God did not leave us on our own to try and figure out this Christian life thing on our own. He gave us the Spirit. If we fail to lean into him, we’ll never make it. Paul says, “If you live according to the flesh [that is, by the power of the flesh] you will die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you ...
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Spiritual power does not vanish overnight. It is a gradual process that worsens over time as we establish patterns of behavior that grieve or quench the Holy Spirit. This can happen in a variety of ways, but today we will examine four common leaks:
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Do you ever find yourself absorbed in the activities of life and wonder how you became so busy? Many people overextend themselves to the point of exhaustion. When asked why they are rushing here and there, they answer that they are just keeping up with the normal details of life.
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I don’t know about you, but if I fail to grab a bite to eat in the morning, my whole system seems to run a little off. For good reason, breakfast has been called the most important meal of the day. We need to eat right to go about our business with vigor.
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What defines a godly man? That’s an important question, considering the kaleidoscope of people today who claim to represent and speak on behalf of God. We’ve all seen enough frauds to know that self-definition proves nothing. So how can we discern those who are God’s true ministers and shepherds? We need to appeal to a higher standard in order to know the defining characteristics of a true man of God.
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Sometimes when people stare at us, that question goes through our mind; other times it may come out of our mouth! Maybe we feel imperfect, unfit, not pretty or handsome enough to meet the standard, or just self-conscious. But the question would be better to ask ourselves rather than others. What are you looking at? Are you looking for approval from others? Maybe it’s to blend with the crowd so ...
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Hello, it's Penny. This day and age it's go-go-go! It can be hard to get in that quiet time that you want to spend with the Lord. I have come to appreciate those amazing "Oh, Wow!" moments that He gives us every day. A co-worker gave me a couple of stems from a plant I gifted my boss, because he knew how much I loved propagating cuttings. In just a few ...
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It isn't pretty, but it's here to stay. It occurs in every life and in every season of the year. I call it the "daily grind." Homemakers face 14-hour days with ever-present children and an endless grind of responsibilities. Students endure the grind of assignments, classes, deadlines, and exams. Salespeople have quotas to meet. Musicians must constantly rehearse. Psychologists can't escape one depressed soul after another. Husbands have grass to ...
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It is easy to say you cannot worry your way to wealth, but how do you keep yourself from having anxiety about money? Jesus gave the cure for worrying about wealth in Matthew 6:33–34. If you want to quit obsessing about your needs and your finances, Jesus said to put first things first: “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (v. ...
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Jesus Christ’s teaching about possessions is radical. It confronts both the selfish society in which we live and the sleeping church, which has so often gone with the flow of the world’s anxieties and greed. If the church is to be a shaft of light in the world’s darkness, then those who follow Christ will need to demonstrate a godly outlook toward worldly goods by embracing an absolute trust in ...
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