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101 Faith Notes

By Pauline Creeden

Smashwords Edition

***

Smashwords Edition, Liscense Notes

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101 FAITH NOTES

Scriptures and Meditations on God’s Promises

Written by Pauline Creeden

http://pcreedenbooks.blogspot.com

email the author at pcreedenbooks@gmail.com

& follow me on twitter: @P_Creeden

Churches and other non-commercial interests my reproduce portions of this book without the express written permission of the author, provided that the text does not exceed ten percent of the entire book. When reproducing text from this book, please include the following credit line: “From 101 FAITH NOTES by Pauline Creeden.”

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

About the Author: Pauline Creeden is an avid reader, reviewer, and writer. When she is not training horses and riders for the show ring, she reviews for Thomas Nelson Publishers, Amazon.com, Tyndale, Zondervan, and many others. Her articles have been published in Christian Magazines, and on her blogs. The quotes throughout this text are portions of those articles.

Acknowledgements and Note from the Author: Thank you to my husband for his continued support and love for me. I have to thank my friends at Christian Writers and CIAindie, without your encouragement and advice, this book would never have been published. Finally, thank you reader for taking the time to pick up this book. It is my hope that you will be blessed with a deeper understanding and relationship with your Jesus.

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CHRISTIAN

1. One of the common misconceptions about Christians is that once you’ve been covered by Christ, you no longer sin or make bad decisions. But that’s not true. The difference is that when we fall down into the pit of sin, we don’t stay there. Christians get up and get going again.

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2. For though the righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity (Proverbs 24:16)

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3. No matter how far away from the Master we have wondered away, He will search for us and call us until His work is complete.

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4. Being confident in this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

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5. You have to think differently, and agree with God that what you have been doing is sin. It does not matter whether you were willful in your sin or if you sinned “accidently” – the response to the knowledge of the sin must be the same: repent.

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6. The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least put on sackcloth. (Jonah 3:5)

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7. The first step in repentance is to agree with God that you have sinned and stop reasoning with yourself that you are okay; that what you’re doing is not sin.

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8. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

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9. Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:12)

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10. Unfortunately sin has this addictive quality to it. Once you start, it becomes so hard to quit. This is why God tries to teach us what we should avoid, calling it sin, so that we never have to learn to quit.

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11. Through Him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses. (Acts 13:39)

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12. Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

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13. Is your problem bigger than the Earth, or more impossible to break than the creation of it? If God is powerful enough to create the heavens and the earth, isn’t He powerful enough to help you overcome your sin?

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14. Ah Sovereign LORD, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for You. (Jeremiah 32:17)

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15. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 1:18-20)

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16. A person born to Christian parents is not a Christian - he is a heathen. Although he would like to claim a heritage, a heritage will not give him heaven.

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17. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. (James 2:19)

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18. Anyone can say that he believes Jesus came to earth and died on a cross, he can even believe that Jesus was resurrected - but these are only historical facts and they cannot save him. And they do not make him a true Christian.

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19. If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. (Romans 10:9-10)

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20. If you have to see before you believe, than you can’t call that faith. Faith is given before the miraculous event takes place, every single time.

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21. Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)

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22. Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)

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23. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. (1 John 5:5)

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24. Believing is seeing. The act of believing is an interior motive. It is what causes something to be true or false at least in our own minds.

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25. For we live by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)

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26. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy. (1 Peter 1:8)

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27. God is not some distant, far-away, absentee father. No, He is present, He cares, and He doesn’t want you to worry.

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28. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God ; believe also in me. (John 14:1)

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29. Adversity and loss can often become the rudder by which our life is steered to come closer to God. We re-prioritize and discover what really has importance, and what remains shallow and unworthy of our time and energies.

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30. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day. (2 Timothy 1:12)

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31. We cannot be separated from God’s Love, from Heaven, from His salvation, from being His child and heir. Not even LIFE. Life cannot separate us from it anymore than death can.

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32. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.(Romans 8:38-39)

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33. Notice that your hairs are numbered. I don’t know about you, but every day I shed hairs. This means that God cares enough to know how many hairs are on my head today, because the number is different than yesterday!

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34. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. (Matthew 10:30)

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35. Almost every sin has its root in idolatry. We are busy trying to replace God: heal ourselves, make ourselves feel better, comfort ourselves, or solve our own problems. We become divided in our attempt to serve ourselves and God. This is all idolatry.

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36. Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. (Psalm 86:11)

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37. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. (Romans 12:3)

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38. The Proud man can take care of himself. He’s got things under control. He can find the solutions to all his problems. He doesn’t need anyone’s help.

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39. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5)

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40. The Humble man lets God lead. He understands that he is not God and God is the one in control. He realizes that he cannot solve his own problems but looks to God for help.

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41. I know, O LORD, that a man’s life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps. (Jeremiah 10:23)

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42. I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free. (Psalm 119:32)

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43. Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. (Matthew 7:13)

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44. It’s better to ask and receive the answer ‘No,’ then to assume the answer is going to be ‘No,’ and never ask.

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45. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. (James 1:6)

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46. Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)

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47. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11:24)

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48. We are not strong enough to solve all our own problems much less everyone else’s.

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49. Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” (John 21:22)

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50. You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (Matthew 7:5)

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51. You believe in me when I give up on myself, but will I believe in You when I am full of myself?

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52. Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say “Who is the LORD?” Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. ( Psalm 30:8-9)

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53. You love me when I feel that I am un-loveable, but will I love you when I don't FEEL you're there?

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54. What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? (Romans 3:3)

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55. If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot disown Himself. (2 Timothy 2:13)

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56. Because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. (James 1:3)

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57. Today God has taught me that I don’t fellowship with the Lord because He needs it, but because I do.

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58. Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them. (Psalm 32:6)

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59. Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. (Psalm 43:3)

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60. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12)

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61. Oh Lord forgive me for not keeping my every thought captive to your obedience. How I pray Lord that I my progress and my witness will be seen by all.

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62. Practice and cultivate and meditate upon these duties; throw yourself wholly into them as your ministry, so that your progress may be evident to everybody. (1 Timothy 4:5 NKJV)

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63. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5)

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64. There are only so many hours in the day and we only have so much energy. If we spend our resources on things that are unfruitful – that bring us down instead of raising us up, we won’t have the resources necessary in order to help our fruitful branches bear more fruit.

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65. I’m the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be more fruitful. (John 15:1-2)

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66. We need to put everything under the obedience of Christ. If it is not fruit bearing, prune it.

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67. If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. (Matthew 18:8)

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68. If I might occupy some remote corner of Heaven, the place farthest away from the Lord, but know that I have His approval - that would be huge gift.

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69. Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. (Psalm 84:10)

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70. “Is God with us or what?” Don’t we contend with God and ask Him if He’s “with” us – on our side, doing what we want Him to do? Don’t we constantly need proof that He’s here for us instead of just trusting that He is?

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71. And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, “Is He among us or not?”(Exodus 17:7)

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72. God does not and should not fear us. We are to fear and to respect Him. Just because He loves us and takes care of us, doesn’t mean that we lambs can tell the lion what to do. He could just as easily eat us as lie down with us.

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73. Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? Let him who accuses God answer Him! (Job 40:2)

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74. If I am to take up my cross and follow Him, I need to count the inconvenience as nothing when it comes to bringing one person the love Jesus has for him.

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75. Then Jesus said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)

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76. You do not eat only once or twice per week. If you did, how much strength would you have? So don’t think that going to church on Sunday or reading a chapter or two of the Bible per week is enough. Just like you have to eat every day, you have to eat God’s word every day, too.

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77. Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4)

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78. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:2)

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79. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:8)

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80. For you to have peace and tranquility in your life, you’ll have to change your behavior outside of the prayer closet, as well. You cannot spend an hour of devotional time in the morning and evening and live like a heathen the rest of the day. This is no life change.

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81. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

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82. Wouldn't you love the freedom of knowing that you do not make mistakes? If you take every decision to God and He answers how each decision is to be made - you can be at peace and know that you didn't make a mistake, because all is in HIS hands.

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83. Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths. (Psalm 25:4)

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84. Seven times a righteous man will fall, and seven times he'll get back up and keep going. (Proverbs 24:16). This has been extended to seventy times seven by Jesus in Matthew 18.

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85. Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:21-22 NKJV)

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86. No matter how many times we fall, we've got to pick ourselves back up out of the pigpen and keep going. This is what we are called to do - to pick up our cross, and follow Jesus - for His burden is easy and His yoke is light - because HE carries it with us.

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87. For my Yoke is easy and my burden is light (Matthew 11:30)

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88. Let us always praise His name - in times of joy, in times of tribulation, in times of sorrow, in times of victory, and in times of defeat. When we feel the most depressed, the farthest from God - let us praise His name, even when we don't FEEL like it - because the sounds of God's people praising God makes the powers of darkness tremble, and gives us victory even when we feel defeated.

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89. For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. (Psalm 108:4)

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90. The Bible is full of ordinary people who went to impossible places and did wondrous things simply because they decided to obey God, even when others said "You can't do that."

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91. The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” (Matthew 20:31)

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92. The doors God sets before us are much like grocery store entrances - the doors seem closed, but the minute you step up to them, they open.

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93. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you. (2 Chronicles 20:17)

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94. God opens the door the minute we step up in faith. But if we never take the step of faith, the doors will always be closed.

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95. Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.” (Exodus 14:13-15)

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96. “A loser is a person who quits. Because if you believe in yourself, and keep trying, even if you fail over and over again, eventually you’ll win – you’re not a loser until you give up.”

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97. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9)

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98. The temporary pain and misery of this time will be worth the results, worth the splendor, the dignity, and the beauty. We must not give up. We have to remember that God has promised this threshing will not go on forever.

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99. Does one crush bread grain? No, he does not thresh it continuously, but when he has driven his cartwheel and his horses over it, he scatters it [tossing it up to the wind] without having crushed it. (Isaiah 28:28 AMP)

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100. The beauty of what is inside us will be revealed without being bruised, crushed, or destroyed.

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101. A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness He will bring forth justice (Isaiah 42:3)

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Thank you for reading!

To find more thoughts on scripture like these,

See the other books by this author:

THE PRODIGAL LIFE: COMING ALL THE WAY HOME TO GOD

Coming November 2011- 101 NOTES OF THANKSGIVING

Or follow Pauline Creeden’s blog

http://fatfreefaith.blogspot.com

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101 FAITH NOTES