The Benefit Of Prayer | Saturday, November 22, 2008. Excuse me, I think I'll visit with God.
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Imitate God | Friday, November 21, 2008. I will imitate God my Heavenly Father, and walk in love.
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Rejoice In Trouble | Thursday, November 20, 2008. I will rejoice in God even when I face trouble.
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Hang On To Your Faith | Wednesday, November 19, 2008. I will keep on believing and acting on God's Word.
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Focus On Jesus | Tuesday, November 18, 2008. I will keep my focus on Jesus Christ.
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You Can Cast Out Demons | Monday, November 17, 2008. I can cast out demons, in Jesus' Name.
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Hazara People in Iran and Afghanistan | Hazaras have no place to go! Everywhere they turn they are outcasts. Their facial features identify them as descendants of the Mongol conquerors of centuries past. Their homeland in the center of Afghanistan has seen decades of war. As Shi'ite Muslims in a Sunni country, they take an additional blow of persecution as infidels. As a result, thousands have fled to Iran, a Shi'ite country. But even in Iran they receive no sanctuary. Easily identified by their Mongol appearance, they again face rejection. After 20 years or more living in Iran, that government seeks to repatriate them. But those who return to Afghanistan report few jobs and scarce food. So Iran's refugees seek to stay put. In February, National Geographic documented some improvement in their homeland situation. Some have received education. Those who resettle in Kabul, Afghanistan have started businesses. So the Hazaras hope for improvement. Still they labor at strenuous jobs. And they hope. In their home state of Barmian, outside agencies recently built a bridge over a river that divided the region. This eased tensions with neighboring Tajiks and improved prospects of bringing produce to market. But the Hazaras in Iran remain in limbo, unwanted where they live and unwelcome in their ancient home. Uncertainty often opens hearts to good news. Pray that Christian service agencies can build a bridge to the hearts and minds of Hazara leaders. Pray that Christ will reveal Himself to this people group while they are in a state of flux.-EF
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You Have Authority Over The devil | Sunday, November 16, 2008. In Christ, I have authority over the devil, all his forces, and all his works.
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Kurdish Bible | '"This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil (John 3:19)."' NIV. Sumir looked at his friend Omar, and noticed an alarmed look on his face after they read this verse together. Omar blurted out, "That explains why there is so much evil in the world! People would rather sin than to go to the light! This should be obvious, but I have never thought of it before. Did you say that the Prophet Isa said this?" Though this is only a story, it illustrates what is happening with the Kurdish Gospel of John among Central Asia's Kurdish peoples. When the Kurds hear the Gospel of John in their own language, they can sometimes respond like Omar did in this story, or they might become angry. Among the several hundred Muslim-background Kurdish believers, there are few secret believers. In order to join a Kurdish fellowship, they must tell two Muslims about their new life in Christ. Kurdish church leaders often wind up in jail. In June, believers introduced early drafts of all four gospels in the Kurdish language to Kurdish communities. Translators hope to have the entire New Testament translated by the end of this year. Pray for an accurate Kurdish translation to be available in time to celebrate Christ's birth next month. Pray that Kurdish Muslims will find Jesus to be the Pearl of Great Price when they read His Word in their language.-KC
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What Are Alms? | Saturday, November 15, 2008. Alms are gifts of love to help people in trouble.
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Ephesians 2:1-3 | And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience-- among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
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Psalm 73:28 | But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.
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Herki Kurds in Turkey | The refugee family from Iran led their carpet-laden donkeys to the small town marketplace in Turkey. The carpets had distinct red and blue diamond patterns. The buyer smiled when the father spread out his wares for him to see. "You must be Herkis. Only Herkis weave rugs of this design." The buyer pulled out his wallet and gave the father many large bills. The buyer knew he'd get a good price for these carpets in Istanbul where Herki carpets were in big demand. The Herkis are a subgroup of the Kurdish people group cluster. Most of them live in eastern Turkey, but a few still live in Iran. During the 1980s many Herkis were pressured to leave by Iran's Shi'ite Persian majority. After moving to Turkey, many Herki families sold the carpets they had woven to get the money needed to start new lives. Seeing what kind of prices the refugees were getting, Turkish Herkis also began weaving similar types of rugs. Most Herkis are Sunni Muslims and there have been few efforts to reach them for Christ. Pray that the Herki Kurds will realize that Jesus Christ is the true source of salvation. Ask God to mobilize the right mission agency to reach out to this neglected people group. May the Herkis realize that their true home waits for them in heaven, and not in Iran or Turkey.-WK
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Alevi Muslims in Turkey | Musicians sang praise songs with electric guitars at the Islamic gathering consisting of dozens of people in Turkey. They sang a type of music most Turkish Sunni Muslims considered scandalous because it sounded like Western-style rock and roll. But the worshippers weren't Westerners, they were Turkish Alevi Muslims. The Alevis are a powerful minority in the central mountain provinces of Turkey and neighboring Syria. Most Muslims consider the Alevi to be heretics. They don't face toward Mecca when they pray, or fast during Ramadan or make pilgrimages to Mecca. Their concept of alms giving is also different. The Alevis are about as related to mainstream Islam as Mormons are related to Evangelical Christianity. But like mainstream Muslims, the Alevis consider Jesus Christ to be a prophet and not the Son of God who can save them. Ask God to open the hearts of the Alevis to the message of salvation. Pray that God would raise up faithful workers to reach out to this Turkish religious minority. Pray that God would even use dreams and visions to show this people group that He is the only true path to salvation. May Alevis one day praise Jesus Christ as the One they trust and follow.-WK
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Turks | Emine lay in bed in her apartment, partially paralyzed after being beaten by her husband months ago. She waited for the arrival of trusted friends and family members to take care of her. All alone right now, in a small town in Central Turkey, Emine lived in fear. Her abusive husband had recently been released from prison. Being a Muslim she yearned to pray to Allah, but couldn't get out of bed to face in the direction of Mecca. Most Turks are moderate Sunni Muslims, wanting nothing to do with violent behavior or Muslim fanatics. But they follow closely the teachings of the Koran, which many Turks believe gives an inferior place to women. Domestic abuse is a growing problem in Turkey, and Islam has been powerless to stop this disturbing new trend. According to Operation World, Christians make up less than one percent of the Turkish population. Ironically, this is one of the key parts of the world where the Church once grew and sent out missionaries. Pray that God would open the hearts of the Turkish people to salvation in Christ. May God use even dreams and visions to show the Turks the way to their Savior. Ask God to put an end to domestic abuse in Turkey. Pray that Turks will notice the church history around them and enter into God's plan for the world.-WK
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Grangali (Nangalami) People | Omar sloshed some goat milk out of the pail as he brought it into the kitchen. "Watch it!" his mother scolded, as he slipped on the small puddle of milk on his way out. Before she could say any more, Omar dashed to the corral where his older cousin, Sandril, was chanting verses of the Koran in Arabic while bringing hay to the mules. When Sandril stopped his chanting, Omar said, "I keep wondering something. All of us boys keep memorizing parts of the Koran, and the imam tells us that we are all equal before Allah." "That's right," interjected Sandril. Omar continued. "But people aren't equal here, and we are all Muslims. The Pushtuns control our lives. Even among all the other Grangali people, some are better than others. The landowners make all the decisions, while the carpenters, weavers and blacksmiths have to do whatever they say." With a population of only 32,000, the Grangalis, also known as the Nangalamis, are one of the smaller people groups of Afghanistan. They have been Muslims since the 9th century, and there is not a single follower of Christ among them so far as we know. Pray that Christ's glory and beauty will be revealed to these Sunni Muslims in such a way that they will not let anything stop them from following Him. Pray that they will soon have access to radio broadcasts and gospel recordings in a language that they can understand.-KC
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Nuristani Peoples of Afghanistan | Until the 1890s the region was known as Kafiristan. The word Kafir means "non-believer" in the Islamic tradition. But after being forcibly converted to Islam in 1895, the region's name was changed to Nuristani, meaning "land of the enlightened." The Nuristani peoples in this area of northeastern Afghanistan are ethnically distinct from the dominant Pushtuns. They have European and Mediterranean physical features; some even have blonde hair. They were noted as being distinct by Alexander the Great when he entered the region in the third century B.C. Their region differs from much of Afghanistan because it is forested and it receives more rainfall than the rest of the nation. Once the people had elaborate irrigation systems for their orchards and crops. These irrigation works required constant maintenance that were not maintained during their frequent times of war and conflict. Entire orchards were cut down by their enemies, and there has been terrible deforestation. The Nuristanis were the first to rebel against the Soviet-backed Afghan regime in the 1980s, and they engaged in intense battles. Today, due to its proximity to Pakistan, Nuristan is a major crossroad for insurgents and a central base for the Taliban. The Nuristanis are extremely poor and their area is rife with violent ethnic and economic conflicts. The Nuristanis speak varying dialects of Nuristani and Daric languages that are mutually unintelligible from valley to valley. Pray that the Prince of Peace will call believers to go to these war-torn people and demonstrate to them the ways ofChrist.-JS
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Facebook in a Suit: LinkedIn Launches Applications Platform | More than a year after Facebook electrified the Web community with a platform for running applications on top of the social network, LinkedIn is announcing its own platform. And it couldn't be more different in many ways than Facebook's,... 
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Windows 7: Usability Testing | There was a surreal moment at the end of Microsoft's Windows 7 reviewers' workshop on Sunday. During the question-and-answer period that closed the sessions, a participant asked Microsoft SVP Steven Sinofsky whether Microsoft did any usability testing of Windows 7.... 
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Subscribers to Trim Wireless Spending? | Wireless services were the one bright spot during the last economic downturn. Americans cut down on cable TV, cars, house purchases. But they'd kept their cell phones. This time around could prove to be different. 
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Google Settles Book Search Lawsuits with Authors, Publishers | UPDATED with more detail throughout... After three years of wrangling, Google has settled two lawsuits from publishers and authors that claimed its book search program violated their copyrights. Under the agreement, assuming it's approved by a New York District Court,... 
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Windows 7: A First Look | In sharp contrast to past development efforts, Microsoft has kept its plans for the next version of Windows, now officially designated Windows 7, under tight wraps. At its Professional Developers Conference (PDC) in Los Angeles this week, Microsoft finally... 
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Cox to Enter Wireless Services in 2009 | Cox will enter wireless services market in the second half of 2009, according to an announcement out today. The news that the cable company will effectively start to compete with AT&T, Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel is hardly surprising: Cable companies including Cox and Comcast have made no secret of their wireless ambitions. Several years ago, they even acquired billions dollars worth of wireless airwaves needed to build a wireless network. What I am surprised by is that Cox is going ahead with these plans. 
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For Web 2.0 Startups, What's Next Beyond Ads? | If online advertising is headed for a fall, as many people are assuming, what are all those hundreds of Web 2.0 startups doing to contend with the possible loss of their key business model? I mean, besides panicking and laying... 
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Sirius Shareholders Petition Mel Karmazin | Today, I heard that more than 180 Sirius XM shareholders have signed a petition demanding that company CEO Mel Karmazin explain how he plans to raise money to fund more than $1 billion in debt coming due next year. "If the plan is to muddle through without a plan. We need to know," the petition says. 
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Why I Stopped Using Google's Chrome Browser... and Why I've Started Again | Like a lot of people, I loved the speed of Google's Chrome browser, so I used it a fair amount when it came out. But soon I discovered that it didn't play so well with some sites. MyYahoo, for instance,... 
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Google's Android Market Jockeys For Carrier Support | Google just announced that it will share revenues from Android Market with wireless carriers. Developers will get 70% of the revenues from selling their applications through the marketplace. And, once Google's costs are covered, carriers will get the rest. That's quite different from Google rivals' business models. As you'll recall, Apple pockets that 30% revenue share from selling apps on its iTunes service. 
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Cable Speeds Up to Deal a Blow to Telcos | Yesterday, cable service provider Comcast announced it will offer super-fast broadband speeds to its Internet access subscribers in Boston and Philadelphia. To become available in 10 major markets in the next few months, the service will offer speeds of up to 50 Megabits per second. Essentially, the provider will double most subscribers' speeds at no extra cost. That's bad news for telcos. 
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LinkedIn Stockpiles More Cash | Professional networking site LinkedIn is storing up more cash for the winter. The company, which commands some of the highest ad rates on the Web, announced on Oct. 23 it’s landed $22.7 million in new funding. That comes on top... 
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Who Sets the Standard? | I returned the computer only to have the second...and the THIRD have the same issue...
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Stock Market Losses Bad, Say Investors. Stock Market Volatility Good, Says Equinix. | Equinix, the largest pure-play maker of data centers, announced plans to build two pricey new facilities today, along with solid quarterly earnings which rose 77% from the year before. The centers, in London and Singapore, will cost a bit over... 
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BlackBerry Bold Finally Lands at AT&T | The long delayed BlackBerry Bold will finally arrive in the U.S. on Election Day. Research In Motion announced today that AT&T will have the Bold in retails stores on Nov. 4. The corporate-oriented Bold will cost $400 with a two-year... 
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Matthew 8:28-34 | We read in the Bible that sometimes God himself sends an angel to guide...
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LIVE: Yahoo Earnings Not As Bad As Feared, But Layoffs to Begin | Not surprisingly, Yahoo just reported third-quarter earnings that were weak but not as awful as some might have expected. However, the company said layoffs of at least 10% of the staff of 14,300 will begin in the fourth quarter--about what... 
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The Waiting Game | We don't like to wait in line at the grocery store; we don't like to wait...
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Matthew 8:23-27 | ...saved from a terrifying death by letting go of the seeming safety...
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Stump the Teacher | Have you ever played a game of "Stump the Teacher"?
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The Most Powerful Position in the World | What if collectively we choose the "wrong" candidate?
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Matthew 8:18-22 | Disciples that Jesus wants are not...
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I Remember | When you think about someone else, what do you remember about them?
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Matthew 8:14-17 | He demonstrated his tender mercy and displayed his almighty power...
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Convenient Obedience | Is it right to pay taxes?
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The Fun of Life | True or False? God takes all the fun out of life.
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Matthew 8:10-13 | ...faith looked like a band of nomads walking laps...
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Remember What "Everything" Means | Paul, therefore, was not trying to goad his fellow Christians into...
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Matthew 8:5-9 | What does faith look like?
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You Are Invited | You are invited. The words sent a chill down Sandy's spine.
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Looking for Good Grapes | Some vineyards in some years produce excellent grapes... in another year produces so-so grapes
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Matthew 8:1-4 | ...was a very dangerous, almost incurable disease.
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As Bad as It Gets | David faced a crisis. Pursued by Saul and Israel’s armies, he didn’t see any hope. He felt strangled as if by “the cords of death†and ungodliness that came at him in torrents. The assault was so intense that it “terrified†him. This was a life-and-death struggle…as bad as it gets. But when David cried out to God, everything changed. God dramatically answered his prayer: “Then the earth shook and quaked; and the foundations of the mountains were trembling and were shaken, because He was angry†(vs. 7-15). God responded only after David cried out to Him. David recognized that God delivered him “from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.†He continued to face trouble but knew that God was with him and would deliver him (vs. 16-19). We can feel David’s fear and sense how desperate he felt. Later, we can understand more clearly why he said, “I love You, O LORD, my strength,†and why he looked at God as his rock, fortress, and deliverer (vs. 1-3). It was wonderful to know that God would save him from his enemies! How do you respond when you face crises or feel trapped in seemingly hopeless situations? Learn from David: These are opportunities to cry out to God, confident that He will hear your prayers. Make Him your strength. Your rock, fortress, and deliverer. Your shield. Your stronghold. The horn of your salvation. He is worthy to be praised!
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God Loves Sinners | JOHN 3:16 KJV
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but
have everlasting life.
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Speak To Your Mountain | MARK 11:23 NKJ
23 "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain,
`Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in
his heart, but believes that those things he says will come to
pass, he will have whatever he says.
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Rejoice In Trouble
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Maybe you have been forsaken by your spouse. Or are struggling
with the death of a loved one. Or facing the constant pain of
disease. Or the loss of a job or business. Or, maybe just the
daily grind of life.
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Hang On To Your Faith | The devil's whole strategy is to get you to turn loose of your
faith in God and His Word.
MARK 4:15 NIV
15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is
sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the
word that was sown in them.
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Focus On Jesus | True Christianity is not a religion based on rules and rituals
but a living relationship with Jesus Christ.
Many people reduce Christianity down to attending church
meetings and trying not to commit a list of certain sins.
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You Can Cast Out Demons | 17 "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name
they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
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You Have Authority Over The devil | LUKE 10:19 NKJ
19 "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
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What Are Alms? | "Alms" are not some kind of tree, but something you should know
about -- and do.
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The Cure For Weak Faith
| MARK 6:6 NIV
6 And he was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village.
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Why Read The Bible? | "I'm a busy person. I have a lot to do. Why should I spend my
time reading the Bible? I don't have time to do all I need to
do as it is."
"I already believe in Jesus Christ, that He's the Son of God
and my Savior. I've already heard the Gospel."
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Who Can Be Against Us? | ROMANS 8:31 NKJ
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us,
who can be against us?
We all face opposition. No one likes it. But opposition is a
fact of life on earth.
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Should Poor People Give? | ACTS 20:35 NIV
35 . . . the Lord Jesus himself said: `It is more blessed to
give than to receive.'"
Giving benefits the giver. The poorer you are the more you have
a need to give.
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How Does God Bless Us? | Does God bless us by giving us everything we think we should have, even if it's bad for us?
Does God bless us by always letting us have our way -- whether it's the best way for us, or not?
Does God bless us by letting us get away with self-destructive behavior?
Does God bless us by letting us mistreat other people with impunity?
Does God bless us by giving us more responsibility, more money, or more fame, than we can handle?
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Another Helper | JOHN 14:16-18 NKJ
16 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever,
17 "even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
18 "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
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Open Eyes | 2 KINGS 6:17 NKJ
17 And Elisha prayed, and said, "Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
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Be Who You Are | ROMANS 12:2 Wuest, An Expanded Translation
2 And stop assuming an outward expression that does not come from within you and is not representative of what you are in your inner being but is patterned after this age; but change your outward expression to one that comes from within and is representative of your inner being, by the renewing of your mind, resulting in your putting to the test what is the will of God, the good and well-pleasing and complete will, and having found that it meets specifications, place your approval upon it.
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Faith Is The Victory | 1 JOHN 5:4 NKJ
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.
We all love to win.
Victory is sweet. One reason it's so sweet is that it's usually not easy. Victory takes effort -- often great effort.
Effort is also required in the spiritual battle of good against evil we are all engaged in. But the effort required of us is to maintain our attitude of faith in God and His Word.
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Is Looking A Sin? | MATTHEW 5:28 NKJ
28 "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
This Scripture seems to indicate that even seeing a woman, and having the slightest thought of her attractiveness, could be a serious sin.
We must remember that the New Testament was written in the Greek language, and all English versions are translations done by people who are fallible. Whenever a difficult verse confronts us, it can often be helpful to consult those who are expert in the Greek language. One way is to examine how other English translators have rendered the verse. Another way is to consult Bible commentaries.
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Lack Of Knowledge | HOSEA 4:6a NKJ
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
People wonder why Christians experience so much trouble in life. The reason, according to the Bible, is a lack of knowledge.
The Bible tells us the devil is out to destroy us, but it also makes clear that we can overcome his attacks. The real problem lies with our ignorance.
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Honor Your Parents |
