• Ask and Trust

    | Dec 09, 2023
    God does not mock us with the things He includes in His Word. He isn't in the business of making His people squirm under some unrealistic expectation that they can never attain—something that is totally unique to one person.
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  • A Charming and Graceful Spirit

    | Dec 08, 2023
    Clearly, Esther had something about her that caused everyone to "favor" her, from the king to the women in the harem who were competing against her for his attention and affections. I think she must have had a winsomeness about her.
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  • Modesty and Authenticity

    | Dec 07, 2023
    Esther exhibited an unselfish modesty and authenticity. Think of it: no job, no responsibility, no cooking, no clean-up, no washing, no ironing, no errands, no budget-watching, no holding back in any area. Imagine!
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  • Servant-Hearted Leaders

    | Dec 06, 2023
    Esther sustained a continually teachable spirit. "Mordecai had instructed her that she should not make them known . . . Esther had not yet made known her kindred or her people, even as Mordecai had commanded her . . ."
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  • Strength and Dignity

    | Dec 05, 2023
    Esther exhibited a grace-filled charm and elegance. In this verse, the literal translation of the original language says, "She lifted up grace before his face." Isn't that a beautiful expression?
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  • Mundane and Miraculous

    | Dec 04, 2023
    Woven through the tapestry of this wonderful story we find at least three timeless lessons thus far. The first has to do with God's plan. The second has to do with God's purposes. And the third has to do with God's people.
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  • Not Forgotten

    | Dec 03, 2023
    God's presence is not as intriguing as His absence. His voice is not as eloquent as His silence. Who of us has not longed for a word from God, searched for a glimpse of His power, or yearned for the reassurance of His presence?
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  • God at Work

    | Dec 02, 2023
    Memucan wanted an edict prohibiting Queen Vashti from ever entering King Xerxes' presence again written into the law of the Medes and the Persians—the law which can never be changed.
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  • Redirecting Our Gaze

    | Dec 01, 2023
    The Christian's greatest goal is to be like Christ. We want to emulate His exemplary life, model His method of teaching, resist temptation as He resisted it, handle conflicts as He did, focus on the mission God calls us to accomplish.
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  • Mantle of Power

    | Nov 30, 2023
    Elijah's no-death contract suddenly went into effect. Elijah, prophet of power—gone. Elisha, prophet of double power—here, ready, and about to be used greatly by his God. When a man or woman of God dies, nothing of God dies.
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  • Times of Searching

    | Nov 29, 2023
    Self-denial does not come naturally. It is a learned virtue (often hard-learned), encouraged by few and modeled by even fewer, especially among those who are what we've come to know as Type A personalities.
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  • Straight Talk

    | Nov 28, 2023
    Today, countless people seek to know the future. Newspapers and magazines carry horoscope columns. Television networks advertise psychic hotlines. Bus stop benches boast ads for palm readers.
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  • Consistent Heroism

    | Nov 27, 2023
    We cannot help but admire Elijah's consistent heroism. The man is alone, standing before the king and, surely, surrounded by armed warriors, faithful to Ahaziah, who could have finished him off with one thrust of a spear.
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  • Two Solemn Reminders

    | Nov 26, 2023
    After recording these dire predictions, spoken by the Lord through Elijah, the writer of 1 Kings gives this commentary on the lives of Ahab and Jezebel: "Surely there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do evil . . ."
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  • Look Up

    | Nov 25, 2023
    Thanks to God's kind and gentle dealing, Elijah crawled out of the cave. "He departed from there." God graciously nurtured him through rest and refreshment, gave him some wise counsel, and made him feel significant again.
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  • Come Out

    | Nov 24, 2023
    God met his servant Elijah in his desperate moment of discouragement and despair. This is mercy at its best, beautifully portrayed by the Master Himself. First, God allowed Elijah a time of rest and refreshment.
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  • When the Darkness Hits

    | Nov 23, 2023
    Why did Elijah fear Jezebel's intimidating threats? Why did he run away from his longstanding priority of serving God and hide in fear under the shadow of that solitary tree, deep in the wilderness?
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  • The Blues

    | Nov 22, 2023
    Elijah was a heroic prophet, without question. He was also a man of great humility, as we have seen. But let's keep in mind that he was just a man—a human being, subject to the human condition, as we all are.
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  • The Big Leagues

    | Nov 21, 2023
    We read about Elijah and we say, "Wow, he's in the big leagues. He's a spiritual giant. I'm a pygmy in comparison to him. He's in another world entirely." Not true. Look again. James doesn't say, "Elijah was a mighty prophet of God."
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  • Living Expectantly

    | Nov 20, 2023
    Do you live expectantly? Do the little things excite you? Do you imagine the improbable and expect the impossible? Life is full and running over with opportunities to see God's hand in little things.
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Aging Well

Do you want to know how to age gracefully? Pastor Chuck reminds us of what God wants us to focus on during our remaining years. As long as we live, the Lord has a purpose for us.