So it is today, as long as we look at the past, we can't see the real future. You can't drive

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your car looking out the back window without running into trouble.

Going out and tearing down our history won't fix our future. The only way to fix the past is to forgive it. If you are still bothered by any of the past, you're still living in that past, and until you forgive, you will never have a future.

Jesus made a way for us. He forgave us of our past sins while we were still in our sins. So if we accept what he did for us, He gives us a future, Shouldn't we do the same for others.

Jesus is our example. We are told to follow Him.

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When I chose to follow Jesus, He changed my name also. You may hear them call Jim, but I hear them call 'forgiven' and I have a future. The past does not matter and I now look forward.

So if you must look at the past, look at what Jesus invited you to have. And look to the future because of Jesus. Forgive and move on.

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“To set the record straight”

First, God don’t need me to defend Him, I need Him to defend me.

God is love. Yes, He loves us too, But God is love. I don’t have all the answers to why things happen the way they do. But I do know we can avoid a lot of them just by doing what God has instructed us to do.

The devil came to kill, steal and destroy. God gives life; He does not take it away. His Word says “it is my wish that you prosper and be in good health.

I know it hurts when we lose a loved one. But don’t blame God. It’s not His fault. The devil came to kill, and He will steal

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everything that means anything to you if you let him. Just so he can destroy you.

But God has given us His word to cover every situation in our lives. But we must study to show ourselves approved. Just reading it or saying it every now and then won’t cut it. We have to start living it, and believing it with faith to make Gods word work. It doesn’t work just because you go to church on Sunday. His word must be alive in you 24/7 365 days every year. You don’t have to be a pest, but when you see or hear someone believing or talking opposite to God’s word and teaching, be careful not to act as their judge. God is the judge, but pick a time you can speak to

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them in private with love and let them know what God says about the matter.

Remember we belong to God, He doesn’t need our permission to do anything we need His. We belong to Him.

God had provided a cover for us, we have His protection. But, we still must stay under His protection, or we can get into bad trouble. It’s not His will that we get hurt in any way. Remember to watch out for your children. Keep them covered with God’s word.

If you want a peaceful life, seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness first, and all these things will be added to you.

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Top Secret

Life is not about money.

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Life is not about friends.

Life is not about our fine cars or our decked out motorcycle.

Life is about one thing, and how much of it, you give away.

And that is LOVE.

Talks about, Truth.Jim E. Gray Sr.

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Truth, they say, sometimes the truth hurts. Yet the Bible says the truth shall set you free. I would like to tell you about some truths today. If these truths hurt, remember they shall set you free.

Truth is, no one will ever enter the kingdom of heaven if you do not believe in God, and His Son, Jesus, who gave His life to pay for your suns. NO ONE!

All have sinned and come short and of the Glory of God. No matter how good you think you are, you have sinned. No sin will enter Heaven. Without Jesus, you must pay for your own sins; the price is eternal death by fire. Yes, hell is real.

It does not matter who, or what god you have chosen to believe or not to believe in

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any god. There is only one God, and He is real, That God is the creator of all things that ever was and all things that will ever be. He is the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. All other gods are faults gods. They are not real and exist only in the minds of those who have been deceived. I will add, God is not a creation, He is the creator. We are to worship God not His creation.

I will say this; you do have a free will to believe what you chose too. God gave you that free will. But remember this, the only reason you can be saved by believing in Jesus (besides His love for you) is that you don't know the full truth. Because if you knew the full truth and chose not to believe in God, that is unforgivable. That is what

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satin did. He knew the full truth and denied God. Satin cannot repent and be saved. He knew the truth and turned from it. A place without the truth is a very, very, lonely place. Satin is very, very, lonely and wants all the company he can get. So he deceives all who will accept his lies.

So before you make a decision, do all you can to learn the truth that will set you free.

In 1 Corinthians 13:12 we read,

For now, we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

God is telling us we don't see all the truth yet, but when we see Him we will know as we are known. Yet even now we have

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enough of the truth to set us free. Don't let that deemed, smoked glass steal the truth from you.

Living for God will not take anything away from you but sin. You ever wonder why you don't believe in God. The only thing that separates us from God is the sin. It will be such a shame when you finally stand before the God you chose not to believe in, and then know yourself as you are known, and go spend eternity in torment knowing how easy it was to be forgiven and have your sins washed away, paid for and placed in the sea of forgiveness never to be remembered again.

The promise of God is that if you accept Jesus as your lord and savior you are

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forgiven, and Jesus pays for your sins, and they will never be remembered again. Now that is the truth, and that truth will set you free.

I have a pea to pick

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My name is Jim; most of you know me as Pop. I have chosen to trust in Jesus with everything in my life. Why? Because when I trust in myself, I always mess things up.

Now I don't mind being corrected. But what makes me mad, is when I hear someone calling out for help and I tell them what God has shown me about the same situation in my life, then they tell me I don't understand.

I have lived just under 70 years in this world. I have made more mistakes in my life than most of you ever will. If I tell you God or Jesus will help you, or fix a situation in your life. You can take that to the bank. That check will never bounce.

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I have looked death in the eye and called on the Name Jesus, and I am here as proof that Jesus answers. How can anyone say they believe in Jesus, then, think they have to handle something without Jesus? That is so foolish.

There is nothing in your life that Jesus is not concerned about and weighting for you to call out and believe Him to fix it. Jesus gave His life for you, what problem in this world could be so big that the life of Jesus could not cover.

Romans 8:31-39 New Living Translation (NLT)

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Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s Love

31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?

32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?

33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself.

34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

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35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?

36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”

37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.

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39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So when I tell you Jesus has it under control, or I tell you to give it to God and trust Him with it. Don't tell me I don't understand. I have been there too many times, and God has delivered me every time. My God does not lie. Don't be blinded by the evil one. Trust God with everything in your life. Step out in faith and see God work.

A few thoughts

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My decision on the football issue.

As a Christian I chose to forgive the people, of the wrongs I feel they have done. As humans we all get deceived and do wrong. I chose to love them and pray for them because God says too love and forgive each other.

I have never been a big football fan, and now am even less. Although I forgive the players and the owners, I chose to never watch football or any other sports that act in that manner ever again.

God, Country and your fellow man should always receive your respect.

God is number one in my life. My Country is the best Country in this world.

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My fellow man, I am commanded to love. Yes my country has made mistakes. Yet, it remains the best, because my Country is not those who are supposed to be running it, my country is all the people who legally live here.

Sports come last on my list of entertainment and fun. We are told to grow up, stop playing and work hard and you will be successful. So while I worked hard to become successful, these disrespectful people receive millions a year to play a game. That is unacceptable to me. Same goes for actors.

Seems to me if they can’t respect our country and our President for who we are, they could keep their mouths shout

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because of the money this country has allowed them to make by play acting, Yet with the money they have made here in our Country under our laws they think they can now bad mouth the country that made them rich by playing a game or play acting something that is not real.

You may believe in God or not. But God is real, and His word is truth. A day is coming and I believe it is very near. We are all going to be held accountable for our actions here on earth.

Did we love and help each Other? Did we think more of others than ourselves?

Or did we destroy other lives and steal from them?

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Life on earth is just a trial run to see if your worthy of Heaven. God already knows, so this life is to show you and give you the chance to change.

Are you willing to change and take the hand of the man who paid for all your wrong doings?

Jesus waits for you with open arms and forgiveness.

I came to a place in my life that I seen what God was trying to tell me all my life. I never knew that life could be so good. But the more I try and live for God and please Him with my life. The richer my life becomes. Life is not about entertainment. It’s about loving others and helping them to see the truth. Yet remembering they have free will

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to choose. So pray for all, as Jesus did. Father forgive them for they know not what they do. We have all been deceived, but there is a light, that light is called Jesus, and we all have been given a measure of faith, use it and call on Jesus.

ToolsBy Jim E. Gray Sr.

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Most jobs take more than one tool to get the job done.

Many times we pray asking God to help us or show us things. Yet, too many of us feel our prayers went unanswered.

I'd like to address that question. Why didn't my pray get an answer? This is one of those jobs that need more than one tool. God has given us many tools and they all work together to get the job done.

Our Prayer is a great tool, but when you use faith with it, it does what God said it would do. Most of us think once I have prayed and asked God, it's in his hands now. But look at this, there is more for us to do.

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Mark 11:24, says, Therefore I say unto you, what things so ever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Anyone can pray, but it takes a believer to stand, believing that Gods word is true to get the job done.

When you apply believing that you receive them, you stop looking at the problem and know in your heart that God had already taken care of it for you. After prayer, we should start praising God that it is done and never look back at the problem or anything contrary to Gods word about it again. Then, God said you shall have what you ask for.

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WE ARE CALLED BELIEVERS

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All believers believe Jesus is the Son Of God. We believe he forgave us of our sins. We believe we will live with Him for eternity, when we leave this world.

But in this world we have denominations that tell us what else we should believe, or that explain away what that denomination does not believe. That part I do not understand. How is man going to explain away what God says? Don't get me wrong here; if you believe in Jesus and have asked Him to save you. You will be saved, no matter what denomination you are. Do you know some denominations teach you can lose your salvation? If Jesus has paid for sin and sin is what separates us from God, what’s going to separate us again? Nothing

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can separate us ever again. (Romans 8:31-39)

Here's my point. As believers should we not believe everything God has told us? Did someone blot out the fact that Jesus said I give you my Righteousness and an abundance of Grace. Do you not believe Jesus said “by My strips you are healed” or that “no weapon formed against you shall prosper”.

Do you know that God is not angry with you? God said He loves you so much that he sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to pay the price to make us right before Him again. When God looks at us, He only sees the Righteousness of Jesus and His Grace which covers us. We are concealed in Him.

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God gave each of us a measure of faith. Do you know how big that measure of faith is? It's only the size of a mustard seed. But it's just enough to believe in Jesus, and when you believe in Jesus, mountains will move out your way. Because when you believed in Jesus He took away all sin, and He gave us authority to use His name. In ourselves we can do nothing. But Jesus said anything (note anything) you ask My Father, in My Name He will give it to you.

God is not watching to see if you screw up, He is not stand there with a stick to beat you for doing wrong. His Son Jesus took the beating on Himself so you wouldn't have to. God is watching to see how he can bless

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you. He wants to hear you say I trust in you and in your Son Jesus, I need your help.

If you could see into Heaven, I'm sure you would see Angels crouched in starting blocks ready for Jesus to say go help them. God is for you not against you.

God said, “you will prosper in everything you put your hands to” He said, “by the stripes of Jesus you are healed” He Said, “I will bless you with many good days” He said, “no weapon formed against you shall prosper” He said, “you are blessed going in and coming out” He also said, He will give you the gift of His Holy Spirit, which will fill you to over flowing, and give you power from on high. All you have to do is ask Him.

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It is a free gift just as everything else is that Jesus has paid for, for you.

God said the Name of Jesus is above all names. Sickness is a name. Loneliness is a name. Poverty is a name. Sin is a name. It matters not what name you can come up with, the Name of Jesus is above it. His Name will heal it, cure it, cover it, fix it, or remove it.

Now what parts do you want to believe? How free do you want to be? Do you want all Jesus has done for you? Then look in the Bible and everything Jesus said, believe Him for it. The Bible says when you pray and ask God for anything, believe you receive it and you shall receive it. God said He wants to give you the desires of your heart. (Yes

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when we are living for God some of our desires change). But He didn't say I'll change the desires of your heart where I can give it to you. He said He WANTS to give us the desires of OUR heart.

You see, God in not a man that would lie. You will not find a lie in the bible anywhere. If you come across anything you don't understand, just ask God, He will explain it to you and make it clear to your understanding.

God said, if you being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much MORE shall your Father which is in Heaven, give good things to who ask Him.

For years I lived a defeated Christian life, I had a hit and miss prayer life. I believed

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God was always watching to see when I messed up, and my prayers weren't getting answered because I didn't do what I am supposed to as a Christian. I would get right to the point of giving up, and then think where will I turn now? God was my only hope; I believed Gods word was true, so the problem had to be in me. But no matter how I tried I couldn't live right enough, I couldn't be what God had called me to be. So that's what I told God. I also told Him I believe all His word is true, and I believe Jesus gave His life for me and all mankind. I said I want all that you say is mine, but I can't seem to get it right. So I'm going to just praise you every day for all Jesus says is mine. Then I was listening to a preacher

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read from the Bible, “seek ye first the kingdom of God and His Righteousness and all these things will be given unto you”. I had read the same verses myself many a times, but this time it hit home. My understanding was opened.

In myself I could do nothing; I couldn't get to God or be what He wants me to be. That is why He sent His Son Jesus, for what man could not do Jesus did. Jesus makes me right with God, not only by taking sin away, but by restoring what the evil one had stolen. Showing me that although I'm in this world, I'm not of this world. So I can live in the kingdom of God and receive all Gods blessings right here right now. It's all

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in how much you are willing to believe God and His Son Jesus.

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Why read the Bible?by Jim E. Gray Sr.

We all know we only use a small part of our brain. We don’t know what the rest of our brain is used for.

In this age of computers we should understand what our brains are like. A computer only uses a small part of the hard drive for its operation. The rest stores what we put in it.

So it is with our brain. What we store there we can use later to help in our work or in life.

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In order to become successful in our work, we read and study many books. What we read is stored in out brain and we can recall it or bring it to remembrance when we need it.

So it is with the Bible. If we do not read it, so that we have it stored in our brain, how will we know the truth when someone is preaching or teaching us about God or the things of this world? We are to study the Bible to show ourselves approved unto God. (2 Timothy 2:15)

In John 14:26 Jesus said “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to

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your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

If we don’t read the Bible we won’t have anything to bring to our remembrance. It’s not there to remember. But if we read it all, then God through His Holy Ghost can teach us of His truth. He can show us the answers to our prayers. Because He can bring His word to our remembrance.

We miss so many blessings just because we haven't read Gods word. If you have questions, read the Bible, contrary to what most believe think, the Bible has all the answers. Trouble can be avoided just by knowing what the Bible says and applying it to your life.

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Think about it, Gods word is so important that His word took on flesh and walked among us. His name is Jesus.

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The word “God”By Jim E. Gray Sr.

'God', just to say the word is amazing to me. But there is so much more to it. In the Bible, we see that God created all things. God even created us as individuals. And breathed the breath of life into us. Then He gave us the freedom of choice, a free will. We could choose to live for Him or go live however we want too.

That alone is amazing, but the word God is even deeper than that. For within God there are three beings. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

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Many people believe in God (or A god) But I'm talking about the God of the Bible, The God of, Abraham Isaac and Jacob. He is the God of Jim E. Gray Sr.

You see those who just believe there is “a god” misses what God is. They miss the fact that the almighty God of all creation loves them so much, that He sent His only begotten Son to pay the price for sin. Because sin got into the world and sin got on you, and in you. You see sin has a death penalty and living any other way than the way God wants you too, sin can come in and have its way with you. You see sin is an enemy of God and sin wants to steal, kill and destroy everything of Gods. Even though you decided not to live for God, God

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still created you. His breath gives you life. So sin wants to steal you from God, Kill your very being, and destroy everything you have done. Sin will allow you its pleasure for a while to suck you in. Just to take your life. Sin does not care about you, sin only cares about it self.

But God loves you so much he made a way to save you from sin, and death, by allowing His only Son to pay the price of that sin that got on you and in you. That price is death. So Jesus, The Son Of God, gave His life to pay for all sin so you could have everlasting life. Sin can never take you away again. Jesus didn't owe it, but He chose to pay it for you. That's how much love he has for you.

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Oh, but it doesn't stop there, Jesus called you His friend even before giving His life for you. He also said if you will follow Him, Live for His Father, He will call you Brother. His Father will be your Father. Then He gave His life for you.

Guess what? It didn't stop there. The Bible says he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes, we are healed.

Is the word “GOD” sounding better now? Well add this to it, Jesus said when he goes away to be with the Father, “I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another

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Comforter, that he may abide with you forever.”

Yet even more Jesus said, ask Him and He will fill you or baptize you in the Holy Spirit, and you will receive power from on High. How great is that? It makes me want to jump for joy and shout, praise you my God, Hallelujah...

OK, now let's look at the word God, Our Creator, our Father, our Brother, our comforter, our Power, our healer, or joy, our peace, our love, our everything.

Do you really want to give all that up, just to believe in yourself? At the very best you could make it 120 years. But without Jesus, what good would it be. Without Jesus you

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can’t get into Heaven. You still have sin in you and on you.

129 tears is all the time appointed to man to live. Yes some men of God lived longer. But without God you're lucky to make 60 years, that's half of what God allowed you. But with God, because of His Son Jesus, you can live eternally. You can meet The Creator face to face and be with Him forever,

It doesn't matter how good you think you live, or how much good you do. If you haven't accepted the payment that Jesus made for the sin that got on you and in you, then you will spend eternity with the one who put the sin on you and in you... The evil one, the devil, satan, lucifer.

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That would be a shame, so I pray for you, yes you, you read this all the way through. To me, that shows you are looking for something better. There is nothing better than giving your life to Jesus and living for Him. I have only touched on a few things God offers.

Satan only offers the pleasure of sin for a short time. Then eternal damnation.

Father God, I ask that Curiosity through your power and will, cause those who need to hear this, to read it in full. Father, I thank you for letting me be part of your family, and because Jesus called me, I want to be more like Him and call all I can to come to know Jesus. So Father touch the heart of the ones reading this, open their

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understanding, open their eyes and open their ears to hear your words. Your words have power. Father we know, no one comes unless you call, help us all to hear your call.

Father God, creator of all things, lover of our souls, it is in the name of your Son Jesus, I ask these things of you.

AMEN

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A pray for healing.

I prayed this pray for healing in 2015, now, if I start to feel sick or just not up to par. I start praising God for the healing he has given me. I confess I am healed and Jesus is my Lord.

Yea, people point from time to time and say, I thought you never get sick. My reply is no, I said I am healed by the strips of Jesus.

I remind them that a symptom is not a sickness; it is an invitation to become sick.

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Because of Jesus I have the right to refuse it.

Father God,

I come before you today to ask for healing for me from head to toes. I know I have asked many times before, But because of my feelings, I lost track of the believing.

So Father God, this time I ask for healing from the top of my head to the bottoms of my feet, believing I receive that healing.

I'm not asking for healing anymore because your words final.

I live by faith not by feelings. I believe I am healed this day 10/29/2015 according to Mark 11: 24. It is done.

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Thank you in Jesus name, the name that is above all names and keeps me. I believe I am healed. AMEN

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Confusion

I believe and understand that the world is full of confusion on many subjects. I believe it is mostly because of greed. I also believe if you follow that greed back to its source, you will find it is for the love of money. That's right, “the root of all evil”.

Note that I said “I believe”. I’m sure the majority will disagree with me. I hope to clarify as I explain why I believe this confusion exists.

I'm sure you agree with me that everyone wants to make money to care for their families and to make life more comfortable. That's understandable. I can even

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understand people wanting to be “rich”, or let’s say, well off.

I guess this is where greed starts to enter in. When a person, or even a business decides money is more important than the people. We see this between most workers and employers. Not all but most.

Yes, I understand the company has to make a profit. But when the owner and the company get rich and the employee cannot support his family on his wages, something is wrong. Greed has slipped in.

Now with that said, I can understand, that is how the world works. But as Christians it should not be so. Yet we see TV “evangelists” getting rich beyond measure. I don't even have a big problem

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with that, except most are perching what you want to hear, not the full truth. They twist the words of the Bible around to say what they want you to believe. That way you keep giving to them.

Don't get me wrong. I believe a man of God should make good money. I believe they should make an abundance of money, to show believing and living for God you are blessed. This shows Gods word is true.

But as in everything else man is involved in, greed comes into play. It's easy to see how a con man or person can work his scheme to get rich off preaching. But that's another story.

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Let’s address the ones who truly want to teach the bible to others. Even those not meaning to get caught up in self.

I believe if we just preach Gods word the truth will come out. When we don't know an answer just say we don't know. It's ok not to know all the answers. That's why we pray.

Now here is where we need to stay in the word of God. The Bible tells us how to pray and even how to pray for different things.

The Bible says to study to show yourself approved. If we haven't read and studied the word of God, how are you going to know when a person or preacher strays from the word of God and gets into his own words?

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So many of us have been taught to never question a preacher. After all God called them, and they have been to school to study the Bible.

I say hogwash. A lot of them, (Not all of them) get into preaching for the money. Yet some are there for the right reason. Because they truly believe God called them. I praise God for those. For without them, many would never believe and be saved.

Let’s get back to “study to show yourself approved”. It hurts my heart to hear a preacher make excuses for God. Many people go to their preacher and ask why God didn't heal them, or why God didn't do this or that.

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This is where the studying comes into play. If you can find it in the Bible where it says this is yours. Think about it, this is God’s word, the word that you believe is the truth, and have chosen to believe above all words. (Even a preachers words) we are all human, we all make mistakes. God never lies nor does He make mistakes. His word is true. God does not love anyone more than the other. If you don't understand something in God’s word, pray with supplication and fasting.

[Supplication; Although it is a noun, supplication comes from the Latin verb supplicare, which means "to plead humbly." While a supplication is often thought of as a

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religious prayer (it is used 60 times in the Bible), it can logically be applied to any situation in which you must entreat someone in power for help or a favor.]

[Prayer And Fasting; - Abstaining from food for the purpose of focusing on God. As you rely on Him for wisdom and direction, He will answer.]

God loves you and does not want you ignorant. He will give you understanding.

It bothers me and makes me wonder what are they thinking when I hear a preacher say God didn't answer your prayer or give you what you ask for because it's

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not in His will. If that is so then what happens with, Mark 11: 22-26?

22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father

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also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Verse 24 said whatever you desire. It didn't say He would change your desire, or if it was His will, you could have it. He said, whatever you desire ask Him and he will give it to you.

Now we all know if we are Christians we are not going to ask ungodly things. At least true Christians know that.

So what can we ask God to give us? The Bible said what so ever you desire. Oh yea,

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don't forget you have to believe you receive, and you will receive.

I'm just trying to let you know if you don't make your walk with God personal, it leaves room to be deceived. We need to pray and seek Gods wisdom, and listen for His answer.

Those trying to teach us don't mean to lead us wrong, but the deceiver of this world, the devil is as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.

Most people are so scared that God is watching and waiting for us to make a mistake so He can punish us. That is so far from the truth. Number 1, all sin has been forgiven. Jesus paid for it all, and that includes any and all mistakes you may

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make. God is looking to bless you. It's like God says look he believes my word; give them what they ask for. God not only gives you the desires of your heart, but also sends protection to keep the evil from using it for bad.

I for one am glad God gave us His grace. If it wasn't for His grace we would have no hope. So always remember our hope is in God not man.

You won’t need healing in heaven, there is no sickness there. You need it here on earth. God gave it through His Son Jesus believe you have it and you will have it. It's been delivered receive it. If we are not to have enough money to pay our bills, why did Jesus tell Peter to go down to the river

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and catch a fish and look into his mouth and use that money to pay tribute for me and thee. God wants us to have and owe no one. If you need it or want it ask believing and you shall have it. That's what my Bible says anyway. What's yours say?

So study to show yourself approved. Don't let some sweet talking, silver tongued, devil steal God's word away.

Like most of you I haven't reached all that God has provided for me, but I am growing and learning more and more every day. My health, my finances, and my blessings are better every day.

Don't be deceived, Jesus is our shepherd and His sheep know His voice.

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As always it is my prayer that you be blessed live a victorious life in Christ. Remember to ask and believe to receive. Don't forget to forgive others so you may be forgiven and receive Gods best.

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'Foolish Things'By, Jim E. Gray Sr.

1 Corinthians 1:27

(But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;)

I was talking with a friend a few days ago. He told me he had read where some of the greatest minds, people who are considered to most intelligent people on earth. Had come together and came up with this idea or theory that mankind and all he knows and understands is just a digital imprint. (Like The Matrix) That it is all in our minds

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and there is nothing real, and God is someone we made up.

Well I know I am just a simple man, with not much education, but even I think that if that is the best the most intelligent people in the world can come up with we are in big trouble. And if they say there is a 99% chance that they are right. I am very proud to say I am one of the 1% left that believes they have stepped over the line into insanity. (It is said that genius and insanity are only separated by a fine line.)

It is very hard if not impossible to change a person’s mind that believes this way.

Years ago I made a decision. I knew I didn’t know everything and most of what I thought I knew I usually messed up. So in

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my heart, I knew there had to be more to life than what I knew. Someone or something had to have made this world and all there is in it. Seeing that I cannot bring myself to believe these most intelligent people in the world, I had to seek the truth on my own. The best and most understandable conclusion I found was what we call the Holy Bible. To me, it explained and answered all the questioned I had or have had scents then. Those truths are hidden so that you have to be looking for them to find them. You're not going to just stumble across them.

So this was my decision as I kneeled before the Holy God of the Holy Bible. I told God, I choose of my own free will to believe God is

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real; I choose to believe every word in the Bible is true. I believe God sent His Son to pay the price for sin and remove it from mankind. I believe Jesus opened the door to the throne room of God, His Father, and that we can go directly to God and call him our Father, and he will hear us. I believe if we humble ourselves before God asking Him to forgive us and lead and guide us through this life, He will. We can and will live a prosperous life and be in good health, and when we leave this world we will go to be with Him forevermore.

After making this decision, I set my heart on the things of Gods word. I started seeking His kingdom and His righteousness. My eyes began to open so I could see and my

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ears where I could hear. My heart of stone was removed and I now have a heart of flesh that can have compassion on others. I pray for those who do not believe in God and His Son Jesus. My heart even hurts to think they may miss what God has for us.

You see, if they are right, when I die, I lose nothing. I just lived a righteous life, Forgiven of all sin. But when they find out I was right, as they stand before God on judgment day and learn they have lost everything and will suffer the fact of their unbelief forever as God says depart from me, I never knew you.

To think of family and friends, or even people I never knew, would hear those words from God, hurts my heart to its

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deepest parts. You see, I am truly born again, through the blood of Jesus Christ. Because before I was born again, I didn’t care.

Sometimes, I think maybe that’s why some people pull away from believers. Separating them from us, maybe God is preparing us so that missing them won’t be so hard when life here is over.

Yet while there is still time, I will pray for each of them, pouring my heart out to God the Father on their behalf. That God would let the light of Jesus shine through, that they too might see and believe.

But as in all things I say, not my will, Father God, but your will be done.

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Who am I?By Jim E. Gray, Sr.

In the great design, through time and space, who am I? I am but a breath. I’m Just a thought in my Creators mind. Yet, before I ever was, he knew everything about me. All the days I would live and even the number of the hairs on my head. All I know, He created from nothing. Then He created me. From a little piece of dirt, He molded me. Yet I was still nothing. But with His breath He breathes life into me and I became a living soul.

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My mind is boggled; with all He is, He does not need me, but He made me. Who am I that the creator of all I know would want to create me? What could I possibly do to please my creator? In everything I try to do I fall on my face and come up short. Yet I feel my creators hands pick me up, and His voice comforts me. Who am I, that This Holy Creator, God, should be mindful of me? He doesn’t need me, I need Him. Not a moment, not a day, goes by that I don’t need His help and in my shame and my failure, I call out My God please help me.

Before I was ever created, my Creator saw not only my life, but everyone’s life. He saw how we had been deceived and tricked and sold into slavery. We had begun to believe

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we had no hope. So our Creator sent His only Son to redeem us. His name is Jesus, The Christ. The price for us was death. So Jesus gladly gave His life to purchase us back for His Father the creator of all things, thus giving us the right to call our creator, Father God. Who am I that the God of all creation should love me so much?

So I cry out to my God saying thank You, thank You, for redeeming me. I accept your Son and give Him my life. I belong to You, I have been bought with a price. Do with me as you will. You are everything I need.

Who am I? I am yours Father God.

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Influence By Jim E. Gray, Sr.

Let me start by saying every person I have met in my life has had an influence on my life. If you had told me when I was a little boy, that when I got old I would write a book, (after I stopped laughing) I would have told you, your crazier than I am.

So with that said, I would like to say a few things about life. I was going to give a list of

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a few people that have affected my life in a big way. But as I was making the list I realized this list would be way too long, because I would have to lest every person I know and some I don’t know.

All the people in my life have caused me to check myself, inspired me to look deeper into my situations and not judge so quickly. They have taught me to be a man worthy of this life.

If you have ever met or talked to me you have had an influence on my life. Each of you means much more to me than you will ever know.

Sometimes as I scroll through Facebook, an acritical will catch my eye and touch my heart. Well today was one of those days.

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The acritical was about someone calling a person the “N” word, and how this young man handled it. It brought back memories of my childhood days. You see I was born right here in Aiken S.C. . Looking at us back then they would have called us dirt poor, and as far as it looked we were.

I didn’t know anything about “poor” or the way people look down on the poor until much later. All I knew was my Mom and Dad loved me so much that if we were poor it was ok with me. My dad worked hard every day, taught himself how to do quality honest work. Mom and Dad taught us the values of life and always to hold your head up and shoulders back and be proud of whom you are and always tell the truth.

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Mom and Dad taught my brothers and me about the Bible and God.

The first place I remember living was in an old shack just outside of Aiken, and you could see the dogs under the house through the cracks in the floor. My best friend was a black boy who lived down the dirt road from us. His name was Willy Richardson and the color of his skin and my skin never came between us. We grew up together; eat at each other’s house and swam in the same creek. As we grew older we even worked together. His family was my family as was mine to him. We remained best of friends all our lives until the day he died.

I tried all my life not to be prejudice, and even today I’m not prejudice because of the

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color of a person’s skin. But, I am prejudice. But it’s over the actions of some, who instead of striving to work hard, and make life good for themselves and their families; they choose to suck the life out of our government and our country. Then complain, riot, steal, and kill others to get what they want.

Money has made some people crazy and to get it they will do anything. Then when they can’t get it they destroy everything near them.

Yes I am prejudice against these kinds of people. And yes I believe they need to be put in their place. But, who will? I look at our government and I see the same problem.

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As I wonder what should be done? How did we get this way? If having lots of money makes us that way, I would rather be poor. But as I study Gods word I see it all in there, men and their love for money. Yes, the love of money is the root of all evil.

How did we get there? We let God’s word fade from our hearts. Then let our government take God out of our schools and our country. Slowly we began to forget about God. But now we are seeing the calamity of our actions. But many don’t know God is the answer because we stopped teaching His word to our children. A generation without God has torn our country apart. Generation after generation it gets worse.

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But all is not lost, for God’s word says, in, 2 Chronicles 7:14

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

We need to remember where we came from. Remember the teachings of our grandparents, and humble ourselves and pray. Teach those who will listen. Teach the children and when they are old they will not turn away, but teach others. It would be a horrible thing to go to your grave knowing you didn’t tell you children about God and let them choose. We all have freewill, but without all the facts how can

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they use their freewill, if they don’t know. Teach your children and anyone who will listen. Time is shorter than ever.

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The family BibleBy, Jim E. Gray Sr.

How many of us have memories of your family sitting around as someone reads the Bible? How many of us remember having a family Bible?

I for one was blessed on both accounts, I remember our family bible, and my grandma showing me family names that had gone on to be with Jesus and we had a record of them in our Bible. Yes, I was blessed because as I was growing up, my family would sit around the table or in the living room and we would all get very quiet as my Dad or Mom would read from the

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Bible. At that time I didn’t think much about the importance of hearing my Dad read the Bible. In many families, only the women read to the children. In some families, the Bible is not read and some homes don't have a Bible. Little did I know the lessons that were being hidden in my heart would come back to help me through life.

I am so glad I had a Dad who not only believed in God but wanted to make sure his children knew about God and heard him read from Gods word.

I cannot express how important it is for a man to read the Bible to his family. God’s word never goes out without accomplishing what it was sent to do. When the head of

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the family reads to the family from the Bible, it set priorities in the minds of your children.

Although we stray away from God sometimes in life, the seeds that the word of God planted will take root and draw you back to Him.

I did read the Bible to my children, but not as much as I should have. I can only hope and pray that those words from the bible found fertile ground.

I ran from God for a very long time. But God never lets me out of His sight. Sometimes He would draw me back, or slow me down. Other times He let me fall flat on my face with nowhere to turn but to Him. The world is a very lonely place without

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God. When you’re on the bottom it seems you have no friends, no one will help.

When you don’t have God to turn to, the only one you have is the one who got you in the mess you’re in. That’s you. Self cannot fix self, only God can.

So while you can, read the Bible at home with each other. If you have no one at home to read to, then read the Bible to yourself. Who knows, maybe the word will send someone to hear those words you read.

If you are a Dad, take time while you are still in control of your family and read the Bible to them.

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I am blessed in my old age to have a wife who loves God and His word. We talk and share what God has taught us and what we have learned from His word. We rejoice and we are happy and content with where God had brought us, and to where He is taking us.

Both Kate and I encourage each of you the read the Bible.

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“I wish”By Jim E. Gray Sr.

I wish I could make you understand I am not the man I use to be. But more important is why I am not the old me.

The best thing that ever happened to me was coming to know Jesus. I know, most people don’t want you preaching to them about how to live their lives. I was the same way before I figured out I didn’t know all the answers to life. I also didn’t know, or believe God or His Son Jesus would really show me the way and be with me every day.

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So I find myself in a place where “I wish I could find the words to tell other about what I found in Jesus.” How can I put into words, there is another realm of life, right here in this world, where peace and love makes life so good you want to tell everyone about it. I try in every way to tell others. But the world is so caught up in their own little world, they don’t have time to listen, or they remind me of my past sinful ways and refuse to hear me.

I wish I could take them to the places I go with God, and see and feel the joy and happiness. I wish everyone would call on Jesus and ask Him to show them what He has for them. I know if they ever taste

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what Jesus Has for them, they would never turn back.

I think sometimes, I wish I could show them, God hears me and answers me. But they didn’t believe Jesus or His disciples when they did all those great works.

I once told someone that if I had lived in Noah’s day, and Noah said, all who do not get on this ark will die. God is going to cause it to rain and flood the whole world. I would have gotten on the ark. My reasoning is that everyone new Noah talked to God and God answered him. If I got on the ark and it didn’t rain and kill everyone, I would have gotten laugh at and teased by my friends, but I would be alive. The best part is, I would have not only lived but

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would have become a believer if it had rained.

My friend said, so I’m to believe just in case? I said, try believing and let Jesus show you little things until you can believe the big things. We have another ark so to speak, it is Jesus. Accept this time it not rain, it fire and everlasting torment. If you don’t get on this ark, it’s over; there will be no more arks, no more time.

I wish I could make everyone understand. The reason God gave us His word, and His son, is because He loves us and wants to warn us, that the evil one has set a trap to steal you away from what God has for you. This trap has been so fine-tuned over time, that you don’t even know you’re being led

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away from the truth. But you see God sent His Son to disarm the trap. So if you believe in His Son, Jesus will cover ever attempt the evil one try’s to use to steal you away.

I know, many of you say there are too many rules or laws. But that is the best part, the law has been fulfilled. Jesus is the truth. We are now under grace. The unmerited favor of God, it’s not by keeping the law, it is by believing God and what He sent His Son to do. When Jesus died on the cross for us, He looked up to heaven and said “it is finished”. Jesus had done all God sent Him to do for mankind. Jesus made a way for you and me, not only to have everlasting life with Him in Heaven. But we can have a victorious life, here on earth.

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Jesus said He gives us His righteousness, and His peace. Within His righteousness are all His promises. The more you believe Jesus has done it all, the more it shows up in your life.

I know some of you are thinking, I have to give up this and that, or I have to stop doing this. Let’s give God the benefit of our doubt and believe God and don’t give up anything until God says too. Then as God ask you to stop something, stop then. I promise He will prepare you and you will be ready to give it up even before He asks. Love embraces love, and love reaches out to those who need love.

God is a loving God. God is love! He wants to shower you with blessings. So

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many blessings you can’t even receive them all at one time.

I wish I could make you understand what it is like too laugh and cry at the same time, praising God because He let you see your blessings in a glimpse and you felt His love resting on you, and you couldn’t receive it all, as tears roll down your face and all you can do is praise Him for His greatness. God is real, that is truth.

I wish I could find the words to help you understand. I will say this in closing. I will never stop trying to tell others about God’s kingdom and His Son Jesus and His righteousness as long as I have life and breath. All I have belongs to God, because He gave it to me, even His Son.

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DarknessBy, Jim E. Gray Sr.

From time to time we all find ourselves in darkness. A place where we don’t know, where to go or what to do, we are at our wits end. Even as Christians, if we let our guard down we can find ourselves in a place of darkness because the devil is always looking to steal kill and destroy Gods people and leave them in darkness. But because we know Jesus, we know if we call on Him He will save us out of darkness.

I remember when I was in the U.S. Navy; we had to go through Counterinsurgency training, preparing to go to Vietnam. One

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day, late that evening, we were given a compass and told to go north until we reached the other troops. We only had three hours to get there. It was night time and you couldn’t even see the stars. About halfway there we came to a tee line with heavy underbrush and bushes. It seemed there was no way through. There we sat in the darkness, not knowing what to do. If we tried to go around we would be late and left behind. In desperation one of the men climbed up through the fork in the tree and found a clearing. So one by one we all climbed through the fork in the tree. We made our checkpoint on time.

The next day, one of the men said he had lost his canteen climbing through the tree.

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So a few of us went back to find it. As we backtracked through the woods we came upon an open field. Crossing the field right in our path was a tree with some bushes around it. There lay his canteen. We all lay on the ground laughing. For in the darkness we had all climb through this tree out in an open field all by itself, with a few bushes around it. The darkness had fooled us all.

So it is with life. If we are not careful the darkness will slip in and fool us. Life is hard enough in itself. It is full of darkness and trouble, disguise as fun or pleasure. Without God, we fall into these traps and find ourselves in darkness not knowing what to do.

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I’m writing this for anyone who may find themselves in a dark place not knowing what to do. If you will just look up and call out the name of Jesus and, say please help me. I promise, He will hear you and help you. It doesn’t matter if you know Him or if you have just slipped away from Him, Jesus will come and help.

After Jesus has helped you and the darkness has left. If you will ask Jesus to come into your life and save you from all darkness, He will, and He will give you a comforter to live in your heart to guide you in His ways, to teach you about life, and cause you to prosper and be in good health.

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Jesus came into the world as the light of the world. But the world received Him not because the world loved the darkness.

The darkness has pleasure for a short time. Then, darkness consumes you, until it can kill you.

If you will call on the Name of Jesus, He will be your light; you will be the children of that light. The pleasures of the light are eternal.

Life on earth is but a breath compared to eternity. Life after death is either with The Light or the darkness for eternity.

Call on Jesus today and live forever in the Light. You have to choose to live in the

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Light. If you do not choose the light, the darkness will choose for you.

Here is a prayer for you all.

Father God I pray for those who are having a hard time and feel they are in a dark place. I ask you in your Son’s Name, Jesus Christ, that you open their eyes so they can see the light you sent to us. Show them your grace and mercy and your salvation. Give them your peace, the peace that surpasses all understanding. Help them to receive your Righteousness and to seek your kingdom. Deliver them out of their darkness and into your light.

Father, when I think of those who do not know you. My heart gets heavy. For once I was lost and did not know, and was blinded

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by the darkness. As only you know Father, time is very short. Help all those out of their darkness before it is too late.

As always Father I give you praise and thanks for your Son Jesus and all He has done. Amen

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“Our responsibility”By Jim E. Gray Sr.

We are the salt of this world. We need to live as an example. We are not here to judge anyone. For if we judge and push others away, how will they come to salvation? We are no better than anyone. We too at times past lived in sin. But through grace, we are forgiven. Let us not forget “The Grace” on their behalf.

So many times Christians judge, instead of loving. When we do it that way, we lose our chance to reach that person for Christ. We don’t indulge in their sins, but we do walk

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through a world full of sin. Let us not act like we are “holier-than-thou”.

Jesus walked with all kinds of people, loving, healing and forgiving, everyone He met. We are here to point to Him. To tell others that Jesus loves them, no matter what their sins may be.

I use to smoke, and I remember how good it was. I enjoyed it very much. Now, I know it was not good for me. I’m not saying smoking is a sin. But it did not do me good, so I quit. I still have friends who smoke, but because I remember how much I loved smoking, I don’t pester them to quit. If I did they would avoid coming around me. I love my friends, and I care about them. So I will live as an example, so they may see what

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smoking did to me and yet know I love them.

When we judge others, they remember when we use to do the very same thing. I know my sins were many. I know I use to use foul language, and still slip up today. I know I use to look at porn and seen nothing wrong with it. Even today, if I don’t keep a close watch on myself my eyes may go astray. We have all sinned, and others have seen our sin. When we point fingers, the others remember our sins. Remember we live under the grace of God through His Son Jesus. If God had pushed us away, because we had sinned, there would be no one to save. Jesus would not have come, and we

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would join those we push away because of our “holier-than-thou” attitude.

So let us remember how much God loves us. Let us try and love those who haven’t found what we have.

I have noticed that the people who know I believe in God and I try to live a Godly life. Show me the courtesy by watching their language, and actions around me. I don’t preach to them about sin. I do tell them how great God is, and how much love He shows me, and those who trust in Him.

So the old saying, (you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar) is very true.

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Meaning? You can win people to your side more easily by gentle persuasion and flattery than by hostile confrontation.

Romans 14:16 says “Let not then your good be evil spoken of:”

Matthew 6:1 says, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.”

As Christians we have a great responsibility, to maintain our walk with God, and deliver His word with love and compassion. The world does not know Him. How, will they know Him if we push them away.

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Remember the old saying? “You have got to clean your own house first before you tell other people that they aren't doing it right.”

Others are not going to be judged by what we do. God will judge the heart of each of us. So when we mean well, don’t present it in a way that causes others to speak evil of it.

Live your life and speak as unto God, where you are welcome before God and man.

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Do you ever wonder why your life seems so complicated? Why worry seems to come from every direction? You’re a Christian, but you feel defeated. Bills keep you beat down. You ask yourself why God’s Word is not working in your life.

Well, let me remind you. We live in a world where ungodly spirits roam around doing all they can do to steal your joy, your peace, your happiness, your love. Most of all they try to steal the Word of God from you. But the Word of God is more powerful than they are. So they give you suggestions. Like God’s Word doesn’t work because you sin, or you lie. Anything they can put in your

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mind to make you doubt what God has promised you.

In order to beat them, we need reminders. We get those reminders by reading our Bibles every day. By talking to our Christians friends and reminding each other. James 5:16 says, Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Some translations say confess your sins, but that is a bad interpretation, we only confess our sins to God, but when we confess our faults to each other and pray for each other it keeps us from sins. It reminds us of what God has said in His word. Thus removing

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doubt, when doubt is removed we receive what we have believed for.

My wife handles all our bills and paperwork. She is also the breadwinner of our house. I try and do what I can to help, but being disabled it’s not much. So it’s easy to see how my wife can get discouraged by her heavy load. When I see her down or hear her say, she wants to just give up, it makes me feel I have failed. Yes, I am unable to do a lot of things, but my main job, given to me by God, is to be the head of my family, to uphold God’s Word and be a reminder of God’s Word. To encourage her and keep her lifted up, and keep our eyes on God, and remember His Word.

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So it is with us all, we need constant reminders of God’s Promises because the evil spirits are always trying to confuse us and steal our happiness and joy. They want us to get so busy fighting them that we forget about God and His Word.

My wife and I pray for everything. We pray over our bills and ask God to provide. Then we leave them with God, believing God will provide. Then, when the evil spirits come taunting us about them, we remind each other we have God’s Word and His Promise. If we believe in Him and doubt not, we will have what we have asked of Him. That’s His Word. So it is with everything, we pray before a trip, even going to the store or across town. Before work, before any

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decision, you cannot ask God for too much when asking Him to bless and keep you safe. God loves you. God wants you to depend and rely on Him. He said in, Matthew 6:33, But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

God said, “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

I believe the only way to lose in this world is to ignore God’s Word.

So let us, with love, remind each other of God’s Word. Amen!

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Let not your heart be troubled:John 14:1-3

As I was praying this morning, I thought back on my life. How in times past my heart felt so heavy and burdened. I see that it was because of things I had done in my life. It was called sin, but at the time I didn’t think of it as sin. I sure didn’t think to hate someone who had done me wrong was wrong or a sin, after all, it was them that done me wrong.

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As time went on, those burdens got even heavier. It got to the point where I had to find help; I couldn’t live like this anymore. Everyone I asked had no answers, or they would say pray about it. Well, I was raised in a family that went to church. My Mom taught us about God and I got saved when I was 14 years old. So yes I believed in God. But some way I didn’t think God would fix this heavy heart. Maybe it was because I was backslidden, and the devil had blurred my vision. All I know was I needed help. I thought if this is all life is about, life is not worth living. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t take my own life, I don’t like pain. But I know a few friends that had killed

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themselves for the same reason. Their hearts were so heavy they couldn’t go on.

Well, I did pray and ask God for help. God did answer and help, and I’m here today to tell you God is the answer to any and every problem. God cares so much about every situation in our lives. If God loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die for us, then He cares about everything that concerns us. He cares if we have Food, clothing, transportation and a home, and the affairs of the heart.

So if you know or believe there is a God. Maybe you haven’t decided to trust Him, or don’t know if He is real. Maybe you have had a heavy heart so long you have forgotten how it feels to be free of it. You

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can find out. You can find out that God is real and He will take all your burdens away, including that heavy heart. He will give you strength to deal with everyday problems. Oh yeah, if you’re worried what others will think of you or what they may say about you. Guess what, you don’t have to tell anyone, or let anyone know, if you don’t want to, but I am sure when God moves in your favor you will want to tell everyone. So, you can get somewhere all alone and just speak it out loud; “God if you are real and you truly love me. I need help, with my life. I need the burdens of this heavy heart lifted off of me. I am here to believe in you, but I need help to know you, and to know I can trust and rely on you. I have been told

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you love me. And if I will believe you sent your Son to save me, He will live in my heart and teach me and help me. If that is true I want Jesus to come live in me. I want all you have for me. I have nothing to offer you but me, I am told what you have offered me is a free gift and I want it.”

If you say this to God and mean it, your life will start to change. Your heart will start to feel good. Embrace the change, your heart knows right from wrong, follow your heart. God’s spirit is living in your heart now. Don’t forget everyone has not changed like you have, so love them just as God has loved you. Don’t point out their sins to them; let them see the change in you. Then maybe they will want what you have frond.

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Some say it’s hard to live for God. But Jesus said, in, Matthew 11:30, for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

What makes us feel it is so hard is some of the things we use to do are still calling us to them. But if we will resist them they will flee from us. Remember your heart will guide you. God will never leave you nor forsake you. He will always be right there with you just call out and He will answer.

Sadly, those who don’t believe in God also don’t believe in hell. God is real if you believe it or not, and so is hell. In the Bible, we learn that when an unsaved person dies the go directly to a place under the earth in hell to await judgment. Then after they are judged, they will enter eternal torment.

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But to those who have believed and put their hope in Jesus, when they die they go to be in God’s presence. For they have already been judged by Christ Jesus and will return with Jesus to get those who are still alive in Him. Then the judgment of the world will begin.

So remember, because you had ”that conversation” with God, asking Jesus into your heart you have nothing to worry about. Just keep your faith in God and His Son Jesus. If you fall down and do wrong or sin, while you are down, just tell God about it and ask Him to forgive you, and He will. He will also pick you up and carry you until you can stand on your own again. God is for you, God loves you, and so do I.

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Evil continuallyA rant by, Jim E. Gray Sr.

Every now and then I just want to speak out or rant about things. I post it in hopes all will read it. I know a few faithful friends will read it, some agree with it some don’t. But the point is to wake us up. To make us pay attention to what’s going on around us and what we may do about it. Yes, most all the time my answer is to pray and trust God. If

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it was not for prayer we would most likely be a 3rd world country.

In Genesis 6:5 it says,

And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

We were given a country to build and entrusted with its wellbeing. We took claim of this country in the name of God. We claimed, “in God we trust.” Where and when, did we go so wrong? It is amazing that God stayed with us. But then God is a God if His Word. God said He would never

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leave nor forsake us. Surely He sees more in us than we do.

I’m at a loss for words. My heart hurts. I’m mad and ashamed at the same time. I have been watching some movies about our history. I have known it was true but seeing it played out, hurts my heart. In America how we say we stand for freedom. Yet as I look at our past it seems we stand for theft, and killing and cruelty. Everything we have, we stole. If we see something we want, we just take it. If they don’t let go of what we want, we kill them and take it anyway.

Or is it just our government? The ones we entrusted to run our country. We the people of America have been lazy for a long time. Letting our government do whatever

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they think best. It may have worked in the beginning, but for a long time our government has not had our wellbeing in mind, but their own pockets.

We came here and took from the American Indians what was theirs, land, and their way of life. We all but did away with the buffalo. We stripped the land of gold and silver and other precious gems and metal. The Indians we didn’t starve to death, we killed the ones left. We claimed we civilized them. But what was that, but just another way of killing them, by taking their heart and spirit away. So it has been the same with anyone or thing that stands in the way of our American government.

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After taking everything America had, we were so lazy we decided to make slavery legal. That way we didn’t have to work, we took lives from everywhere and made them slaves. We did so with no thought of their families, we just split them up; sell their kids with no thought to their mothers and fathers. Remind me again how great America is and how we built it on, In God we trust. Is not God, the God of all mankind?

Even today we think everything belongs to us. Instead of using the oil we have here in America, we pay American’s not to pump the oil out of the ground. We get it from other countries, and then we still have ours, or while you are not pumping it, our

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government allows a company to drill sideways under yours and take your oil. We lie to other countries to get the oil cheap, jack the price up because it is imported, and steal from American citizens in the name of supply and demand. Then, when they get tired of America’s lies and broken promises and stop selling to us at our price, we declare war on them and go take it. We take it at the price of our children’s lives who give their lives for the lie of our government. Then, when we get a President who will try and right the wrongs we have done, Congress does all they can do to discredit him. And when that doesn’t work, they shut down the government until they can slip another lie in to make them even

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richer. On top of that, we give them the right to give themselves a raise on top of their own ill-gotten gained riches.

In a country that God had so richly blessed, and made our country shine above all other countries, we then take God out of schools and government. We let companies take their businesses to other countries to get out of paying the tax they should and support our country and the jobs from American Citizens. Then in a country where God has been pushed aside, we wonder why we have gone downhill. Why our word is no good, why our money has no value and our kids have run amuck. The government has destroyed the American family.

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But on the upside, not all Americans pushed God aside. But to those who held on to God and His Word, and kept on praying for America and the people in it, America owes a debt of gratitude. Not that they look for it because they look to God for all things. Those who trust in God and keep His Word will always prosper in everything they put their hands to, no matter what the circumstances are around them. I believe those people are why God is still striving with us, giving us chance after chance to get it right, instead of destroying the whole country.

I am proud to be an American, and I am proud of my country, we have done some good and we have helped other people. But

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I am not proud of our past. I am so thankful God opened my eyes and heart to His Word, and for Him calling me to live for Him. I may be far from perfect, but I follow the Perfect One. His Name Is Jesus. So my word to you is, no matter what country you live in, or what your country has done in the past, look to the living God, Jesus and He will make your life straight and fill it with blessings beyond your wildest dreams. I feel sorry for those who have such a great life that they don’t seem to need God. But the day is coming and is very near, that this life will be over. Then without Jesus, you will have no hope, and your so-called happiness will be over. The only hope of this world is the Son of God, Christ Jesus.

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He is the sacrificial Lamb of God, the One who takes away the sins of this world. He, Jesus, is the only Way to eternal life.

Forgiveness is very importantWritten by Jim E. Gray Sr.

Matthew 6:14, for if ye forgive men their trespasses, you’re heavenly Father will also forgive you:

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This is something we need to deal with every day. It feels natural to be angry and even hostile toward someone who has offended or done us wrong. But that is because of our nature. Feeling that way is not where the problem lies. The problem is how we react.

A very, very, long time ago our true nature was stolen, and we were given this hateful nature, this unforgiving nature. We were given this nature by the evil one to steal us from our Creator. We were created to have a loving nature because love creates love. Without love, we cannot please our Creator, God. By deception, the evil one took our loving nature and replaced it with a hate nature. That’s why we react

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the way we do. Instead of loving, we became selfish and self-minded. So instead of forgiving and trying to help others, we seek our own gratification, not caring about others. If we continue in this nature we are like the one who gave us this nature. But if we reclaim our original nature of love then we are like our Creator who sent His only Begotten Son Jesus to die and redeem us from our hateful nature and restore our loving nature. Thus receiving forgiveness for forgiveness, Mercy for mercy, love for love. By receiving Jesus as our savior, He redeems us, giving us back out love nature, making us airs with Him. We become children of God, forgiven of sin and all wrongdoings. Knowing this do not return to

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that hateful nature, remain steadfast in the love given us by our Father God through His Son Jesus Christ.

Forgive those who wrong you, bless them who use you. Your Father in heaven sees what they do, and He sees how you react. We have all done others wrong at times in the past. We know how it feels to be wrongly accused or how it feels to be wrong'ed in other ways. If we are going to repay them the same way they did us. What makes us any better than them? We are instructed to,” Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” not as they do unto you.

I know it seems hard to repay evil with good, but when we do, we set God’s plan in

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motion. That act of kindness may result in changing that person’s life, or another person’s life that may have seen and heard what you did in reply to being hurt or done wrong. Everything we do has a chain reaction. Either a good chain reaction or a bad chain reaction, the ripples will go on forever. We have to be careful how we treat others and the words we use. How we act here in this world will show how we would act in a new world. So think of it this way. We are being tested to determine what world we go to after this one. Don’t be so naive to think this is all there is to life. God did not create us to struggle and suffer, but rather to learn and grow. Then those who trusted in His Son, to bring them

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through with His teachings, well live forever in paradise with Him. But to those who refused to believe and live a loving life, the ones who chose to repay evil for evil shall receive what they have given. A place has been prepared for the evil one who deceived you and took away your original nature. Now because you have not believed and reclaimed your original nature of love through Jesus the Christ, you too will go and live with him in eternal damnation and suffering, in a lake of never-ending fire.

So I ask you now, while there is still time. What would it hurt you, other than your feelings to just forgive those who wronged you? None of us know when we are going to die. But Jesus said while we have life, we

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can turn to Him. But when we die it’s too late. If we die in our sins we have no hope. Jesus told a parable one time about men working in a field. One man was hired early in the morning for a penny to work until the day was done, another at noon also for a penny until the day was over, and another late in the evening would receive a penny for working until the day was over. But when the day was over and the owner of the field paid each man a penny, the man who was hired first in the morning grumbled saying he worked all day in the heat and some only an hour but you pay them the same. The owner said did you not agree on a penny? Is it not my field? Can I not do what I will with what is mine?

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There are many meanings in this parable. But what I want you to see here is even if you come to Jesus late in life, receiving what God has offered, you too will have everlasting life. Just as though, you had lived for Him, all your life. But remember tomorrow is not promised. Call of the name of Jesus today and let Him begin His work in you, so that you may live in paradise with Him.

I know many people who don’t believe in God. Sadly, some of them are friends of mine. I lived like I didn’t know God for a long time around them. So when I speak of God they remember how I lived and now I’m trying to get them to change. I remember Jesus said, a profit is not heard

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in his own hometown. They see Him grow up, go away, and come back preaching. So they find it hard to believe Him. I would give all I have if I could make them believe. But it is an individual decision, they have to decide. So I write these stories in hopes they may help them and others to make a decision about life and not just go through life blinded from, the truth.

I thank you for reading what I write. I ask if you will share it with others. May God richly bless you and yours.

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Doubt not and receiveWritten by Jim E. Gray Sr.

As we grow in God’s word, there are times we will come up with things we need to meditate on and check ourselves. Note in these two verses, ask and believe without any doubt and you shall have what you ask for.

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I hear a lot of people say, it just doesn’t work for them, or they can’t make it work. Well you see, nowhere in these verses does it say you have to make anything work.

Mark 11:24 says,

Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

James 1:6 says,

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

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They say ask, and believe, and doubt not. Now how do we know when we believe without a doubt? It is an important question, because everything we believe about God’s word is by Faith and believing without seeing.

Hebrews 11:6

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

I don’t know about you, but some things I pray and ask for, seem hard to believe I will get an answer to. Thus, I have no answer to it, because I had doubt. Other things I pray

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about come right away. I just knew in my heart God will answer, and I got what I ask for. It bothered me that I would have a hit and miss prayer life. So I had to pray and seek an answer. How can I know I believe without a doubt? Thank about, our salvation is by believing and not doubting that Jesus took all our sins away and wrote our names down in The Lambs Book of Life.

You would think, that’s easy if you don’t get the answer you had doubt. But that is not always true. The evil one will come straight always to steal what God has sent you. So once we have asked God for anything. We have to stand fast. When the thoughts come that you didn’t get what you ask for, that is the evil one and he came to

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steal it away. Tell the evil one he is a lie, God is the truth, stand fast on God’s word. Believe God above all other, thoughts, or feelings. If you hold fast to Gods word you will doubt not and have what you asked for. We have Jesus’ word on it and God almighty backing Him up.

The Bible says

Romans 3:4

4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

When you set your heart on God and believe God over all other, your life and

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prayer life will change. You will see your prayers answered. You will see the sick healed you will see sinners saved. You will have a victorious life. Your heart will be at peace. You will hear from God.

Just remember, resist the evil one and he will flee from you. God has told you what He will do if you will believe His word.

Doubt comes from listing to others and putting their word above God’s word. Remember, you do all things through Christ who strengthens you. Nothing is imposable with God.

I hope these words help you in your walk with God. I want to encourage you, trust God in all you do. Keep your eyes and thoughts on God and He will never let you

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down. God will give you the desires of your heart. Ask, believe, and doubt not.

Many people will tell you, “well sometimes God says no to our prayers”. But what does Gods word say about that?

In 2 Corinthians 1:20 it says,

For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

I don’t see any “no” in there anywhere. I will say, sometimes we may have to wait. But only because we may have doubt at the time and God will have to teach us how to believe it without a doubt. All through the Bible, we see God wants to give us the

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desires of our hearts. God wants us happy here on earth until He returns.

Just think how we can change the world for the good, Just be knowing we can ask God and He will give it to us. After all, Jesus said, Occupy until I return.

Verb; Occupy

to take or hold possession.

So if we are to take and hold possession of this world, we are going to need a few things to help us hold it. God’s word we have, faith and believing without a doubt we need.

We are in a war, it is a spiritual war, but just as real as the world wars, we have been through. This war is for the souls of

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mankind. Jesus came and opened the door for us to be saved and forgiven. But to receive it we must also act by accepting what Jesus has offered. Then take up our cross and follow Him. Jesus was tempted, and so are we. Do we react the way Jesus did? We should. But we need faith to believe and doubt not. We get that by prayer. Then by faith, we believe and doubt not.

Not everyone knows why when you buy a computer it has games on it. They were not put there to fill you slick time. They were put there to help you learn about the mouse and how it operates.

Well, prayer can act in the same manner. When you use a mouse in the right way it

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does what you want. So it is with prayer. Prayer is just talking to God. Not just an “I want something phone line”. You know when we act responsible growing and appreciate our parent’s they are more likely to gives us things we want. God want’s our praise; He wants to know we appreciate all He has done for us. When we praise God the fountains of heaven open and overflow for us. God Inhabits The Praise Of His People. When we live in continuous praise to God, our battles are won before we even get to them.

Many people believe Jesus did it all; they say, I believe it, and then go on with their life like they always have. The only thing they did is said, I believe. Wel,l that’s good

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but there is more to do on our side. We have to accept the new life God has given us and live it for Him. We are called to be Holy just as He is. Through Jesus, we can do that. To us, it seems impossible. But through Him, all things are possible. Living for God is a whole new way of living; it is different to the worldly life you were living. I know it seems too much at one time, but don’t worry we do it one day at a time. God knows where our heart is. When we get real with God, God gets real with us. Our life begins to change and it happens so smoothly. The things that we thought would be hard to turn loose of; we seem to lose interest in and it’s easy to walk away

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from. Yes, Jesus did it all and will continue to help you all the way.

So we can put our trust in Jesus and our Father God, having Faith, believing, without doubt, we have what was promised and we can have what we pray for.

God has given us power over the enemy, and nothing can harm us. So when the evil one tells you it isn’t going to happen, you just tell him, he is too late God has already given it to me, and I believe I am receiving it. You are a thief and a robber, the truth is not in you. I choose to believe God over all others.

Have a victorious life and praise God at all times.

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