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Walking The Tight Rope

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  Have you ever been to the circus and watched the performers walk the tight rope? I have always been fascinated with the bravery of these people. They put their trust in this thin piece of cable. It will only take one little slip up and they can seriously injure themselves. However, the performers continue to trust their preparation and that dreaded cable. We must be the same way with God. We must be brave and step out on the cable of faith and trust that God will keep us. But who do we put our faith and trust in? It is so easy to fall into the trap of putting our trust in people, things or even ourselves. However, none of these things have the the ability to keep us over the long haul. We must seek to fasten our hope to the eternal things . The temporal things like: Money, people, power, toys (cars, houses, devices, earthly pleasures) are just temporary. These things (temporal things) are made for our earthly use and pleasures not our godly purpose. God has made it clear that if we
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In opposing Pharisees, do not become a Sadducee

In today’s world it is acceptable to bash on “Pharisees.”  It can even be cool and hip. But as readers can tell from my earlier post titled “ Are you a Pharisaical anti-Pharisee? ”, I am concerned for the direction and outcome of those who sometimes zealously attack others as “Pharisees.”  With the previous post I specifically addressed how some who oppose “Pharisees” (whether real or imagined) can hypocritically and ironically be quite Pharisaical themselves.  In this current post I want to address another issue concerning the direction of those who are zealous in opposing “Pharisees.” Please note that in this and the previous post I am not defending Pharisees or Phariseeism (what I mean by that is the idea that we can be self-righteous before God by our own works and that we can add more laws more higher than God’s laws).  Instead my intention is to point out our own possible blind spots in opposing Pharisees. In opposing Pharisees, please do not become a Sadducee. What do I mean by
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The 500th Anniversary of the Reformation

          Martin Luther's posting of his  95 Theses  sparked one of the most incredible movements in human history. It stirred the consciences of men and women to come back to the authority of Scripture and by doing so, brought to light the excellent and holy doctrine of justification by faith alone. In 1517, the Roman Catholic church sold partial and plenary  indulgences . These indulgences gave the Roman Catholic church prosperity at the expense of burdening the souls of men and women with a false gospel. Indulgences coincided with the Roman Catholic doctrine of  purgatory , a place of temporary punishment. The  95 Theses  inadvertently challenged the papal claim of the existence of the  treasury of merit , and led to the Reformation, the  5 Solas , an abundance of Bible translations, and a Catholic Reformation. Climate, Luther, and the 95 Theses           Leading up to the Reformation, one of the many groundwork elements was the production of both Greek and Latin New Testaments
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John Bunyan's Dying Sayings Part 1 (on Sin, Suffering, and Repentance)

We continue our series on the writings of John Bunyan. In today's post we look at the first three of Bunyan's "dying sayings" (slightly modernized) which he wrote while on his death bed. Historical records show that in 1688 Bunyan was caught in a storm while on the way to London, after which he became ill with a serious fever. He died on August 31, 1688 and was buried in a tomb in Bunhill Fields nonconformist burial ground in London. It was during these last days that he wrote the following sayings. It is truly a remarkable testimony of Bunyan's faith that he was not angry at God for what some may view as a needless illness and death for a great servant of God. Not only did Bunyan accept God's will, but he used his final days to continue teaching the truths of God and His Word.   OF SIN Sin is the great block and bar to our happiness, the procurer of all miseries to man, both here and hereafter: take away sin and nothing can hurt us: for death, temporal, spiri
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Meditating in the “Night Watches”

Last week, I talked about the importance of feeding our souls even when we feel like we're too tired to eat, and today I want to share some practical ideas for how busy/sleepy mommies can find time when no time is to be found. The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. (Psalm 19:7-11) The Bible, On Reading the Bible One of my favorite motifs in the psalms is this idea of meditating on God "in the night watches."  David was on the run for so much of his life as a military man, and he mentions r
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How to Read More Books When Life Gets Busy

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For Christians it's important to read.  It's important to read the Bible, books on the Bible, books about Christian living, and books to know more about God. But sometimes one's life gets very busy. How can the busy Christian find time to read? This post is meant to be a pastoral, practical and encouraging answer to that question. 
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Prayer for the Nations

Scripture Matthew 9:36-38 (NASB) 36  Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.  37  Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.  38  Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” Mark 11:17 (NASB) And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a robbers’ den.” Romans 10:14-15 (NASB) 14  How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? 15  How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!” 2 Thessalonians 3:1-3 (NASB) 1  Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with y
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