{"id":21699,"date":"2022-12-31T00:01:05","date_gmt":"2022-12-31T08:01:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/?p=21699"},"modified":"2022-12-30T18:40:31","modified_gmt":"2022-12-31T02:40:31","slug":"this-i-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/this-i-know\/","title":{"rendered":"This I Know"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b><a href=\"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/This I Know.mp3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-474\" src=\"http:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/SEV-CampfireAudio.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"375\" height=\"108\" srcset=\"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/SEV-CampfireAudio.jpg 375w, https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/SEV-CampfireAudio-300x86.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px\" \/><\/a><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">John 14 : 27<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>NKJV<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><b>\u201cPeace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><b>Psalm 56 : 3<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>NKJV<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><b>\u201cWhenever I am afraid,&#8230;I will trust in You.\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><b>The Perfect Picture<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><b>\u201c<\/b>For many years I had dreamed of the day our family would be together in rural Zimbabwe, where half my heart lives with the beautiful people we serve, and that our son Brock would finally find a soul mate who would happily become part of our slightly offbeat family.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Finally, here we were, all together:<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>our daughter Keri and her husband Ben with Abby and baby Charles, Brock with his son Harrison\u2014<b>and his fianc\u00e9e Corinne.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Up ahead was a one-room mud hut where a struggling mother and her two children lived.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>With the help of our donors we were keeping the children in school, supplying seed for their garden, and had recently made the family rich by giving them their own goat.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Today, we were bringing medicine for the mother\u2019s sister, who was sick with AIDS.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">As I lagged behind, I instinctively brought my camera to my eye.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Up ahead, in the golden hour of waning day, my daughter bent lovingly over a blanket where the sick woman lay.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Typical,<i> Keri<\/i>, I thought.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>As I often do when I\u2019m taking photos, I prayed, \u201cGive this one to me, God.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">That evening I was anxious to download the photos to my computer.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span><b>What I saw took my breath away.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/span><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><b><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">The girl in the picture wasn\u2019t <i>Keri <\/i>at all.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>It was <b>Corinne!<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><b>All Brock\u2019s life, I\u2019d been praying for him to find the right life mate. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><b>I should have known God would find a clever way to show me He\u2019s<\/b><b> <\/b><b>answered my prayer!<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><b><i>Father, I get the picture:<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Our job is to let go and trust You.\u201d<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><b><i><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/i> <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Pam<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Kidd<\/b><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><b><i><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Daily Guideposts 2012<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Have you ever been given a gift or received a great blessing from another person<b> <\/b>only to be<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>given a set of instructions or demands as to how you are to use or employ such a gift?<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>It doesn\u2019t seem right that the giver of the gift also has the right or responsibility to provide the receiver with a list of the correct working order as to how such a gift should be used.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>No,&#8230;<b>I believe that once a gift of any kind has been given, it is only the right and responsibility of the person receiving gift to decide how best to use or employ such a gift.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Now I want you to think about what has been said and then think back to the time when you gave a nice gift to another person and then immediately began instructing them on how to use it for this purpose or that reason. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>What gave you the right to tell anyone what and how to use something that has already been given to them with no strings attached.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span><b>Ownership and freedom of use of any gift automatically passes together with the gift itself from the giver to the receiver of such gift, at the time of transfer.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Think further with me as to how it must make God Almighty feel about His created people on this earth to whom He has given so much blessing, love and joy, only to see them hoard their received blessings and never share them with anyone else,&#8230;or to receive great blessings and then use them only for incorrect or evil purposes when dealing with other people.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">All too often, we humans have a terrible tendency to try to control, direct, or even demand what God decides to do and how He chooses to work within our lives.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Who are we to ever doubt, question, or even suggest what God has decided to do or how God has decided to accomplish His own choices?<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Our personal involvement, instructions, or directions given to God only confuses the issues at hand and the manner and way in which they are resolved or play out.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><b> God always knows full well what He is doing or what He is in the process of doing.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>He really does not need any corrective efforts, actions, or suggestions from you as to how to complete what He has already decided to do.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">So, if truly do desire to have God\u2019s chosen blessings for you and your family and friends, be absolutely certain to get out of God\u2019s Way.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Don\u2019t foolishly block any of His performance.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Once you pray to God for that which you properly desire to occur, stop the continual begging for Him to do what you are asking.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Make your requests known to your heavenly Father and then go about your necessary activities living your own life in a godly way.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Believe that God will do what He has promised to do.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Know that once God has begun a good work within you, He will complete it.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Be at peace and rest with such knowledge that you have seriously made your requests known.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Give praise and thanksgiving back to God for receiving your prayers.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>And then wait patiently upon the Lord to answer your prayers.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>It has to be quite offensive to God to receive your prayerful heartfelt requests,&#8230;and then be continually bombarded with your constant badgering for Him to hurry up and answer your prayers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">God Almighty already knows everything you need.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>He has promised to fill all of your needs according to His riches in Glory.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Ask and then praise Him for His promises and wait on the Lord to perform and provide.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>He always will do so.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><b>God\u2019s Greatest Blessings to All of You&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;..<\/b> <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>John 14 : 27\u00a0 NKJV \u201cPeace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.\u00a0 Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.\u201d Psalm 56 : &hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/this-i-know\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21699","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-spiritual-believers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21699","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21699"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21699\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21701,"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21699\/revisions\/21701"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21699"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21699"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21699"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}