Understanding the Full Scope of Your Calling

In a long, extended sentence, Paul demonstrated how to pray for other believers (Eph 1:15-21). First, he thanked God for those believers who came to mind. He did this “continually,” which means that whenever they came to mind, he prayed for them; and whenever he prayed for them, he did so with an underlying gratefulness…

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Reading Your Bible

And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his god, to keep all the words of this law and these statues to do them. Deuteronomy 17:191 There is not a command in Scripture to read the Bible every…

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The Double Cure

The first verse of the hymn “Rock of Ages”ends with these words: “Be of sin the double cure, Save from wrath and make me pure” (Majesty Hymns, 451). Interestingly, some hymnals have an alternate reading: “Be of sin the double cure, Cleanse me from its guilt and power” (Hymns for the Living Church, 149.) Fortunately,…

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What To Do When You Disagree with God

Have you ever read your Bible and come across something that bothered you? Something that made you uncomfortable? Something you disagreed with? I hope you have. Many people mistakenly assume that everything they read in their Bibles should line up with how they see the world. God should behave the way they expect him to,…

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Christians Must Handle Conflict Biblically

We cannot escape conflicts because we cannot escape people, including Christians, who struggle with sinful pride and their sinful flesh. For this reason, conflicts will arise between individuals. Conflicts can be between church members, parents and children, spouses, and other combinations of people. No matter who we have a conflict with, as Christians, we must…

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Grow, Christian, Grow!

May I ask you lovingly but directly, are you growing spiritually? Are you continually developing stronger spiritual character of love, self-control, peace, and holy desires? Jude tells us we need to be “building up yourselves on your most holy faith” (Jude 20). What a challenge! This makes clear our personal responsibility for our spiritual growth…

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“Why Do We Have To Wait?”

Wally Morris I don’t like waiting. For several years, I worked in retail sales, and the most common complaint from customers concerned long waits in checkout lines. We don’t like waiting at stoplights, traffic delays, slow computers, and people who take forever to tell us something. Last summer, I pulled some poison oak weeds and…

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Christians Should Be Readers

Taigen Joos Many Christians will begin this New Year with some kind of Bible reading schedule. For our church, we promote this as well, and many take up the challenge to read through their Bibles in a year’s time. It is a good exercise and a great way to get to know your Bible better.…

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Choices for the New Year

George Stiekes And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, CHOOSE you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house,…

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