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Author Topic: 2 or 3 Things Learned (still) Learning  (Read 18445 times)

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hillsbororiver

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Re: 2 or 3 Things Learned (still) Learning
« Reply #20 on: June 09, 2009, 06:17:52 PM »


The worst time for me was when I couldn't find the path at all. I once sat in the same place for 10 years begging God to show me the path or talk to me or teach me. Just anything. I was out of the church with no place to go. I felt quite crazy because I couldn't find anyone else.


Hi M.G.

I believe there are more than a few people here (and elsewhere) who can relate to your experience, I know it speaks to me, loud and clear. Your testimony should be read and reread and meditated on, it is a testimony of the faith and perseverance that is woven through the old and new testaments.

We all have a unique path that will ultimately lead us to the prize which is real life in Christ but so often along the journey it is like a child looking toward and running to a rainbow, it looks within reach, only a short run away from where he or she is presently at, the pot of gold (treasure) appears so close yet getting there no matter how fast we try to run the distance separating us from our goal never seems to get any closer.

Our race to the rainbow is futile under our own power, we have a promise that this "rainbow" is not something we of ourselves can take hold of but instead it will appear to those who live by faith and are comforted by His promises.

I thought of this verse as I was writing about the rainbow analogy;


Rev 4:3  And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.

When we are finally delivered to our hoped for destination, reaching the rainbow, there is our Lord! In all His glory!

I cannot even imagine the pure ecstasy of that moment, the awe within us, the hope realized, the peace of experiencing the transition from flesh to spiritual. What a day it will be!

Peace,

Joe
 

   
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mharrell08

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Re: 2 or 3 Things Learned (still) Learning
« Reply #21 on: June 09, 2009, 06:44:33 PM »

More on 'Still Learning' as even the apostles were:

Email reply from Ray (http://bible-truths.com/email12.htm#understand):

Dear Margaret:

I will try to help your understanding.

The Scriptures you reference, are true, but they don't exactly say what you think they say. You state:

"...then why did the apostles even do that since they had ALL UNDERSTANDING OF THE TRUTH? (Luke 24:45, John 14:15-31)."

Did they REALLY have "all understanding of the truth?"  NO, THEY DID NOT, neither do these verses say that they did. Notice, In verse 44 of Luke 24 Jesus tells His apostles about all that needed to be fulfilled in Moses and the prophets "concerning Me" He says. Not that they understood "ALL Scripture."  Jesus opened their understanding of the Scriptures, "CONCERNING ME." Not concerning EVERYTHING!

Now here is just one ABSOLUTE proof of what I just said, found in the very next two verses:

"And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name AMONG ALL NATIONS, beginning at Jerusalem" (Luke 24:45-46).

Notice in your other reference of John 15:15-31, in verse 26 concerning the Comforter which had not as yet been given to the Apostles, "...he [it] SHALL [future tense] teach you all things..." Yet, when the Gentile Cornelius turned to God and requested Peter to come to his house, Peter RESISTED at first, not KNOWING OR REMEMBERING that Jesus said His gospel was to be preached "AMONG ALL [Gentile] NATIONS."

Were there things the Apostles did NOT know about Jesus and His message when they began the ministries?  Yes, Jesus Himself tells us so:

"I have yet MANY THINGS to say unto you, but ye CANNOT bear them NOW."

And so, God revealed "many things" to his Apostles (including Paul) as they progressed in their ministries. They came together in Acts 15 (MANY YEARS AFTER Christ's resurrection) for the express purpose of settling issues within the ministry which were causing confusion, especially among the Jewish Converts. Not the least of these issues was whether the Law of Moses was to be kept or not (Acts 15:5). PRETTY BIG ISSUE not to have already been settled, wouldn't you say?

God be with you,

Ray



Been reading through the book of Acts recently and thought of this...it's very interesting seeing more and more how our gaining of understanding is so similar to theirs. They learned in increments as we all do.  :)



Marques
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hillsbororiver

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Re: 2 or 3 Things Learned (still) Learning
« Reply #22 on: June 09, 2009, 06:53:19 PM »


Hi Joe

I am glad to read your post.  This has been heavy on my mind about not being one of the elect.  I think to myself that I lack the patience to make it.  The beast within me is ever present.  I catch it sometimes but other times I fail and react before thinking about what I am saying or doing and this seems small but it is annoying to fail when you know right from wrong but yet it happens to me often.  Thanks, for sharing your thoughts.

Sandyk


Hi Sandy,

Dear Sister I totally understand your thoughts, who among us can say with any certainty that we are of the elect, the chosen? We don't do the choosing, it is all of God. If indeed any of us are counted to be within this select group it will be just as His apostles were chosen, by Him. I do not think that Peter, James, John or any of the others woke up one morning and said "today will be the day I become one of inner circle of the Messiah."

Did they really understand what that might entail, even if they thought the time was at hand from paying attention to John the Baptist?

I am sure that once they saw, listened to His Words and witnessed the miracles of Christ they had their own expectations of what would transpire. The problem was that although they were convinced Jesus was the "Promised One" they could not spiritually comprehend what was to come or truly understand what His mission was at that time.

Just like you and many of us we are (as they were) blinded by our own expectations of what a disciple/apostle/elect/chosen of Christ actually means, I know I sure don't have a handle on it, all I know is that the ones singled out for this will not fail, they can't!

Not because of any superiority within themselves, only that the Spirit of God directed their steps as He sees fit.

So please take comfort in the fact that He does the choosing, has it all figured out and that all that ever lived will be perfected in Him at some point through the ages.

Peace,

Joe     
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hillsbororiver

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Re: 2 or 3 Things Learned (still) Learning
« Reply #23 on: June 09, 2009, 06:55:49 PM »

Excellent addition Marques!

I was typing as you were posting...... Very appropriate and timely here.

Peace,

Joe
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Marlene

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Re: 2 or 3 Things Learned (still) Learning
« Reply #24 on: June 09, 2009, 10:29:06 PM »

Wow, for the last two days I have been going through a big trial. I sure, did need to read all of this. I can see now that God was working on me even when I did not know the truth about many things. Then , he grew me up in many  things. This is all a process and not an easy one. Right, now I am just hanging on. I know, God is bigger then this trial.

For, sure it is a process and each trial gets harder. I know, one thing learning patience is a hard thing. I know, this trial is for a prupose. But, right now I am trying to see something good coming out of this.

Yes, we are blessed to know the truth or other wise I would not be handling this half as well as I am now. But, I still want to run the race but, right now I  just don't see where all this is going. Before, I did not know enough truth to handle it. Now, God is helping me to handle it different then I use to handle things.

But, I just needed this post today.

I know, I have a long way to go to be chosen. I just need to be patient with God.

In His Love,
Marlene
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Robin

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Re: 2 or 3 Things Learned (still) Learning
« Reply #25 on: June 09, 2009, 10:51:39 PM »

Rays paper was very helpful to me when trying to understand all the different kinds of trails we go through.

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT IS FOR CHRIST'S DISCIPLES
THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT IS FOR YOU, NOW!

http://bible-truths.com/lake16-D3.htm

Quote
These four examples of Christ's judgments in His Elect can come in so many varied and over-lapping circumstances that it may be impossible at any given time to tell exactly which if any of these God is using for your benefit at any particular time. Jesus' personalized uses of judgment, high council, Gehenna, and prison, are obviously geared to fit each individual according to each needed correction.

I do believe, however, that those of us who have been experiencing Jesus' judgments in our lives, can attest to the fact that we can now recognize many of these "strange" things in our lives, as being judgments from God. Have you never experienced a "FIERY trail" such as Peter reminds us of? (I Pet.4:12). As badly as we want these trials to be over, we nonetheless, need to be reminded that these trails are good for us, producing "patience"&"righteousness."

Here is a Scripture that I continually remind myself and others of, when life gets a little hard to bear:

"Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby" (Heb. 12:11).
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NoviceBeliever

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Re: 2 or 3 Things Learned (still) Learning
« Reply #26 on: June 09, 2009, 11:28:00 PM »

GOD never leaves us! 


When I saw this post (2 or 3 things learned (still) learning) and several others of the last few days about how GOD molds us, teaches us, chastises us, corrects us, comforts us...my thoughts keep taking me to how it is to be a child.  Whenever I have felt a need to have some rejuvination and simplicity, I am drawn to spend time with children.  Not having children of my own, I have been blessed to have friends that allow me to play a part in their childrens' lives.  Tonight I was thinking about a conversation that I had with one of my friends this past weekend about if I might consider taking care of their kids should something happen to them. What an awesome responsibility!; but what a rewarding role to be blessed with!; how good of a parent would I be?; what type of parent would I be?; all these keep filtering through my head and I've thought back to my own childhood and the one thing that I have spent my life grappling with was being deserted by my father.  Dissertion by a parent leaves an indelable, long reaching effect on children.

Much of these thoughts have intertwined and I have been praying and meditating on this and GOD opened my eyes and made me understand that: HE will never leave me! HE will not desert me! HE is my father! I can not tell you the comfort that this brings, it is like a life time of sorrow has been lifted from my shoulders.  It is not the first time I have cried lately, but it is tears of relief and joy!

NB

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hillsbororiver

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Re: 2 or 3 Things Learned (still) Learning
« Reply #27 on: June 10, 2009, 09:54:36 PM »

From;

WHO AND WHAT IS JESUS? & WHO IS HIS FATHER? . . . Nashville Conference 2007   

http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,4472.0.html

Isa 55:9  “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

That’s how far apart our (God's and our own) thinking is.
 
But I want to bring this together.  The way He’s doing this is you’ve got to go through a living hell on this earth.  It’s the only way, it’s God’s way.

Whatever is, is not because man screwed up and through his free-will, he thwarted this beautiful garden of Eden, and all such stupid nonsense.  Like I heard Hagee and Copeland chit chat about a few days ago.  How wonderful their walk with God is, perfect harmony, they were the very image of God.  They went through the whole thing, nonsense.  People who are in the spiritual image of God DO NOT SIN! 

They sin, quickly and easily, you know.
 
So what IS (this painful experience), that is what it is supposed to be.  Right here and now, this is what God wants.  Why?  Apparently this is the best way for Him to get what He wants, out of us.  To go through this, is the best way!  It’s not only the best way, it’s the best of the best ways. 

So this is the best that God can do , but it’s not pretty and it’s not fancy and it’s not always happy.  It’s painful  and sad and much of our lives are misery, you know, laughing on the outside and crying on the inside.  It’s not always happy happy happy, but it’s necessary.  Is it right, that God should put us through something like that?

We have no say about it, we didn’t ask to be born and we didn’t ask to get lung cancer or whatever.  We didn’t ask for this, God puts us through it.  Is it fair for Him to do that?  Why is it fair?  Well there is something good in store.  But is it necessary that we would have to go through all of this bad first?  It’s true, you have to have the contrast.  But sometimes I just say, Lord I think I’m at the place now, Lord I think I’m there.  You can take away the bad and see if I’m not thankful. 

He sent Jesus Christ to go through the same stuff we go through and that’s why I wanted to bring these out today.  Because most of you never knew that.  Jesus Christ lived a pretty painful life.  Paul lived a pretty painful life, he said I learned to be content in all things.  God put His Son through what we have to go through, because He loves us!  He didn’t have to.

Jesus Christ did something between His creation and the creation of the earth.  He did something to acquire God’s glory, something.  Because He had it and He didn’t get it for nothing.
 
God wants creatures, He wants children, He wants sons and daughters.  He has a desire to have something like Himself.  But for us to be like Him, we have to go through some pretty tough stuff.  So He sent His Son as an example, as how you can go through it and never get angry or upset with God.  And to never turn against your fellowman, because of what you have to go through.  He lived a perfect life, of the perfect man, sick and diseased, in pain and He lived it perfectly.  But God was living in Him, the Father was going through it just as much as He was, you see.

Christ had to die, it said He had to die for our sins.  That’s true, that’s the scripture, Christ died for our sin.  But then we have a scripture here that doesn’t mention sin.

John 3:16  "For God so(thus) loved the world,”

Thus or in the manner, a lot of people think it’s saying He loved us so much, but that is not what this is saying.  What this is saying is God loved us, in this way.  This is the manner and way in which He loved us.  In this way He loved the world.

“…that He gave His only begotten Son,”

Ok, He died, they killed Him on the cross, He died.

 “…that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Of course the Bible is written so man don’t understand it.  That’s why some of these things are put in there, “that who-so-ever believes.”  God knows and now we know, everybody is going to believe.  So the ‘who-so-ever’ is going to be everybody, ok. 

But He gave His Son, now here’s the point I want to make and that is this, why did Christ have to die?  Why?  Why did the Father sacrifice His Son?  Why did He have to do that?  HE DIDN’T HAVE TO DO THAT!  He didn’t have to do anything, HE’S GOD!  Why did He?
 
Because whether you recognize it now or later in life or those in the resurrection to judgment or for the rest of eternity, we are going to know it for sure.  That God died for us for no other reason than to show us that HE LOVES US!  He did not have to die.  He said, I will do it to show them.  How can I show them that what I am putting them through has real value?  What can I do?  I can promise them the world, I can give them mansions and youth and joyful life.  I have all that to give, but they will say,  you are only giving out of your abundance, of what you have.  What can I really do, that you will know that I really love you?  And God said, I will DIE!
 
But God can’t die, He’s eternal, He has immortality, deathlessness.  If you have immortality you can’t die. 
So He made a Son.  He made Him great.  And to show us how great He was, He said, let Me show you what I can do when I make a Son.  Ok, Create the universe first, now become a man, and now die.
 
Then they will know We love them.
 
Then they will know.

Peace,

Joe

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Marlene

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Re: 2 or 3 Things Learned (still) Learning
« Reply #28 on: June 10, 2009, 11:47:15 PM »

Joe, You have no idea how I am needing this post today. I have been going through a living hell this week. I had a little breather. I had a few months now boom. I am just so glad I have you all. God just seems to put in the mind of others to post something. I have been at my wits in this week. It has been one family thing after the other. Between , that and my health, which is not made better under these trials.

But, I just keep taking this to God.

I just wanted to tell you, I am so thankful for this post.

In His Love,
Marlene
« Last Edit: June 11, 2009, 12:00:34 AM by Marlene »
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hillsbororiver

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Re: 2 or 3 Things Learned (still) Learning
« Reply #29 on: June 11, 2009, 09:58:14 AM »

Hi Marlene,

You are welcome Sister, I am very familiar with experiences like your present reality.

We all seem to have periods of pure joy as we meditate on and share His wonderful promises and the peace that comes with the knowledge of God's love and ultimate purpose for His creation. Then sometimes suddenly we find ourselves for a time (times and half a time?) in a brier patch of trials that challenge and test our faith.

If we truly believe that all these things are necessary for our growth to spiritual perfection then we should be thankful that we have been given the wisdom to see it for what it is, His process for creating Sons and Daughters that are to receive an unimaginable inheritance!

I am acutely aware of how much easier it is to say these things than it is to live through them.

A bad analogy might be sitting in a dentist's chair as we experience a root canal, it is not especially a pleasant experience but there is a certain relief if not joy that this necessary procedure will ultimately relieve us of a more profound pain and we will be much better off because of what we had to go through.

I really love the following bit from Ray;


We didn’t ask for this, God puts us through it.  Is it fair for Him to do that?  Why is it fair?  Well there is something good in store.  But is it necessary that we would have to go through all of this bad first?  It’s true, you have to have the contrast. 

But sometimes I just say, Lord I think I’m at the place now, Lord I think I’m there.  You can take away the bad and see if I’m not thankful.  ;)

Peace,

Joe
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Marlene

  • Guest
Re: 2 or 3 Things Learned (still) Learning
« Reply #30 on: June 11, 2009, 12:17:59 PM »

Thanks, Joe.

Marlene
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hillsbororiver

  • Guest
Re: 2 or 3 Things Learned (still) Learning
« Reply #31 on: June 12, 2009, 07:36:51 PM »

You are very welcome Marlene.

Peace,

Joe
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G. Driggs

  • Guest
Re: 2 or 3 Things Learned (still) Learning
« Reply #32 on: June 12, 2009, 09:13:03 PM »

This topic and all the posts are really hitting home with me and others at just the right time. Finding myself in a circumstance I asked God not to put me in again, but whats different now is Im learning to be content. There was much guilt and shame at first, but not so much now. He is in control no matter what happens. Its been said already, it hurts, but it is for an ultimately good reason.

Thank you all, G.Driggs

Ecc 7:20 For there is no righteous man in the earth Who does good and never sins. (CLV)

Rom 3:23 for all sinned and are wanting of the glory of God. (CLV)
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hillsbororiver

  • Guest
Re: 2 or 3 Things Learned (still) Learning
« Reply #33 on: June 17, 2009, 08:30:29 PM »

GOD never leaves us! 


When I saw this post (2 or 3 things learned (still) learning) and several others of the last few days about how GOD molds us, teaches us, chastises us, corrects us, comforts us...my thoughts keep taking me to how it is to be a child.  Whenever I have felt a need to have some rejuvination and simplicity, I am drawn to spend time with children.  Not having children of my own, I have been blessed to have friends that allow me to play a part in their childrens' lives.  Tonight I was thinking about a conversation that I had with one of my friends this past weekend about if I might consider taking care of their kids should something happen to them. What an awesome responsibility!; but what a rewarding role to be blessed with!; how good of a parent would I be?; what type of parent would I be?; all these keep filtering through my head and I've thought back to my own childhood and the one thing that I have spent my life grappling with was being deserted by my father.  Dissertion by a parent leaves an indelable, long reaching effect on children.

Much of these thoughts have intertwined and I have been praying and meditating on this and GOD opened my eyes and made me understand that: HE will never leave me! HE will not desert me! HE is my father! I can not tell you the comfort that this brings, it is like a life time of sorrow has been lifted from my shoulders.  It is not the first time I have cried lately, but it is tears of relief and joy!

NB



Hi NB,

As I was rereading your post I was touched by your words, even as many of us have shared similar experiences no two of us have journeyed along the same exact path. This is how God creates totally unique Sons & Daughters.


Psa 25:10  All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

Pro 2:8  He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
 
Pro 2:20  That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
 
Pro 3:6  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Perhaps the following verse holds the most promise;

Isa 42:16  And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

Notice that it is not a single file path where all march in line one behind another but multiple paths designed for each individual, we are not blindly following the man in front of us, we are led by God Himself! This is a profound thing to meditate on. The Creator of all the marvelous, incredible things of the universe has designed a path uniquely for each and every one of us and this was all thought out even before that one point in the void of space exploded into the "big bang."

Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Amen!

Joe
   
« Last Edit: June 18, 2009, 09:54:02 AM by hillsbororiver »
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NoviceBeliever

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Re: 2 or 3 Things Learned (still) Learning
« Reply #34 on: June 18, 2009, 09:47:03 AM »

Joe:

It's such a powerful thing, when GOD chooses to show you something that is so comforting.  Thank you so much for sharing these passages with me. There have been many times that I have wondered "how did I get here?" All this time it has been GOD leading me on this path.  NB 
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kweli

  • Guest
Re: 2 or 3 Things Learned (still) Learning
« Reply #35 on: June 18, 2009, 09:48:59 AM »


Hello Joe.

I cant help but agree with the things you shared with us here. Having said that, I sometimes wonder why I feel like HE is not directing my path, since I acknowledge HIM in all my ways. ALL of them, good and bad. I am currently finding it hard to even be acknowledged by HIM as I cannot put together the bad things I do and the GOD-like creature that I'm supposed to be turned into. Then again, I cant help but keep repeating these very words:
Quote
...Lord I think I’m at the place now, Lord I think I’m there.  You can take away the bad and see if I’m not thankful.  ;)
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NoviceBeliever

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Re: 2 or 3 Things Learned (still) Learning
« Reply #36 on: June 18, 2009, 10:05:52 AM »

Kewli:  This is what I turn to when anxious. NB


(YTL) Mat 6:25  `Because of this I say to you, be not anxious for your life, what ye may eat, and what ye may drink, nor for your body, what ye may put on. Is not the life more than the nourishment, and the body than the clothing?
Mat 6:26  look to the fowls of the heaven, for they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather into storehouses, and your heavenly Father doth nourish them; are not ye much better than they?
Mat 6:27  `And who of you, being anxious, is able to add to his age one cubit?
Mat 6:28  and about clothing why are ye anxious? consider well the lilies of the field; how do they grow? they do not labour, nor do they spin;
Mat 6:29  and I say to you, that not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these.
Mat 6:30  `And if the herb of the field, that to-day is, and to-morrow is cast to the furnace, God doth so clothe--not much more you, O ye of little faith?
Mat 6:31  therefore ye may not be anxious, saying, What may we eat? or, What may we drink? or, What may we put round?
Mat 6:32  for all these do the nations seek for, for your heavenly Father doth know that ye have need of all these;
Mat 6:33  but seek ye first the reign of God and His righteousness, and all these shall be added to you.
Mat 6:34  Be not therefore anxious for the morrow, for the morrow shall be anxious for its own things; sufficient for the day is the evil of it.
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