What Do You Have?

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Kings 4:1-7 TO CHEW ON: "Elisha replied, 'How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?''Your servant has nothing there at all,' she said, 'except a small jar of olive oil.'” 2 Kings 4:2 Elisha became a leader among the prophets like Elijah was before him. One day the wife of a prophet who had died came to Elisha with a big problem. “My husband owed a man some money,” she said. “Now that man says if I don’t pay back the debt, he’ll make my sons his slaves.” “What do you have in your house?” Elisha asked. “Only a little oil,” the woman replied. “Here’s what to do,” Elisha said. “Send your boys out to gather oil containers. Collect as many as you can. Then close the door of your house and fill all those containers with the oil you have.” How would she ever fill even one container with the little bit of oil she had, the woman wondered. Yet she did as Elisha said. After her sons had collected bottles, jugs and jars of all shapes and sizes from the neighborhood, they began to fill them. And an amazing thing happened. The oil never ran...

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Tags: miracles Israel God’s help Elisha craft 2 Kings

Well Pleased

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Mark 1: 9-13 TO CHEW ON: "And a voice came from heaven: 'You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.'” Mark 1:11 One day Jesus came from Nazareth to the desert where John was preaching and asked John to baptize Him. Jesus comes to John - Artist unknown John didn’t feel he was good enough to baptize Jesus. But Jesus insisted. Jesus asks John to baptize Him - Artist Unknown So he did it. John baptizes Jesus - Artist unknown At the baptism wonderful things happened. The Holy Spirit in the form of a dove came to rest on Jesus. Then a loud voice from heaven said, “You are my Son whom I love; with You I am well pleased.”...

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Tags: Mark Jesus God’s presence God’s plan baptize

Wedding Emergency

TODAY’S SPECIAL: John 2:1-11 TO CHEW ON: "His mother said to the servants, 'Do whatever he tells you.'" John 2:5 Have you been to a wedding? Which things would you find there? beautiful clothes celebration sad music smiling faces coffin camera tears hearse flowers graduation cap & gown birthday cake party good food decorations happy music Jesus, His disciples and His mother were invited to a wedding in Cana. I’m sure it was a joyful time like our weddings are today. But suddenly there was a wedding emergency. What embarrassing thing happened? (John 2:3) ________________ When Jesus’ mother found out there was no more wine, she told Jesus. Then she said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.” Even though Jesus had done no miracles up till then, His mother had faith He would know how to help. "Wedding at Cana" - Artist unknown...

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Tags: water research miracles John Jesus

Water please

TODAY’S SPECIAL: John 4:4-15 TO CHEW ON: "Jesus answered her, 'If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.'” John 4:10 Which of these statements is true? ~ Water is the single most important substance on earth. ~ Our bodies are made up of 70% - 75% water. ~ Our bodies lose water when we sweat and go to the bathroom. ~ We can die from lack of water. Yes, they’re all true. Jesus was hot, tired and thirsty on His walk from Judea to Galilee. So it’s no shock He asked for a drink when he stopped at the Sychar well. But what is surprising is that he asked a woman, and a Samaritan woman at that (Jews hated Samaritans)....

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Tags: water John Jesus Holy Spirit God’s help God’s care

Washing Feet

TODAY’S SPECIAL: John 13:4-17 TO CHEW ON: “Now that I your Lord and Teacher have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.” (John 13:14) Imagine walking barefoot in sandals along the hot dusty roads of Palestine. Are you thinking dusty, sweaty, grimy feet? When people arrived at someone’s house after such a journey, they wouldn’t walk all over the clean floors with their dusty feet. Instead a servant would be at the door, ready to wash the guests’ dirty feet. When Jesus and His disciples gathered in an upstairs room to eat the Passover meal, there was no servant there to do this job. Then while the disciples were eating (with dirty feet) an unusual thing happened. The most important person in the room, the leader and teacher, Jesus, took off His outer coat. He wrapped a towel around His waist, poured water into a basin and, one by one, washed His disciples’ feet. "Jesus Washes His Disciples' Feet" - Artist unknown After that, He told them they should wash one another’s feet, like He had washed their feet....

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Tags: serving John Jesus God’s character Christ’s passion

Warning Words

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Joshua 23:1-16 TO CHEW ON: “But if you turn away and ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations that remain among you and if you intermarry with them and associate with them, then you may be sure that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become snares and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land, which the Lord your God has given you.” Joshua 23:12,13 Joshua speaks to the people - Artist unknown Years passed. Joshua led the people in many battles. They won most of them and were now living in their new homes in Canaan. When Joshua was an old man he gathered the leaders to hear his final words. Here are some of the things he told them. Cross out the one thing he did not say: 1. Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the book of the Law of Moses. 2. Associate with the survivors of these nations; pray to their gods and swear by them. 3. One person can beat a thousand because God fights for you. 4. If you are good...

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Tags: Joshua God’s plan God’s help friendship discussion

Unwelcome News

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Jeremiah 38:1-6 TO CHEW ON: "This is what the Lord says: ‘Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague, but whoever goes out to the Babylonians will live. They will escape with their lives: they will live.’" Jeremiah 38: 2 None of us likes to bring unwelcome news. Yet when God told Jeremiah to say things that were opposite of what everyone wanted to hear, he said them even though it got him into big trouble. It was now about sixteen years after Jehoiachim had burned Jeremiah’s scroll. Jehoiakim had died. Babylon was getting stronger every day. Its king Nebuchadnezzar had made Zedekiah king of Judah. But Nebuchadnezzar really wanted Judah for himself. When he came with his army and surrounded Jerusalem, King Zedekiah asked Jeremiah if God had any message for him. “Yes,” Jeremiah told him, “the Babylonian army will capture the city and burn it down.” Zedekiah and his officials didn’t like the sound of that, so they put Jeremiah in prison. But he had more to say. “Give yourselves up to the Babylonian army,” he told everyone who came to see him. “If you stay in this city, you’ll die.” Jeremiah’s words enraged Zedekiah’s officials. “He’s...

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Tags: research prophecy prayer persecution peer pressure Judah Jeremiah courage

Unpopular

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Jeremiah 26:1-15 TO CHEW ON: "As for me, I am in your hands; do with me whatever you think is good and right. Be assured, however, that if you put me to death, you will bring the guilt of innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and on those who live in it, for in truth the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.” Jeremiah 26:14,15 Josiah was dead. Jehoiakim, his son, was now king in his place. Jehoiakim didn’t follow his father’s ways. Quickly the country slipped back into sin. One day early in Jehoiakim’s reign, God gave Jeremiah another assignment. “Stand just outside the temple,” He said, “and tell the people if you follow my laws and listen to my prophets with all your hearts, then I will change my mind about destroying this city. But if you don’t do these things, I will really destroy Jerusalem, just like I destroyed Shiloh.” Jeremiah did what God said. But instead of listening and obeying, the priests and false prophets got angry. “How dare you say Jerusalem will be destroyed?” they asked. Soon the king’s officials arrived on the scene. “This man should be...

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Tags: prophecy peer pressure Judah Jeremiah God’s word God’s plan courage

Unlikely Warrior

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Judges 6:11-16 TO CHEW ON: "The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.' ” Judges 6:16 After Joshua died the people quickly forgot his final instructions. They began marrying their Canaanite neighbors and were soon praying to idols. So God allowed the nations around them to pick fights with them and win. The kings of these nations took their cities, made them servants and stole their crops. When this happened, the people prayed for help. Then God raised up rulers called judges. These judges trusted God. They helped the people turn back to God. They led them into battle, helped them get back their land and live in peace again. But the peace never lasted for long. No sooner was the danger past than the Israelites went back to worshiping idols. Then God allowed their enemies to trouble them again. In one of these times the people from Midian – the Midianites – were hassling the Israelites so much they had to leave their homes and live in caves. They were running out of food because the Midianites stole their crops and cattle, and wrecked their land. Gideon, threshing wheat in his hideout...

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Tags: write promises problems Judges God’s help Gideon courage

Unique Invention

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Ephesians 2:1-10 TO CHEW ON: "For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10 Think back through the last 24 hours. What things have you used in that time which someone once had to invent, design and make? For example did you ride a bike, wash with a bar of soap, use a computer, send a text message on a cell phone, load a dishwasher? Make a list. Just think – not one of the things you listed came into being on its own. Someone had to think of, design and put together each of these things to do their special job.....

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Tags: work Saul/Paul research God’s plan Ephesians craft

Two Births?

TODAY’S SPECIAL: John 3:1-8 TO CHEW ON: “Jesus replied, 'Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again .' " - John 3:3 Nicodemus was no dummy. He had gone to school for many years to become a Pharisee. He was in government as a member of the ruling council, the Sanhedrin. Yet even though he knew a lot and was an important man, he really wanted to talk to Jesus. He went to see Jesus at night. "Nicodemus" - Artist unknown "You're obviously from God," Nicodemus said. "Otherwise how could you do the miracles you do?" In reply Jesus didn't talk about where He was from. Instead He answered the question that was really on Nicodemus's mind - how to become part of God's kingdom....

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Tags: science salvation research John Jesus Holy Spirit

Turnaround

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Acts 9:1-9 TO CHEW ON: “'Who are you, Lord?' Saul asked." Acts 9:5 Saul thought he was pleasing God by killing the followers of Jesus. "Saul was breathing murderous threats" - Artist unknown God saw that Saul was sincere. But he was also wrong. In one amazing moment God turned Saul around. He was traveling on the road near the town of Damascus, on his way to kill more Christians, when a light blinded him. He fell to the ground. A voice asked, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”...

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Tags: Saul/Paul salvation persecution Jesus God’s presence Acts

Trouble

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Psalm 3:1-8 TO CHEW ON: "Many are saying of me, 'God will not deliver him.' But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.” Psalm 3:2,3 Have you ever been in big trouble? Maybe some bullies at school are picking on you, or someone in your family is deathly sick, or your house was wrecked in a storm or fire – or some other thing. What do you do when big trouble comes? When David wrote Psalm 3, he had a big problem. By now he had been king for many years. He also had many children. One of his sons, Absalom, was ambitious. He wanted to become king instead of David. Secretly Absalom won the hearts of the people. He did this by talking to each person who came with a problem for the king to judge. He said things like, “Isn’t it a shame the king is too busy to hear you? Now if only I were the king, things would be different.” After acting like this for four years, he made his move. Without his father knowing it Absalom went to Hebron. Then he sent secret messengers through the land. They told...

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Tags: write Psalms problems prayer praise God’s help David

Trouble

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Nehemiah 4:1-15 TO CHEW ON: "After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, 'Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.' ” Nehemiah 4:14 The people eagerly set to work rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. Each family was responsible to fix the section closest to their home. Everyone helped. Illustration by Annie Vallotton from the Good News Bible © American Bible Society 1976, 1992 But as the piles of rubbish became a strong, thick wall again, there were rumors of trouble. Rulers from the neighboring Samaria and Ammon didn’t want Jerusalem to be strong. They were angry about Nehemiah’s project and made fun of it....

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Tags: work trust testing research problems Nehemiah God’s help

Tricked!

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Joshua 9:1-21 TO CHEW ON: "The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord." Joshua 9:14 Have you ever been tricked? Maybe you were tricked for a good thing, like having someone throw a surprise party for you. Or maybe it was for a bad thing, like falling when someone pulled a chair away. The Israelites had a trick played on them the day some raggedy strangers rode into camp. “Who are you and what do you want?” Joshua asked them. “We’re people from a far country,” they told him. “We’ve heard about how God has helped you and we’re scared of you. We want to sign a peace treaty with you.” “How do I know that you’re not from close by?” Joshua asked. “Here’s proof,” the men said. They showed Joshua dry, moldy bread, cracked wineskins, torn faded clothes and worn out sandals. “These things were all new when we started on this trip,” they told Joshua. “We’ve been traveling so long the bread got moldy, the wineskins cracked and our clothes wore out.” The Israelites eat the Gibeonites bread - Artist unknown Joshua and the people tried the bread. It was very old. They examined the wineskins and the clothes. They...

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Tags: trust trickery prayer God’s help consequences

Travel Protection

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Ezra 8:21-32 TO CHEW ON: "There by Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children and all our possessions." Ezra 8:21 Ezra hugged the king’s letter to himself. He could hardly believe it – permission to go back home! He opened the letter and read it again. Yes, there it was. Not only could he gather the people for the trip back to Jerusalem, but the king was also sending gold and silver to replace the temple furniture. About sixty years had passed since the first exiles had returned to Jerusalem. King Xerxes and Esther were now dead and a new king, Artaxerxes, ruled in Babylon. Ezra, a man who had spent his whole life studying God’s laws, was the leader of the exiles. Quickly Ezra spread the word that they could go home to Jerusalem. People packed their belongings and gathered at Ahava Canal from where they would set out. Soon the crowd had swelled to 1700 people. Everyone was eager to get going. But Ezra was worried. The trip would be long. With all the gold and silver they were carrying, they...

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Tags: storytelling prayer God’s care Ezra

Trapped!

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 14:1-14 TO CHEW ON: "Moses answered the people, 'Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.' ” Exodus 14:13,14 After a few days of traveling in the desert, the Israelites’ excitement at being free started to wear thin. Even though they were no longer slaves, walking for miles every day under the hot sun wasn’t exactly easy either. But one thing this crowd of about two million people didn’t need to worry about was getting lost. From the beginning God showed them the way. In the day He led them with a cloud. In the night that cloud lit up as if filled with fire. Whenever the cloud moved, the Israelites moved. When it stopped, they camped. Israelites leaving Egypt - Artist unknown In a few days they found themselves camped in a dead end, between rocks, desert and the sea. But God had led them here, so it must be okay. Meanwhile back in Egypt, Pharaoh couldn’t believe he let the Israelites go. What was he thinking? Such a huge...

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Tags: trust promises problems obedience Moses faith Exodus Egypt courage

Toxic Tabernacle

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Samuel 2:12-26 TO CHEW ON: "Meanwhile the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord....And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the Lord and with people." 1 Samuel 2:21, 26 Do you think it’s possible to live as a Christian in a neighborhood where you have no friends who love Jesus? What about in a school where people tease you if they find out you read the Bible, or in a family where you’re the only one who trusts in God and prays? You would expect for little Samuel, the tabernacle, where people came to worship God, would be the easiest place in the world to get to know God. But it wasn’t. Instead, it was a place full of rebellion, disobedience and sin. The trouble was not with Eli, the old priest, but with his sons. They had no respect for God and pretty much did as they pleased. They demanded offering meat before it was ready and had sex with the servant girls who worked near the Tabernacle. Even after Eli scolded them, they didn’t change. Meanwhile Samuel was growing up. Every year he got stronger and taller. Every year his parents...

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Tags: worship testing tabernacle sin Samuel rebellion peer pressure courage 1 Samuel

Town of Birth: Bethlehem

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Micah 5:1-5 TO CHEW ON: "But you, Bethlehem, Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be a ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." Micah 5:2 Royally dressed strangers on camels were asking to see the king. “Bring them in!” Herod commanded. “What do you want?” he asked when they stood before him. “Where is the king of the Jews? We have been following his star. It has led us this far and now we want to worship him.” Herod called the priests and teachers. “Where is the king of Jews to be born? “In Bethlehem,” they replied. And then they read these words from our reading today: "But you, Bethlehem, Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be a ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." They are words Micah had written 750 years earlier. Micah’s prediction of where Jesus would be born came true. Jesus was born in Bethlehem. This fulfilled prophecy is another proof that the Bible is no ordinary book. Only God could know...

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Tags: research prophecy Micah Judah Jesus God’s word

Top Secret

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Esther 2:8-11 TO CHEW ON: "Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so." Esther 2:10 Why was that man looking at her, Esther wondered as she hurried home from the market. A few days later pounding at the door interrupted their meal. A servant of King Xerxes was there. “She has been chosen for the king,” he said to her cousin Mordecai. Esther was a beautiful young Jewish girl whose grandparents had been taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar. Because her parents had died when she was little, she had been raised by her kind cousin Mordecai. Nebuchadnezzar was now dead and the Persian king Xerxes ruled from his palace in Susa. He had recently done away with his first wife Vashti. Now he was looking for a beautiful replacement to be his new queen....

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Tags: wisdom obedience Esther advice

Too Scared to Eat!

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Acts 27:27-44 TO CHEW ON: "Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.” (Acts 27:34) Have you ever been seriously scared or nervous? Perhaps it was the time your team had to play the championship game, or you had to perform a solo in a piano recital, or you were driving through a snowstorm and the car started sliding all over the road. Our bodies respond to fear in a physical way. How does your body feel when you are nervous or afraid? - You can’t eat.- You get sick to your stomach.- You feel shaky.- You get a headache.- Your hands get cold and clammy.- Your face gets red.- You bite your nails. The 275 passengers with Paul had been in the storm for 14 days. They were terrified the whole time. Many of them hadn’t eaten anything and were growing weak....

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Tags: trust Saul/Paul research promises problems God’s help God’s care fear faith Acts

Too Beautiful for Words

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Ezekiel 1:22-28 TO CHEW ON: " I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord." Ezekiel 1:27,28 Have you ever seen something so amazing you had trouble describing it? That was probably what Ezekiel felt like when he saw a vision of God. Like Daniel, Ezekiel was an exile in Babylon. One day, when he was beside the Kebar River in Babylon, he saw a strange sight in the sky. At first he thought the cloud with flashes of lightning coming from it meant a storm was on the way. But as it got closer, he saw creatures. They looked like people but had many faces and wings. Then he saw sparkling wheels that moved. Finally he heard a voice. Looking up he saw a throne. On it was a man. But what a man! He was glowing and fiery. Around him was brilliant...

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Tags: worship visions God’s presence Ezekiel

Too Late?

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Ecclesiastes 12:1-7 TO CHEW ON: "Remember your creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, 'I find no pleasure in them.'” Ecclesiastes 12:1 How sad it is to be too late.- You come to dinner hungry and find the food has all been eaten. - You come to the garden wanting to harvest a crop and find all the vegetables and fruits are over-ripe and rotting. - You come to a concert and find you are just in time for the last song. It’s just as sad to come too God late. In today’s reading, we find out when is the best time to come to God....

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Tags: Solomon salvation God’s plan Ecclesiastes death choices

Tomorrow’s News—Written Years Ago

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Isaiah 11:1-9 TO CHEW ON: "The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." Isaiah 11:8,9 “And a Little Child Shall Lead Them” Original oil painting © 2007 by Darlene Slavujac Would you let your baby sister play near the hole of a poisonous snake? Of course not! That would be almost certain death. Yet in this prophecy, Isaiah tells about a time when people and animals will get along without fear of each other. Match the creatures who will live together without fear (Isaiah 11:6-7)...

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Tags: prophecy peacemaker Isaiah friendship creation

Tomorrow’s News

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Revelation 1:1-11 TO CHEW ON: "The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John.... On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: 'Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches...'” Revelation 1: 1, 10-11 Where would you go to find out what will happen tomorrow? Today’s newspaper? The six o'clock news? The internet? Of course we know none of these places will tell us. Only God knows what will happen tomorrow. So when God sent an angel to John (Jesus’ disciple) and told him to write down the things God would show him about the future, we need to pay attention. Most of the Bible book of Revelation is what John heard and saw in a vision about the future. John on Island of Patmos - Artist unknown Though Revelation isn’t as easy to understand as a newspaper, you’ll find lots of interesting things in it. It has disaster and intrigue, dragons and mysterious horsemen, heroes and villains. Best of all, you’ll find...

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Tags: visions Revelation prophecy promises John Jesus hope

Those Sparks Called Words

TODAY’S SPECIAL: James 3:1-12 TO CHEW ON: "Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark." James 3:5 Which of these could start a forest fire?- a cigarette butt- a spark from a campfire- a match If you answered, “all of them,” you’re right! When the forest is dry, the tiniest spark starts a fire which can grow to destroy miles and miles of trees, hundreds of homes, businesses, power lines, animals, and even people. James compares the words we say (with the help of the little red, wet, wiggly thing in our mouths called a tongue) to sparks that start a forest fire. But can our words really do that much damage?...

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Tags: wisdom truth speech James choices

Thorn

TODAY’S SPECIAL:2 Corinthians 12:7-10 TO CHEW ON: "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:9 Do you or someone you know have any of the following: - crooked teeth - epilepsy - poor hearing- diabetes- poor eyesight These are what Paul might have called a “thorn in the flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7). You know that a thorn poking into you won’t kill you. But it hurts just the same. When there's a thorn in your shoe and you're trying to walk it's annoying, always there, and not easy to ignore....

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Tags: Saul/Paul problems prayer grumbling God’s help 2 Corinthians

The War Inside Me

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Romans 7: 14-25 TO CHEW ON: "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." Romans 7:15 What happens when someone says, “Close your eyes and don’t peek”? Do you have a big urge to open your eyes and DO exactly what you’ve been told NOT TO DO? That seems to be what happens when you concentrate on the things God tells you not to do. You know that disobeying our parents, stealing, lying and being jealous are things God tells you not to do. But have you ever found that the more you concentrate on those ‘don’ts’ the more you find yourself doing them? In his letter to the Romans, Paul talked about the way people tend to act and feel this way. It is what makes it more natural for us to disobey God than obey Him. Later we feel sorry that we did what God said we shouldn't. How do we escape from this circle of knowing we shouldn’t do something but doing it anyway? Paul gives us the answer....

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Tags: sin Saul/Paul Romans prayer good news God’s help

The Sharing Church

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Acts 4:32-36 TO CHEW ON: "All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had." Acts 4:32 It was only weeks after Jesus had returned to heaven. But the people who believed in Jesus lived with Holy Spirit power and amazing things happened. The Apostles - Peter, John and others - preached boldly. Signs and miracles happened everywhere. As a result thousands believed in Jesus. These new followers of Jesus spent a lot of time together - meeting in the temple courts, praising God and boasting about what He had done. They even ate their meals together. "The Apostles preaching" - Artist unknown Another thing they did was share – everything they had. In fact, people were so generous, they sold their things and brought the money to the leaders to help pay for the needs of those who didn’t have enough. Not one of those early Christians needed to beg, use food stamps or go to the food bank....

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Tags: love generosity friendship Acts

The Majority Loses

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Jeremiah 14:13-16 TO CHEW ON: "Then the Lord said to me, 'The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds.'” Jeremiah 14:14 Have you ever been outvoted by the majority? Perhaps you were working on a project and most people in your group didn't like your idea. Or you had a suggestion for a family outing, but everyone else wanted to do something different. It’s not fun when no one agrees with you and you have to stand alone. Jeremiah found that out when he gave God’s messages to the people of Judah. “Unless you change your ways, God will send plague, war and famine,” he said. But other prophets said the opposite: “Don’t worry about war or shortages of food. There will be lasting peace.” Of course the people liked the message of the other prophets more than the Jeremiah’s message. The people thought he was annoying and simply ignored him. Jeremiah talked to God about this. God told him, “I haven’t sent those other prophets. They aren’t saying my words. They’re telling lies. As a...

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Tags: prophecy peer pressure Judah Jeremiah God’s word God’s plan courage


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