{"id":1176,"date":"2021-01-02T14:42:22","date_gmt":"2021-01-02T19:42:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/etvfc.org\/wp-blog\/?p=1176"},"modified":"2021-01-02T14:42:22","modified_gmt":"2021-01-02T19:42:22","slug":"twenty-twenty-won-or-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/etvfc.org\/wp-blog\/2021\/01\/twenty-twenty-won-or-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"TWENTY-TWENTY WON? or 2021?"},"content":{"rendered":"
2021 – a Race to be run.<\/div>\n
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The work’s\u00a0 just begun.<\/div>\n
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Keep our eyes on the Son. \u00a0 I<\/div>\n
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Do you want to hear Well, done!?<\/div>\n
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Load the gospel gun!!!!!<\/div>\n
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And it\u2019s ok to still have fun!!<\/div>\n
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Welcome to 2021!<\/div>\n
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It may be harder than 2020.\u00a0 What if it’s as hard as 2020 but this time we don’t have any toilet paper?<\/div>\n
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Christians – We should be the most free and joyful group of people in the word. \u00a0 The most thankful. The most generous.\u00a0 The most sacrificial. \u00a0 \u00a0Why does it seem like so many of us are the saddest- loneliest – stingiest- most stressed- and most angry- walking around?<\/div>\n
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Unfortunately if we are isolated- \u00a0embracing any self-righteousness (which is the big doctrine of Internet Preachers) – trying to face secret sins alone (like porn etc) \u2014 and not reaching this world for Jesus – we will be of all men most miserable.\u00a0 I also think social media also has us fighting the lost – and saved – more than being a witness with salt and light and an answer for anyone who asks us the reason for the hope that is within us.<\/div>\n
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The devil loves making us look bad. \u00a0 Or feel bad.\u00a0 Or do bad. \u00a0 Or think bad. \u00a0 He loves to see us attacking one another or jealous or hating or arguing. He wants us in bondage- angry- mad at God- and doubting our salvation.<\/div>\n
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The church – and even online Christian groups like this- should be a place of HEALING and encouragement.\u00a0 Instead they are often a place of HIDING in isolation and discouragement.<\/div>\n
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Have I been an encouragement to you this year?\u00a0 What more can I do to be a help?\u00a0 How can we add more of the RIGHT kind of people- those who want to grow, those willing to accept truth even if it means they have to turn from things that are wrong- those who want a church-of-the-Internet sort of thing that can bring a unified message to this world in 2021?<\/div>\n
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What if we don\u2019t get another chance – what if there is no \u201c2022\u201d???<\/div>\n
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Are we more prickly after the year we had?\u00a0 Do we have more or less love for those we don\u2019t agree with- Let alone LOVE for our fellow brethren?\u00a0 Can we admit we need a touch from above? To care more? To care enough to do something about it?<\/div>\n
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What are some things you know God wants you to work on this year?<\/div>\n
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Love for the brethren?\u00a0 Leaving isolation?\u00a0 Being willing to accept help from others?\u00a0 Getting back to the Bible and getting a strong devotional life? \u00a0 Getting healthy again? \u00a0 Getting finances back on track?\u00a0 Getting victory over the flesh?\u00a0 Being a witness again or for the first time?\u00a0 Forgiveness toward past hurts?\u00a0 Really being settled in your salvation?? \u00a0 Being willing to admit where you are insecure in a doctrine or two? \u00a0 A root of bitterness toward the government or toward your church?<\/div>\n
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Men if you looked at porn this past year- \u00a0will you face it?? \u00a0 \u00a0I truly believe that this is a central issue- 70% of men in an evangelical church today admit to having a porn problem. \u00a0 Revelation shows that the reason the church is powerless over the nations is because of a LUST problem. \u00a0 I think if the church – if Christians- if men who claim to be Christ followers – were to focus on ONE issue it would be that. \u00a0 \u00a0To be totally free and help others be free.<\/div>\n
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Women too struggle with porn.\u00a0 If that is you- find a lady you trust and confide in her.\u00a0 And get help.<\/div>\n
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I personally was a life long porn addict- I was \u00a0addicted from 3rd grade to age 26. \u00a0 And after<\/div>\n
Salvation- which was only the beginning of my recovery- it still took 20 years almost after that to learn what works long term.\u00a0 \u00a0 The\u00a0 church today wants you to try harder and fix it on your own and sweep your struggles under the rug.\u00a0 The problem is monsters live in the dark.\u00a0 The way of dealing with things in the dark is to keep having the same struggles but to further hide them in shame.\u00a0 \u00a0 Those that are able to find victory only then know tough love for those that struggle.\u00a0 Think Elder Brother Syndrome.\u00a0 They get “victory” but have no joy and look down at others instead of being willing to bleed with others and cry with others. It becomes a Navy Seals version of Christianity where only the strongest survive.\u00a0 Christianity only works when we admit our powerlessness and embrace our weakness. The church does not let you embrace your weakness today. It’s look holy and spiritual and ACT like a CHRISTIAN.\u00a0 Instead of being a real disciple who has ups and downs and can be honest about them.\u00a0 \u00a0Jesus knows about all our struggles – why shouldn’t the brethren?<\/div>\n
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I needed Jesus- and more Jesus – and to spend time with Jesus- BUT I also needed some understanding how our brains are designed and how the devil \u201chijacks\u201d it during adolescence so it\u2019s our \u201cgo-to\u201d default a lot of the time for huge stressors and HOW to fix my brain (modern brain and recovery science is Romans 12:1-2!!!!) – and finding a group of guys to hold you accountable and be there when you are starting to face pressures you can\u2019t face alone – were the keys I found.\u00a0 In other words real discipleship is what I needed- not just \u201cget busy serving and try harder\u201d.<\/div>\n
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IF you weren’t free in 2020, let 2021 be a year you get real victory.\u00a0 \u00a0And a real heart for others.<\/div>\n
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Let\u2019s make 2021 a year that impacts this world. \u00a0 Changes our attitudes and outlook – and gives us a real fire for the Lord- and the LOST!<\/div>\n
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Please pray for the ETVFC this year for greater impact and influence. \u00a0 Please pray and please invite people to the Facebook group who this ministry can help!\u00a0\u00a0https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/3249678101772926 under End Times Vol Fire Co\u00a0 .<\/div>\n
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And pray about being a bigger witness and influence yourself this year!<\/div>\n
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Eternity is just around the corner!!<\/div>\n
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MJI and the ETVFC<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

2021 – a Race to be run. The work’s\u00a0 just begun. Keep our eyes on the Son. \u00a0 I Do you want to hear Well, done!? Load the gospel gun!!!!! And it\u2019s ok to still have fun!! Welcome to 2021! … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[15,37,8,17],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/etvfc.org\/wp-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1176"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/etvfc.org\/wp-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/etvfc.org\/wp-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/etvfc.org\/wp-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/etvfc.org\/wp-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1176"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/etvfc.org\/wp-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1176\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1177,"href":"http:\/\/etvfc.org\/wp-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1176\/revisions\/1177"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/etvfc.org\/wp-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1176"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/etvfc.org\/wp-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1176"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/etvfc.org\/wp-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1176"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}