For the last couple of years, I have been taking to heart and applying 1 Thessalonians 5:17: Never stop praying. We think of prayer as something we practice in the morning during our quiet time, over a meal, or before we retire for the night. We keep prayer journals to keep track of our prayers. […]
Is God a moral monster, in the Old Testament? Some say that the God of the Old Testament differs from the “one” we read about in the New Testament. Some critics argue that the portrayal of God in the Old Testament is inconsistent with the loving and just God presented in the New Testament. They […]
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Looking at the world today, we see a lot of pain and suffering, not in our own lives but in those around us. I think we have all wondered why evil is allowed to continue if God is good. Why can’t He stop it? It’s a reasonable question. As believers, we should think through why […]
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As believers, we have come to know and accept God. We believe He exists and has existed for eternity, past and future. Yet, so many people struggle with where God truly exists. Whether God exists has been a philosophical, theological, and scientific debate for centuries. Believers affirm the existence of a divine being, while skeptics […]
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According to the “State of Theology survey conducted by Ligonier Ministries and LifeWay Research. Six in 10 Americans say religious belief is about opinion rather than objective truth. In 2022, 31% of evangelicals strongly agree religious belief is a matter of personal opinion; it is not about objective truth. (State of Theology,2022) In recent years, […]
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“The day is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though […]
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Davidic covenant “Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for […]
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The Mosaic Covenant “Then Moses climbed the mountain to appear before God. The Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “Give these instructions to the family of Jacob; announce it to the descendants of Israel: ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I carried you on eagles’ wings […]
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The Abrahamic Covenant “So the Lord made a covenant with Abram that day and said, “I have given this land to your descendants, all the way from the border of Egypt[a] to the great Euphrates River— the land now occupied by the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.” Genesis 15:18-21 […]
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The Noahic Covenant “Then God said, “I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth.” Genesis 9:12-13 NLT The Noahic Covenant […]
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Overview of the Covenants The Bible, God’s written Word, contains a rich tapestry of stories, teachings, and promises. Do you keep the promises that you make? Are you surrounded by trustworthy people? The Bible gives us many examples of God being faithful and true. Among these promises, the concept of covenants plays a pivotal role […]
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What is Soli Deo Gloria? Soli Deo Gloria: “To the glory of God alone. God is the supreme being over everything. He is the creator of heaven and earth. Because He is great, he deserves all praise and glory. Nothing is in existence without Him. “The Bible is at base a true story of a […]
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What is Sola Christo? In Latin, Solo Christo means “Christ alone”. This is important when understanding our salvation, the Person, and the Work of Christ. As sinners, we cannot pay the penalty needed for our sins. We can do nothing to work to pay this debt we owe God. Our sins render us guilty before […]
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It is through faith alone we can be made right with God. “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This […]
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“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me I once was lost but now am found, Was blind, but now I see.” by John Newton. Grace. We cannot earn it. What is Sola Gratia?Sola gratia is one of the five solas. In essence, it means grace alone. Salvation, the gift of […]
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“The foundation of our religion is the written word, the scriptures of God” Huldrych Zwingli. What is Sola scriptura?Sola scriptura is Latin for Scripture alone. The Bible is a God-breath, truthful, and trustworthy Word of God. “Sola scriptura means that only Scripture, because it is God’s inspired Word, is our inerrant sufficient, and final authority […]
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History is important. I have always loved learning about the past. History tells us where we have been and how we have progressed. This progression can be for the good or bad. Looking back, we see the mistakes made but also how truth has stood the test of time. One of those times in history […]
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There are multiple methods in which to study the Bible. One I have found to be helpful is the Thirty-Day Bible Study Method. This method is not original to me. Reading the Bible is an essential part of knowing God’s word better. Studying the Bible is where we get to know the text well. The […]
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Which part of the Bible do you like the most? The Old Testament or the New Testament? Most would say they like the New Testament better because they can understand it better. Why is it important to know and love the Old Testament as much as the New Testament? The Bible is about God, His […]
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The Bible is a book with many stories. All of these stories are connected. The Bible is one continuous story about Jesus Christ. God. The Old Testament prepares and foretells the story of Christ. The New Testament announces and fulfills what was promised in the Old Testament. There are patterns in the Bible that help […]
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Reading and studying the Bible is an integral part of our growth and development as Christ’s followers. Learning how to read and understand the Bible, God’s Word, is an area where we continue to grow. At least, I know I am! One aspect of reading and studying the Bible I have learned is to understand […]
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What do you believe about God, salvation, ethics, and the Bible? Does what you believe align with historic Christianity? As believers, we have a purpose to glorify God in all we do and make Him known to the world around us. In a nutshell, we should strive to live for Christ faithfully in our daily […]
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Are you quick to dismiss people? Do you tend to place people in the lost cause category? People what have no hope. Are they too far gone to be corrected? Are they beyond help? Then patience may be a weak point. God did not quickly dismiss Adam and Eve when the world was plunged into […]
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As believers, we can struggle to please God in everyday life. How are we to walk like Christ despite our imperfections? We have seen over the last past months what each commandment means and how we are to live it out. Looking at the commandments, it’s a selfless life. Learning to love GodThe first four […]
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“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male slave, or his female slave, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” Exodus 20: 17 NASB Of all the other commandments, the tenth one talks about an internal state of the heart. […]
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The ninth commandment “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” Exodus 20:16 NASB What does this commandment mean?Understanding this commandment might have a more significant meaning than you think than “don’t lie.” When you look at God’s character, we know He is the truth. It’s His very nature.He is the God of all […]
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“You shall not steal.” Exodus 20:15 What does this commandment mean? This commandment forbids theft and robbery, taking what does not belong to you. Most of us know this is wrong. “We understand that taking things that don’t belong to us is wrong—whether through breaking and entering, robbery, shoplifting, or larceny (the unlawful taking of […]
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“You shall not commit adultery. Exodus 20:14 Genesis 1-3 provides us with a myriad of information about God’s structure for life on this earth. These chapters tell us God’s established plan for how we should live. From the beginning, God created male and female and made the two become one. Marriage was God’s divine plan. […]
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“You shall not murder.” Exodus 20:13 NASB God created humans in His image (Gen 1:26-27). Therefore, human life is worthy of dignity and respect. We are all image-bearers of God. In the sixth commandment, God indicates that human life is valuable and that taking an innocent human life is prohibited. Human life is so precious […]
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Fifth commandment “Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be prolonged on the land which the Lord your God gives you.” Exodus 20:12 NASB “The first four commandments have a vertical focus that emphasizes our relationship with God. This transitional commandment—the fifth—opens a second section of commandments that have a horizontal […]
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The fourth commandment “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. For six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God; on it, you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male slave or your female […]
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The Third commandment “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.” Exodus 20:7 NASB Names are important. In the Bible, we can see that there is always a meaning behind the names. For example, Isaac means […]
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The second commandment: “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them nor serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, inflicting the punishment of the […]
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1st Commandment You shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:3 NASB In Genesis 1:1, God lays the foundation for who He is. God. The only one from the beginning of the created earth- from eternity. There are no other gods. There is only one. “Hear, Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord […]
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An overview of the 10 Commandments Mount Sinai Israel, God’s chosen people, were free. They had been enslaved people in Egypt for four hundred years. Now God had given them laws to live by. Israel was special. God wanted them to be different from all of the other nations. They were to be a people […]
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An overview of 1 Peter I on many occasions the Bible has been a comfort and an instruction on living. Every time I read through the Bible or study a particular book, I find a new insight. The more you study and read the Bible, the more you know God and how to live on […]
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Nature of God “In God’s faithfulness lies eternal security.” Corrie Ten Boom God is faithful. These three words give me comfort. I see constant change when I look at the world today. However, nothing stays the same, which is not always bad. Meditating on this nature of God, His faithfulness is reassuring. Scripture is replete […]
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Who decides what is right and wrong? Unfortunately, in our culture today, right and wrong have mainly been reduced to whatever you think is right. No matter what you think or what culture tells you, there is a standard for right and wrong. God is that standard. Jehovah Tsidkenu: The Lord Our Righteousness In the […]
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Sufficiency of Scripture Why is Scripture essential for believers? The doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture is fundamental for us as followers of Christ. The Bible can equip us for faith and service to God. God wants to restore the relationship that was broken in Genesis. Jesus Christ is our Savior. It is through the […]
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The Necessity of Scripture What would the world be like if we did not have the Bible? What if God had chosen not to give us His written Word? If we did not have the Bible, God still would have given us a way to know Him. God has revealed certain things through general revelation. […]
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I struggled in English literature, especially with poems. I could never understand them. Why could the poet not just tell us plainly what they meant? Unlike my struggles in English literature, the Bible has been written so we can understand it. When reading and studying the Bible, I am sure you have come across passages […]
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“Let us therefore yield ourselves and bow to the authority of the Holy Scriptures, which can neither err nor deceive.” Saint Augustine A lot of times, we are pressured to accept or believe the ideologies of today’s culture. Sometimes we are persuaded to believe them. As believers, our guide and authority should be the Bible. […]
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Can we trust the Bible? Yes! If you believe that the Bible is the word of God, then the answer has to be yes. When we think about God, His character, one of His attributes is that He is truth. God cannot err; therefore, the Bible cannot err. To deny the inerrancy of the Bible, […]
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What we believe about the Bible is essential to our life as believers. “Christian interest in, and even devotion to, the teaching of the Bible is integral to Christian discipleship. It is difficult to sustain the claim to be a disciple of Jesus Christ if we do not take the words he endorsed (the Old […]
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As believers, we know that we need to study the Bible. However, somethings, it is not always clear why we should study it. “God wants to communicate with you in the 21st century. He wrote His message in a book. He asks you to come and study that book for three compelling reasons: it’s essential […]
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We all have dreams and desires. Some of them feel and think that it’s God’s plan for our lives. While God does not talk to us like He did to the people in the Bible, we can know His words through it. We have all waited on God at some point in our lives. And […]
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Names give identity. In Biblical times, when a name was given, the meaning was important. “Then the man—Adam—named his wife Eve, because she would be the mother of all who live” Genesis 3:20 NLT. “Joseph named his older son Manasseh, for he said, “God has made me forget all my troubles and everyone in my […]
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God’s standard is perfection. That perfection was broken in Genesis 3. Therefore, sin separates us from God. God had a plan. We see it revealed in His Word. Blood needed to be shed. “ In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there […]
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Christmas is coming. During this season, we focus more on the birth of Christ, and rightly so. Since our focus is on Christ, let’s look at the names that characterized Him. Jesus is called the Word. John is the apostle that introduces this to us. “In the beginning, the Word already existed. The Word was […]
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December is just around the corner; literally, it’s tomorrow! We are entering the Christmas season, even though Christmas decorations have been up since the first of November! Christmas is when we celebrate the first coming of Jesus. His birth. As believers today, we were not there the first time, but there is a chance we […]
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The Lord is our Banner As believers, we should credit all of our victories to God. Reading through the Old Testament, we can see God winning the battle for His people when they trusted His plan. Unfortunately, the Israelites were not always on the winning side because they disobeyed or lacked trust in God’s power […]
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I love a mystery. Sherlock Holmes, Father Brown, Hercule Poirot, The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, and Miss Marple are all detectives. Fictional, of course, but they solved mysteries. I used to try to figure out “who did it,” but I was never very good at deducting the guilty person. They always solved the case. They […]
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Overview of the book of James Faith is an integral part of the life of a believer. It is part of our salvation in Christ. As believers, part of our purpose is to make God known to the world. James tells them about this kind of faith in his letter to the Jewish Christian. Here […]
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Core Belief: Sanctification Sometimes I think about my life if I did not believe in God and His Word. For me, that is always a scary thought. Yet, all I am and what I do is because of Him. In Christ, we have a purpose that we work toward—knowing God and making Him known. As […]
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“When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, “Behold, my covenant is […]
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“God is omniscient. He knows everything: everything possible, everything actual; all events and all creatures of the past, the present, and the future. He is perfectly acquainted with every detail in the life of every being in heaven, in earth and in hell.” (Pink, 1972) I have to admit one of the daunting feelings I […]
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Overview of the book of Jude Love yourself first. God wants you to be happy and wealthy. You might have heard people say the above statements from time to time. You might have heard them from a pastor or Bible teacher. They all have one thing in common. They are not true according to God’s […]
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Core Belief: Common Grace As I keep reading and studying God’s Word, I am learning how much I need God for every aspect of my life. He is here in all areas anyway, but I want to be more aware of His goodness in my life. God is not only good to believers but to […]
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It starts at the beginning of time. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” Genesis 1:1 NLT. God reveals Himself to us. The Creator and all-powerful God of the universe. What does this mean for us as believers? Because of God, we have the opportunity to know and love Him. He tells […]
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God is the creator and supreme power over everything. Therefore, he has the authority to do what He wills. “God does as he pleases, only as he pleases, always as he pleases. None can thwart him. None can hinder him.” (Pink, 1975) What do you think about the sovereignty of God? “The concept of sovereignty […]
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Overview of Habakkuk Looking at the culture and the world today could get a person depressed. Actions and behaviors that are wrong are deemed as right. Sometimes you wonder why God allows wickedness to continue. Habakkuk had the same question. Habakkuk was an Old Testament prophet to Judah after the nation of Israel was divided […]
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As believers, we know or should that the Spirit of God lives within us. “Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?” (1 Cor 3:16) NLT “The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity, eternally existing together with the […]
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Jehovah Rophe As a nurse, I have seen a lot of sickness, pain, and death. While working in the hospital, I learned people adapted to their sickness and pain in various ways. When we think about illness, a lot of times, we think of the physical body only. There are mental, emotional, or broken relationships […]
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One time at work, it had been a hectic day, and I finally found time to eat lunch late in the afternoon. I had brought leftover lasagna. (Leftovers always taste better the next day!). But when I went to the breakroom and opened the refrigerator, my lunch bag was gone! Someone took my lunch! I […]
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An overview of Jonah The redemptive story started in Genesis. “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:15 ESV. It continues throughout the Bible. In the book of Jonah, we can see God’s mercy […]
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In our world today, many beliefs are shifting and moving. People today have a variety of beliefs. Some of them are within the confines of a religious denomination; some are not. As followers of Christ, there is one belief that we hold near is that Jesus Christ is God. It is one of the foundational […]
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Jehovah Rohi As believers, we know that we live in a fallen world. Yet God has shown us that He will be with us through the hard times and give us good things. In Psalm 23, David saw God as a shepherd. One who provides, leads, comforts, and provides security. David knew about sheep. They […]
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When people question God, the question is usually “Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?” And many times, we can get stomped on how to answer this question. I am not going to answer it here. I do want to bring out a flaw in the question. It’s the “good people” […]
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Overview of Ecclesiastes When we live with the proper perspective, it makes a difference. Are you a glass half full or a glass half empty kind of person? How do you see life? Are you reasonably optimistic or pessimistic? Our perspective can cloud our minds and our judgment. It can affect how we view life […]
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imago Dei The older I get, the more I see life as a gift—God’s gift to humanity. When God created the world, humanity was not like anything He had made before. “Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, […]
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Jehovah Shalom It is hard to watch the news these days. It is hard to listen to it since I don’t own a television. There is always something happening in the world. People dying or being killed, car accidents, kidnappings, pandemics, wars, bombing, and the list goes on. There is never any peace. Turmoil, suffering, […]
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Always and forever. Usually, there is an exception. Think about it there are very few things that you can say that are always and forever. No person or thing stays the same all the time. It usually deteriorates over time and must be replaced or cease to exist. Yet, God is eternal. Infinite. This is […]
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Take a minute to look out a window. What do you see? Is it the sunshine, or is it raining? Do you see a bird perched on a tree branch? Now think about your life. Have you seen God move? Can you recognize when God has allowed a certain situation to happen in your life? […]
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As believers, there are core beliefs we should have about God. Doctrines we should know to be true. Two of them are the knowability and incomprehensibility of God. For us to know God, He has to make Himself known to us. His is self-revelation. “For what can be known about God is plain to them […]
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Several times, God calls Abraham to trust Him about the future. One memorable time would be this one, “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring […]
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As a baby, we were dependent on our parents or caregiver. We needed help with everything from eating, washing, dressing, sitting up, etc. We could do nothing for ourselves—total dependence. In a sense, that is true for us today. Of course, we can feed, clean, and dress, but it is only possible because of God. […]
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Overview of the book of Leviticus They were free! The Israelites were now at the foot of Mount Sini. The Tabernacle was in the middle of the camp. It was where the presence of the Lord dwelt. If you have read through the Bible, you are on a roll once you have finished Exodus until […]
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Generally, a sense of right and wrong comes from a moral standard. We have internal knowledge of right and wrong. That standard, believe it or not, comes from God. While people may not admit that there is a God, being kind and loving comes from God. How do we know? We can read His Word. […]
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Does it conjure up positive or negative feelings when you think of a servant? I dare say that it would incite a negative emotion. Being a servant to someone does not encourage feelings of self-confidence. Even if your “master” is kind, there may not be positive feelings connected to servitude. Yet, when we study the […]
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Life is full of changes. As a nurse, I have seen change on an ongoing basis. Process changes, new drugs, policy changes, new leadership, new staff, and the list goes on. In nursing, change is part of the profession. My co-workers and I used to joke that change is the only thing that stays the […]
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Sola Scriptura. Scripture alone. As believers, this foundational belief makes up what we believe and how we live our lives. It is the belief in the sufficiency of the scripture. “the sufficiency of Scripture means that Scripture contains all the words of God we need for salvation, for trusting him perfectly and for obeying him […]
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Names are important. They can define us in some ways. If you are a parent, you spent time choosing the right name for your child. Something special. Something that has meaning. In the first book of the Bible, God introduces Himself. His name. Elohim. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis […]
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All life is valued because we are all made in the image of God. Genesis 1:26-27 states, “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all […]
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Growing up, I learned about God and what he could do from Bible stories. Noah and the Ark, Moses and the Israelites crossing the Red Sea, David, and Goliath. Daniel in the lion’s den. The list goes on and on. All of these accounts in the Bible tell us about God. They reveal His character […]
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This is the last week where we are looking at the different contexts in which to view the Bible. This week we are looking at geographical context. What is geographical context? Geographical context is when you study the land (places and terrain) of the Bible. This would include mountains, rivers, and desserts. Maps are a […]
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The Bible is a collection of books written by various human authors as inspired by the Holy Spirit. In the world of books, there are several literacy forms in which a book can be constructed. The Bible is similar in this facet. The writings of the Bible make up different literary forms. This is because […]
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Over the past couple of posts, we have been looking at the different types of context that can enhance our understanding of the Bible. This week we look at cultural context. “This field of research is important because grasping the original audience’s perspective helps us understand the setting to which the inspired authors communicated their […]
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“Historical background information can certainly enrich our understanding of individual passages of Scripture, making it more precise and more vivid…..” Wayne Grudem I love history. Pairing it with the Bible is exciting to me. Historical context is looking at the historical background within a scripture passage. History tells a story. Certain events shape how the […]
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Understanding the context of a passage of scripture is so important when you want to understand the meaning. This is a process. There have been many times when I have believed a particular passage of scripture meant something when it meant something else. Taking a passage of scripture out of context can lead you down […]
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What we believe is important. Knowing what we believe with confidence is also important. In last week’s post, we learn that we should know God for yourselves and the importance of reading and studying the Bible. This week we will look at the last two of the four ways to learn how to defend your […]
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In this week and next, we will look at learning how to defend your faith. As Christians, we are called to be different. Jesus said in Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.” (NLT). We are supposed to stand out from the world and […]
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Faith is an integral part of our life as a believer. Recently, I have been reading and studying the book of Hebrews. Chapter 11 is a section that encourages Christians to live by faith. This chapter provides us a description of faith, then gives us examples of faith. What is faith?“Now faith is the assurance […]
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When I think about the character of God, it is humbling to realize how merciful He is to me. His mercy extends to the whole world. Every person can get caught up in the question of good and evil or does God exist? Why does He allow things to happen? There is also the question […]
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This is the time of year we celebrate and reflect on the birth of Christ. We celebrate that He was born and everything that comes with the birth of a newborn baby. It means a new life, a new time, and new experiences to come. We can only imagine what Mary and Joseph were thinking […]
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As we move into Christmas, we cannot forget Mary, the mother of Jesus. Who was God in her life? Mary was young, engaged, and about to start a new stage in her life. Yet, when we look for God in her story, we see that God often calls us to unexpected tasks. “In the sixth […]
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God is magnificent in all of His ways. He moves and acts for us in many ways. While we will never fully understand the ways and acts of God, we have a pattern to lead us in our faith. The pattern can be found in His Word. Throughout the Bible, we learn about God and […]
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We have read the Christmas story in Matthew and Luke many times. So we are quite familiar with the story. We read about Mary, Joseph, the angels, and shepherds. As we read, all of them have a speaking part, except Joseph. There is nothing recorded of him speaking in the text, yet we learn a […]
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Every now and then, I like to go back through my journals to remember what has happened in my life. As I thought about what to write this Thanksgiving, I decided to read some old posts about Thanksgiving. When I read it, I knew I have to share this post again. Being grateful should be […]
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In the first two chapters of Genesis, we learn about God as creator. We learn how He created the earth and that all of it was good! “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on […]
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Have you experienced the prompting and moving of the Holy Spirit in your life? The Holy Spirit is God indwelling in us. The Holy Spirit directs, convicts, guides, and intercedes for us. Are you listening to the prompting? It is the Spirit of God that convicts you of your sin. (John 16:8) It is the […]
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Hannah was not living the ideal situation. Not one that God would condone, but none the less it was her life. What I mean by God not condoning her situation is not Hannah’s fault. Hannah was barren, so to have children, Elkanah Hannah’s husband decided to marry another woman, who was able to have children. […]
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When Jesus was on earth, those three years, He did things that were confusing to His disciples and the people around Him. They did not always understand His word or His actions. The same is true for us as His followers today. We don’t always understand His Word (the Bible) or the way He works. […]
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Some things come naturally, but for some of us, sharing Christ with others can be challenging. For me, sometimes it is the fear of rejection. When we witness to others, we tend to pressure ourselves to “make the sale,” so to speak, and have that person decide to follow Christ. So when that does not […]
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Doing good works “Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. But— When God, our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had […]
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The Church “Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body……” Colossians 1:18 NLT Believers in Christ. This is the church. We know that church is where we go on Sundays, Wednesdays, or Saturdays to worship with fellow believers at a place, but the church is the people. “Just as our bodies […]
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We should be generous with our time, talents, possessions, and money to those in need it. Why? Because God was more than generous with us, God gave the ultimate sacrifice. He is the giver of all givers. “Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he […]
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When God wrote His law and gave it to the Israelites, He wanted them to be different from all of the other nations of the time. 1. “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” Leviticus 19:18 NLT The commandment was […]
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As Christians, we know or should know about the importance of God’s Word. In the Old Testament, God spoke directly to His people or used other people to give His message. What God said was vital for them to hear and heed. When God gave His commands and laws to Moses, God wanted the people […]
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As Christians, we have to learn how to lean on God for strength. Our life can be filled with failure and discouragement, but throughout the Bible, we can see God’s strength in the lives of His people. God’s strength is what carries us. If we depend on our strength, we would be miserable. In Exodus […]
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Whom are you living for right now? What is your priority in life? In today’s culture, the answer may or may not be so clear. However, Jesus spells it out in Matthew 22:34-38,“But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. One of […]
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How can we see God in the life of Rebekah and Isaac? The start of their family was similar to that of Abraham and Sarah. Both waited many years for a promise from God. (Abraham 25 years and Isaac 20 years) God promised to make Abraham a great nation. “I will make you into a […]
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It is easy for life to draw us away from spending time with God. There can be so much to do that we can’t find the time. There is nothing wrong with doing good, but it’s not the best thing to do when it gets in the way of time with God. Jesus wants our […]
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Tabitha, also known as Dorcas, was a disciple of Christ and a giver to the poor. While she does not speak a word in the Bible, you can see God in her life circumstances or put it better her death. God leadsIn Acts 9:32-35, the apostle Peter traveled from one place to another and visited […]
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As Christians, God is guiding and moving in the events of our lives. Even when we think that we are making moves to better our own lives, God is still in control. When you look at Ruth’s life, if you look closely, you can see the Providence of God in her life. God allows trials […]
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If you have read the Bible, you know that there are many stories within it. Some of them you can understand, others we have a hard time. As you read the Bible, there is one thing that you should know. The Bible is made up of many stories, yet it is one story. It is […]
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“The Bible was written not to satisfy your curiosity but to help you conform to Christ’s image. Not to make you a smarter sinner but to make you like the Savior. Not to fill your head with a collection of biblical facts but to transform your life.”Howard Hendricks The whole point of studying the Bible […]
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I pray you are enjoying learning about the inductive method of Bible study. We are at the second step interpretation. Interpretation asks the question, “What does it mean?” I have to say that interpretation is one of the most exciting parts of the inductive method, but the step that can get us into trouble if […]
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The first step in the inductive method is observation. Observation is a key step in studying the Bible. Observation is where you lay the foundation for all of the other steps. Observation asks the questions, “What do I see?” and “What does it say?” Once you have selected the scripture you want to study, it […]
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Learning how to study God’s Word can be a challenge, especially if you have never been taught how to do it. As a new Christian, many of us may not have been really taught how to study our Bibles, unless we were blessed to be disciplined by someone who taught us how. We are on […]
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Learning about the different characters in the Bible has always fascinated me. The story of their lives is so interesting. The characters in the Bible are people who lived long ago in another part of the world. They had a different language, political system, and culture. As we read the Bible, we are looking into […]
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Have you ever wanted to know more about a specific word in the Bible, such as grace, peace, or righteousness? If you want to learn more about a word in the Bible, you can do a word study. A word study is studying a specific word in the Bible. While there are many words in […]
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This week it’s all about Bible studies! If you have been a follower of Jesus, I am sure you have been or used a number of Bible studies either alone or with a group. In this post, I break down different bible studies and some ideas of where to find them if you are looking […]
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Studying the Bible looks different from just reading the Bible. Check out my post about reading through the Bible. Studying the Bible takes work and time. In this post, I will be listing various ways you can study the Bible. Let’s go through some ideas:Inductive methodCharacter studyBook studyChapter studyVerse studyTopical studyWord studyBible study workbooks All […]
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Prophet- a person who spoke for God and who communicated God’s message courageously to God’s Chosen People- the nation of Israel (Nelson, 2014) Samuel was a prophet of God to the Israelites. As we know Samuel’s story, God first speaks to him when he was a young boy.“Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the Lord by […]
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My favorite book of the Bible is Esther because it highlights the sovereignty of God. As Christians, we know that God is in control of everything. Nothing gets by Him that He has not already allowed to happen. He orders our day-to-day steps. When we look at the story of Esther, the providence and sovereignty […]
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We can see the hand of God all over the life of King David. While there are numerous events in David’s life that we see God working, let’s look at three of them. God can slay our giants. We all know the story of David and Goliath. When David went out to meet Goliath, God […]
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The sovereign hand of God directed Jochebed’s life, which impacted her people, the children of Israel. “And Amram’s wife was named Jochebed. She also was a descendant of Levi, born among the Levites in the land of Egypt. Amram and Jochebed became the parents of Aaron, Moses, and their sister, Miriam.” Number 26:59 NLT Jochebed […]
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One of the attributes of God I am so grateful for is His faithfulness. He is the only one that I can count on 100% not to let me down. If things don’t go the way, I think that they should I know that God knows the plan. In the life of Caleb, we can […]
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Have you read through the whole Bible? Or at least started? Reading through the Bible can be a challenge. Especially, when you get to the books of the Bible like Leviticus or Revelation. As followers of Jesus, we have a sense that we need to be in the Word of God and to study to […]
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There are many translations of the Bible from which to choose. Which always causes us to ask the question. “What translation should I read?” This is a valid question. It shows a hint of wanting to do the “right thing” when it comes to studying God’s Word. In its original language, the Bible is translated […]
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Over the last couple of weeks, I have been writing about tools to help you study the Bible. If you miss them, you can go back and read here (add link) Part 1 and Part 2 In the last couple of years, I have started to find what works for me as I study the […]
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As Resurrection Sunday approaches, these two words come to my mind: gratitude and praise. I want to give gratitude and praise to my heavenly Father above. Easter is a time of celebration in a Christian’s life because Christ is no longer dead but alive! However, I am sobered and grateful that a penalty had to […]
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So we are back with part 2 of the Bible study tools overview. If you missed Part 1 from last week, click here to go back and read. So here is the list of tools to study the Bible 1.Bible2. Notebook (pens, highlighters, etc.)3.Dictionary4. Bible Concordance 5. Maps 6. Bible Handbook7. Bible Commentaries Next on […]
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Understanding what the Bible says is something we all struggle with from time to time. A lot of times, that struggle gets in the way of us studying the Bible. As a student of the Bible, I am learning how to study the Bible in a way that I can understand it. You don’t have […]
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God is a God of mercy, compassion, and grace. Yet, that does not mean that there are no consequences to our sins. When we disobey His Word, sooner or later, we must face the consequences. This is what happened to the Israelites. “After Ehud’s death, the Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight. So […]
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In the life of Abraham, we see his faith. “It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God promised him, he […]
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Whether you were in a church setting or a group, no doubt, you have heard about the working of God in the life of someone else. Can you think back to a time where you learned about the greatness of God from someone else? God reveals Himself to us, yet it is our choice to […]
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In our everyday lives, we don’t often focus on God. When we read or study the people in the Bible, we often focus on the people’s actions or reactions toward God. God is always present in our lives. Whether we see Him actively working or see His actions after the fact. Whichever way He chooses […]
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Whether you are new in your faith in Jesus or have been walking with Him for some time, it is important to remember that God is always with us. It is through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Living in this world is challenging a lot of the time. Loss of family […]
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Self-esteem, self-worth are terms with which we are familiar—loving yourself. In the context of valuing yourself for who God made you be, this is a needed message. Yet, we should also be self-aware that our worth is not in our own identity but in that we receive from Christ as our Savior. We are still […]
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Sin is something that we battle on a daily bases. Satan tries to put obstacles in our way to get us to disobey what God has told us to do. We know about this in his first appearance in Genesis 3. Peter warned the persecuted believers about Satan in his letter to them, “Stay alert! […]
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Prayer is us talking to God. A lot of times, we may not know what to say or how to say it. Yet, God hears and knows our hearts. Prayer takes a lot of faith on our part. We have to believe that there is a God that hears us. He is there whether we […]
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“And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.” I John 5:11-12 (NLT) Culture tells us that there are many ways to God. Jesus was a “good man” […]
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It’s a New Year! I know that this is something people have longed for since May or June of last year. Truth be told, there no magic in the calendar turning January 1st. Yes, 2020 did not turn out the way any of us wanted it. Our world was different than we had ever seen […]
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Another year has come and gone. We are looking in the face of a new year, 2021. Each day is a special one. How are you spending your days? As believers, we should live out our purpose each day. What is our purpose? Jesus calls all of us to share His love and make disciples. […]
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Jesus is coming again! This is what the angels told the disciple as they watched Jesus ascend into heaven. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!” […]
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After the fall, people were condemned to death for their sins. God provided the law to establish His standard for living. Yet, God knew that we could never live up to the law perfectly. He knew that we need someone to be the sacrifice for us, someone to save us. God had a plan. “Jesus […]
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Last week we saw how God made the world. His creation. A part of His creation was humankind. Within that world, there was no sin. It was paradise. Perfection. While in the garden, this, “But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— except the tree […]
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Christmas is coming in the next couple of weeks. The year has gone by fast, and here we are in the first week of December. In the past, we have celebrated Advent in our posts, but this year I thought it would be great to look at the story of scripture in light of Advent. […]
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Why is gratefulness so crucial in the life of a believer? Gratefulness demonstrates our acknowledgment that what we have or do we did not achieve on our own. For starters, just living and breathing, we cannot do anything without God. He gives us breath in our lungs and keeps our hearts beating. God has allowed […]
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Sometimes as Christians, we lose our focus. Our focus should be on Christ, but situations and problems tend to distract us. This week we will look at the miracle of Jesus walking on water. But first, let’s get some context for this account. In the previous verses of chapter 14 of Matthew, Matthew 14:13-21, to […]
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When we read the gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we read the many miracles that Jesus performed. Healing the sick is one miracle that stands out to me the most. “When Jesus arrived at Peter’s house, Peter’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. But when Jesus touched her hand, the fever […]
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Have you ever experienced a time when God called you to step out on faith when things seem to be going all wrong? When God calls us to trust him in obedience, His plan is always better even though we have tried ourselves. He knows what is going to happen. The first miracle we look […]
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A lot of us have experienced similar problems where God has answered our request in different ways. We see this when we look at the miracles of Jesus healing the blind. All of them were blind, but Jesus healed them in different ways and required different things from them. This week, these accounts are taken […]
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In the garden of Gethsemane, just before Jesus was arrested, a fight broke out. Here is what happened. “And one of them struck at the high priest’s slave, slashing off his right ear. But Jesus said, “No more of this.” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.” (Luke 22:50-51:NLT) Jesus was caring for […]
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When Jesus calmed the storm, this is one miracle that many of us are familiar. The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke give us its account. Let’s read the story as told by Matthew, “Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. 24 Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the […]
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Jesus heals two people who were unable to walk. While I can discuss all of the spiritual lessons that we can learn from these miracles, let’s look at the two accounts. The first is in Luke 5:17-20,25-26“ One day while Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and teachers of religious law were sitting nearby…….Some men came […]
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Leprosy is a skin disease that meant separation and isolation for the people who had it in ancient times. In the gospel of Luke, he records two instances of Jesus healing those with leprosy. Here is what happened in Luke 5:12-14,“ In one of the villages, Jesus met a man with an advanced case of […]
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God’s provision is always there for those who trust in Him. I am sure you remember the miracle of Jesus feeding the 5,000 men plus women and children. That was the miracle that Jesus took five loaves of bread and two fish and fed many people. Afterward, there were twelve baskets of leftovers. In this […]
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“The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.” “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus […]
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When we think about the future, it could either go two ways: excitement or dread. As Christians, the future looks promising. We know that we have a home in heaven and that Jesus is coming back soon. Here is what Jesus taught,“Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, as though you were waiting […]
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Sometimes it is hard to celebrate others in their success when you have worked so hard to accomplish your own. In Luke 15:11-32, one son takes his inheritance, spends it, loses it, repents, returns home, and is forgiven. And the other son? Let’s pick up the story there!“Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields […]
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At times there is something in us that wants to be seen. Some of us thrive on attention. And even if you do not like crowds of people, it is nice to be in a place of honor. Being honored is not wrong. It only gets to be a problem when we seek to honor […]
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God is never too busy to hear us. Jesus taught his disciples about prayer. He taught them how to pray and how God handles our prayers. In Luke 11:5-8 we read,“Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of […]
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There are only 24 hours in a day. As time moves, the days seem to move faster. God wants us to make good use of our time. Loving others is not only shown in doing good but also making time. Let’s look at the parable below, “Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was […]
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When we serve the Lord, there should be a willingness to serve. God has graciously provided so much to us; we should be more than willing to serve Him. However, in our service to the Lord, we may not always have the right motive. In the parable in Matthew 20:1-16,“For the Kingdom of Heaven is […]
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I am always amazed at the awesomeness of God. In His greatness, He continues to show us how much He cares for us in our daily lives. Take a look at this parable from Matthew, “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his […]
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If you are in ministry, it is nice to be able to reach the masses. Having a broad audience is powerful and humbling at the same time. What if you do not have a broad audience? “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he […]
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If Jesus came to earth today, where would he go? “Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them! So Jesus told them this story: “If a man has a […]
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So how do you know what is good fruit? Jesus taught the importance of bearing fruit. However, Jesus was specific about what type of fruit that was required. Jesus wants good fruit. “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that […]
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Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came, again and again, to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just […]
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The winds and the rains will come. Living on this earth, I am sure that you have lived through a storm. You have experienced rain, thunder, lighting, and you will most likely reencounter them over and over. Just like the storms in nature, our life will face storms (trials). No matter how long you live, […]
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“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every […]
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Relationships are something special. Especially when they are authentic and genuine. God made the first step in wanting a relationship with us. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath […]
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Has God blessed you financially? Do you live a life where you do not have to “worry” about money? Probably not! Or maybe? “Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.” Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things […]
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In the last post, we talked about self-righteousness that leads to ungodly criticism and judgment of others. So how do we navigate “do not judge.” First, let’s remember what God told Samuel, “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things […]
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A lot of times, it is fun to watch people. We do not know them or their background. When we look at people, sometimes we think certain things about them. We may be right or wrong; we may never know. “Do not judge and criticize and condemn [others unfairly with an attitude of self-righteous superiority […]
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How should we react to the heart condition of others when we share the gospel message? If you think back to reading the gospels, not everyone believed the words of Jesus. Some believed in Him while others did not. The parable of the sower in Matthew 13, Jesus opens our eyes to how people will […]
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The gospel is for everyone. God is giving many opportunities for people to know Him personally. It is our purpose as Christians to show people the love of Jesus and encourage them in their walk with God. Yet, all of the work we put in should be left in the hands of the Lord to […]
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When Jesus came to earth as a man, he came to save us from our sins. He also left us his words to live by and follow. Jesus taught his disciples and the crowds that followed him. Many times he used parables to illustrate a truth. A parable is a story that communicates a spiritual […]
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Are you a planner? Organized? Is it a great feeling, right? If you are wired that way, to have that planner complete, and you know what is coming up in your schedule. There is nothing wrong with planning but, in James 4: 13-16, he gives us wisdom about what our mindset should be when it […]
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Let’s be real. Some of us like to fix other people. They have problems that we can fix. We can tell them what is wrong with them. We know the root cause of their problem. We know what they are doing wrong. A lot of times, when we “try” to fix others, it goes badly. […]
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“Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here […]
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Comparison Instagram. Facebook. You either have a love/hate relationship with them. Why do you think that is the case? We see photos or videos of the lives of people we know personally or don’t. We see what we don’t have or wish we had. We do not have the full story behind the camera or […]
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Our past shapes who we are. Remember Lot’s wife? She looked back at what she was leaving behind. Her life. Possibly all of her possessions, the life she experienced while she was living Sodom and Gomorrah. When we look back at our past life with “longings of days gone by,” it hinders our present circumstances. […]
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I have to say worrying is very easy to do. It is not something we learn, but it just comes naturally to us. I have written about worry on one of my previous post before, but here are more thoughts on the subject. In Philippians 4, Paul gives the believers in Philippi practical ways to […]
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It’s easier to preach than to practice;It’s easier to say than to do.Most sermons are heard by the many,But taken to heart by the few.-Author unknown When James wrote to the Jewish Christians, he told them “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. […]
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God has a plan for all of our lives before we were born. He cherishes life very much.Rebekah, Manoah, and his wife, Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph all knew that God had a plan for each of their children lives before they were born. Let’s read their stories. Rebekah’s story,“Isaac pleaded with the Lord on behalf […]
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Have you ever had to give up something in faith to God? Did you have to give up the same thing twice? Jochebed had to do this very thing. “About this time, a man and woman from the tribe of Levi got married. The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She saw […]
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Eve disobeyed God (Genesis 3:6) Sarah laughed at God (Genesis 18:12) Rahab lied (Joshua 2:5) Job’s wife told him to curse God (Job 2:9) The scriptures record the mistakes of many of its characters. No one in the Bible lived a perfect life except Jesus. He redeemed us. Jesus forgave us and died for us, […]
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Do you have someone in your life that you talk to every day about everything? Hopefully, you do. Have you thought about interacting with God in the same way? As a Christian, we know that we should pray, but do you pray about everything? Many times we face challenges in our day to day life […]
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“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. When you pass through the rivers, they will not flow over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned. The fire will not destroy you” (Isaiah 43:2; NLT). I love this verse in Isaiah. God is telling Isaiah that He […]
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As believers, some of us have grown up in a Christian home while some of us have not — either way, we have to develop our faith in God. If you grew up in a Christian home, you cannot live off of the faith of your parents. You have to develop a relationship with God […]
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“Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.” (Psalms 62:5) God is our Anchor, our Light, our Strength, our Father, our Hope. It is in Him we trust. To have hope, you are looking forward to something better. As believers, when we put our hope in Christ, we […]
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Naomi was a woman who had experienced tremendous loss. She moved from a home she loved to a foreign land with new people and customs. Then when she got to the foreign land, her husband died and her son’s married foreign women. She lived in this world for about ten years until her sons also […]
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The one thing we know from reading the Bible is that love is essential. God showed us love by sending Jesus to die for us that we might have eternal life. In His grace, God’s Word gives us practical ways to demonstrate love to the people around us. In the Old Testament, God gave the […]
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October 17, 2018, one year ago. I was coming out of a difficult place, spiritually. God was teaching me to trust in Him. Months before the afore mention date, I was really struggling with my faith. I had lost my “dream job” months before, having to return to a job I was not particularly thrilled […]
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During our time here on earth, God has given us all a calling as His disciples. Like the disciples in the Bible, we are to follow this command. “And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.” (Mark 16:15; NLT). “Therefore, go and make disciples of all […]
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Often when we think of wisdom and the scriptures, we think of Solomon. He was known as the wisest man — this same wisdom God can give to us. “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask […]
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Many times our emotions can take hold of our lives and fog our vision. Worry can sometimes overshadow us to where it can affect our functionality. Some situations arise where we are at an impasse. We do not know what to do or how to act. Our situation consumes thoughts. Many times our initial response […]
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God called Moses out of the wilderness to lead the people of Israel. One after the other Moses gives excuses of why he could not do it. Until Moses tries one more excuse, “But Moses pleaded with the LORD, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, […]
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James hit the nail on the head, so to speak when he was writing to believers in the book of James about the tongue. In chapter 3 of James, verses one through twelve, he writes how much our mouth can get us into trouble. “For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect […]
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One of the hardest things to do as a Christian is to forgive. Peter in Matthew 18:21-22, knew that and wanted to know what Jesus had to say about forgiveness. Here is what happened, “Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times? “No, […]
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Elijah had just stood for God on Mount Carmel against King Ahab. He had prayed for rain when it had not rained in three years, and God answered. It rained. (I Kings 18) Yet, when Jezebel the wicked queen of Israel sent a message that she was going to kill Elijah, he ran for his […]
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As Christians, God has given us the ability to choose whether we will follow His commands or our own way. We make certain choices that can affect how we walk with the Lord. Salvation God offers us salvation through His Son. It is through the prompting of the Holy Spirit that shows us the way […]
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“And don’t let us yield to temptation.” (Luke 11:1-4b;NLT) Jesus tells us to pray so that we will not yield to temptation. James gives us practical steps to resist temptation. James 4:7-8 states, “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come […]
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I do not know where I heard the phrase keep short accounts with God but the meaning is that we should daily examine our relationship with God when it comes to the wrong that we have done. Then ask God to forgive us. While this phrase is not in the Bible, it helps us to […]
