💥 If something troubles me unnecessarily, I'm trying to eliminate that from my life.

(Comments by Joan Boney)

When I moved to Dallas in 1960 to teach at Kimball High School, the women in the teacher's lounge invited me to go with them on Saturday to the football game.  

I was shocked that anyone chose to do this when they didn't have to!  In college I was in band and they required us to go to the football games to perform in band at half time.  But they let us leave after the performance.  My friends and I joyfully left the game and went to the little cafe on campus where they sold hot blueberry pie!  It was great!

So I had never seen a football game until I moved to Dallas.  When these women invited me to join them. and I hesitated, one woman said, "It only costs $6.00."  (Another shock!  People paid to go to football games?)

... But I did join them.  And learned to be a football fan.  

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And a professional football team had just started up in Dallas and would be playing on Sundays and they invited me to go to that also ... and I went.  (Dallas Cowboys)  

And sometimes we went to the other professional team in Dallas, The Dallas Texans, (who later left Dallas and became the Kansas City Chiefs.)

Romans 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

But in 1960 I wasn't born again.  I was born again in 1975.  

But I kept on going to football after I was born again, but when we began losing after the 1994 season, from time to time I would wonder why I was going through all the agony of the loosing seasons ... but there is always a hope for "next season.")

I really found winning to be a problem also for you sort of became "drunk" with winning ... when in reality it doesn't matter ... but it seemed to matter.  

(Many things are like that... they just don't matter but seem to matter.)

A strong delusion.  We can recognize it when the other people follow things that seem to matter but often we can't recognize our own personal delusions, though they often cause us trouble.

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The apostle Paul said:

* Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.  (I Thessalonians 5:21)

This year, I have become really serious over things that trouble me?  Why am I continuing to do this thing if it is not needful... if it really doesn't matter?

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This week was the NFL draft where college players are chosen for the next football season.

(Pam is a Denver Bronco fan.)

We sat down to watch the draft.  (I rather dreaded it.)  It is such a big deal to fans.  They show up by the thousands to see what will happen.  They are football drunks, as I have been but now don't want to be.

The worst team from the previous season gets to choose first to try to help them get better so they can try better to beat the other teams. Then second worst team chooses ... on to the last team which is # 32.

Now days fans often dress up in costumes which represents their team and overall there is a carnival atmosphere.  (We didn't do that in the 1960 era.)

Reality:  As a fan you learn to hate the rival teams in your division and the teams that won over you last year.  Your really good coaches now coach for the rival team because they get more money or get to move to head coach.  This is a great problem!  Now there is something called "free agency" so your players can go to a rival team after their basic contract years if they choose to do so.  Often they leave and go to other team for more money.  The head coach who lost last year and didn't even get into the playoffs with the team, is still head coach for another year and you have to put up with this.  You complain but have no power.  So you learn to complain about the owner of the team who has the power to fire the losing head coach but often doesn't. Your team shows a little promise of winning, and sometimes wins and then starts losing.  Your better players get injured and can't play "the big game".  

And the worst thing of all is your team shows up for the big game and plays poorly because the losing coach from the previous season did not do what was needful to prepare the team and they selected the wrong players and plays ... again!  (Maybe they will fire him and get a good coach ... but that often doesn't happen for about 10 years or so.)

And the worst thing of all is ... "It doesn't matter."  but it seems to matter.

Another big problem ... the season ends ... now what do I do on Monday nights?

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Many times I have wanted to quit football ... (usually this happens as the end of the season when my team lost ... if they win, that is another matter.  

(A real fan can't wait for next year where maybe you will win back to back super bowls ... that doesn't matter either but you think it does, as a fan.)

So you think about it on and off throughout the year!  And are often troubled.  And then are really troubled when the season actually begins!

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I watch the faces of fans and know I've been there where they are!  It is really terrible.  I want out but then the season and all the fun begins again!

This year maybe I really can stop! ... I didn't look to see who the Cowboys drafted this year!  But I did notice our wonderful defensive coach in the team room of one of our rival teams at the draft for now he is head coach for our rival team (trouble)... wonder who replaced him as defensive coach for my team?

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This year ... Maybe I can keep my focus on these scriptures which are truth!  (and do them!)

The apostle Paul says:

I Corinthians 6:12  All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

John 18:26  Jesus says: My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

Colossians 3

1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with HIM in glory.

5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of HIM that created him:

And as I stopped the habit I had of watching evening TV news which troubled me ... stop other things which trouble me needlessly!

And pray for God to cleanse me from all unrighteousness:

Psalm 51:10  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

For when I brush against the world, my heart and spirit are affected and I need help to remove spots and blemishes.  God always answers this prayer when I pray it!

For I really want to stay in the right Spirit of God and share right things with others who are of God!

I Corinthians 10:23  All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient (not suitable; not beneficial): all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.  (do not cause me to grow in ways of God.)

Galatians 5

1  Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft (living in superstitions), hatred, variance (fighting, quarreling debating against others), emulations (trying to win out over other people), wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another

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💥 Hebrews 12

1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before HIM endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 For consider HIM that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of HIM:

6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom HE receiveth.

7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

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9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but HE for our profit, that we might be partakers of HIS holiness.

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11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

13And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

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14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

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18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,

19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:

20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:

21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)

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22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

25 See that ye refuse not HIM that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from HIM that speaketh from heaven:

26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now HE hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

29 For our God is a consuming fire.

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💥 Sharing with the church daily.

 

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💥  Joan Boney

 

Psalm 1

1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

(scornful:  those who look down on other people and make fun of them, thinking themselves to be better than others)

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in HIS law doth he meditate day and night.

3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water (of the Word of God), that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

(A tree that drinks by the rivers of water will not be blown away by every puff of wind that comes his way.  That tree will not be shaken.  That tree will stay the course because he has deep roots that are hard to remove because he is continually nourished by the water of the Word of God.)

4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

(The ungodly will not be able to stand among the righteous.)

6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

 

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💥 Sandra Chupik

Lk 11:5 And HE said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? 7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. 8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Importunity: - a plea that is so persistent or demanding that it becomes annoying

 

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 💥 Sandy Kern 

 

ESTHER 4:14

14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

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 💥 Beth Martin

 

 Ephesians 3

16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

 

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 💥 Pam Padgett

Psalm 139:7 Whither shall I go from Thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from Thy presence?

8 If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there.

9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

10 Even there shall Thy hand lead me, and Thy right hand shall hold me.

11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from Thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to Thee.

It is a great comfort to consider that God always knows all that pertains to us, no matter what the situation. Nothing that affects us is hidden from God.

We have the following promise from God:

Hebrews 13:5 ... for HE hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

 

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  💥 Barbara Preston

 

 Prov. 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.

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 💥 Linda Rodgers

 

Philippians 4:11-13 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.  

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 💥 Cathy Varner

1  Living for Jesus a life that is true,
Striving to please Him in all that I do;
Yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free,
This is the pathway of blessing for me.

 

 O Jesus, Lord and Savior,
I give myself to Thee,
For Thou, in Thy atonement
Didst give Thyself for me;
I own no other Master,
My heart shall be Thy throne,
My life I give, henceforth to live,
O Christ, for Thee alone.

 

2  Living for Jesus who died in my place,
Bearing on Calv’ry my sin and disgrace;
Such love constrains me to answer His call,
Follow His leading and give Him my all.

 

3  Living for Jesus wherever I am,
Doing each duty in His holy name;
Willing to suffer affliction and loss,
Deeming each trial a part of my cross.

 

4  Living for Jesus through earth’s little while,
My dearest treasure, the light of His smile;
Seeking the lost ones He died to redeem,
Bringing the weary to find rest in Him. 

 

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💥 Juliett Walton

Psalm 62 

 

5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. (The Word) 

 

6 He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. 

 

7 In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

 

8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.

 

 

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Podcast: #8 Life changing concepts shown to me by God through the Holy Spirit and the scriptures

 

 

 

 

💥  God taught me:  "If it troubles you, don't do it.  There is another way to go."

When I decided to move from Dallas to the city where my mother lived, and went to look at trailer houses to consider buying one to put on a small trailer lot my dad owned where my mother lived in a trailer house:

 

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John 12 (Reading through the Bible)

 

Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, which had been dead, whom He raised from the dead.

² There they made Him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with Him.

³ Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

⁴ Then saith one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray Him, ⁵ Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

⁶ This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

⁷ Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of My burying hath she kept this.

⁸ For the poor always ye have with you; but Me ye have not always.

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⁹ Much people of the Jews therefore knew that He was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom He had raised from the dead.

¹⁰ But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; ¹¹ Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

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¹² On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,  ¹³ Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet Him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.

¹⁴ And Jesus, when He had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, ¹⁵ Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt.

¹⁶ These things understood not His disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things unto Him.

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¹⁷ The people therefore that was with Him when He called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record.

¹⁸ For this cause the people also met Him, for that they heard that He had done this miracle.

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¹⁹ The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after Him.

²⁰ And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:

²¹ The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.

²² Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.

²³ And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.

²⁴ Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

(When we die to self will and do what we hear from God, even when we know they will likely hate us for what we say when we say God told us this, we lay down our lives for that Word we have heard from God.)

²⁵ He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

²⁶ If any man serve Me, let him follow Me (The Word); and where I am, there shall also My servant be: if any man serve Me, him will My Father honour.

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²⁷ Now is My soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

²⁸ Father, glorify Thy name (The Word). 

Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

²⁹ The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to Him.

³⁰ Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of Me, but for your sakes.

³¹ Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

³² And I (The Word), if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me.

³³ This He said, signifying what death He should die.

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³⁴ The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?

³⁵ Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

³⁶ While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. 

These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide Himself from them.

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³⁷ But though He had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on Him:
³⁸ That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?

³⁹ Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,
⁴⁰ He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

⁴¹ These things said Esaias, when he saw His glory, and spake of Him.

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⁴² Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:

⁴³ For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

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⁴⁴ Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on Me, believeth not on Me, but on Him that sent Me.

⁴⁵ And he that seeth Me seeth Him that sent Me
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⁴⁶ I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on Me (The Word) should not abide in darkness.

⁴⁷ And if any man hear My words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

(The first coming of Jesus was to save the world. The next coming of Jesus will be to judge the world.)

⁴⁸ He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

⁴⁹ For I have not spoken of Myself; but the Father which sent Me, He gave Me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

⁵⁰ And I know that His commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto Me, so I speak.

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