tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-298379482011-07-28T15:11:09.361-07:00Hendrick Familynoreply@blogger.comBlogger21100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29837948.post-57510990015977197022010-01-29T11:37:00.000-08:002010-01-29T13:17:29.460-08:001. When we think about love and romance, many single women may fall into two camps. One camp is made up of women who are off seeking after romance, desiring for men and human relationships to fulfill in them the things that God desires to fulfill in His children through the truths of the gospel. The second camp is made up of women who rightfully do not want to make relationships and romance an idol, but instead dismiss any desire for love, romance, rescue and redemption as "silly" and maybe even "wrong." Somehow God wants us to relish in the story of the gospel, in all its beauty and romance, to love the elements of His story that we find in the Bible without taking those truths and distorting them. God wants to awaken in our souls the gospel story, a story of rescue and redemption. However He wants all the glory. He doesn't want us making idols out of human relationships. What camp do you find yourself in? Has your affection and desire for God's story been directed toward sinful human beings, wanting them to fulfill in you all the elements of God's story, or have you turned off those desires for redemption, rescue and love? This week lets ask God to focus our hearts on the gospel, to marvel at it and love His story without allowing ourselves to let human relationships and a desire for earthly romances to steal God's glory.<br /><br />2. When Satan came to Eve in the garden, he lied to Eve by tempting her to doubt the goodness of God. Satan led Eve to believe that God was holding out on her. Are you aware of times when you hear the enemy telling you those same lies?<br /><br />3. In His goodness God wants us to be able to examine ourselves and know whether or not we belong to Him. He is a loving father who wants us to have confidence in our adoption as His children. Thankfully He has given us His Word to use to examine our lives. Thankfully we don't have to rely on our emotions, which are fickle and always changing. Take some time this week and write down the fruit you have seen God grow in your life as a believer. Use the verses from 1 John and Galatians 5:22-23 as a guide. Write down the areas where you have seen God's grace at work in you, changing you and conforming you to the image of His Son. When there are times of doubt, come back to your journal and take comfort in the cross and work of God in your life.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29837948-5751099001597719702?l=wwwfirstthingsfirst.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Hendrick Familynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29837948.post-1150518218277705172006-06-16T21:18:00.000-07:002010-01-29T11:45:53.032-08:00<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">Great video to use to examine ourselves as scripture commands:<br /><br /><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ykSaggTfmh8"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ykSaggTfmh8" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object><br /></span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/29837948-115051821827770517?l=wwwfirstthingsfirst.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Hendrick Familynoreply@blogger.com0