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December 31, 2004
I heard about one man who made some New Year's resolutions. In 2002 he said, "I will not get upset when Sam and Charlie make jokes about my baldness." In 2003 it was, "I won't get annoyed when Charlie and Sam kid me about my hairpiece." Then in 2004, "I w...
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December 30, 2004
Many people make resolutions this time of the year. Right now people are planning their New Year's Resolutions. Some are going to swear off alcohol or smoking or television or overeating. Others are going to try to change wicked habits like gossip or worr...
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December 29, 2004
We never know what the New Year will bring. We don't know what problems we will encounter, or what changes will come our way. We don't even know what blessings the Lord has in store for us. But one thing is guaranteed. No matter what the New Year brings o...
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December 28, 2004
As we come to the beginning of a new year and the ending of an old one, we often wish we could turn over a new leaf or gain a fresh start.
I once read about a man who was reading his morning newspaper and was shocked to find his name listed in ...
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December 27, 2004
Let me share with you a true story about a missionary whose name was John Patton. He was based in the New Hebrides Islands with his wife and children. They had a mission compound there. One night hostile natives surrounded the mission station intent on ki...
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December 24, 2004
This Christmas Eve, don't miss the point of celebrating Christmas. Don't be like the innkeeper who missed Jesus because he was too busy (see Luke 2). Make time for the Lord. Don't be like King Herod who was too afraid to let Christ rule His life (see Matt...
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December 23, 2004
In these days of modern technology, we never miss a thing with TiVo, voice mail, DVD recorders, and camera phones. But even though our toys keep us from missing a phone call, they can also cause us to miss the real reason for the holiday season. You can w...
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December 22, 2004
We celebrate Christmas in order to rejoice over God's most precious gift to us. The birth of Jesus Christ is a gift from God that came in simple wrapping, as well as a gift we don't deserve. But the gift of Christ also explains His purpose for humankind. ...
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December 21, 2004
When you're a child, Christmas is all about receiving gifts. In December, your head is swimming with nothing but images of your favorite toys. But the true message of Christmas is not the presents we give to one another. The true meaning is the gift that ...
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December 20, 2004
It really is an amazing thing to think about the mystery of the Incarnation—that mysterious moment when God became a man. Jesus Christ—God the Son—was born in a manger. He went from the throne of heaven to a feeding trough. He went from ...
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December 17, 2004
Sometimes we think the only place to flourish spiritually is to be in the midst of Christians. In our minds a good Christian must have his or her kids in a Christian school. We think we can only watch Christian television and only wear Christian clothes. ...
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December 16, 2004
Most of us are familiar with scales—and most of us usually don't like to get on them. If there is ever a problem with stepping on a scale, it's not usually that we weigh too little; it's that we weigh too much. We'll often say, "I think the scale is...
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December 15, 2004
The Christian who has committed his or her life to the Lord should always be available to be used by God. We ought to say, "Lord, You can use me whether it is my day off or not. I may be out surfing, or on the golf course, or out snowboarding, but I want ...
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December 14, 2004
The Prophet Jonah very reluctantly went to the city of Nineveh and preached that God was going to judge them in forty days. Amazingly the people of Nineveh repented from their sins and the king commanded his subjects to "cry mightily to God" (Jonah 3:8). ...
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December 13, 2004
How hard it must be for a doctor to come to a person, who has just had a test, and say, "I'm sorry, but you have cancer." The doctor must tell the truth so the patient can seek the necessary treatment.
In the same way it is difficult at times...
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December 10, 2004
Some of the hardest people to reach are those who are satisfied in life. They are the people who may not see their real spiritual condition because they have everything in order. That is why I think it is a mistake, when we share the gospel, merely to app...
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December 9, 2004
Very few Christians are great theologians, and none of us have every verse of the Bible memorized—but we all have a testimony. We all have the story of how Christ came into our lives. We may not be experts, but like the blind man whom Jesus healed, ...
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December 8, 2004
When you tell other people about what God has done for you, you are sharing your testimony. A testimony is when you share your story of how you came to faith. Every Christian has a testimony. Some Christians have dramatic testimonies where they tell of be...
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December 7, 2004
Life is a choice. God makes that clear in Deuteronomy 30:19. We not only decide where we are going in this life, but we decide where we will spend eternity.
What road are you on today? Which way are you going? If you are living for yourself, if...
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December 6, 2004
Under Babylonian rule, Daniel turned his back on the luxuries of the king's court, because eating defiled food would have been a compromise of his faith. God honored Daniel's stand and gave the chief of the eunuchs great respect for Daniel, because Daniel...
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December 3, 2004
Every one of us has something that moves us in life. Something we are excited about. The Apostle Paul said, "For to me, to live is Christ" (Philippians 1:21). That was Paul's purpose. That was where he was going.
What is your purpose in life? I...
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December 2, 2004
Captive within the confines of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, Abed-nego, and Daniel could have easily been bitter against God. They could have cried out, "Lord, this isn't fair. We didn't sin against you. It was our parents, our grandparents, and our great g...
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December 1, 2004
When Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were taken into Babylonian captivity, their world as they knew it literally changed overnight. They were taken away from the security of family and friends and placed in a hostile environment to their faith. T...
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November 30, 2004
Control does not ultimately rest in the hands of the governor or the president. No matter who is prime minister, king, queen, or who is in congress, God is ultimately in control. Nations come and nations go. Presidents come and presidents go. It all cycle...
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November 29, 2004
Youth is a time of great uncertainty. You wonder what course your life will take, what your future holds.
The book of Daniel provides some role models for this time of great uncertainty called youth. Historians estimate that Daniel, Shadrach, M...
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November 26, 2004
King David stands as the prime example of someone who lost their first love. We remember him rightfully as the man after God's own heart—but we also remember David as a murderer and an adulterer. We may ask the question, how could one who was known ...
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November 25, 2004
In the Old Testament we find an interesting story of how King Jehoshaphat took an uncommon approach when his enemies waged war against him. Instead of sending in his army first, he sent in the choir and musicians. Imagine the scene: "All right, guys, here...
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November 24, 2004
I find it interesting that Jesus said, " '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' " (Mark 12:30). This statement reveals that God is not simply looking for some emotiona...
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November 23, 2004
Do you remember when you first fell in love with your spouse? Remember how you wanted to make such a great impression? You would wear your best clothes, put your best foot forward, and use your best manners. Wherever you went, people could see you holding...
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November 22, 2004
Christians typically think of falling away from the Lord as engaging in gross sin. If somebody sins terribly, we say they have fallen. Perhaps they used to come to church, but now they spend their time down at the bar. They have fallen. Then there's the p...
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November 19, 2004
So often today we hear about the importance of self-image, self-love, self-worth, and self-esteem. Sadly, we hear it proclaimed from our pulpits: "Doesn't the Scripture say, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'? First you have to love yourself, and ...
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November 18, 2004
Have you ever noticed that God gave us one mouth and two ears? Do you think there is a reason for that? Maybe God wants us to listen more and to speak less. Just think of how often we jump to conclusions or pass judgment in a situation. The Bible says, "H...
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November 17, 2004
If you have ever wondered how King David faced the constant burdens of his enemies, simply take a look at Psalm 140. David cast his burdens upon the Lord. Even though his enemies had tried to trap him, David said, " 'You are my God; hear the voice of my s...
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November 16, 2004
Every Christian will meet people who will constantly scrutinize them. Some may even be laying traps for us, just as King David once said, "They have hidden a trap for me" (Psalm 140:5). David's enemies were literally lying in wait for him, setting up a cu...
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November 15, 2004
David begins Psalm 140 by saying, "Lord, deliver me from evil men." Like David, we are living in a wicked, vicious time. It seems as though people today, and especially in America, have an unhealthy appetite for gossip. We call this a "tabloid mentality."...
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November 12, 2004
Compromise starts with a series of steps down. I have known people who have walked with the Lord for some years and then fell to the most blatant, obvious sins. It was because they lowered their guard and said, "It won't happen to me." When Peter denied J...
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November 11, 2004
There exist false teachers today who say Jesus is not going to return bodily to the earth; therefore, He wants Christians to establish His kingdom on this planet for Him. Our goal as Christians, then, would be to "Christianize the world," elect officials ...
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November 10, 2004
Jeremiah 29:11 stands as proof that God has a wonderful future in store for us. That word future used in Jeremiah 29:11 can be translated as an "expected end." Another translation could say "things hoped for" or "outcome."
Now at this mo...
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November 9, 2004
No Christian should ever say, "I was really lucky today" or "Whatever will be will be." Forget that. If you are a Christian, then you are a child of God. There's no such thing as dumb luck. God has a plan and a purpose. He has a strategy for your life. Yo...
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November 8, 2004
I believe every Christian ought to commit Jeremiah 29:11 to memory: " 'I know the thoughts that I think toward you,' says the Lord, 'thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.' "
It's interesting to consider the backdro...
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November 5, 2004
Have you ever had someone say to you, "The Lord has really laid you on my heart lately; I have really been praying for you"? Or perhaps someone said, "You know, I have really been thinking about you a lot in the last few days." If that person is someone i...
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November 4, 2004
How does God's omniscience and omnipresence grab you? If it fills you with fear and shame, then perhaps that's an indicator that your life is not right with Him. But on the other hand, if it brings comfort and strength to your life, then your life is prob...
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November 3, 2004
Have you ever noticed that strange people come out late at night? The later it gets, the stranger they get. Somehow people think when they turn out the lights no one will see them. But God sees. Nothing escapes His attention. There are no secrets with Him...
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November 2, 2004
Not only is God all knowing (or omniscient), He is also omnipresent, which means He is present everywhere. Psalm 139:7–10 describes this great quality of God,
Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If...
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November 1, 2004
Did you know God is vitally aware of what is happening in the life of every individual? He is interested in every detail of our lives. Proverbs 15:3 says, "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good." When you stop and...
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October 29, 2004
Often times Christians don't like to deal with theology. Some people will ignorantly say, "I don't care about theology. I just love Jesus." That's a sweet sentiment, but it's a dangerous one. We need to care about theology. Theology is the study of what G...
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October 28, 2004
Did you know that the devil will do everything in his power to stop Christians from walking in the law of the Lord? He wants to keep us from living holy and happy lives. He wants to set traps for us. He wants to trip us up. So what are Christians to do? C...
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October 27, 2004
Have you ever known someone—perhaps at work, or even at home—who only gives the bare minimum? There are many Christians like this. They engage in spiritual pursuits only when necessary. They have time for everything else, but somehow they just...
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October 26, 2004
If you want to be a truly happy and holy person, you should not only avoid what is wrong, but you should embrace and actively engage in what is right. That is what walking with the Lord involves. It speaks of progression, of moving forward rather than sit...
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October 25, 2004
Psalm 119:1–3 tells us that if we want to be holy—and as a result happy people—we are to walk in an undefiled way. Blessed—or happy, happy—are the undefiled, who walk in the law of the Lord, who do no iniquity.
It'...
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October 22, 2004
Philosopher Eric Hoffer wrote, "The search for happiness is one of the chief sources of unhappiness." Someone else once said, "There are two sources of unhappiness in life. One is not getting what you want. And the other is getting it."
So for ...
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October 21, 2004
In testimonies, Christians often talk about what they gave up to follow Jesus Christ. But in reality, what do we really give up? Some people give up addiction to drugs or alcohol, while others give up having hangovers. For most people, they give up a sens...
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October 20, 2004
Have you ever searched for something only to discover that it was there the whole time, right underneath your nose? If so, you have a lot in common with the Prodigal Son from Jesus' parable in Luke 15. The parable tells of a young man who left his father'...
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October 19, 2004
There are two ways that we can live in life. There is the right way and the wrong way. We can take two paths in life: the narrow road that leads to life or the broad way that leads to destruction. There are also two foundations that we can build on: solid...
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October 18, 2004
Selfishness is the secret to an unhappy marriage. Too often two people enter into marriage saying, "I want my way." The husband says, "You do what I say." And the wife says, "I don't want to do what you say." Because of selfishness, their marriage is ...
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October 15, 2004
The night can be a frightening time—can't it? You simply can't see what's out there.
I remember when we were visiting Africa and were sleeping in these tents out on the open range. It's an amazing thing, because when night falls in Afri...
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October 14, 2004
Fear is an overwhelming emotion that takes hold of us and causes us to act with complete irrationality. Often times, we can be more devastated by fear than by the thing we are afraid of. But God says that we don't have to be afraid—because He is w...
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October 13, 2004
The Psalmist tells us that we can find safety and refuge when we come to God: "He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge" (Psalm 91:4). The picture the psalmist provides here is that of a mother bird hovering around ...
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October 12, 2004
The Bible speaks of those in heaven who follow the Lamb wherever He goes (see Revelation 14:4). That should be said of us. We should be like Simeon with the Holy Spirit upon him and like Anna who departed not from the temple.
You remember the...
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October 11, 2004
In this world there lives an obsession with self; each individual lives for himself. When we say "the world," we are talking about a mentality that centers on self. People always think of themselves first and what they can get. The Bible said the world wo...
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October 8, 2004
Many times when people are burned out or overwhelmed, it's not because God has given them too much to do. It's because they have not spent time with Him. Psalm 91:1 says, "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of ...
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October 7, 2004
In the first two verses of Psalm 91, David provides some great insights to the Person of God by using four different titles for God.
In verse 1, David says, "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High." In Hebrew, Most High is ...
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October 6, 2004
An important aspect of the Christian life is to know what it means to confess our sin. This is important because our very forgiveness hinges on our understanding of the term. The Hebrew word for confess means to acknowledge. In the New Testament, ...
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October 5, 2004
Confessing our sins is something people don't want to do anymore. People today generally blame everyone else for their sins and say, "It's not my fault!"
The story is told of Frederic the Great, the king of Prussia. He was visiting a prison and...
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October 4, 2004
One of the great blessings of being a Christian is that God gives us second chances. He knows we are not flawless. He knows we are not perfect. He knows our true nature and gives us the opportunity to put our sin behind us—even when we have failed m...
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October 1, 2004
When we come to Christ, He not only forgives us of our sin, He also justifies us. The Apostle Paul explains justification in his letter to the Romans: "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ . . ." ...
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September 30, 2004
It has been said that the greatest danger in life is to permit the urgent things to crowd out the important things. You see, the rabbit trails in life can cause us to lose sight of the one thing in life that matters: Jesus Christ.
It is ...
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September 29, 2004
Have you ever faced discouragement in life? If so, understand that you are in good company. The Bible is filled with people of God who struggled with times of discouragement.
Take a look at someone like Moses. Here was a great man of faith, cho...
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September 28, 2004
Not long after Herod had John the Baptist arrested and imprisoned, John began to doubt who Jesus was. You see, John probably thought Jesus was going to overthrow the Roman government and establish His kingdom right then and there. But no such thing happen...
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September 27, 2004
From the day that we commit our lives to Jesus Christ, everything changes for us. Gone was that ever-present guilt that used to nag us day and night. There is no longer an empty hole deep inside of our soul. In the place of those things, God gave us wh...
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September 24, 2004
People tend to love green pastures. But we all cringe when we approach the mouth of some long valley that looms endlessly before us. We like sunshine and blue skies—not clouds and gloom.
As Christians, when we encounter difficult times,...
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September 23, 2004
A shepherd looks out for the welfare of his sheep. He leads them to green pastures and takes them beside still waters. But in spite of all his tender care and good intentions, the sheep have a trait that truly resembles people. Sheep tend to go astray....
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September 22, 2004
Contentment is a great thing to have in life. It was the Apostle Paul who said, "I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to ...
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September 21, 2004
Scripture provides us with many pictures of God. Not only is God our King, not only is He our Father, but He is also our Shepherd—and we are His sheep. Like sheep, we stray and get ourselves into messes of our own making. But God is there to resc...
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September 20, 2004
Have you ever felt alone or forsaken by friends and family? Perhaps you have experienced a time where it seemed like God had abandoned you? Maybe you even felt as though your prayers were not heard and God had given up on you.
If so, then you...
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September 17, 2004
The devil doesn't want you to know this, but the truth is that you can approach the throne of God any time—24 hours a day. The devil wants us to believe that approaching God in prayer is based upon a point system. He wants us to think, If I hav...
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September 16, 2004
Psalm 1 provides a nice outline that illustrates the blessedness of a person who meditates on God's Word day and night. Here in these verses we find a person of God's permanence, position, productivity, and prosperity.
First we find this parti...
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September 15, 2004
How do you feel about Bible study? Be honest. Is it a delight? Or is it drudgery?
Unfortunately, many of us look at out time in God's Word as mere drudgery. Perhaps it's the way we read the Bible. Many of us read God's Word in a hunt-and-p...
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September 14, 2004
Many years ago a young man named Billy Sunday placed his faith in Jesus Christ. An older believer then gave Billy some advice that he never forgot. The man said, "Billy, there are three simple rules I wish you would practice in life as a Christian. If ...
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September 13, 2004
As Christians, we need to avoid anything in life that will hinder our spiritual growth. To help you mature spiritually, here is a litmus test that will assist you in identifying what might weigh you down in your spiritual walk.
The first quest...
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September 10, 2004
Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, faced a dilemma. His enemies greatly outnumbered him. To make matters worse, his enemies had joined forces with the other enemies of Israel and were coming to destroy him. One day, someone came to King Jehoshaphat and warned hi...
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September 9, 2004
It was déjà vu time for the disciples. They had been fishing all night on the Sea of Galilee and hadn't caught anything. The Lord had risen. He already had appeared to some of the disciples. There were no clear marching orders, so they thought they ...
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September 8, 2004
I heard about a great concert violinist who was asked about the secret to her great performances. She answered, "Planned neglect. Anything that would keep me from practicing and playing well must be neglected."
I think that some of us could u...
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September 7, 2004
Have you ever wished you could do a miracle for friends or family members who weren't believers? You think, "If this happened, then they would believe." We think we need something dramatic or earthshaking. But so many times, God works in simple ways to...
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September 6, 2004
The Bible tells the story of the great patriarch, Abraham, who was called by the Lord to leave his homeland and his family. God would lead him to a land where he had never been. Abraham wanted to take everyone along, but the problem was that many of his...
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September 3, 2004
Happiness is something that most people today are seeking. In fact, happiness is so much a part of the American mindset that it is actually included in our Declaration of Independence, which says, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men ar...
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September 2, 2004
Fear is an emotion with which we are all quite familiar. You know what it is like to be gripped by it. That shiver down the spine, the hairs standing on the back of your neck, your stomach sinking, and then your mouth goes dry. We have all experienced ...
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September 1, 2004
Somewhere along the line we have separated evangelism from discipleship. But there is no such distinction in Scripture. The idea of the Great Commission is not just to pray with someone to receive Christ and say, "See you later. God bless you."
...
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August 31, 2004
The Bible's greatest example of communicating the gospel is none other than Jesus Christ. Not only is He God. Not only is He our Savior. But He also was the perfect example of communication. He modeled how to communicate. And you can read story after...
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August 30, 2004
In the process of preaching the gospel, every Christian plays a part. Some of us sow seeds. Others of us water seeds that have already been sown. And still others have the privilege of reaping the seeds that have already been sown and watered.
...
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August 27, 2004
Christans often underestimate the raw, even explosive power that is inherent to the gospel message. The Apostle Paul said, "For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—Jews firs...
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August 26, 2004
One thing believers and nonbelievers have in common is that both are very uptight about evangelism. Believers are uptight about evangelizing, and nonbelievers are uptight about being evangelized.
Maybe you remember someone sharing the gospel w...
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August 25, 2004
If the resurrection of Christ is a lie, why would every one of the apostles go to an early grave for a mere lie? Experience tells us that whenever there is a conspiracy, someone always breaks. This is especially the case when the indictments start flyin...
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August 24, 2004
Another of Satan's lies about the Resurrection is the mass hallucination theory. This theory proposes that everyone who claimed to see the risen Lord was actually hallucinating out of an earnest desire to see Him alive again.
The fact of the m...
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August 23, 2004
The swoon theory is one of Satan's oldest lies concerning the Resurrection. This theory proposes that Jesus did not rise from the dead, because He never really died. Instead, Jesus went into a deep coma or "swoon" from the severe pain and trauma of the ...
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August 20, 2004
The devil hates the Resurrection. For two thousand years he has developed lies and excuses to lead people from believing in the risen Christ. Satan's oldest lie concerning the Resurrection is that the body of Christ was stolen.
The guards of ...
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August 19, 2004
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is among the most important of all biblical truths. It is foundational. It is bedrock. Many other aspects of the Christian faith depend and rest on the Resurrection. Let me share with you just three essential Christian...
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August 18, 2004
I love the fact that God always listens when a Christian approaches Him. This truth exists because of what Christ accomplished on the cross. The Bible tells us that after Jesus gave up His spirit on the cross, the veil in the temple ripped from top to b...
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August 17, 2004
On the cross—beaten, bloodied, and humiliated—Jesus accomplished His purpose of saving the world from its sins. With a loud voice, He proclaimed the battle cry of the cross, "It is finished."
These words, "It is finished" make up a...
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August 16, 2004
Undoubtedly, the physical suffering that Christ experienced on the cross races through nearly everyone's minds as His most painful moment. Others may think of Jesus' brutal scourging that preceded the Crucifixion. What might shock you is that neither of...
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August 13, 2004
On the road to Golgotha, Jesus—beaten, bloodied, and exhausted—carried His cross. The Roman soldiers forced Him to move on, the mob screamed and cursed Him, and then finally, Jesus collapsed under the extreme weight of the cross. And there w...
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August 12, 2004
The gripping story of Abraham and his beloved son, Isaac provides a classic picture of God's perspective of the cross. Isaac was God's promised son to Abraham, a symbol of the covenant between Abraham and God. Abraham was so delighted by his new son tha...
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August 11, 2004
A vast difference exists between the words remorse and repentance. It is important that we understand this difference. People are sorry when their sin catches up with them. People feel remorse when they begin to reap what they sow. But r...
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August 10, 2004
There are people today who say guilt is a horrible thing. But in reality, guilt is a design God has injected into our souls. It is similar to the pain we will feel in our bodies. When I am barefoot, and I begin to step on a piece of broken glass, a sig...
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August 9, 2004
We often think that if we could perform a miracle for somebody they would certainly believe in Jesus Christ. We have friends or family or coworkers who seem skeptical. And we think, If I could only perform one miracle, I know they would believe. But to...
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August 6, 2004
Every Christian experiences a time in life when they come face to face with hardship. For Peter, it was witnessing the betrayal and arrest of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. He simply could not stomach this event. Frustrated and in despair, Peter d...
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August 5, 2004
As Jesus knelt in the Garden of Gethsemane and prayed the words, "Yet not My will, but Yours be done," the Bible tells us that an angel from heaven came and strengthened Him (Luke 22:42–43). Scripture teaches that angels are ministering spirits sen...
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August 4, 2004
Have you ever wondered what kept Christ going as He prayed over His impending death in the Garden of Gethsemane? If you stop and think about it, there wasn't much to encourage Him. He knew His disciples were hanging by a thread that would soon snap. He...
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August 3, 2004
There are some people who teach that we should never pray Jesus' prayer, "Not my will, but Yours, be done" (Luke 22:42). But didn't Christ teach this principle in the Lord's Prayer when He told His disciples, "In this manner, therefore, pray: 'Our Father...
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August 2, 2004
Some years ago, three hundred whales were found marooned on a beach. Scientists speculated that the whales had been chasing sardines and became trapped in shallow water when the tide went out. Now that's an amazing thing. By chasing little sardines, these...
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July 30, 2004
The ultimate triumph that took place at Calvary was first accomplished in prayer beneath the gnarled old olive trees of Gethsemane. Just as this was a place where olives were pressed to make oil, the Savior was pressed there to give His life for us.
...
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July 29, 2004
It has been said that ignorance is bliss and what you don't know, won't hurt you. I think there is some truth to those statements. If I had the opportunity to know my entire future from this day forward, I would not want to know.
But Jesus, b...
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July 28, 2004
The problem with many Christian marriages today is we tend to read each other's mail. Has your spouse ever read your mail? "What's this letter here? A bill from some department store!" I'm sure you don't like people to read your mail. Well many times...
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July 27, 2004
I believe one of the primary reasons why marriages are falling apart at such an alarming rate is because husbands are failing to fulfill their scriptural duties to their wives. The Apostle Paul sums up a husband's responsibility to his wife in four words...
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July 26, 2004
Everything in the marriage relationship is intertwined. If your marriage isn't healthy, then your relationship with God will suffer. The Apostle Peter tells husbands to dwell with their wives with understanding (see 1 Peter 3:7b). To "dwell with unders...
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July 23, 2004
When asked on his fiftieth wedding anniversary for his secret to marital bliss and longevity, Henry Ford replied, "Just the same as in the automobile business. Stick to one model."
Mr. Ford's marital advice is grounded in the biblical principl...
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July 22, 2004
The sword of the Spirit that Ephesians 6 speaks of is not only for deflecting a blow from the enemy; it is also for inflicting one. This is something the devil doesn't want you to know. He doesn't want you to start attacking, because if you are always d...
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July 21, 2004
Many believers have all their spiritual armor in place, but they never use their sword. They talk about it. They study it. They compare swords with others. But they never use their sword in spiritual battle. In fact, the devil would be pleased if bel...
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July 20, 2004
There are a lot of motorcyclists today who don't like helmet laws. I am among their ranks, I must say, because it is fun to get on a motorcycle and ride along with nothing on your head. But quite honestly, if you are in an accident on your bike and you ...
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July 19, 2004
What is this shield of faith Paul refers to? Remember, as he was writing this letter to the Christians at Ephesus, he was chained to a Roman guard. He had plenty of time to observe Roman armor. The shield would have been made of wood—a rectangula...
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July 16, 2004
The sandals or shoes Paul describes in Ephesians 6 not only provide stability to help the believer hold ground. They also provide mobility. These are not dress shoes that are uncomfortable or that you want to keep perfectly clean. These shoes will allo...
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July 15, 2004
I once read about a life-sized granite sculpture of Jesus by a Danish artist named Thors Walden. Walden sculpted the body of Christ in such a way that you can't see His face from a standing position. Next to the statute, however, is a sign that reads, "...
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July 14, 2004
A number of years ago I had the privilege of having lunch with Billy Graham. I was a bit nervous, and I had all of these questions swimming through my mind. Finally, I turned to him and said, "If you knew as a younger preacher what you know today, would y...
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July 13, 2004
As a young man, Alan Redpath was a successful accountant. One day, he was talking with a Christian friend who told him, "Alan, it is possible to have a saved soul and a wasted life." Redpath couldn't forget those words. He knew he was guilty of having a s...
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July 12, 2004
As an evangelist, I constantly observe how two people who hear the same message will react in two completely different ways. One person will be profoundly moved, while the other will become harder in his or her sin.
We see the very same thing i...
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July 9, 2004
We have all played the childhood game, Hide-and-Seek, where one person closes his or her eyes while the others hide. My favorite part of the game comes after you count to 20 and get to yell, "Ready or not, here I come!"
In a sense, that is what...
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July 8, 2004
No matter how powerful the breastplate of a Roman soldier was or how much he had tightened his belt, these wouldn't do much good if he slipped and fell. So, in his list of the armor of God, Paul mentions "having shod your feet with the preparation of the...
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July 7, 2004
Next on the Apostle Paul's list of the armor of God is the breastplate of righteousness. Key to the armor, the breastplate protects the vital organs. On the Roman battlefield, this is where the enemy would strike, so the breastplate would protects this ...
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July 6, 2004
In his description of the armor of God in Ephesians 6, Paul doesn't start with the high-profile objects like the sword or the shield. Instead, he begins his list by telling us to put on "the sturdy belt of truth." What was Paul speaking of? We need to ...
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July 5, 2004
When the apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesians, he was chained to a Roman guard. So when we come to his description of the armor of God beginning in chapter 6, it's worth noting that Paul had a lot of time to observe Roman armor. There it was, ...
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July 2, 2004
The devil tends to use the same tactics over and over again. I suppose he operates by the old adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." He has used these techniques, plans, and strategies since the Garden of Eden, and they have worked with great effect ...
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July 1, 2004
I want to address a popular doctrine that has been floating around in the church for several years. Some have actually made theology out of what I believe is a false assumption. There are people today who will tell you the reason you are having certain ...
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June 30, 2004
Just as police officers call for back-up when they sense that danger may be imminent, the first thing we must realize about spiritual battle is that in our own strength, we are no match for the devil. I think a healthy respect of our adversary is in orde...
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June 29, 2004
Remember the story of Gideon in the Old Testament Book of Judges? Gideon had a fairly large army of 32,000 men. But he had a much larger adversary in the Midianites, who numbered in the thousands and thousands. God came to Gideon one day and told him t...
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June 28, 2004
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus had specific things to say about worry and anxiety. He said,
"So I tell you, don't worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes. Doesn't life consist of more than food a...
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June 25, 2004
In the Gospel of Mark, we find an interesting story in which Jesus invited the disciples, some of whom were seasoned fishermen, to join Him on a little boat trip across the Sea of Galilee. But on the way over, they encountered a radical storm.
...
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June 24, 2004
At the conclusion of Matthew 7, Jesus told the story of two men who built two types of houses. One house was built on a good foundation of rock, while the other house was built on a faulty foundation of sand. Then Jesus described a storm that came and b...
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June 23, 2004
I like comfortable clothes. Most of the time you will find me wearing jeans, because they are comfortable. I don't like starched shirts, and when I send my shirts to the cleaners, I specify "no starch." For one of the cleaners we previously used, "no s...
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June 22, 2004
In Matthew 11, Jesus follows His invitation to rest with the invitation to take His yoke and learn from Him. He is telling us there is more; His invitation to rest is a package deal. If we are true followers of Jesus Christ, then we will take His yoke u...
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June 21, 2004
One December, I was on my way to New York and had a connection through Chicago. It was very cold outside, and as I was walking through the airport terminal, I noticed a large advertisement. It featured a sunny, tropical beach with beautiful, turquoise-b...
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June 18, 2004
A few years ago, someone asked the former President George Bush, "What is your greatest accomplishment in life?" I thought that was an interesting question to ask someone like him, who has quite a long list of achievements. After all, he was the U. S. A...
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June 17, 2004
"Justification" is an often-used word in the Christian vocabulary that carries great meaning. It is a word that declares the rightness of something—not symbolically or potentially, but actually. The Bible says that when I come to Christ and ask Hi...
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June 16, 2004
I think there was a time in history when God was misrepresented as a divine being who threw lightning bolts down from heaven on people who displeased Him. We've heard derogatory references to fire-and-brimstone preaching. But I don't think this is the p...
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June 15, 2004
Often we hear people say, "I'm on a spiritual journey. I am trying to find the truth. I am trying to find the light. I am trying to find God. I'm searching for God." Yet the Bible says that no one is really searching for God.
You would thi...
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June 14, 2004
When Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes stories, wanted to play a practical joke on 12 of his friends, he sent a note to each of them that simply read, "Flee at once. All is discovered." Within 24 hours, all 12 friends had left the co...
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June 11, 2004
During a visit to the Pacific Northwest a few years ago, I met a man who told me he had been heavily into alcohol and drugs, and his marriage, in his own words, had been hanging by a thread. One day, he took a gun, loaded it, and was planning to kill him...
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June 10, 2004
It is hard for a lot of Christians to understand how suddenly their friends and family can turn against them. People they have been close to for years suddenly become hostile, simply because they have said they were now following Jesus Christ.
...
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June 9, 2004
Scripture tells us about Naaman, a commander of the Syrian army, who was loved by the people and by the king. He had everything people could dream of, but he had one major problem. It was called leprosy.
So, who did God use to reach this man?...
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June 8, 2004
Many years ago, I was given some free tickets to Disneyland. I was walking around the park having a good time, but I started to feel guilty because I had two extra tickets. I thought maybe there was someone outside who wanted to come in, but perhaps cou...
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June 7, 2004
Have you ever had one of those indecisive days? I am usually decisive. But I get in those moods where I just can't decide. I can be at the window of a take-out place and suddenly be stricken with indecision. That's not so tragic at a take-out window. But ...
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June 4, 2004
Back when I was in high school, I ran track and field. Whenever a pretty girl was watching, I always ran faster. I wanted to impress her.
If you are a Christian because someone else is or because you want to impress someone, then I have news f...
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June 3, 2004
One thing that has fascinated people, especially artists, throughout the centuries is the question of what Jesus looked like. It is interesting that no actual physical description of Jesus is found in Scripture, except for a figurative one in the Book of...
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June 2, 2004
Do you know that sometimes the best thing you can do for a hurting person is to just be there? When I was a young pastor, I had a sermon for everyone. But since then, I have stood with many people who have experienced a tragedy or loss, and I have reali...
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June 1, 2004
The tenth commandment, which deals with coveting, speaks to our deepest attitudes. Of course, the word, "covet," means to be dissatisfied with what we have and to desire more, regardless of what it may cost us or someone else.
One Christmas wh...
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May 31, 2004
Some years ago, a book called The Day America Told the Truth was published. According to the authors' findings, 91 percent of Americans lie on a regular basis. "The majority of us find it hard to go through a week without lying," the book states. "And ...
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May 28, 2004
Stealing has become such a widespread problem in our culture today that it is now commonplace. By that I mean, we are so accustomed to people stealing that we wouldn't even think of leaving our cars or homes unlocked. People break into cars. They break...
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May 27, 2004
Over the years, I have done a lot of funerals and memorial services. I have visited people who were literally at death's door, and I can tell you that when life comes to an end, there are three things that will really matter to you: faith, family, and fr...
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May 26, 2004
The seventh command tells us we are not commit adultery. Many people might say, "Well, I've never done that." But then Jesus said again in the Sermon on the Mount, "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I...
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May 25, 2004
The fifth of the Ten Commandments deals with the family, but in essence establishes the foundation for how we are to treat our fellow human beings. The family provides the strength of our country today. It has been said that a family can survive without...
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May 24, 2004
The sixth commandment obviously forbids the taking of another human life for no justifiable reason. We might say, "Well, I've never murdered anyone. At least I can say I haven't broken this commandment." But in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declared,
...
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May 21, 2004
The Ten Commandments can be broken into two sections: the first four deal with our relationship with God, while the second six deal with our relationships with people. The last of the commandments regarding our relationship with God pertains to the Sabba...
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May 20, 2004
One of the most obvious ways of taking the Lord's name in vain is through profanity. Unfortunately, most of us have heard the Lord's name taken in vain in that sense. That always bothers me, because that is my Lord they are speaking of. We might even f...
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May 19, 2004
What does it mean when God says, "Do not worship any other gods besides me"? It means that we are not to allow anything or anyone to takes the place of God in our lives. That god could be a career. It could be a possession. It could be a relationship....
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May 18, 2004
There are a lot of people who think they should keep the Ten Commandments because they are under the impression that God will punish them if they don't. But the fact is that God loves us, and we keep His commandments because we are aware of this.
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May 17, 2004
When Jesus said, "Love your neighbor as yourself," He was not saying that before you can love others, you must first love yourself. That is the common interpretation we often hear, but that is not correct. Jesus is not teaching self-love. Essentially, ...
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May 14, 2004
When Jesus said that we are to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, we need to understand that to the ancient Hebrews, the heart referred to the core of one's personal being (see Proverbs 4:23). So to love the Lord with all our hearts means to love...
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May 13, 2004
Some years ago, three hundred whales were found marooned on a beach. Scientists speculated that the whales had been chasing sardines and became trapped in shallow water when the tide went out. Now that's an amazing thing. By chasing little sardines, th...
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May 12, 2004
A man was out driving in the country during a heavy rainstorm when he came across an old farmer who was surveying the ruins of his barn. He pulled over and to ask the farmer what happened. "Roof fell in," the farmer replied
"What happened wit...
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May 11, 2004
I sometimes hear people say, "I have been wrestling with God in prayer!" My first thought always is, "I hope you lost." If you have been trying to bend God your way, then that is a problem. Prayer is not trying to move God your way; it is moving yourse...
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May 10, 2004
A missionary couple who had served for many years in Africa were returning to the United States. Leaving Africa with broken health and no pension, they felt defeated, discouraged, and afraid. As it turned out, President Teddy Roosevelt was traveling on ...
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May 7, 2004
When we are praying for something that we believe is the will of God, we should not give up. Keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking—that is what Jesus told us to do. In fact, when Jesus saw the great faith of a mother from Canaan who was doing...
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May 6, 2004
In 1 Samuel 30, we find the story of David leading his men to a successful battle. As they were returning home, those who had stayed behind and watched the camp and the supplies met them. But some of the troublemakers who had fought in the battle didn't...
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May 5, 2004
I think there may be three big surprises in heaven: One, many of the people we expected to see won't be there. Two, many of the people we never expected to see will be there. And three, we will be there.
Remember the story...
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May 4, 2004
We need to remember that God's will is good. It may not seem like it at times, but it is. His plan for us is good. However, He usually doesn't give us a detailed blueprint. Usually, God reveals His will to us in bits and pieces. He sees the big pictu...
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May 3, 2004
We find in Romans 12:1–2 what we call a conditional promise. The promise is that you can know what the perfect will of God is for your life. The conditions are that you must present yourself to God and that you must not be conformed to this world....
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April 30, 2004
In her wonderful book, The Hiding Place, Corrie ten Boom relates an amazing story about the importance of being thankful. Corrie and her sister Betsy were held in a concentration camp known as Ravensbruk, where they lived in barracks that were plagued wi...
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April 29, 2004
When we think of being filled with the Spirit, we often relate it to an emotional experience or a feeling of euphoria. But in reality, the word, "filled," could be translated, "controlled by." It is a word that speaks of what happens when the wind fills...
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April 28, 2004
Peter had been listening in on the conversation between the rich, young ruler and Jesus. It revealed, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that possessions had possessed this young ruler's soul. He could not do what Jesus had asked, and as a result, he went away...
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April 27, 2004
It was George Bernard Shaw who said, "There are two sources of unhappiness in life. One is not getting what you want. The other is getting it." This statement reminds me of the rich young ruler who came to Jesus seeking answers. Here was a man who, of...
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April 26, 2004
Talk about a person who had been wronged. Joseph's brothers had done all kinds of horrible things to him. They betrayed him, their own flesh and blood, and sold him into slavery. But through an amazing course of events that were directed by the hand of...
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April 23, 2004
You would think that, after observing the behavior of some people, they have a verse in their Bible that says, "Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, go and tell as many people as possible. And then ultimately go and try to drive that pers...
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April 22, 2004
It seems as though we are living in a day of tabloid mentality. I have never seen a culture and society so obsessed with gossip, innuendos, and rumors. Just turn on the TV and you'll find all kinds of programs that probe into the personal lives of other...
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April 21, 2004
Why did Peter say what he said during such a significant event as the Transfiguration? The Gospels give us two reasons: One, he didn't know what to say, and two, he was "heavy with sleep." This was a bad time to fall asleep. Imagine what else Peter mig...
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April 20, 2004
The transfiguration of Jesus was a significant event. It was the halfway point on a very difficult journey. From here, Jesus went backward from the cradle and forward to the cross. Jesus apparently believed the time was right for the disciples, specifi...
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April 19, 2004
In Matthew 26:19–20, we find the "marching orders" from Jesus that we know as the Great Commission. There are two things we should remember about it. First, these words are a command. That is why we call it the Great Commission and not the Great ...
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April 16, 2004
What does it mean to be a disciple? Certainly we need to know the answer to that question. After all, Jesus told us to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations. . . ." But how can we make disciples if we are not disciples ourselves? Are the qua...
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April 15, 2004
The Christian life is more than just saying a prayer or walking down an aisle and getting "fire insurance" as it were. The Christian life is meant to be dynamic. It is meant to be exciting. It is meant to have a radical effect on the way that you live ...
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April 14, 2004
I think it's interesting to note those to whom Jesus chose to appear after His resurrection. We don't read about Him appearing to Caiaphas or Caesar. Now if it had been me, the first person I would have appeared to would have been Pilate: "Yo, Pilate! ...
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April 13, 2004
When Jesus referred to taking up the cross, I'm sure the meaning wasn't lost on the disciples. The cross, as the people would know in this time and culture, was a hated and despised symbol. It was the symbol of a very cruel death. The Romans crucified ...
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April 12, 2004
On more than one occasion, the Bible compares Christians to sheep. I don't know if I'm really happy about that, because sheep are not the most intelligent animals on earth.
It would have been nice if God had compared us to dolphins. Now there...
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April 9, 2004
Peter's denial of Jesus did not happen over a period of seconds or minutes, but over a period of hours. An hour had passed from the time the first person said, "You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean," to the time Peter made his second denial. He...
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April 8, 2004
We might wonder how the religious leaders of Jesus' day could be so heartless as to take Him and put Him to such a quick death. Where was their compassion? Where was their sense of fairness? Even if they didn't accept Him as the Messiah, what was behin...
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April 7, 2004
There are some people who teach that we should never pray, "Not my will, but Yours be done," because it supposedly voids what you have just prayed for. What nonsense. If Jesus prayed this, certainly we should follow His example. He gave us the same pat...
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April 6, 2004
If I had the opportunity to know my entire future from today on, I think I would pass. I would rather not know. But Jesus, being God, knew everything about His future down to the smallest detail. As He agonized in the Garden of Gethsemane, He knew that...
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April 5, 2004
I heard a true story about a man who operated a drawbridge. At a certain time every afternoon, he raised the bridge for a ferryboat to go by, and then lowered it in time for a passenger train to cross over. He performed this task precisely, according to t...
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April 2, 2004
God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Many times when we're looking for some great superstar to come on the scene, God is developing someone in obscurity whom we haven't ever heard of. We will say, "What if so-and-so became a Christian? ...
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April 1, 2004
Sometimes God will not come through as quickly as we want Him to. Mary and Martha, two friends of Jesus, faced this dilemma. Their brother Lazarus was sick. It was a serious illness. So they sent word to Jesus.
I think they probably believe...
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March 31, 2004
It is interesting how God came to different people in the Bible. To Abraham, God came as a traveler. Abraham was outside his tent when three messengers arrived. Two were angels, while one was God himself. We know that Jesus said, "Your ancestor Abraha...
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March 30, 2004
Imagine that you have just come out of a wonderful restaurant and had a great meal. You are thinking, "That was great." Then you happen to glance over at the gutter, where you notice a discarded burrito from a fast-food restaurant. Are you going to say...
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March 29, 2004
Sometimes people think Christians live the most boring lives imaginable. But nothing could be further from the truth. The fact of the matter is that a happy life is a holy life—a life that is lived for God. Jesus not only promised us life beyond ...
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March 26, 2004
Through the years, there have been those who have set themselves against the church and have tried to destroy it. The Roman emperor, Diocletian, set up a stone pillar on which these words were inscribed: "For having exterminated the name Christian from t...
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March 25, 2004
An attorney was trying to deliver an important paper to a man who was determined to avoid him. The man reasoned that the attorney had some type of subpoena, so he went out of his way to dodge him. Fourteen years passed, and the man found himself in the ...
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March 24, 2004
As we look over the pages of history, it's interesting to read the statements that have been made about Christ. Pontius Pilate said, "I find no fault in Him." Napoleon said, "I know men, and Jesus was no mere man." Strauss, the German rationalist, said...
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March 23, 2004
In first-century track competitions, each runner would be assigned to a lane on the track. Each was expected to stay in his assigned lane. In the same way, as you and I run the race of life, our competition is not with other believers. Rather, our competi...
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March 22, 2004
I heard the other day that the average American will have spent 15 years in front of the television during his or her lifetime. Can you imagine fifteen years of sitting in front of that box, clicking away? What a waste of life.
On the other h...
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March 19, 2004
Today we have people who seek experience for the sake of experience, wanting to have what they think is a touch from God. We have self-proclaimed prophets who give their messages and proclaim their visions, but are rarely held accountable for the outcome...
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March 18, 2004
We may look with some envy on first-century believers who seemed to have miracles as part of their daily lives. Certainly, there were dramatic miracles that took place during their time. We read of great things happening, such as the man at the gate Bea...
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March 17, 2004
It is fascinating to note how Jesus dealt with different people. He never dealt with any two individuals in precisely the same way. He would look beyond the outward veneer and see their hearts. When a person was really seeking and a miracle was in orde...
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March 16, 2004
Would miracles make more people believe? Would unbelievers become believers if they were to see a bona fide miracle? The scribes and Pharisees' demand for a sign prompted Jesus to give them some of His most solemn and searching words:
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March 15, 2004
Have you ever wished you could do a miracle for friends or family members who weren't believers? You think, "If this happened, then they would believe." We think we need something dramatic or earthshaking. But so many times, God works in simple ways to re...
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March 12, 2004
What kind of people does God want to use? We find the same pattern throughout Scripture: the people God used were faithful in what He had placed before them. The people that God used for big things were people who were faithful in the little things. Pe...
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March 11, 2004
The Pharisees of Jesus' day were not simply doubting the work of God; their hearts were filled with unbelief. They did not reject Jesus and His Messiahship for lack of evidence, because He had fulfilled so many Old Testament prophesies. They did not rej...
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March 10, 2004
Oswald Chambers said, "Doubt is not always a sign that a man is wrong. It may be a sign that he is thinking." There is a difference between doubt and unbelief. Doubt is a matter of the mind. Unbelief is a matter of the heart. Doubt is when we cannot ...
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March 9, 2004
I heard the story of an elderly minister who liked to visit people in hospitals. He often would take along a little, embroidered bookmark that he carried in his Bible. On the back of the bookmark were a group of tangled threads with no apparent pattern....
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March 8, 2004
Martha, Mary, and their brother, Lazarus, were close friends of Jesus. He often would spend time in their home in Bethany. When Lazarus became sick, Martha and Mary sent word to Jesus. No doubt they thought that Jesus would drop whatever He was doing a...
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March 5, 2004
It is not unusual for even the most spiritual people to have their days of doubt. Moses, on one occasion at least, was overwhelmed by his circumstances. After he had listened to the constant complaining of the children of Israel, he basically told the L...
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March 4, 2004
Have you ever had something happen in your life that caused you to say, "Where is God?" None less than the greatest prophet who ever lived, John the Baptist, faced this struggle.
John had put it all on the line for Jesus Christ. He had baptiz...
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March 3, 2004
A conversation took place many years ago between D. L. Moody, before he became the great evangelist, and another man. The man said to Moody, "You know, the world has yet to see what God can do with and through the man who is totally committed to Him." T...
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March 2, 2004
One of the things that amazes me about the apostle Paul is how he always seemed to rise to the top of every situation and seized every opportunity to preach the gospel. We read in the Book Acts that when Paul and Silas were thrown in prison, they began t...
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March 1, 2004
Time and time again God reminded Paul of His presence, no doubt when he needed it the most. God knows what we need, and He knows when we need it. He knew when Paul could use that extra assurance. When he was in that prison cell in Jerusalem, the Lord a...
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February 27, 2004
Sometimes we may think that when we're in the will of God, it will be smooth sailing. But many times it is just the opposite. Doors slam in our faces. Obstacles appear in our paths and storms arise that threaten to drive us off course. That is why we ...
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February 26, 2004
I love new believers. They are the lifeblood of the church. When I have the privilege of speaking to other pastors, I tell them that if they don't have a constant flow of new believers coming into their congregations, they will become spiritually dead. ...
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February 25, 2004
I heard about a man who was trying to start his own religion, but it wasn't going very well so far. He decided to approach the French statesman, Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand, and ask him what he should do to gain converts. The statesman told him, "I re...
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February 24, 2004
It is no coincidence that the phrase, "walk by faith," is used in Scripture. Notice that Scripture doesn't tell us to sprint by faith; it tells us to walk by faith. To walk speaks of continual, regulated motion. The Bible says Enoch walked with God. M...
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February 23, 2004
Over the years, I have received many letters in which I am invited to get involved with a certain cause or to join a boycott or a march. I admire people who get out there and want to stand up for what is right, and I think that we as Christians need to m...
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February 20, 2004
Today, people are standing up and being counted for many things. In fact, I am amazed at the perverse, even horrendous things people will speak up for and what some are even willing to die for. Yet here we are with the life-changing message of the gospe...
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February 19, 2004
There is explosive power in the message of the gospel, because Paul says, "It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes . . ." (Romans 1:16). The word "power" that Paul used in this verse originates from the Greek word, dunamis. It is th...
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February 18, 2004
It is worth noting that no person in the New Testament came to faith apart from the agency of a human being. Have you ever stopped and thought about that? We can find example after example.
There was the Ethiopian (see Acts 8:26-39). There a...
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February 17, 2004
From the original Greek, we could translate the final question in Romans 10:14 as, "How shall they hear without one preaching?" The Phillips translation puts it this way, "How can they hear unless someone proclaims Him?" Therefore, we see the emphasis i...
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February 16, 2004
God said in the presence of Isaiah, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" In a sense, God is still asking this question. Whom shall I send? Who will go for us? Will you go? Will you stand in the gap?
If God's Holy Spirit were to sea...
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February 13, 2004
Alexander McLaren said, "You tell me the depth of a Christian's compassion, and I will tell you the measure of his usefulness." How deep does your compassion go? God is looking for such people.
How does it affect you, knowing there are many p...
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February 12, 2004
The apostle Paul had something essential for effective evangelism: a God-given burden for those who did not know Jesus Christ. In his case, the burden was for his own people, the Jews. He cared. It burned inside him.
General William Booth, f...
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February 11, 2004
When Elijah threw his mantle, or his outer garment, on Elisha, it was a symbolic gesture that said, "I'm passing on my calling to you." From the account we find in 1 Kings 19, we discover a few things about Elisha. First, we know that he was a relativel...
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February 10, 2004
What was Elisha doing when Elijah called him into the Lord's service? Was he walking around saying, "I wonder if God ever will do anything in my life?" No. He was busy. He was plowing a field.
You will find this pattern throughout Scripture...
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February 9, 2004
One has to go no further than the Psalms to see the intimacy of David's relationship with God. David loved God in a dear and tender way. Yet we know that he fell into sin.
If you were to ask the average person what he or she remembers from th...
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February 6, 2004
At first glance, you might think that Abraham and his nephew Lot both were spiritual men. But a closer examination reveals that this was not the case. You see, Abraham lived for God. Lot, on the other hand, lived for himself. Abraham walked in the Spi...
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February 5, 2004
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. . . ." These are the opening lines to Charles Dickens' classic book, A Tale of Two Cities. He was describing France during the revolution. In many ways, you could use the same words to describe our ...
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February 4, 2004
In addition to walking in harmony with God, Amos 3:3 provides another nuance of meaning. It also gives the idea of keeping an appointment. Did you know that you have an appointment with God? You do. It is there, written in eternity. In fact, God want...
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February 3, 2004
I heard a true story about a man who operated a drawbridge. At a certain time every afternoon, he raised the bridge for a ferryboat to go by, and then lowered it in time for a passenger train to cross over. He performed this task precisely, according to...
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February 2, 2004
The Old Testament Book of Esther is a wonderful love story—a story of what God did in the life of a woman to literally save a nation. Esther was a Jew who was plucked out of obscurity through an unusual chain of events and was made queen over the ki...
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January 30, 2004
When the Lord walked this earth, He had no place to call home (Matthew 8:20). But there was something He liked about a home in Bethany where a man named Lazarus lived with his two sisters, Mary and Martha. Maybe Martha was a great cook. Maybe they were wo...
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January 29, 2004
The Scripture is full of descriptions of the believer's new spiritual life. God promises He will give us a new heart. In Ezekiel 36:26, God says that He will "give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; [He] will take the heart of stone out of...
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January 28, 2004
When the apostle Paul stood before King Agrippa and explained what God had called him to do in proclaiming the gospel, he broke it down into one of the most clear presentations I have found anywhere in the Bible. Paul said that God had called him to proc...
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January 27, 2004
I had to laugh when I heard the story of two men who approached the great British preacher, C. H. Spurgeon, one day and told him, "Spurgeon, we have reached sinless perfection."
"Really?" he asked.
"Yes," they said, "We are absolutel...
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January 26, 2004
Sadly, there are many believers today who live with a misconception that they must do something to earn God's approval. When they have had a good week and have been reading their Bibles or doing certain good deeds for the Lord, they feel that God will be...
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January 23, 2004
Are you happy with the way that you are right now? Are there things in your life you would like to see dramatically altered? Perhaps like many other people, you make bold resolutions whenever a new year rolls around. You make plans regarding what chang...
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January 22, 2004
What are the best spiritual gifts for a believer to have? It all depends. If I am having a difficult time sharing my faith with someone, and you come along and have been gifted as an evangelist, then that is the best gift at that particular moment. But...
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January 21, 2004
Through the years, I have made my periodic trips to the gym to get back in shape. On one such occasion after I joined a local gym, a trainer took me on a tour to show me the various machines and how they worked. (Some of them are a little difficult to f...
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January 20, 2004
Sometimes we hear about well-known people who claim to have made a commitment to Jesus Christ. Often, it is around election time. When they address Christians, they speak of their great faith in God. After the elections, we seldom hear about it again....
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January 19, 2004
People make changes in their lives for many reasons. Often it is when they face a crisis in life. It might be a heart attack. It might be the loss of a spouse through death or divorce. It might some other crisis that hits them, and they begin to evalu...
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January 16, 2004
The word used for "press" in Philippians 3:14 carries in the meaning of "strong exertion." Every muscle of the runner is burning. He can see the ribbon. He has only a few more feet to go in the race. He must press on.
It is the same in our ...
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January 15, 2004
If you want to run the race of life successfully, then don't look back. If you ever have run a race and looked over your shoulder to see what your competitor was doing, then you know that looking back can break your stride and ultimately cause you to los...
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January 13, 2004
"Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. . . . " Philippians 3:8
Back when I was in high school, I ran track and field. Whenever a pretty girl was watching, I always ran faster. I...
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January 12, 2004
I heard the story of a pastor who boarded a bus one Monday morning, paid his fare, and took his seat. A few minutes later, he realized that the driver had given him too much change. Some people might have put it in their pocket and said, "Lord, thank yo...
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January 9, 2004
Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, faced a dilemma. His enemies greatly outnumbered him. To make matters worse, his enemies had joined forces with the other enemies of Israel and were coming to destroy him. One day, someone came to King Jehoshaphat and warned hi...
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January 8, 2004
It was déjà vu time for the disciples. They had been fishing all night on the Sea of Galilee and hadn't caught anything. The Lord had risen. He already had appeared to some of the disciples. There were no clear marching orders, so they thought they ...
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January 7, 2004
I heard about a great concert violinist who was asked about the secret to her great performances. She answered, "Planned neglect. Anything that would keep me from practicing and playing well must be neglected."
I think that some of us could u...
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January 6, 2004
Have you ever wished you could do a miracle for friends or family members who weren't believers? You think, "If this happened, then they would believe." We think we need something dramatic or earthshaking. But so many times, God works in simple ways to...
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January 5, 2004
The Bible tells the story of the great patriarch, Abraham, who was called by the Lord to leave his homeland and his family. God would lead him to a land where he had never been. Abraham wanted to take everyone along, but the problem was that many of his...
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January 2, 2004
If you participate in an athletic event, you must play by the rules. You can't make your own. You can't say, "If I hit the ball eight feet, then that is a home run. These are my rules." That is not the way it works. You must play by the rules. Even ...
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January 1, 2004
I am the kind of a person who likes to drag a lot of stuff with me when I travel. I have been traveling for many years, yet I still overpack. I want to bring everything I own. But excess baggage makes traveling more complicated.
In the same ...
