JUST A SIP

Empowering Respect For Women

Sadly the topic of respect for ourselves and others has become so selfishly twisted and far removed from what God intended, and especially that of respecting women. Singer, entertainer, and more importantly husband and father, Donny Osmond, (now entering forty-three years of marriage with his lovely wife, Debbie, has earned the right to not only speak out but be listened to as he purposely challenges the panel and audience of “Loose Women”, the British daytime talk show, to introspectively re-evaluate their value as women. Real change begins with our thoughts being gently and lovingly challenged with the truth. Real change begins in the heart.

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” Ephesians 5:25 (ESV).

“An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life” Proverbs 31:10-12 (ESV).

“Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “’Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.’” Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates” Proverbs 31:25-31 (ESV).

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INSPIRATIONAL

A Miracle! No Doubts, It Was Him!

God wants there to be no doubt about it that it is He who answers our prayer requests. This is what an every day and ordinary happens-all-the time miracle is all about.

Who prays? You

Who believes? You

Who answers? God

Who gets blessed? You

Who says thank you? You

Who gets the glory? God

“Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things” Psalm 107:8-9 (ESV).

“…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV).

“Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord” Psalm 118:19 (ESV).

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JUST A SIP

Jesus, Where Do We Begin?

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment” Matthew 22:37-38 (KJV).

“And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment'” Matthew 22:37-38 (ESV).

“Jesus answered him, ‘Love the Lord your God with every passion of your heart, with all the energy of your being, and with every thought that is within you.’ This is the great and supreme commandment” Matthew 22:37-38 (TPT).

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JUST A SIP

The Miracle of Salvation; The Possible Impossible

“And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible” Mark 10:26-27 (KJV).

“And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, ‘Then who can be saved’ Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God’” Mark 10:26-27 (ESV).

“That set the disciples back on their heels. ‘Then who has any chance at all?’ they asked. Jesus was blunt: ‘No chance at all if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you let God do it’” Mark 10:26-27 (MSG).

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” John 3:16 (KJV).

“Rainbow Promise” by Deb E
JUST A SIP

Do Unto Others,…

“Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God’s Law and Prophets and this is what you get” Matthew 7:12 (MSG).

“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” Matthew 7:12 (KJV).

“Do for others what you want them to do for you. This is the teaching of the laws of Moses in a nutshell” Matthew 7:12 (TLB).

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” Matthew 7:12 (ESV).

“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets” Matthew 7:12 (NASB).

“In everything you do, be careful to treat others in the same way you’d want them to treat you, for that is the essence of all the teachings of the Law and the Prophets” Matthew 7:12 (TPT).

“So then, whatever you desire that others would do to and for you, even so do also to and for them, for this is (sums up) the Law and the Prophets” Matthew 7:12 (AMPC).

“Therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do to you: even so do ye to them: for this is the Law and the Prophets” Matthew 7:12 (GNV).

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JUST A SIP

Choose to Love Not Hate

“Hatred stirreth up contentions: but love covereth all trespasses” Proverbs 10:12 (GNV).

“Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses” Proverbs 10:12 (ESV).

“Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins” Proverbs 10:12 (KJV).

“Hatred starts fights, but love pulls a quilt over the bickering” Proverbs 10:12 (MSG).

“Hatred keeps old quarrels alive, but love draws a veil over every insult and finds a way to make sin disappear” Proverbs 10:12 (TPT).

“Fresh Start” by Deb E
JUST A SIP

Love is…

Instead of loving others, we choose to hurt, instead of loving others we choose to use, instead of loving others we choose to abuse…how’s that really working out for you?

“If I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such as is inspired by God’s love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal” 1 Corinthians 13:1 (AMPC).

“If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate” 1 Corinthians 13:1 (MSG).

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal” 1 Corinthians 13:1 KJV).

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal” 1 Corinthians 3:1 (ESV).

 “Though I speak with the tongues of men and Angels, and have not love, I am as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal” 1 Corinthians 13:1 (GNV).

Choose to love,…and begin with yourself.

“So Simple” by Deb E
JUST A SIP

Contacting Heavenly Headquarters, Why We Pray First

“And I had to pray, because I gotta hear from headquarters….see, nobody is sovereign. See, you weren’t made to be sovereign. Sovereign means you don’t have a boss. Now everybody was made to have an overlord. So if God is not your overlord, then the devil is. God was Adam’s overlord” Dr. Bill Winston.

“The Lord has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all” Psalm 103:19 (NKJV).

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV).

“Heavenly Vision” by Deb E
JUST A SIP

We Shall Conquer By His Love

“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” Romans 8:37-39 (KJV).

“Sunrise” by Deb E
JUST A SIP

A Father’s Wisdom

“Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching. When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother, he taught me and said to me, ‘Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.’

Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many. I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness. When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble. Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life. Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on. For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble. For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day. The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.

My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil” Proverbs 4 (ESV).

“Snowy White Owl” by Deb E