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| Feb 25, 2025
It was the apostle John's final warning to his readers: "Little children, guard yourselves from idols" (1 John 5:21). "Watch out," said John, in effect. "Be on guard against anything that might occupy the place in your heart that should be reserved for God."
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| Feb 24, 2025
During my days in New England, I heard of a teacher who quizzed a group of college-bound high school juniors and seniors on the Bible. The quiz preceded a Bible-as-literature course he planned to teach at the Newton (Massachusetts) High School.
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| Feb 23, 2025
Both adversity and prosperity confront our equilibrium, but prosperity is perhaps the more challenging test. Today we look at another biblical person who rose to the top and kept his balance. The classic example is David.
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| Feb 22, 2025
Two extreme tests exist that disturb our balance in life. Each has its own set of problems. On one side is adversity. Solomon realized this when he wrote: "If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!" (Proverbs 24:10 NIV).
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| Feb 21, 2025
Instant replays have become old hat. We now expect them in all televised sports. Whether it's a tennis pro's impressive backhand or an NBA center's slam dunk or a heavyweight boxer's smashing jab, we never have to worry about missing it the first time around.
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| Feb 20, 2025
Okay . . . there you stand, getting introduced to someone. How are you going to remember the person's name? Well, you're already of the mind-set that this meeting and the person are very important. You remember that from yesterday, right?
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| Feb 19, 2025
Remembering is a skill. Sure, there are those who have been blessed with a good memory. But they are exceptions. For most of us, remembering is a skill, like speaking in public, singing, reading, thinking, or swimming. We improve at a skill by hard work.
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| Feb 18, 2025
Yesterday we began talking about the legal swamp—the tendency of people, and even professing Christians, to march headlong into the mire of courtroom battles, often without any attempt at personal reconciliation.
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| Feb 17, 2025
Law never fails to turn me off. Don't get me wrong. It's not that I don't think we need it . . . it's just that it leaves me cold. It frowns and demands. It requires and warns and threatens. With a grim glare, it dares us to forget its rules . . .
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| Feb 16, 2025
"Don't sweat the small stuff." Somebody said that to me the other day. It helped . . . momentarily. I needed reality's nudge. Being casual on the outside but a fairly thorough and disciplined soul within, I sometimes need to be reminded that few people will even notice the thing I'm camping on.
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| Aug 08, 2024
THERE IS A STRANGE STATEMENT IN Scripture that flashes like a bright neon sign. Paul made it while he was saying good-bye to a group of friends standing near him. It was a sad moment heavy with emotion.
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| Aug 07, 2024
DISORIENTATION IS THE PITS. When you travel a lot (like airline personnel) you must deal with it.
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| Aug 06, 2024
TUCKED AWAY IN THE FOLDS OF Hebrews 11 is a two-word biography worth a second glance: "He endured" (11:27, NASB).
The Living Bible says, "[he] kept right on going."
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| Aug 05, 2024
WEBSTER DEFINES THE WORD "cordial" as of or relating to the heart: vital, tending to revive, cheer, or invigorate, heartfelt, gracious. That's really a mouthful; in fact, that's worth a few minutes of our time together.
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| Aug 04, 2024
PAUL WANTED TO BE IN HEAVEN but needed to be on earth. In a temporal sort of way, this time of year, I share his frustration.
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| Aug 03, 2024
THERE IS ONLY ONE YOU. In our overly-populated, identity-crisis era it is easy to forget this. Individuality is played down. We are asked to conform to the "system."
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| Aug 02, 2024
YEARS AGO, when I pastored in California, an usher met me as I was leaving the church. He had been involved in counting the morning offering.
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| Aug 01, 2024
ALL OF US HAVE PRACTICED certain areas of wrong from our youth. It is a pattern of life that comes "second nature" to us. As a result, it strongly resists change.
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| Jul 31, 2024
IT HAPPENS TO ALL OF US. Teachers as well as students. Cops as well as criminals. Parents as well as kids. The diligent as well as the lazy.
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| Jul 30, 2024
WHOEVER IS SOFT ON depravity should watch Schindler's List.
It's not for the fainthearted, I should warn you.
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