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The Effects of _____

This post will contain a collection of writings that I will be working through in the next few days.  It is labeled "The Effects of ____" and some of the topics I will be journeying through will be Love, Hatred, Jealousy, Happiness, God, Power, Greed and Pride.  I write these freehand in a train of thought method and then transcribe into this post therefore some stuff may not make any sense.

3.28.2014 - The Effects of Love

Oh the effects of Love!  This goes for both receiving and giving.  The Joy that rises in my soul that brings me fully alive is a product of when I am loved by God.   Then times that  I feel his grace, feel his power, and feel his love are the times in life that I cherish the most.  This love that I can receive can not be compared to that of any mustered by the heart of man.  This love, that flows from the heart of the God is pure and just, full of kindness and mercy.  Its acts are one way streets from the creator to his creation.  He fills those he loves with his love and they cry out in return, "Abba(Father), I belong to you!"

The effects of Love that I pour out are profound but very complicated.  As I love those around me with a selfless heart I feel the father filling me with purpose and passion.  The by-product of this love blows my mind and rattles my life because I am overcome with Joy.  Life rushes into my veins as I love, without expectation of anything in return.  If and when I love with an expectation on those I love I end up letting that fester into hatred because logical scales of balance are off kilter.  Therefore I retract my love and the cycle of hatred goes deeper.

All is amazing in the Love of the Father,
Paul Shackelford

3.30.2014 - The Effect of Jealousy

Proverbs 14:30
A peaceful hears leads to a healthy body,
Jealousy is like cancer in the bones.

This verse is one that I have meditated upon time and time again in the last few years.  It all started my 2nd year in the spring while I was at the river with friends.  I was reading from proverbs and this verse started to tear me apart!  At the time I was jealous of a friend entering a dating relationship because it was not with me.  The effects of jealousy in my life does cause cancer in my bones.  I feel the effects of a seemingly good emotion because it does show that I do care.  But showing that I care leads to anger, frustration and dwelling on the past.  This cancer spreads through my flesh and produces bitterness, destroys friendships and pulls my heart from the fathers.

Lord, I desire the peace of Christ to dominate every moment of my heart.  I know and have felt the effects of jealousy on my flesh and it spreads like wildfire destroying everything in its path.  My bones and ache and my soul cry's out for rest but none comes because my heart is fixated on the actions of the past not the life to come in the future.  I desire the healthy body full of the rest of a peace bought with the blood of Christ!

Even in the storm you are still near to me,
Paul Shackelford
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