Bruce Collins, Evangelist

The personal website of Bruce Collins

Archive for the 'Gospel' Category

My Ah-Ha Moment! Thanksgiving November 24, 1063 is a date that I will alway remember. Somewhere around 3 or 4 in the afternoon, I found out that I didn’t have to “wait” for God to save me. Christ had died to do that for me over 2000 years ago. That afternoon I “passed from death […]

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Brothers. . .The Answer is Yes! Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9 NKJV) Brothers and their Love! God has commanded us to love Him and to love our neighbor.  Now there is great argument as to who […]

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The Best is Yet to Come “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:3 NKJV) This thing called LIFE! All of us have asked the questions, “Why am I here?”  and “What is […]

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The Last Great Enemy For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. (1 Corinthians 15:25-26 NKJV) Personal Reminders of that Last Great Enemy Recently, I had an Aunt pass into eternity.  I have recently witnessed two of my fellow preachers pass […]

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The Principal’s Office He also said to His disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. “So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for […]

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Meet me There! The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. (Mark 1:15 KJV) I have been preaching the Gospel for many years and have run into many hindrances with regard to simply believing or trusting in the Lord Jesus for salvation.  I want to […]

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Do We Understand What Mary Experienced? “(yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” (Luke 2:35 NKJV) Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. (John 19:25 NKJV) The Silent […]

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Woe is Me! So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts.” (Isaiah 6:5 NKJV) It is Easy to See the Faults of […]

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Beware! Matthew 7:15 NKJV — “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. What does it mean to beware? Beware means to be careful or to be on your guard–to watch out for someone or something.  The word sounds a warning. False Prophets The Bible has […]

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Fool! Luke 12:20 NKJV — “But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ Luke 12:33 NKJV — “Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens […]

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He is not Here! “But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. “He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” (Matthew 28:5-6 NKJV) Discouragement It must have been discouraging […]

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People we will not See in Heaven Those Who Don’t Learn from History “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Behold and see If there is any sorrow like my sorrow, Which has been brought on me, Which the LORD has inflicted In the day of His fierce anger.” (Lamentations 1:12, NKJV) […]

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New Heavens and New Earth “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all […]

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God has Records and We are all going to Give Account! I have been thinking about the day when we all give account to God.  It appears that God is a good bookkeeper and keeps records.  He keeps records of believers in the book of life.  He records “works” in another book.   And then […]

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Then Comes the End “Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.” (1 Corinthians 15:24, NKJV) End or Beginning? As we come to the end of another man-made year, the phrase “THEN COMES THE END” keeps running […]

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The Game of Life “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created […]

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The Gift of God My God is a giving God.  He gave His Son, His Son gave us Living Water, His Son has given us the gift of salvation, and through the Lord Jesus we have the gift of eternal life. The Gift of His Son “For God so loved the world that He gave […]

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Then Shall They Know that I Am the Lord “Then the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase. They shall be safe in their land; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke and delivered them from […]

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Quench Not the Spirit Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 NKJV) How Do We […]

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Which Father is Yours? Matthew 23:9 NKJV — “Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.” John 8:44 NKJV — “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and […]

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Under the Sun Ecclesiastes 1:3 (NKJV)What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun? Futile, Pointless, Meaningless Solomon, one of the wisest men who ever lived apart from the Lord, seemingly got very depressed when he considered his and our lives on this earth (under the sun). He […]

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Laboring to Enter Into Rest Hebrews 4:11 NKJV — Let us therefore be diligent (or labor) to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. Labor Day Labor day is really an oxymoron (an apparent contradiction).  We are of course remembering the value of labor, particularly of unionized labor, on […]

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When Silence is Golden   Job 16:2 (NKJV) “I have heard many such things; Miserable comforters are you all!   Counselors Counselors have thriving businesses today.  We can find secular counselors and religious counselors and counselors who tell people what they want to hear. But often the best counseling is done by just listening and […]

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But I Am a Worm     But I am a worm, and no man;  A reproach of men, and despised by the people. (Psalm 22:6 NKJV) And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:8 NKJV) […]

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Trust If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. (2 Timothy 2:13 NKJV) We who are believers trust the Lord because we are confident that He tells us the truth in the Bible. The prophecies that were fulfilled with the Lord’s first coming, prophecies that were written many years before their fulfillment, […]

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Beware! Beware lest anyone cheat you (spoil you) through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. (Colossians 2:8 NKJV) The War To be spoiled is to be a loser in a war and to have all your goods and […]

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Why is there Pain and Suffering?     “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4 NKJV)     Introduction I have missed the last several weeks of […]

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Without Faith But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6 NKJV) What is Faith? Many people have a general faith or confidence in a good God and they assume […]

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My Servant     “Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men; So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their […]

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The Importance of the THE     Simon Peter answered and said, “You are THE Christ, THE Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16 NKJV)     Not A Christ, but THE Christ Paying attention to details is helpful when understanding the truth of Scripture.  Peter was asked, “Whom do men say that I am?”  […]

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Surprises!  They often come Suddenly! “and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!” (Job 1:19 NKJV) This Week This week we woke up to find that […]

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You Were not Willing!     “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but YOU WERE NOT WILLING!” (Matthew 23:37, NKJV)     People who were not […]

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I wonder, Did He or Didn’t He?   A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished. (Proverbs 22:3 and 27:12 NKJV)   Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come […]

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Can Death be a Blessing?   The righteous perishes,  And no man takes it to heart; Merciful men are taken away, While no one considers That the righteous is taken away from evil. (Isaiah 57:1 NKJV)   Another Version:       Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no […]

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Eternity, Eternal, Forever and Ever   “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” (1 John 5:13, NKJV) “Then He who sat […]

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Some will Heed the Warnings and Some will Not!   He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. (Revelation 22:20-21 NKJV)   Weather Prophets For the last week, our weather prophets have been […]

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The Power of the Wind   The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:8 (NKJV)   Today is a windy day in Iowa.  Frankly, I do not like […]

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Only a Sinner!   When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Mark 2:17 NKJV) And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise […]

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Then They Shall Know!   “Then they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their land, and left none of them captive any longer.” (Ezekiel 39:28, NKJV)   What does it Take? The Lord (Jesus)  wants us to know […]

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Wrath of God “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”” (John 3:36, NKJV) Occurences in the Bible The phrase “the wrath of God” occurs ten times in the NKJV of the Bible.  We […]

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The Honor of Being Called a Friend   So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle. (Exodus 33:11 NKJV) So Hushai, David’s friend, went into […]

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Are All Men (and Women) Liars?   I said in my haste, All men are liars. (Psalm 116:11 KJV) Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. […]

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We Have Been Warned   For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. (1 Thessalonians 52-3:3 NKJV)   Hurricane […]

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True Worship, What Does it Look Like?   John 4:23 (NKJV) But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. John 4:24 (NKJV) God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit […]

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Wrestling Matches   Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. (Genesis 32:24 NKJV)   For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. […]

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Woe is Me!   For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! (1 Corinthians 9:16 NKJV)   Preaching to the Saved   Recently I went to a gospel outreach where most of the people […]

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Blessings found in the Book of Revelation   Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep (guard) those things which are written in it; for the time is near (ready). (Revelation 1:3 NKJV)   How are we Blessed? The Revelation of the Lord given to the apostle […]

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Sin and Sorrow   “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Behold and see If there is any sorrow like my sorrow, Which has been brought on me, Which the LORD has inflicted In the day of His fierce anger. — Lamentations 1:12 NKJV   Sorrow is Common to Mankind Sorrow is […]

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Is Pleasure the Aim of Life?   “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, “I have no pleasure (delight) in them”:” (Ecclesiastes 12:1, NKJV) “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; […]

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The Rest of the Story   For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry. (Hebrews 10:37 NKJV)   The Promise   There are many places in Scripture where the Lord has promised to come again.  Christians assume He is talking about the rapture.  Jews are still waiting […]

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Are they or Aren’t They?   For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their […]

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Peter and John, Uneducated and Untrained?   “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13, NKJV)   Peter and John vs Paul Peter and John never went to a seminary.  They […]

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Last Days   “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a […]

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Ye Are The Branches   “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, NKJV)   The Key is always Near the Door This passage has been controversial (and might I say confusing) to those […]

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Now is the Time!   For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Timothy 6:10 NKJV)   Love of Money People say that love makes the world go around, and that […]

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This is a Day of Good News Then they said to one another, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we remain silent. If we wait until morning light, some punishment will come upon us. Now therefore, come, let us go and tell the king’s household.” (2 Kings […]

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He Cares   Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an […]

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I Will Come Again!   John 14:3 (NKJV) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.   Important Events Important events in the life of the Lord for the believer include: 1.  The crucifixion 2.  […]

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Why is it so Hard to Just Believe God?

  “Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm (salvation) of the LORD been revealed?” (Isaiah 53:1, NKJV)   The Twelve The disciples of the Lord were told over and over again by the Lord that He would suffer and die and be raised from the dead.  Apparently, they never believed what […]

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Make it Taste Good   No grain offering which you bring to the LORD shall be made with leaven, for you shall burn no leaven nor any honey in any offering to the LORD made by fire. As for the offering of the firstfruits, you shall offer them to the LORD, but they shall not […]

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All Things or All These Things?   Romans 8:28 (NKJV) And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.   Context, Context, Context Based on Romans 8 29, If you love God, everything that happens to you is for […]

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The Heart–What is it?   The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked;  Who can know it? — Jeremiah 17:9 NKJV A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of […]

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What About Me?   Deuteronomy 1:39 NKJV — ‘Moreover your little ones and your children, who you say will be victims, who today have no knowledge of good and evil, they shall go in there; to them I will give it, and they shall possess it.   Knowledge of Good and Evil Our verse above […]

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Are We Worthy of the Lord?   Matthew 10:37-39 NKJV — “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy […]

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Recipe for Disaster   “You shall not at all do as we are doing here today—every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes—” (Deuteronomy 12:8 NKJV)   Did they Mean this? “So Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the judgments. And all the people answered […]

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Jesus Wept!   “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15 NKJV)   “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like […]

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There is a lot of this Going Around   But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation (trial or testing) fall away. (Luke 8:13 NKJV)   There are Four Classes of […]

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Your Heavenly Father Knows! Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear? For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” (Matthew 6:21-32 NKJV) Dependent on Self or Dependent on the Heavenly Father? My […]

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Remembering   Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD And who meditate on His name. “They shall be Mine,” says the LORD of hosts, “On the day that I make […]

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Theenda (pronounced thee end uh)   “Better to go to the house of mourning Than to go to the house  feasting, For that is the end of all men; And the living will take it to heart.” (Ecclesiastes 7:2 NKJV)   The End of All Men (or all people) When our last child was conceived, […]

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Either one Believe’s the Bible or one Doesn’t   “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His […]

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I am Thankful for the Promise of Eternal Life   “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” (John 5:24 NKJV)   What is Eternal Life? Our first birth […]

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I am Thankful for the Holy Spirit   “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” (John 14:26 NKJV) “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide […]

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I am Thankful For the Bible   “Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.” (Acts 8:35 NKJV)   “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16 NKJV)   The Written Word tells […]

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I am Thankful for the Cross   “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18 NKJV) “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom […]

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Evil Hearts of Unbelief   “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;” (Hebrews 3:12 NKJV) ““of sin, because they do not believe in Me;” (John 16:9 NKJV) ““He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is […]

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What is Biblical Freedom?   “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36 NKJV)   “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.” (Romans 6:17 NKJV) “And having been set free […]

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You Have to Know Him to Understand   “What is your beloved More than another beloved, O fairest among women? What is your beloved More than another beloved, That you so charge us?” (Song of Songs 5:9 NKJV)   Comparing Bridegrooms The daughters of Jerusalem are asking the bride (or bride to be) what makes […]

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The Cross of a True Disciple   “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24 NKJV) ““For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find […]

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Losing a Library   So all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years; and he died. (Genesis 5:27 NKJV)   Building the Library “And He died” is the common denominator of the brief obituaries given in Genesis 5. Think of it, some of those names had nearly 1000 years of knowledge and […]

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I Believe God!   “Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me (Act 27:25 NKJV).”   When people today tell me that they have faith, I would like to ask them three questions: 1.  Whom do you have faith in? 2.  What promise has He/She […]

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A Time To Die   To everything there is a season,  A time for every purpose under heaven: (Ecc 3:1 NKJV) A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; (Ecc 3:2 NKJV)   First Thing in the Morning Some people turn […]

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There is a Spiritual Body   1 Corinthians 15:42-44 So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption.  It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power.  It is sown a natural body, it […]

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Saved, There is that Word Again   1 Corinthians 10:31-33  NKJV — Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God,  just as I also please all men in all […]

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There is Only One   Psalm 119:68 NKJV — You are good, and do good;  Teach me Your statutes. Luke 18:19 NKJV — So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.   My Perception A lot of people seem to be good to […]

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Sometimes we Need to be Reminded Romans 8:38-39 NKJV — 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 created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in […]

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Healing the brokenhearted   Isaiah 61:1 NKJV — “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,  Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound. […]

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Holding Back Nothing that is Helpful!   (Acts 20:20-21 NKJV) “I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”   Have We Who Teach today Been […]

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Warnings!   (Proverbs 22:3 NKJV) A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished. (Proverbs 27:12 NKJV) A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; The simple pass on and are punished.   Ignoring the Warnings Right now, we are under a tornado watch and earlier tonight we […]

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A Man After my Own Heart

  (Acts 13:22 NKJV) “And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’   What Does it mean when we read that […]

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The Face of an Angel

  (Acts 6:15 NKJV) And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.   What Does the Face of an Angel Look Like? Stephen was a faithful servant of the Lord in the early New Testament church.  He would be considered one of the […]

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What Convinced Ruth?

  (Ruth 1:16 NKJV) But Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God.   Orpha and Ruth When Elimelech left Bethlehem in […]

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Memorials

  (Genesis 9:15-16 NKJV) “and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God […]

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Important Scriptures that Guide our Understanding of God, The Bible and Salvation   The Scriptures are the Holy Writings found In the Bible.   The Scriptures including Paul’s writings are Inspired 2 Timothy 3:16  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. […]

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Truth is Elusive Today!

  John 8:44-47 NKJV — “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for […]

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Mary the Mother of the Lord

  John 19:25 NKJV — Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. Acts 1:14 NKJV — These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.   […]

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Knowing the Lord

1 Samuel 2:12 NKJV — Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the LORD. 1 Samuel 3:6-7 NKJV — Then the LORD called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” He answered, “I did not call, my son; lie […]

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Is God Fair?

  2 Samuel 12:24 NKJV — Then David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her and lay with her. So she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. Now the LORD loved him. 1 Chronicles 28:5-6 NKJV — “And of all my sons (for the LORD has given me many sons) He […]

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Enjoying the Lord’s Presence

  (John 14:3 NKJV) (3) “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.   Would We Really? If the Lord were to come and knock on our doors would we really be happy to see HIm?  […]

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Surely This Is What God Wants

  (1 Samuel 15:13-15 NKJV) (13) Then Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the LORD! I have performed the commandment of the LORD.” But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?” And Saul said, […]

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You Think This is Bad!

“Not a word failed of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.” (Joshua 21:45 NKJV) He CANNOT deny Himself! As I have been reading through the Old Testament ups and downs of the nation of Israel, I have been reminded of Paul’s letter to Timothy […]

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A Trip to the Cemetery

  Better to go to the house of mourning Than to go to the house of feasting, For that is the end of all men; And the living will take it to heart. (Ecclesiastes 7:2 NKJV)   Why? Solomon had it made and he tried it all.  Yet he says partying or the house of […]

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He Restores My Soul

  He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3 NKJV)   Remember Do you remember what it was like when you first realized Christ had died for your sins and He told you so in the Bible.  You likely sang, “At the cross, at the […]

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She has Done What She Could

    But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. (Mark 14:6 NKJV) She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what […]

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Can the Unsaved Speak for God?

  Balaam’s Donkey Apparently unsaved people can know God’s mind and speak for him.  I make that statement based on the fact that Balaam’s donkey spoke for God to Balaam and he was certainly not “saved.” (See Numbers 22)   “Then Balak’s anger was aroused against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak […]

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Most Assuredly or Verily Verily

  And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. (2 Timothy 2:2 NKJV)   But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that […]

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True Valentine’s Day Present

  And said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could […]

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Tweedledum and Tweedledee

  But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.  (Hebrews 10:12 NKJV)   Where Should the Comma Be? I have heard a lot of ministry on this verse.  Some preach that the comma should be after the word sins and some think the […]

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Not All Have Faith

  Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you,  and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 NKJV)   Chaos Our world is filled with chaos.  We have the […]

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The Problem with Anxiety

And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. (42) “But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her. (Luke 10:41-42 NKJV)   Martha Martha was a servant’s servant.  But when the Lord came to visit, […]

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Judas Iscariot who Betrayed Him

  And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.  Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the […]

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Is the Lord Sorry Now?

  “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” (Genesis 6:5-6 NKJV)   Wickedness of […]

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Looking Forward to Something New

  “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.” (Revelation 21:1 NKJV) “Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are […]

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Banking on the Truth 

  2 Timothy 3:14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.   Deception Abounds! As we get closer and closer to the Lord’s return, it is harder and harder to make sure that what we believe is true.  I can […]

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Doors

  When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, “Lord, Lord, open for us,” and He will answer and say to you, “I do not know you, where you are from” (Luke 13:25 NKJV)   After these […]

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Our Whole Livelihood?

  “So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, […]

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The Love of Darkness

  There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. (John 1:6-7 NKJV “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their […]

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King of the Hill

  (Luke 23:33 NKJV) “And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.” (Acts 1:11 NKJV) “who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken […]

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Is our Love, our Faith, and our Wisdom Unfeigned?

  “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.” (Romans 12:9 NKJV) “But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God. . .by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,” (2 Corinthians 6:4-6 NKJV) “Now the purpose of the commandment is love […]

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How Does One Love God?

  Deuteronomy 6:5 NKJV — “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Mark 12:30 NKJV — ‘And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This […]

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When All Else Fails, Read the Instructions

Judges 17:6 NKJV — In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Judges 21:25 NKJV — In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25 NKJV — There is a way that […]

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What Are the Gates of Hades?

  Matthew 16:18 NKJV — “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.   The Cave The Lord was near a cave at Caesarea Philippi when He asked his disciples, “Who do men say […]

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I Call Him Lord

  There are some names that I am hearing over and over again on the news.  I wish I never had to hear some of those names again.  But there is a name that I do love to hear.  Some people use this name as a cuss word, I use the name reverently.  I can […]

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Different Bodies for Different Purposes?

  2 Corinthians 5:1-4 NKJV — For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been […]

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Do we Measure Up?

  James 2:18 NKJV — But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.   The Basics We know that the Bible says that to be a Christian we MUST be born again (John 3:7).   We […]

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For Ever and Ever

  Revelation 14:11 NKJV — “And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” Revelation 20:10 NKJV — The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and […]

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Unexpected Coming

  Matthew 24:43-44 NKJV — “But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” […]

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Chastening by the Lord

Hebrews 12:7-8 NKJV — If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.  My Personal Chastening I have been laid up with a […]

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Sorrow turned to Joy

John 16:20 NKJV — “Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. Definition Joy has to do with gladness or cheerfulness. It is usually an emotion associated with a feeling of well-being. Joy […]

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Envy–Is it Ever a Good Thing?

1 Corinthians 13:4 NKJV — Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up. The Seven Deadly Sins We often hear of seven deadly sins. They seem to have been enumerated as part of Roman Catholic theology. They are pride, envy, gluttony, greed, lust, sloth, […]

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Suffering

Luke 24:46 NKJV — Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day. Synonyms for suffering Suffering has to do with pain. Some words that are often used to describe suffering are DISTRESS, SUFFERING, MISERY, and […]

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For I am Sorry that I Made Them

Genesis 6:5-8 NKJV — Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the LORD […]

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Giving Account

1 Peter 4:5 NKJV — They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. Hebrews 13:17 NKJV — Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and […]

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Finding the Book

2 Kings 23:25 NKJV — Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him. Josiah The revival under King Josiah who ruled […]

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Itching Ears

Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears […]

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He Whom You Love is Sick

The Love of a Friend Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”(John 11:3 NKJV) Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. (John 11:5 NKJV) The Love of a Friend Mary, Martha and Lazarus were loved by the Lord.  The word used for love when referring […]

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Reading, Hearing, Guarding

        Blessed is he who reads (probably publicly) and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep (guard) those things which are written in it; for the time is near (always ready). (Revelation 1:3 NKJV) The Pandemic Because of the coronavirus, there is a lot of interest in the prophetic plan of God.  […]

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A Solemn Warning

     “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13-14 NKJV) “Not everyone […]

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Perfect Peace

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. (Isaiah 26:3 NKJV) A Possible Translation Thou will keep him in peace peace (word is repeated for emphasis) whose thoughts are supported by You, because he trusts in you. We tend to take old testament promises that […]

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Loving your Neighbor

        Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said to him, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the first and great commandment. […]

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Being Real

          Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time. (Luke 4:13 NKJV) We all Get Tested If the Lord Jesus could be led into a waste land for forty days by the Spirit of God and then at His weakest point could be tested by the Devil, […]

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Weeping!

      Jesus wept. (John 11:35 NKJV) Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it. (Luke 19:41 NKJV) Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard […]

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Giving or Getting

        And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. And He […]

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Take Courage

    Matthew 9:2 Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” Matthew 14:27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” […]

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Our Work Ethic verses our Rest Ethic

Lev 23:3  ‘Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath (cessation of work) of the LORD in all your dwellings. Ceasing Work The Jews had holidays where they could not work at all […]

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Do we Believe What we say we Believe?

And that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:24 NKJV)   Are we putting on the New Man? Christians are not sinless, but they should have a conscience about sin.  They should sin less than they did before they were “born again” as […]

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Take up the Cross

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  (1 Corinthians 1:18 NKJV) The Cross The cross in the Bible is a place where criminals (or those judged to be criminals) lost their lives.  Most would say that […]

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Sound Doctrine

  Knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any […]

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How Foolish can a Person Be?

And Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel go." (Exodus 5:2 NKJV) Ten Times? Pharaohs were considered to be gods by their subjects at the time when Moses confronted this ruler of Egypt about freeing […]

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Sorrow

The pains of death surrounded me, And the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me; I found trouble and sorrow. (Psalms 116:3 NKJV) Life is full of Sorrow! Recently I received news of a young married mother who had died from cancer.  She and her family were close friends in my younger years. That family […]

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The Leading of the Holy Spirit

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (Matthew 4:1 NKJV) For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. (Hebrews 2:18 NKJV) Why? Why would the Holy Spirit lead the Lord into the wilderness to be […]

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Glory

So you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and you shall hurry and bring my father down here." (Genesis 45:13 NKJV) Word Study Glory usually has to do with splendor, or great beauty or with honor.  The glory of the Lord is a vast […]

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Mary the mother of Jesus

And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.  (Matthew 1:16 NKJV) Who was She? “Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the […]

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The Great Epiphany

Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing (epiphany)  (2 Timothy 4:8 NKJV). Definition An epiphany is a supernatural manifestation or appearance.  Some dictionaries even […]

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Can People become Believers by Legislation?

Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language who were living in all the land: "May your peace abound! "I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel; For He is the living God […]

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Futility of their mind

This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, […]

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Then they shall know that I am the LORD

"Then they shall know that I am the LORD, when I scatter them among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries. But I will spare a few of their men from the sword, from famine, and from pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the Gentiles wherever they go. Then they shall […]

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As Obedient Children

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also […]

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Things the Lord did not Delegate

Luke 24:15 Jesus HIMSELF drew near The Lord is touched by the feelings of our infirmities, and He took time to make two sad people glad.  The two traveling from Jerusalem to Emmaus had thought all hope was lost when the Lord was crucified.  Instead they were rewarded with His very presence after the resurrection […]

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The Very Least Point of Scripture is Important

And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. (Luke 16:17 KJV) What is a tittle? According to Easton”s Bible dictionary, A tittle is a point, (Mat_5:18; Luk_16:17), the minute point or stroke added to some letters of the Hebrew alphabet to distinguish them from others […]

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As

And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. (Matthew 6:12 NKJV) Definition of Debts When the whole passage is read in context, it is quite clear that the debts referred to are trespasses or sins.  We are to forgive those who sin against us so that God can forgive us and hear and […]

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We Need to Keep on Keeping On

We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father. (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 NKJV) But let us who are of the day […]

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We Haven’t Seen Anything Yet

But as it is written: “EYE HAS NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NOR HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN THE THINGS WHICH GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” (1 Corinthians 2:9 NKJV) My Bucket List I had the Grand Canyon on my bucket list (things I wanted to do before I die) […]

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A Good Man

For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. (Acts 11:24 NKJV) None Good We know that we are all born sinners.  We sin because that is our nature.  In Mark 10:18 a rich young ruler called the Lord good […]

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Power of Satan

So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I […]

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Guidance of the Holy Spirit

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. (Romans 8:14 NKJV) Our Guide Today most of us drive using GPS navigation.  When the little voice in our phone says go left, we do our best to go left.  When it says go right, we try to go […]

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How do we Know?

So the king said to him, "How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?" (2 Chronicles 18:15 NKJV)   Confidence in the Bible and in the Work of the Holy Spirit We have a Bible that the Lord says is dependable […]

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Spring is Coming

My beloved spoke, and said to me: "Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away. For lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove Is heard in our land. The fig tree […]

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In His Name

These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing […]

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Our Ah-Ha Moment

Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. (2 Timothy 4:8 NKJV) We need Hope and Joy We all need something that motivates us to […]

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The Lord is Touched

I sink in deep mire, Where there is no standing; I have come into deep waters, Where the floods overflow me. (Psalms 69:2 NKJV) Those who hate me without a cause Are more than the hairs of my head; They are mighty who would destroy me, Being my enemies wrongfully; Though I have stolen nothing, […]

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Where will you Spend Eternity?

  Also they are afraid of height, And of terrors in the way; When the almond tree blossoms, The grasshopper is a burden, And desire fails. For man goes to his ETERNAL HOME, And the mourners go about the streets. (Ecclesiastes 12:5 NKJV)   Our Eternal Home The preacher in this book encourages people to […]

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Can We Be Trusted?

Then the wrath of Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, was aroused against Job; his wrath was aroused because he justified himself rather than God. Also against his three friends his wrath was aroused, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. (Job 32:2-3 NKJV) Job […]

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Looking Back

Man who is born of woman Is of few days and full of trouble. He comes forth like a flower and fades away; He flees like a shadow and does not continue. (Job 14:1-2 NKJV) And Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few […]

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Do the Work of an Evangelist

But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (2 Timothy 4:5 NKJV) Three Recent Experiences On three occasions recently, I have had opportunity to ask people if they knew what an evangelist was.  One was a girl who was cleaning my teeth.  I found it […]

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Of One Accord

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. (Acts 2:1 NKJV) Forty Days In Acts 1 verse 3 we read that the Lord presented Himself alive (to his apostles) after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them for forty days and speaking of […]

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Expressions of Endearment

But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" So he said, "Here I am." (Genesis 22:11 NKJV) The Lord Addressing His Own I have been thinking about the fact that the Lord called Martha’s name twice in Luke 10:41.   There are a number of times (perhaps eight) in […]

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What makes a Good Teacher?

And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. (Luke 24:27 NKJV) Where was Recording Device? The Lord was obviously a good teacher.  What made Him a good teacher?  He knew what He was talking about.  I doubt that he covered every portion of […]

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Set your House in Order

In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, "Thus says the LORD: ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live.’ "  (2 Kings 20:1 NKJV) One of the Good Guys Hezekiah was a good king […]

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Mary, the Mother of the Lord

And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11 NKJV) Mary was Privileged Mary had the privilege that only one woman has had […]

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Woe is Me if I do not Preach the Gospel!

For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!  (1 Corinthians 9:16 NKJV) What is My Gift? One question I have been asked frequently by other Christians is, “What is my gift?”  “How can I […]

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Your Brother will Rise Again!

Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes […]

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I Believe, Do You?

    Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from […]

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Worried and Troubled

  And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. (Luke 10:39 NKJV) And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. (Luke 10:41 NKJV)   Mary vs Martha Martha, bless her heart, was a worker.  She was preparing […]

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Who is my Neighbor?

But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" (Luke 10:29 NKJV) How do we obtain eternal life?  At first it would seem that this story is telling us that we obtain eternal life by being a good neighbor when in fact it is teaching us that we obtain eternal […]

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A Woman Who Was a Sinner

  And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the […]

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Two men, Two Deaths, Two Destinies

  And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." (Luke 23:43 NKJV) But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ (Luke 12:20 NKJV)     The Question? Would […]

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Unity of the Spirit

  Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. […]

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Give Me Children

    Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, "Give me children, or else I die!"  (Genesis 30:1 NKJV)   Our Burden Wouldn’t it be great if the burden of each Christian’s heart was, “Give me children or else I die!”  Wouldn’t it be […]

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Perfect Peace

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.  (Isaiah 26:3 NKJV) Anxiety Anxiety is a common problem among my friends, and it is a problem that I experience more and more as I get older.  Why should we be anxious when the Lord has told […]

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Who is the Lord?

And Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel go." (Exodus 5:2 NKJV)  Knowing the Lord is more than knowing about Him.  We can know about people without really being their friends or without really having […]

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Beauty is only skin Deep!

"Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings, That they may see you. (Ezekiel 28:17 NASB)  The Allegory This section of Ezekiel is describing the King of Tyre, but it seems to allegorically describe […]

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Will We?

Then all the people answered together and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do." So Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD. (Exodus 19:8 NKJV) One Commandment Adam and Eve were given one commandment in the Garden of Eden and they disobeyed.  Now the children of Israel are […]

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True Humility

Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:4 NKJV) In general, what we think is right is wrong. That is, what makes sense to us in a natural way is wrong when it comes to spiritual things. Here are some examples: Children We all want […]

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Good and Evil

  And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:9 NKJV)   See, I have set before you […]

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Also

  Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. (John 14:1 NKJV)   There are little words with important meanings in the Scripture.  For example, in Romans 5:8, there is a “but” that catches my attention.  “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for […]

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Our Five Year Plans

  And Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil (hard or difficult) have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the […]

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The Book of Remembrance

Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, And the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the LORD And who meditate on His name. "They shall be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "On the day that I make them My […]

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The Desire for World Peace

  These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world  (John 16:33 NKJV).   In the movie Miss Congeniality, Gracie Hart played by Sandra Bullock is an undercover cop at a beauty pageant.  […]

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Our Minds don’t like to Mind

    Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.   Big Topic Whenever we look at the mind from a Biblical point of view, we have a big […]

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They Have it Good!

    We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:8 NKJV   Death seems so Final I have received word this week of two more friends who have passed into eternity.  That makes five in the last two months.  One […]

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Choosing not to Remember

    No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." (Jeremiah 31:34 NKJV) […]

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Following the Instructions

    For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. (1 Thessalonians 2:13 NKJV) […]

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Is There any Word from the Lord?

    Then Zedekiah the king sent and took him out. The king asked him secretly in his house, and said, "Is there any word from the LORD?" And Jeremiah said, "There is." Then he said, "You shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon!"  (Jeremiah 37:17 NKJV)   Babylon is going […]

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The Unpardonable (Unforgivable) Sin

    Matthew 12:31-32 NKJV "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.  Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be […]

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Lessons from the Wind

    The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." (John 3:8 NKJV) However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for […]

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Moving Mountains

  So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20 NKJV)   Can We Move Mountains? The […]

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Eternal Conscious Punishment

  And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name." (Revelation 14:11)   The Saved Recently I went to the funeral of a man who had trusted the Lord Jesus as […]

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The Coming Liar

  And he deceives those who dwell on the earth—by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. (Revelation 13:14 NKJV)   Coming Deception Whom does one […]

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What About the Gift of Healing?

  Surely He has borne our griefs (infirmities) and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:4-5 NKJV)   The […]

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Are We Happy?

    Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! (1 Kings 10:8 NKJV)   The Queen of Sheba Solomon was on the throne of the Kingdom of Israel.  He was known for his wisdom and for his riches.  His reign was glorious in […]

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Have I “Believed” Right?

    "FOR YET A LITTLE WHILE, AND HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME AND WILL NOT TARRY. NOW THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH; BUT IF ANYONE DRAWS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM." But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the […]

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Numbering our Days!

    So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalms 90:12 NKJV)   The Perspective of Age When we are young, we have enthusiasm (usually), and goals and dreams.  But we don’t have the perspective that age brings.  We often live as though we will live forever.  […]

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Context, Context, Context

  Who "WILL RENDER TO EACH ONE ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS": eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does […]

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I am Jesus!

    So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ (Acts 22:8 NKJV)   Three times In Acts 9, Paul’s abrupt meeting with the Lord is recorded for the first time and we read these words “I am Jesus.”  In Acts 22:8 […]

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Truths that are Self-Evident

    He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." (Acts 17:29-31 NKJV)   Things that are not so Obvious Our Declaration of Independence has these words: "We […]

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Pleasures Forevermore!

    You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalms 16:11 NKJV)   Pleasures for ever More! Many people look for pleasure, that is for things that make them feel good, in different ways.  Some seek money, some seek honor, […]

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Father’s Day

  There are a number of things that I have been thinking about since the world tells us that Sunday is (or was) Father’s day.  Now every day should be Father’s day, just as every day should be Mother’s day, Children’s day, Family day, etc.  But since we are talking fathers, let us think about […]

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Friend or Betrayer?

    Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him." Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed Him. But Jesus said to him, "Friend, why have you come?" Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. (Matthew […]

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Seeing the Lord Jesus

Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." (John 12:20-21 NKJV)   We see a lot of hatred, violence, war, and new diseases on the news and […]

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The Rainbow causes God to Remember

    It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. The rainbow […]

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Mother’s Day for the Hurting!

    To the woman He said: "I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you." (Genesis 3:16)   A Different Perspective Mother’s day is a big deal for most people.  It is one day […]

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Paradise

I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not […]

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Faith and Works or Faith alone or Works alone?

    But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. (James 2:18)   My Concern Before I trusted Christ for salvation, I was impressed with how long eternity is and as a result I wanted […]

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Right Thinking

    All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)   We are all like Sheep We would like to think we are all leaders but the Bible is clear that at least […]

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The Futility of Life

Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then […]

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Do you Want to see Water turned to Wine?

  John 2:5  His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."   Does the Lord Speak to us Today? The Lord spoke to Joseph, Daniel, and Job through dreams.  He spoke to Kings through prophets.  He speaks to us today thought His Son.  The writer of Hebrews tell us, “God, […]

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Oh, Believe it!

  Rom 3:3-4  For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect?    Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: “THAT YOU MAY BE JUSTIFIED IN YOUR WORDS, AND MAY OVERCOME WHEN YOU ARE JUDGED.”   The Importance of […]

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The Wilderness Experience

Luke 4:1  Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.   What a Way to Begin! As the Lord began his public earthly ministry, I notice several things.  One, He was baptized and the whole trinity was involved.  The Lord was there, […]

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Little Faith

  Mat 8:26  But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.   The Difference The difference between little faith and great faith doesn’t have to do with the intensity of our believing but […]

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Musings on the Truth

  John 8:44  You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is […]

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The Stoning of Stephen

  Act 7:51-52  "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.  (52)  Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and […]

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Does Anything Really Matter?

  Genesis 47:9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days […]

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Doing Nothing!

  "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE HAS ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR; HE HAS SENT ME TO HEAL THE BROKENHEARTED, TO PROCLAIM LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET AT LIBERTY THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED; TO PROCLAIM THE ACCEPTABLE YEAR […]

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The Simplicity of the Gospel

    And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." (Acts 16:30-31 NKJV)   Heaven or Hell? Most of us who are believers wonder just what it is that the […]

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I do not Know the Lord

    Genesis 50:20  But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Exodus 5:2 And Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I […]

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Seeing the Lord!

  Genesis 46:30   And Israel said to Joseph, "Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive." Luke 2:29-30  "Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word;  For my eyes have seen Your salvation. John 9:35-38 Jesus heard that they had cast him […]

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Fear not!

    Deuteronomy 10:12-13 "And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,  and to keep the commandments of the […]

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Our Crown of Rejoicing

    Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV  And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe […]

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Remembering

    Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD And who meditate on His name. "They shall be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "On the day that I make […]

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The Greatest Gift, the Greatest Love

  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (sacrifice)  for our sins. (1 John 4:10) What The World Needs Now Is Love– What the world needs now Is love, sweet love It’s the only thing that there’s just too little […]

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The Comings of the Lord

  The Lord’s first coming is being celebrated by a world that by and large does not believe in Him in a Biblical way.  Many celebrate Christmas but do not get baptized scriptually nor do they celebrate the Lord’s supper often as the Lord requested.  In many cases they do not love their neighbors.  But […]

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Why do You not Believe Me?

John 8:44-46  You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a […]

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Then Shall They Know

Ezekiel 7:4  “My eye will not spare you, Nor will I have pity; But I will repay your ways, And your abominations will be in your midst; Then you shall know that I am the LORD!” Ezekiel 34:27  Then the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase. […]

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He left All!

Luke 5:27-28  After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me."  So he left all, rose up, and followed Him.   Publicans Matthew (Levi) was a tax collector.  He was a Jew who was collecting taxes for the Romans […]

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Character Counts

  1 Samuel 10:27  But some rebels said, "How can this man save us?" So they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.   God’s Choice We are often told that Saul was the choice that made sense to the children of Israel and that he was man’s choice to […]

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I Couldn’t have said it Better Myself!

  Hebrews 1:1-3:  (1) God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,  (2)  has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;  (3)  who being the brightness […]

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What should a Christian look Like?

  (1 Corinthians 15:32)  If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise, "LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE!" (1 Corinthians 15:33)  Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits." (1 Corinthians 15:34)  Awake to […]

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What is it Going to be like to Face Christ As the Judge?

Rev 6:15-17 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him […]

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Properly understanding our Manual

2 Timothy 2:15  Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.   Some Things are Hard to Understand I am convinced that many well-meaning Christians have never been taught how to rightly divide the Word of Truth.  They think that […]

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Jesus, there is Something about that Name!

Matthew 1:21  And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."   The Irreverence shown to that Name When people are going to swear today, it is often the name of the Lord Jesus that they use.  While there are other […]

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Futility!

  Ecclesiastes 1:2  "Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher; "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity." Ecclesiastes 1:14  I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind. Ecclesiastes 2:17  Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was […]

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Full of Grace and Truth

  John 1:14  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.   The Incarnation John 1 gives us a theological explanation of the incarnation of Christ.  We find out that the the Lord is […]

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Listening to that Still Small Voice!

  1 Kings 19:11-12  Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an […]

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God’s Awesome Creation

  Psalms 40:5  Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works Which You have done.   God has done marvelous things.  When He created this world, He said that it was good.  When He got done creating a woman on the sixth day, He stepped back and considered everything that He had done and […]

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Are we really Happy or Blessed?

    Matthew 5:3-12 (3)  "Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (4)  Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. (5)  Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. (6)  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. […]

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Has the Manna become Stale?

    Exodus 16:31  And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.   Numbers 11:6-8  But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.  And the […]

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You Do Not Know!

  Revelation 3:17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—   Blindness Eyesight is a great blessing.  Being able to see the clouds, the rain, the rainbows, the stars and all of God’s creation is exhilarating.  […]

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Confidence in the Lord in the Midst of Adversity

  The sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram, representatives of the congregation, who contended against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah, when they contended against the LORD; and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah when that company died, when […]

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Salvation

  Romans 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power (like dynamite) of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.   The definition of Salvation–Salvation is being saved or protected from harm or being saved or delivered from […]

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What Should a New Christian Look Like?

Act 15:11  But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they."   The Problem No matter where you go and whom you talk to, there is always an emphasis on something besides the grace of God when it comes to being a […]

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Things that are not true in Scripture!

James 1:19  So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.   The Truth about Misconceptions I am convinced that the Bible always tells us the truth.  But sometimes it tells us the truth about misconceptions and lies.  When we read the book of Job, the […]

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The Unseen Battle

    Ephesians 6:12  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.   Where are these heavenly places where the wicked spirits do their dastardly deeds?  We are here on planet […]

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There are Fathers and then there are Fathers

  2 Corinthians 6:17-18  Therefore "COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM AND BE SEPARATE, SAYS THE LORD. DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN, AND I WILL RECEIVE YOU.  I WILL BE A FATHER TO YOU, AND YOU SHALL BE MY SONS AND DAUGHTERS, SAYS THE LORD ALMIGHTY.   Becoming a Father Becoming a father in a […]

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The Real Deal

    Acts 4:12  Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."   Problem–myths Many people have given me many reasons for not wanting to believe the Bible.  Some say that the Bible is a set of myths.  It […]

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Are We Growing?

    1 Peter 2:2  as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.   Peter the Shepherd Peter was called as a fisherman to become a fisherman.  He had a business fishing for fish.  Then he became an evangelist fishing for souls.  But Peter learned that he had […]

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Death is a Great Teacher

    Hebrews 9:27-28 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.   Memorial Day This weekend is a […]

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What Can we Learn from the Genealogies?

    1Ch 1:1  Adam, Seth, Enosh, 1Ch 1:2  Cainan, Mahalalel, Jared, 1Ch 1:3  Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, 1Ch 1:4  Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.   All Scripture is Inspired I know that all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and for instruction in righteousness (2 […]

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Cunningly Devised Fables?

2 Peter 1:16-18 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is […]

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Shammah and the Lentils

    2Sa 23:8  These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: 2Sa 23:11-12  And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. So the people fled from the Philistines. But he […]

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The Centurion had a Teachable Attitude

Acts 10:33 So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God."   Background The centurion was a Roman soldier who either had or who was converting to Judaism.  He was sincere in his desire […]

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Supposing vs Knowing

John 20:15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, "Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away."   My thoughts are not your Thoughts Sometimes we say […]

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Is There Really Going to be a Second Coming?

  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also (John 14:3).    We do Know that The Promise is Sure The Lord speaking to His disciples says, “And if I go and prepare a place […]

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Devotion or Duty?

  Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 11:24-25 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do […]

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He will be Great

    Luke 1:31-33 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.  He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the […]

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Open His Eyes!

    2 Kings 6:15-17 And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us […]

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Are we Faithful?

Nehemiah 7:2 that I gave the charge of Jerusalem to my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the leader of the citadel, for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many. Proverbs 20:6 Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, But who can find a faithful man?   What are the Characteristics of […]

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Wouldn’t it be Great to have the Gift of Healing?

James 5:14-15 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he […]

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Why?

  John 14:15 "If you love Me, keep (guard) My commandments.   The Options Since the Bible is so clear that “keeping” or guarding God’s commandments brings blessing and rejecting His commandments brings disaster, why is it so easy to stray from the straight and narrow way?  We know by experience and by observation that […]

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She Hath done what She Could

  Mark 14:8 She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.   Great expectations Most of us have dreams and expectations when we are younger.  Sometimes we want to do things that we simply cannot do.  In some cases it is because of lack of money and […]

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Friendship with the World

  Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. James 4:4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself […]

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Grace and Truth

  John 1:16-17 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.  For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.   What is Grace? There are some words that are hard to define because they mean different things in different situations.  Grace is one of […]

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Lying seems to be the Name of the Game

  John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is […]

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The Next Stop is Elim

  Exodus 15:23  And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.   The journeys of the children of Israel are instructive since we see parallels in the life of a New Testament Christian.  The children of […]

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Comforting Grace for Scary Times

  Revelation 22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.   Scary Times The book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ is scary.  Most of its message has to do with judgments on this earth because men would rather worship anyone and anything other than the Lord Jesus.  But with […]

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Merry Christmas?

  Luke 2:13-14 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"   So for whom was the first Christmas Merry? It wasn’t really merry for Mary and Joseph.  They had to travel to […]

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Last Days

    2 Timothy 3:1-5 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: (2) For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, (3) unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, (4) traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than […]

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How can we Know?

John 17:17 Sanctify them (or set them apart as a special people) by Your truth. Your word is truth.   This Got Me to Thinking! I was awakened on a recent Saturday morning by a call from a man who told me that he and his family were without food and that they couldn’t get […]

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Who is Really in Charge?

  John 16:11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world (society) is judged. 1 John 5:19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world (society) lies under the sway of the wicked one. Ephesians 2:2 in which you once walked according to the course (age) of this world (society), according to […]

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What is a Christian?

    Ephesians 2:8-10 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.   […]

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The Mark of the Beast

    Revelation 13:8  All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.    Evil Personified I know some of you are waiting for me to tell you what the mark of the beast […]

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I am Jesus!

    Act 9:3-6 (3)  As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. (4)  Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" (5)  And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" Then the Lord said, "I […]

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It is Really Pretty Simple

1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.   The Problems The Corinthian church had problems.  I am always encouraged when I read the letters that Paul wrote to the saints or set apart ones at Corinth.  We tend to complain about the problems in […]

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Christ Lives in Me!

  Galatians 2:20-21  I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.  I do not set aside the grace […]

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What we Say and How we Say it is Important

    Eph 4:29-32   Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil […]

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Masters of the Guilt Trip

    2Ti 2:12-13  If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.  If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. Mat 26:34  Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me […]

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Does Love Really Make the World Go ‘Round?

  1 Corinthians 13:13  And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.   On a recent Saturday morning as I pulled out on the highway, I saw a woman and a young boy walking along the side of the road.  They were holding hands.  He was holding a […]

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There is Rest and Then there is Rest!

  Psalms 116:7  Return to your rest, O my soul, For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.   Rest, What is it? Most of us probably think of a good night’s sleep when we think of resting.  Resting in this passage could mean a number of things but it seems to be primarily a […]

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Precious Promises

   2 Peter 1:1-4  Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine […]

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Are there Few That Be Saved?

  Luke 13:23-30 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,  Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and […]

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Jeremiah Had it Right

  Jeremiah 17:5-10 (5)  Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD. (6)  For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In […]

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Acceptable Thinking

Psalms 19:14  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.   God has Spoken David had a privilege many of us have not had.  He had an unobstructed view of the sky while keeping sheep.  It made Him realize […]

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VIP’S

    Hebrews 2:6-9 (6)  But one testified in a certain place, saying: "WHAT IS MAN THAT YOU ARE MINDFUL OF HIM, OR THE SON OF MAN THAT YOU TAKE CARE OF HIM? (7)  YOU HAVE MADE HIM A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS; YOU HAVE CROWNED HIM WITH GLORY AND HONOR, AND SET HIM […]

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Wanting to be “As gods”

Luke 18:14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.   Don’t we all Want to be Great? In Acts 8 there was a sorcerer named Simon who practiced magic arts […]

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The Best Father

  Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For […]

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Refreshing! Another Fortune is Made!

    Proverbs 25:25  As cold water to a weary soul, So is good news from a far country.   Most News today is not Refreshing! When I get up in the morning, one of the luxuries I allow myself is a good cup of coffee.  While I am drinking it, I also watch the […]

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Things we Don’t Understand

  John 11:3  His sisters therefore sent to him, saying: Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. (That is, your friend is sick) John 11:5  Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister Mary and Lazarus. (That is, Jesus wanted what was best for Martha and Mary and Lazarus).   We don’t Understand the Lord’s […]

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Neither Shall they learn War Anymore!

  Isaiah 2:1-4 (1)  The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. (2)  Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the LORD’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall […]

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Telling it Like it Is!

John 8:21  Then Jesus said to them again, "I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come." 1 Thessalonians 4:16  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. […]

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Where Is the Compassion?

  Matthew 27:35-36 Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: "THEY DIVIDED MY GARMENTS AMONG THEM, AND FOR MY CLOTHING THEY CAST LOTS."  Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there.   Matthew 27:54  So when the centurion and those with […]

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What About the Singles?

  (1 Samuel 1:27)  For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. (1 Corinthians 7:34)  There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in […]

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Betrayed by a Kiss

  Proverbs 27:6  Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.   Showing Affection and Love A kiss is a way of showing true affection and love.  In the Bible, New Testament Christians were to greet one another with a holy kiss.  I am not sure what a […]

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Blindness is Hereditary!

  Genesis 48:10  Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. Then Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them.   Blindness is a physical infirmity but it is also a spiritual infirmity.  I have often wondered what it would be like to be […]

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Loving the Lost!

Luke 12:4-5  "And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.  But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to […]

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What Compassions are New Every Morning?

  Lamentations 3:21-23  This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope.  Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.   This Morning I got up refreshed after a good night’s sleep this morning.  That doesn’t always happen.  Some times […]

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Resurrection Sunday

  John 20:27-29  Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen […]

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So What?

  Ecclesiastes 2:11  Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.   I know About Profits Having studied accounting, having passed the CPA exam, having […]

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Inasmuch!

  (Matthew 25:40)  And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ (Matthew 25:45)  Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do […]

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Are we Too Rich to be Saved?

  Mark 10:25-27 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not […]

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Musings on the Lord’s Commands

    Luke 8:39  "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you." And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.   Do We Tell People What Great Things the Lord has done for us? A great miracle […]

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What and Who can we Believe Today?

    1 Timothy 1:15  This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.   What is a faithful saying?  It is a saying that is trustworthy.  It is a communication that is true.  One should be able to […]

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Too Much Giving!

    Exodus 36:5-7  and they spoke to Moses, saying, "The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which the LORD commanded us to do."  So Moses gave a commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, "Let neither man nor woman do any more work […]

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Preparing for that last Great Trip

    John 5:39  You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.   Definition Eternity is defined as time that has no beginning and no end.  In most translations of the Bible, God is described as eternal (see Deuteronomy 33:27).  Our home […]

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Lessons from Peaches

    Romans 3:11  THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS; THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS AFTER GOD. Luke 19:10  for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." John 12:32  And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself." Luke 14:23  Then […]

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Music to the Ears!

    Matthew 8:2-3  And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."  Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.   The True Story of What Happened This leper needed to be […]

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When Did Boorish Behavior in Public Become Acceptable?

  Ephesians 4:29  Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification (building up the hearer), that it may impart grace to the hearers.   The Nature of Mankind I tend to only watch the last quarter of the important football games that I need to know something […]

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Neither Shall they Learn War Anymore!

  Micah 4:3  He shall judge between many peoples, And rebuke strong nations afar off; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.   There is a Day of Universal Peace Coming! Wouldn’t it be wonderful […]

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Where are the Profits?

Ecclesiastes 2:11  Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun. Black Friday this year does not seem to be very black.  The sales on the […]

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The Solution for a Troubled Heart!

John 14:1  "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. Hopelessness! Recently we had terrorist attacks in Paris and of course it reminds us that we had a major terrorist attack in the US on 911 of 2011.  We had the Boston bombings.  We read about the plight of […]

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It Will be Awesome!

Ezekiel 1:28  Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One […]

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Are we Living in Religious Babylon Today?

  Ephesians 4:4-6  (4)There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;  (5)  one Lord, one faith, one baptism;  (6)  one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.   One Body Ephesians is written to a local […]

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Only Luke is with Me!

  Proverbs 25:25  As cold water to a weary soul, So is good news from a far country.   We could Use Some Good News We could use some good news from a far country today.  It would be nice to see Isis (or Isil or whatever they are supposed to be called) lay down […]

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Strange, Isn’t it?

  John 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. Luke 23:43  And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." Heaven or Paradise The […]

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So They Despised Him!

1 Samuel 10:26-27 And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and valiant men went with him, whose hearts God had touched. But some rebels said, "How can this man save us?" So they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace. Rejection I remember what it was like to be chosen […]

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How do we Keep the Unity of the Spirit?

    Ephesians 4:1-3  I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,  with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,  endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.   Saints, Slaves, Prisoners Christians […]

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Blood Moons

  Mat 24:44  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.   Frantic Expectation There is a certain frantic expectation in the fall air.  It is associated with a fourth blood moon that is set to occur on an important Jewish feast day, the […]

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The Question

    John 15:12-13 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.   Four Words for Love The Greek language has four words for love.  One of the words is the word often […]

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Meditate on These Things!

Philippians 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.   The Ugliness of September 11, 2011 Today as I am writing this meditation, we are being reminded of the terrible tragedy known as […]

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The Truth of the Lie

  John 18:38 Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?”  John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”   The Lies Never Quit The Unites States in the middle of another national election cycle.  These campaigns just go on […]

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The Depths of Despair

  Psalms 142:4  Look on my right hand and see, For there is no one who acknowledges me; Refuge has failed me; No one cares for my soul.   Background   This is a prayer of David, the man who had been anointed by Samuel to be king.  He had slain the giant;  but now […]

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The Problem with the Doing Plan

    Luke 5:12-13 And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, […]

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Paradise–a place of extreme Beauty, Delight, or Happiness

    2 Corinthians 12:2-4 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of […]

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An Old Preacher’s Wisdom

Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.   Beauty This planet is a beautiful place.  It is teeming with all different forms of life.  There are birds for the sky, plants for the earth, fish and other mammals for the sea as well as a multitude of other […]

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Paul was Faithful, Are We?

    Acts 20:27 “For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.”   A Cause for Reflection As I am writing this, I am faced with the loss of another close friend.  I received a text message last night a little after midnight.  It said that my friend had […]

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Freed from all Charges!

  Acts 13:38-39  “Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.   Background Paul and his band had gotten as […]

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All have Sinned (Except for the Man on the Middle Cross)!

All have Sinned (Except for the Man on the Middle Cross)!   1 Peter 2:23 Who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously.   What is God really like? Wouldn’t it be nice if we who claim to […]

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The Lord wants to be your Chef!

  Psalms 107:8-9:  Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness.   I just finished eating a wonderful breakfast.  The menu was eggs over easy, hash browns with […]

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What if?

  Romans 3:18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”   Consequences I am meditating on a very solemn subject this week.  That subject has to do with the consequences of offending God.  Our society today is much like the Roman society that Paul was describing in this epistle.  Paul uses Old Testament […]

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Faith, Hope, Charity!

1 Corinthians 13:13  And now abide faith, hope, love (charity), these three; but the greatest of these is love (charity).   Permanent Gifts The permanent gifts of the Spirit are faith, hope and charity.  The greatest of these gifts is love or charity.  This is the love that God had for the world when He […]

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Unbelievable!

John 11:47-48 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. “If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.”   The Miracle Lazarus the friend […]

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What a Story She Had!

  John 8:9  And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.   Things that the Lord Remembers The Lord made a promise after he destroyed the earth with a flood.  His promise was that He would never do that again.  He has set a rainbow in the clouds as a memorial […]

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Almost is not Good Enough

Acts 26:28-29  Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” And Paul said, “I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.”   The Apostle Paul Paul was given the […]

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Salvation is Free, Worship is Costly

  2 Samuel 24:24  Then the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God with that which costs me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.   The […]

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The True Report

    Luke 19:32  So those who were sent went their way and found it just as He had said to them.   Loosing the donkey that the Lord Needed Can we depend upon what the Lord says?  The short answer is “yes.”  The long answer is that when it comes to the eternal blessings […]

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Why Indeed?

Isaiah 61:1-2  “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of […]

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Oh for the Good Old Days!

    1 Samuel 10:24  And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?” So all the people shouted and said “Long live the king!”   When the Lord chose Saul to be the first King of […]

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According to the Scriptures!

Paul says: 1 Corinthians 15:3-4  For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.   The Lord says: Mark 8:31  And He began to […]

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Does the Lord Trust Me?

  Colossians 4:2  Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains.   The Church When Paul preached the Gospel, He looked for doors that […]

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The Potholes of Life

    Acts 13:38 “Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins.”   Last Friday was the first day of spring.  It even felt like spring and smelled like spring.  After a hard cold winter when the wind has been howling and snow […]

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The Last Great Enemy

    Mark 14:34 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch.”   The Last Great Enemy Most people want to avoid death if at all possible.  Even Christians who say that they are not afraid to die tend to wear seat belts, they go to […]

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Even Saved People Make Dumb Decisions

    Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.   Aladdin’s Lamp In the Middle Eastern folk tales called “A […]

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All Men (and women) Everywhere!

  Acts 17:30 “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.   Limiting the Gospel I have noticed over the years that there is always a tendency on the part of different groups of people to limit the Gospel.  Some limit it to ethnic groups.  Some limit it […]

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Are we Reproducing?

Luke 8:11-15  “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. “Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, […]

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What is this Greater Love?

  John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”   February 14 is Valentine’s Day.  It is the one day in the year when we tell our significant others that we love them.  And then that is supposed to carry them through another year.  I […]

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Godly Counsel

  Isaiah 9:6  For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.   Human Counselors When people with “problems” go to counselors, they usually seek out those who […]

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My Two Cents Worth!

    Romans 2:11-12 For there is no partiality with God. For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law.   Recently the Patriots played the Colts for a chance to go to the 2015 Superbowl, […]

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Wheat or Tares? False or Genuine?

   Matthew 13:24-25  Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; “but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.   The Enemy is at Work The Bible addresses the truth.  One […]

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Whom not What!

  2 Timothy 1:12  For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.   The Making of Many Books is only Wearisome Solomon, the preacher, admonished […]

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Let’s Make Someone truly Happy this Year!

    Genesis 6:5-9 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the LORD […]

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Our Topsy Turvy World

    Luke 13:30 And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.   As we come to the end of another year, I think it is always wise to review the past year to see if there was anything in it that amounted to anything.  We […]

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The Quandary

Isaiah 53:1 Who has believed our report?  And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?   The Wise Men In Matthew 2, wise men from the East saw the Lord’s star which had to be in the west.   They were being led from the east to the west to find and worship […]

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The Ever Existing One

  Revelation 4:8  “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”   The Unanswerable Questions Some of us lay on our beds at night and ponder questions that simply have no rational answer.  One of them has to do with the question of how God can exist if He […]

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Keeping the Main Thing, the Main Thing

    2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season.   I heard a good sermon this weekend.  One of the seven points had to do with Timothy fulfilling his ministry and keeping the main thing, the main thing.  I got to thinking, “Just what should the main thing […]

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Forbidden Fruit and Sorrow!

Lamentations 1:12 Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?  Behold and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which has been brought on me, which the LORD has inflicted in the day of His fierce anger.   This life is a life of contrasts.  It has hills and valleys.  It […]

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Surely!

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”   Eve had a choice.  She could believe God who had said she would die […]

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Prioritizing God’s Way

  Matthew 6:33  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.   Busyness Likely we were all busy today.  We were all busy this week.  We have been busy all year.  But did we give the highest priority to being busy with the Lord’s […]

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One Man!

    Romans 5:15  But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.   Does one man or one woman make a difference?  Yes they […]

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Everlasting Destruction

2 Thessalonians 1:9  These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.   The two words “everlasting destruction” have been bothering me a great deal of late. In this letter to suffering Saints, Paul encourages them by telling them that their suffering at the […]

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Wouldn’t a Modern Day Miracle be Nice?

Luke 16:31 But he said to him, “If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead."   The Miracles of the Lord The Lord did unusual miracles when He was here on earth and those miracles made no difference to those who would not […]

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Some of the Important Scriptures that Guide My Life

The Scriptures including Paul’s writings are Inspired 2 Timothy 3:16  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 2 Peter 3:15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to […]

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The Beauty of the Clouds at Sunset

Revelation 1:7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. God must be an Artist The God who created this world must be an artist.  He has created a lot of […]

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The Preacher Got this Right!

Ecclesiastes 7:2 Better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, For that is the end of all men; And the living will take it to heart. King Solomon as an Author King Solomon started out as a wise spiritual King.  He did not improve with age.  He […]

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King Ahab Didn’t Need to be Told!

 King Ahab Didn’t Need to be Told! 1 Kings 22:15 Then he came to the king; and the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall we refrain?” And he answered him, “Go and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king!” So […]

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To Whom am I Listening?

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. The Adversary An adversary is an opponent, an enemy, a foe, one who […]

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Always Number Two

John 3:30  “He must increase, but I must decrease.”   Introduction   John the Baptist is an interesting study.  I have wondered if I would have been happy to have had his calling on my life.  How would I have liked to be the one to point out the sin of the nation of Israel?  […]

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A Matter of Integrity!

John 16:13  “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.   Divine Inspiration and Divine Interpretation The Scriptures are God breathed according to […]

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The Time is Near or Ready

  Revelation 1:1-3 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. […]

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The Lord is the Supreme Accountant! ‏

Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.   Accountability Accountability is taught throughout the Bible.  Christians […]

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Is it Good Enough for You?

1 Timothy 2:4 (God our Savior) desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Is it really true? Many people say that they cannot believe the Bible and others say that they cannot believe God.  Why is it so hard to believe?  It is because we have to […]

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Peter got it Right!

 Matthew 16:13-16 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that […]

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We often don’t Have a Clue!

Job 12:2 “No doubt you are the people, And wisdom will die with you!   Life is full of Tragedy Recently, life in our corner of the world has been filled with tragedy.  God has been good to us personally, but people that we know have experienced unusual accidents illnesses and sorrows   I have noticed […]

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Have we been truly Liberated?

2 Peter 2:19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. Today all of us want to make our own mistakes and make them we do! We think we have become enlightened about moral issues and refuse […]

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What is in a Name?

What do you think of when you hear the name Jeroboam?  What about the name Baalam?  What about the name Paul?  What about the name Jesus?  I think that most who read their Bibles would agree that Jeroboam made Israel to sin, that Balaam was covetous, that Paul was faithful and that the Lord is […]

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Are the Warnings all Hype for Naught?

1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor […]

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The God of This Age

2 Corinthians 4:3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. Memorial Day This […]

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Don’t the Meek end up on Crosses?

Matthew 5: 5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. Definition Humble and gentle are two words that are usually used to define the word meek.  Humble means not to be proud or arrogant.  So a meek person is not proud, self-assertive, or abusive in any way.  The Lord says that these […]

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Why did God Send His Son into the World?

John 3:17 “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  Work, Purpose, Results Most of us who love the Lord love the Gospel as set forth in John 3:16-18.  I often say that John 3:16 tells us of the work […]

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AH-HA MOMENTS!

Luke 24:39 “Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” Some things are hard to believe.  People have a hard time believing that a great fish swallowed Jonah.  Some have trouble with the story […]

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God’s Dear, Precious, Special, Unique and Only Son!

Luke 9: 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!”  A person could be known in a lot of different ways in this life.  Some want to be known as President, some as CEO, some as rich, and some as intelligent.  But there is nothing quite […]

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Is God ALWAYS in control?

Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. We who are believers in the Lord, believe that God is omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all knowing) and omnipresent (everywhere present).  As a result, when […]

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Blessings instead of Curses

Joshua 23:14-15: Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word […]

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Being Where We Should be, When We Should be There, Doing What We Should be Doing!

Luke 2:49 And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” The Lord and the Heavens The Lord was always where He should be, when He should be there.  He was obedient to his earthly parents even when they thought He was […]

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The Importance of our Souls

  Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. (NKJV) Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and […]

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That Day!

Luke 23:33 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.  “Seeing” What Happened at Calvary that Day! When we preach sometimes we like to explain the meaning of the Scripture that we are reading.  Sometimes […]

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Forever and Ever!

  Revelation 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Time that never ends I have been thinking about how long forever and ever is.  It is time […]

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What do I Hear?

Mark 4:23-24 “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. Introduction The Bible talks a lot about the way people hear or listen.  […]

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God’s Perspective vs Man’s

Exodus 30:15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls. Each man had equal value When the children of Israel came out of Egypt they were numbered.  A census was taken […]

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Do we Really Mean What we Say?

Exodus 19:8 Then all the people answered together and said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do.” So Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD. Exodus 24:3 So Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the judgments. And all the people answered […]

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Right Question, Wrong Answer!

Matthew 27:22 Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!” The Jews were Clever but Cruel The religious leaders of the Jews had cleverly maneuvered Pilate so that he was between a rock and a hard spot.  Pilate knew […]

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The Wisdom of Fearing God

Genesis 42: 18 Then Joseph said to them the third day, “Do this and live, for I fear God:  Joseph Fears God Joseph’s dream had finally come true.  He had been sold into slavery in Egypt because of the hatred of his brothers.  As a result, he had become second in command to Pharaoh.  God […]

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Scheming instead of Trusting

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God. And this stone which […]

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Walk in Unity

Ephesians 4:1-3:  I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Introduction God desires to see His people […]

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Perfect Peace from the Rock of Ages

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Trust in the LORD forever, For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength (or the Rock of Ages). (Isaiah 26:3-4) Reflecting on the End of Another Year As we come to the end of another year, it […]

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Banking on the Truth

2Timothy 3:14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them. Deception Abounds! As we get closer and closer to the Lord’s return, it is harder and harder to make sure that what we believe is true.  I can find news reports […]

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Beauty is more than Skin Deep

Isaiah 53:2   For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant,  And as a root out of dry ground.  He has no form or comeliness;  And when we see Him,  There is  no beauty that we should desire Him.  Three things that we enjoy When we go on vacation, we like to do […]

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What is it Going to Take?

Psalm 107:8-9 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness. The Cost of Departure The children of Israel had rebelled against the Lord and had been taken into […]

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Should we Fear God?

Romans 3:18   “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”  Fear is from the Greek word phobos.  It is from a primary word phebomai (to be put in fear); alarm or fright.  The word has been translated:  be afraid, + exceedingly, fear, terror. Fear Defined and Explained Sometimes fear is looked at as reverence […]

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Our Weeping Savior!

Luke 19:41-43 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it,  saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.  For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment […]

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I’m Looking for Robins!

Song of Solomon 2:10-13 10 My beloved spoke, and said to me:“Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away. 11 For lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone. 12 The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove Is heard […]

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Would we Recognize Truth if it Bit us?

John 17:17 “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” Truth is difficult to recognize in this life.  A really good used car salesman can convince most of us that the car he wants to sell us is a cream-puff that will drive forever.  But of course he will also convince us that the […]

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What are the Desires our Hearts?

Psalms 37:4 Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Some years back I had a friend who was sick with cancer.  He and his wife and at least one friend all seemed to take courage from a promise made in one of the Psalms.  I think […]

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The Best Story Ever

James 4:14 Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.  My mom recently passed into the Lord’s presence at the age of 95.  In a few more weeks she would have been 96.  Up […]

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Let’s Think about Eternity!

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 4:3 that the time will come when people will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap […]

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A Foolish Leap in the Dark!

1 Corinthians 15:34  Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak  this  to your shame. 2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. […]

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Try It! It Works!

Matthew 11:28-30   Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Labor […]

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How Much are we Worth?

1 Corinthians 6:19-20   Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. Who in […]

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Is that so Hard? Really!

Psalm 107:31 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! Four times over the writer of this Psalm repeats this desire of his heart.  We do not know for sure who wrote the Psalm, but we do know that whoever wrote […]

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The Art of Bible Banging!

Matthew 4:4   But He answered and said, “It is written,  ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ” The Lord had been fasting for forty days and forty nights.  Luke says that he ate nothing during this fast.  Both Luke and Matthew said he […]

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That Troublesome ALL!

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Some days a person hates to turn on the news because the moment we do we are bombarded with sin and its justification.  The heart of man has not changed since the fall of Adam.  But things that used to remain […]

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Is there Such a Thing as Righteous Judgment?

2 Timothy 4:8  Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. Likely by now everyone knows the names of Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman.  My […]

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We Don’t Know that we Don’t Know!

Job 13:15  Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him. The older we get, the more we know that we don’t know much.  God is all knowing.  Man is anything but.  We all think God should be like us, and do what we want […]

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Breathless at 14, 000 Feet!

Matthew 14:23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. Mountain top experiences are found frequently in the Bible.  Some of them are great experiences and some of them are not so great. Moses spent a lot […]

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Where did the Time Go?

Psalms 90:10  The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away. When I was young, on my birthday we would read a children’s book about a farmer who […]

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OOPS! Haman didn’t see that Coming!

Esther 6:6  So Haman came in, and the king asked him, "What shall be done for the man whom the king delights to honor?" Now Haman thought in his heart, "Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?" The little book of Esther in the old testament is one of the most captivating […]

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Enjoying the Trip!

Meditation for the week of June 9, 2013 John 14:5-6  Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?"  Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. How would we […]

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Would We Cross the Street to See Him?

Meditation for the week of  June 2, 2013 John 12:20-21  Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast.  Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." Why did these Greeks want to see Jesus?  They […]

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Remembering what we should Forget, Forgetting what we should Remember!

Meditation for the week of May 26, 2013 "THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR HEARTS, AND IN THEIR MINDS I WILL WRITE THEM," then He adds, "THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE." (Hebrews […]

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The Simplicity of an Equal Sign!

Meditation for the week of May 12, 2013 John 3:36  He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." Mother’s produce children that they love.  The child that a mother brings into the world has […]

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Enjoying the Nearness of the Lord

Meditation for the week of May 5, 2013 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. (Philippians 4:5) I like technology.  I especially like a program that we use on our computers at home called Skype.  That program has made it possible for us to call our family members and […]

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One Night of Sin, One Lifetime of Sorrow!

Meditation for the week of April 28, 2013 Then the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went, he said thus: "O my son Absalom–my son, my son Absalom–if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, my son!" (2 Samuel […]

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He Emptied Himself!

Meditation for the week of April 21, 2013 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of […]

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A Simple but Powerful Message!

Meditation for the week of April 14, 2013 Luke 13:3, 5  I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. This must be an important statement since it is repeated.  In this chapter we have people who think they are saved but they are not.  Even though we don’t like to […]

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We can and should Enjoy life, but not Everything is about Having Fun!

Meditation for the week of April 7, 2013 Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment Heb 12:11  Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by […]

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I’m Going With the Empty Tomb!

Meditation for the week of March 31, 2012 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. (Romans 14:12 Accountability is the name of the game in this life.  It is also the name of the game in the next.  We are all going to give account to the God who created […]

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How Often do we Forsake the Lord and Flee?

Meditation for the week of March 17, 2013 Mark 14:50  Then they all forsook Him and fled. 2 Timothy 4:16  At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them. This is the time of the year when we remember the crucifixion and resurrection of […]

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A Wonderful Savior Is Jesus My Lord!

Meditation for the week of March 10, 2013 A Song of Ascents. I will lift up my eyes to the hills– From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. (Psalms 121:1-2) Does our help come from the hills or does it come from the Lord?  Obviously, it […]

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What are We Going to Do?

Meditation for the week of March 3, 2013 Mark 8:8  So they ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments. We live in a day of great uncertainty.  The government is cutting back on its spending.  Inflation is rampant.  Many workers have been laid off and many have lost […]

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His name is Jesus and we call Him Lord.

Meditation for the week of February 24, 2013 Psalms 23:3  He restores my soul! You coffee drinkers know how great that first cup of good coffee tastes in the morning.  Some of you know how great a cold Coke or Pepsi tastes on a hot summer day.  Or perhaps you have been refreshed by a […]

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A Word for the Wise!

Meditation for the week of February 10, 2013 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  (John 3:17) I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.   […]

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Moved with Compassion!

Meditation for the week of January 20, 2013 And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. (Matthew 14:14) According to Dictionary.com, compassion is a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong […]

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God’s Friend Was a Flawed Man!

Meditation for the week of January 13, 2013 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS." And he was called the friend of God. (James 2:23) Abraham was the friend of God.  He was the model that God uses to explain faith.  Yet when I […]

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Guilt trips, Who Needs Them?

Meditation for the week of January 6, 2013 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. (Romans 3:19) Every so often I get a rather good email having to do with […]

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What a Day that will Be!

Meditation for the week of December 30, 2012 Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." (Revelation 21:5) We are coming to a “new” year.  The designation of a new year on the calendar is really […]

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The Disappointment of an Unappreciated Gift!

Meditation for the week of December 23, 2012 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23) This is the gift giving season.  I have never figured out how worship of the Lord by the Magi who gave the Lord gifts of […]

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The Problem of False Warnings!

Meditation for the week of November 25, 2012 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s […]

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Memory, Sometimes it is nice to Lose it!

Meditation for the week of November 18, 2012 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. (Malachi 3:16) And their sins and iniquities will […]

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Perfect Balance!

Meditation for the week of November 11, 2012 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14) The Word in this verse is the Lord.  He is the way God has communicated to […]

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Renovating this old House

Meditation for the week of November 4, 2012 Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and […]

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Call Me Satisfied!

Meditation for the week of October 28, 2012 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness. (Psalms 107:8-9) Have you ever been out hiking on a hot day […]

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The Lord IS Coming!

Meditation for the week of October 21, 2012 So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business till I come.’ (Luke 19:13) The Lord has promised to come again.  One aspect of His second coming is given to us in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 where the church […]

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Thank you, Father!

Meditation for the week of October 7, 2012 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.  (Hebrews 13:15) I see prayer as a conversation with God.  We talk to Him and He talks to us.  Sometimes He talks […]

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That’s Bananas!

Meditation for the week of September 23, 2012 "But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. (Luke 15:22) The fact that a believer in the Lord Jesus has “Christ in Him (Colossians 1:27, Romans […]

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Say What?

Meditation for the week of September 9, 2012 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth– those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. (John […]

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Putting God to the Test

Meditation for the week of August 26, 2012 Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, "Give us water, that we may drink." So Moses said to them, "Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the LORD?" (Exodus 17:2) Jesus said to him, "It is written again, ‘YOU SHALL NOT TEMPT THE […]

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Do We Really Love our Neighbors?

Meditation for the week of August 19, 2012 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. "Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to […]

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Making that which is Simple too Simple!

Meditation for the week of August 12, 2012 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness.  (1 Corinthians 1:22-23) Over the years I have tried to help people understand the Gospel who are fairly ignorant with regard […]

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It’s called Faith!

Meditation for the week of August 5, 2012 A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, To such as are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; My steps had nearly slipped. (Psalms 73:1-2) We know God doesn’t think like we think (Isaiah 55:8) so we don’t always […]

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What has the Lord done for You?

Meditation for the week of July 29, 2012 Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you." And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the […]

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Saving a Few

Meditation for the week of July 15, 2012 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. (Matthew 24:34-35) The message of the Bible is that all people need to […]

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Jumping to Conclusions

Meditation for the week of July 8, 2012 "Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright ever cut off?  (Job 4:7) Exercise is recommended for all of us today.  Even the Bible says that exercise is good even though it only profits for a little while.  But the only exercise many […]

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Birthday’s—People lose their Lives at Them!

Meditation for the week of July 1, 2012 Now it came to pass on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants. Then he restored the chief butler to […]

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The Lord’s Desire!

Meditation for the week of June 24, 2012 I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may […]

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Do we Grieve or do we Gloat at the Violence in our World?

Meditation for the week of June 17, 2012 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.  (1 John 3:15) Recently I was in a Starbucks coffee shop.  They were playing Johnny Cash’s “25 minutes to Go.”  It is gruesome song about a man about […]

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What a way to die!

Meditation for the week of June 10, 2012 He was thirty-two years old when he became king. He reigned in Jerusalem eight years and, to no one’s sorrow, departed. However they buried him in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings. (2 Chronicles 21:20) Recently a young missionary family lost […]

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Hard Questions!

Meditation for the week of June 3, 2012 Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions. (1 Kings 10:1) Solomon had wisdom and power and riches.  Did I mention that he had wisdom?  He seemed to have […]

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Remembering!

Meditation for the week of May 27, 2012 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.  (Matthew 24:6) There are some things that I wish I could forget.  My family and I made […]

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Death in the Stew!

Meditation for the week of May 13, 2012 Then they served it to the men to eat. Now it happened, as they were eating the stew, that they cried out and said, "Man of God, there is death in the pot!" And they could not eat it. So he said, "Then bring some flour." And […]

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The Hope of Eternal Life

Meditation for the week of May 6, 2012 Titus 3:7  that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. What does ETERNAL life mean to us?  Surely it is a never ending life, but it is more than that.  The unsaved die and exist for eternity, […]

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Betrayed!

Meditation for the week of April 29, 2012 2 Corinthians 13:12  Greet one another with a holy kiss Luke 22:48  But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" 2 Samuel 15:5  And so it was, whenever anyone came near to bow down to him (Absalom), that he […]

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What is my Score?

Meditation for the week of April 15, 2012 Matthew 23:13  "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. Many of us who preach the Gospel like to keep […]

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The Greatest Mistake!

Meditation for the week of April 8, 2012 Hebrews 10:29  Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? This weekend, the fact […]

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Can we SEE Faith?

Meditation for the week of April 1, 2012 Luke 5:20  When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." How can we SEE faith?  Faith is a matter of the heart.  The Ethiopian official was told that if he believed with all his heart he could be baptized (Acts […]

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Our Compassionate Savior!

Meditation for the week of March 25, 2012 Luke 10:33  But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. The Strong’s dictionary says that compassion shows sympathy or pity to someone.  The Webster dictionary says, “A suffering with another; painful sympathy; a sensation of sorrow […]

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Must is a good Four Letter Word!

Meditation for the week of March 18, 2012 Mark 14:48-50  Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me?  I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me. But the Scriptures MUST be fulfilled."  Then they […]

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How can we Properly Respect the Lord?

Meditation for the week of March 11, 2012 Mark 12:6  Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, “They will respect my son.” Respect is something that is hard to come by in our day.  We are told that it is earned, but often it is given to […]

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Silver and Gold I do not Have!

Meditation for the week of February 26, 2012 Acts 3:6  Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." Most of us think that we could do great things for the Lord if we […]

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“Thank you, Lord Jesus!”

Meditation for the week of Week of February 19, 2012 Psalms 56:3  Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You (The Most High God). David was running from Saul.  Saul should have been his friend since David had served Him faithfully.  However, Saul knew that David was God’s choice to replace him on the […]

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We Need to get Honest!

Meditation for the week of February 12, 2012 Luke 5:8  When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" When Simon Peter was called to follow the Lord, he obviously didn’t feel “holy” enough to do that.  The Lord had used […]

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The Main Thing!

Meditation for the week of February 5, 2012 Galatians 1:8  But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. Preaching an accurate faithful Gospel is important to the Lord and it needs to be important to us.  When […]

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Some Things that are Impossible with God!

Meditation for the week of January 29, 2012 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them […]

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Is He or Isn’t He?

Meditation for the week of January 15, 2012 Genesis 28:16  Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it." Luke 2:44  but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. […]

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Faithfulness!

Meditation for the week of January 1, 2011 1 Corinthians 4:1-2  Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.  Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. As we come to the end of another year, I am asking myself, “What did I […]

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The Promise is Sure!

Meditation for the week of December 25, 2011 Habakkuk 2:3  For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry. On Christmas day many are opening presents and enjoying […]

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Are we Experiencing a Famine?

Meditation for the week of December 18, 2011 Amos 8:11  "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord GOD, "That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the LORD. The last words of the Lord given to Israel […]

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God’s Privacy Policy

Meditation for the week of December 10, 2011 Genesis 16:13  Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, You-Are- the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, "Have I also here seen Him who sees me?" Proverbs 15:3  The eyes of the LORD are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good. […]

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The Joy of an Open Door

Meditation for the week of December 4, 2011 Revelation 3:8  "I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. A door usually keeps people out.  When it is open, […]

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Reasons to Rejoice and be Thankful!

Meditation for the week of November 27, 2011 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”  Mark 16:15-16 Thanksgiving is my favorite time of year.  I trusted in […]

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Grace is a Great Blessing!

Meditation for the week of November 20, 2011 (Hebrews 13:25)  Grace be with you all. Amen. The writer to the Hebrews closes his epistle by hoping that those who read the letter will be benefited by its teaching.  The fundamental theme of the epistle is that Christ and His blessings are better than the blessings […]

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Regeneration or Reformation?

Meditation for the week of October 30, 2011 Titus 3:4-5  But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared,  not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing (or renovation) of the Holy Spirit. The […]

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Should’ve had a V8!

Meditation for the week of October 23, 2011 "For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns–broken cisterns that can hold no water.  (Jeremiah 2:13) Some time back V8, a tomato based drink, had an ad where the punch line was, “I should’ve had […]

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Who is Faithful and Dependable Today?

Meditation for the week of October 16, 2011 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15) Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, But who can find a faithful man? (Proverbs 20:6) A righteous […]

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Living Miracles of God’s Grace!

Meditation for the week of October 9, 2011 He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria.  (John 4:3-4) Why did the Lord have to go through Samaria on His way to Galilee?  Normally, a Jew avoided going through Samaria because while the Samaritans were people with some Jewish […]

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From What Have we Turned?

Meditation for the week of September 25, 2011 For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.  (1 Thessalonians 1:9) The Thessalonians who had been involved in idol worship turned from it when they were […]

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Give me Neither Poverty or Riches!

Meditation for the week of September 18, 2011 Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches– Feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You, And say, "Who is the LORD?" Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my […]

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Satan is Real!

Meditation for the week of September 11, 2011 Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, "What you do, do quickly." (John 13:27) Many of us remember certain events with absolute clarity.  I remember when I first heard that President Kennedy had been assassinated.  I remember hearing the news […]

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Labor is Good, Rest is Commanded!

Meditation for the week of September 4, 2011 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male […]

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Will there ever be peace in Jerusalem?

Meditation for the week of August 28, 2011 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you.” (Psalms 122:6) Jerusalem is a very important city as far as God is concerned.  Melchizedek was King of Salem or Jerusalem long before it was established as the capital of Israel.  He was also priest […]

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Does God Punish?

Meditation for the week of August 21, 2011 Hebrews 12:6  FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE CHASTENS, AND SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES. Most of us would like to think that salvation solves all of our problems.  A Christian’s path is supposed to be downhill (even though we are traveling up to heaven), the […]

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What am I Missing Here?

Meditation for the week of August 14, 2011 (Jeremiah 17:5)  Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD. (Jeremiah 17:7)  "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. The political process of electing […]

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Occupying the Mind with Christ!

Meditation for the week of August 7, 2011 Romans 8:2-3  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.   For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in […]

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Whom are we going to Believe?

Meditation for the week of July 31, 2011 Matthew 25:41  "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. The meditation this week is one that has been haunting me.  Is there really a place of everlasting […]

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It is a Fact. The Lord Lives!

Meditation for the week of July 17, 2011 Psalms 18:46  The LORD lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted. King David’s God was personal, living and real.  He spoke to the Lord and the Lord spoke to Him.  In his life and in his decisions, the LORD was as […]

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Pride, the Sin that Puffs us up!

Meditation for the week of July 10, 2011 (1 Corinthians 13:4)  Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up. The Corinthians had been blessed.  Good preachers had led them to the Lord. They had gifted men and women in their congregation.  They had great […]

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Overcoming Prejudice

Meditation for the week of July 3, 2011 Acts 10:33  So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God. Acts 11:13-14   And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his […]

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Wicked People!

Meditation for the week of June 26, 2011 Esther 7:6  And Esther said, "The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman!" So Haman was terrified before the king and queen. Haman was wicked.  The men of Sodom were wicked (Genesis 13:13).  People who claim to be Christians but who persist in immorality, covetousness, worshiping idols, […]

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Whom Ye Have Crucified!

Meditation for the week of Jun 19, 2011 Acts 2:23  Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Acts 2:36-37  Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both […]

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The Joy of being Saved and Baptized!

Meditation for the week of June 12, 2011 Acts 8:39  Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. This official from “darkest Africa” is an example of what happens when we […]

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Making Converts by Force

Meditation for the week of June 5, 2011 2 Chronicles 15:13  . . . whoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel was to be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. Asa was one of Judah’s good kings.  He tried to get rid of idolatry in the land.  He […]

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Getting it Right!

Meditation for the week of May 29, 2011 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  John 3:17 This Memorial Day weekend, many of us have spent time at cemeteries.  There were ceremonies honoring the war veterans and flowers honoring […]

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The Shrill Voice vs The Still Voice

Meditation for the week of May 22, 2011 1 Kings 19:11-12 Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in […]

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Why?

Meditation for the week of May 15, 2011 Genesis 3:1  Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?" Why did Eve eat the forbidden fruit […]

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Bad Examples of Motherhood

Meditation for the week of May 8, 2011 "HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER," which is the first commandment with promise (Ephesians 6:2). Often as we grow up, we tend to rebel against our parents.  We may feel that when it comes to spiritual things, we were brainwashed and forced to attend religious activities.  We are […]

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Sweet Singing!

Meditation for the week of May 1, 2011 Now these are the last words of David. Thus says David the son of Jesse; Thus says the man raised up on high, The anointed of the God of Jacob, And the sweet psalmist of Israel.  (2 Samuel 23:1) David had the ability to write songs and […]

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Peace in Troubling Times

Meditation for the week of April 24, 2011 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place […]

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God, Who is He?

Meditation for the week of April 17, 2011 John 8:24  Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." Muslim’s worship Allah.  Jews worship Jehovah.  Christians worship the Lord Jesus Christ.  Are we all worshiping the […]

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Speak Lord!

Meditation for the week of April 10, 2011 1 Samuel 3:7  Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him. Every person must meet the Lord Jesus personally and trust Him if they are going to be in God’s heaven.  The Bible calls this being […]

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The Library that is Lost by Death

Meditation for the week of April 3, 2011 1 Kings 12:6-8 Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who stood before his father Solomon while he still lived, and he said, “How do you advise me to answer these people?” And they spoke to him, saying, “If you will be a servant to these people today, […]

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Test all Things!

Meditation for the week of March 27, 2011 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22:  Do not despise prophecies.  Test all things; hold fast what is good.  Abstain from every form of evil. Today, many preachers claim to be prophets in the modern day sense.  A modern day prophet is one who speaks for God just like old testament […]

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Something to Think About!

Meditation for the week of March 20, 2011 2 Timothy 1:4-5 Greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded […]

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Are we Really Wasting our Lives and Resources?

Meditation for the week of March 13, 2011 Mark 14:3-4 And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.  But there were some […]

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Standing between the Dead and the Living

Meditation for the week of February 27, 2011 Numbers 16:47-48 Then Aaron took it as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and already the plague had begun among the people. So he put in the incense and made atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living; […]

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Throwing Good Money after Bad!

Meditation for the week of February 20, 2010 Mark 2:21-22 "No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, […]

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The Best Love Story of All!

Meditation for the week of February 13, 2010 Job 4:7 "Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright ever cut off? Who ever perished being innocent?  The Lord did!  Fortunately He didn’t perish eternally.  He was raised from the dead; and now those who of us who deserved to perish eternally […]

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The Joy of Being in the Saving Business!

Meditation for the week of February 6, 2011 Acts 16:30-31 And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"  So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." Recently, I came out of our house and saw a car stuck […]

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What, Sell All and Give it to the Poor? Really?

Meditation for the week of January 30, 2011 Mathew 19:21 Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." Money, our attitude toward it and stewardship of it, is an important subject in […]

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Thank God for Grace!

Meditation for the week of January 23, 2011 John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. I am so glad that we do not read in Scripture, “For by the law you are saved.”  Instead we read, “For by grace are you saved (Ephesians 2:5).”  The […]

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Ye shall be as gods!

Meditation for the week of January 16, 2011 2Thessalonians 2:3-4  Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is […]

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How FEW Really Find the Truth?

Meditation for the week of January 9, 2011 Genesis 18:23-24 And Abraham came near and said, "Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? "Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it? Genesis 18:32 Then he […]

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What do we Really Believe?

Meditation for the week of January 2, 2011 1Kings 18:21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people answered him not a word. We have reached the beginning of another new […]

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The Post Holiday Blues!

Meditation for the week of December 26, 2010 John 4:13-14 Jesus answered and said to her, "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, "but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing […]

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Merry Christmas?

Meditation for the week of December 19, 2010 Hebrews 9:22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. In 2005, the American Family Association targeted the Target Stores because they were banning the greeting “Merry Christmas” from their advertising and their stores.  […]

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Our Hope has been Deferred, but the Promise is Sure!

Meditation for the week of December 12, 2010 Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life. My wife and I follow the journeys of a number of people whose children have cancer.  We watch as they wait expectantly for the Lord to cure the […]

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Nebuchadnezzar’s Testimony

Meditation for the week of December 5, 2010 Daniel 4:1-2 Nebuchadnezzar the king, To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you.  I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me. People who are true converts to […]

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Trying to Convince the Unconvinced!

Meditation for the week of November 28, 2010 Ezekiel 39:27-28 When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and I am hallowed in them in the sight of many nations, then they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who sent them into captivity […]

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Thank you Lord!

Meditation for the week of November 21, 2010 Revelation 7:11-12 All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever […]

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What Does it Mean to Perish?

Meditation for the week of November 14, 2010 John 3:15 "that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. The Lord uses love to draw us to Himself, but He also warns us of the consequences of not trusting in Him.  In the old testament, the children of Israel were blessed and […]

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Is There any Word from the Lord?

Meditation for the week of November 7, 2010 Jeremiah 37:17 then Zedekiah the king sent and took him out. The king asked him secretly in his house, and said, "Is there any word from the LORD?" And Jeremiah said, "There is." Then he said, "You shall be delivered into the hand of the king of […]

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Silence Can be Golden

Meditation for the week of October 24, 2010 Habakkuk 2:20 But the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him. We do not live in a quiet world.  Most college courses in communication deal with debate, and public speaking.  I am not sure that I have ever taken a […]

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Worship, What is It?

Meditation for the week of October 10, 2010 Genesis 22:5 And Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you." Worship is hard to define, but we all know it when we see it.  Some people worship […]

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Treasure in Heaven

Meditation for the week of October 3, 2010 Matthew 19:21 Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." We are born and about eighty years later we die.  Sometimes that cycle seems […]

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A Matter of the Heart

Meditation for the week of September 26, 2010 1 John 2:15-16 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride […]

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Having Fun

Meditation for the week of September 19, 2010 Ecclesiastes 2:1 I said in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure"; but surely, this also was vanity. Having fun doesn’t seem to be a good thing in the Bible, yet it seems to be the goal of our lives in […]

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The End is Near!

Meditation for the week of September 12, 2010 1 Peter 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 2 Peter 3:3-4 Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, "Where is the promise of […]

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Isn’t our God Great?

Meditation for the week of September 5, 2010 1 Corinthians13:4-7  Love (1) suffers long and (2) is kind; (3) love does not envy; love (4) does not parade itself, (5) is not puffed up; (6) does not behave rudely, (7) does not seek its own, (8) is not provoked, (9) thinks no evil; (10) does […]

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How is my Thinking Coming Along?

Meditation for the week of August 29, 2010 Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. "Eat and drink!" he says to you, But his heart is not with you. We often hear that we are what we eat.  We also hear that we are what we think.  I am glad […]

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Why is Thanksgiving a Sacrifice?

Meditation for the week of August 22, 2010 Psalm 116:17 I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, And will call upon the name of the LORD. A sacrifice is costly.  We give up something precious when we sacrifice.  Why would God consider thanksgiving to be a sacrifice?  Perhaps it is because it is […]

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Why do we like Birthdays?

Meditation for the week of August 15, 2010 Hebrews 9:27-28 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. Recently […]

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