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CHAINS: MAKE IT COUNT

“But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel.” ~ Philippians 1:12   REFERENCE: Philippians 1:12-18   Paul was in jail in Rome. The natural reaction of his disciples would be, “He has offended God.” The Philippians knew God once jail-broke Paul; now, where is that God? Paul wrote to assure them that although he was in jail, he was in the will of God and God was with him. It is possible to be in the will of God, pleasing and serving God, and still...
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SACRIFICE: THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” – John 15:13   REFERENCE: JOHN 15:9-15   I often say, “Love that does not understand the language of sacrifice is not love.” We know love because Jesus laid His life down for us. By that singular act, we who were sinners destined to eternal punishment became God’s children. John said, “Behold what manner of love has the Father loved us with, that we should be called sons of God.” Jesus did many things that showed us His love. His love for us made Him leave...
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NEW THING

A NEW THING

“Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it?” – Isaiah 43:19a   REFERENCE: ISAIAH 43:16-21   Listen to God speak to you; “Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep rehashing history. God wants to do something new in your life; it will suddenly burst forth, and all eyes will see it.” Today marks the beginning of a turnaround in your life; your new begins today. All will be okay in the end! If it is not okay, it is not yet the end, for our God is a God of happy endings. Yesterday, we saw that when...
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THERE IS A HEREAFTER

“For surely there is a hereafter, and your hope will not be cut off.” – Proverbs 23:18   REFERENCE: PROVERBS 23:15-18   Have you heard voices lately that fill your mind with negative thoughts because of past or present happenings? Have you concluded, “This is the beginning of the end, and everything has started to crash?” Do not be deceived; it is a lie. It is neither the end nor the beginning of the end, but the end of a bad cycle. Life continues beyond this point. Some bible characters found themselves where the future looked bleak. Let us consider God’s response...
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STOP! DON’T EAT YOUR SEED

“And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son.” – I Kings 17:13   REFERENCE: I Kings 17:8-16   On the third day of creation, God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself…” Every plant carries its seed within itself and has the power to reproduce itself endlessly. The seed bears the roots, stem,...
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YOUR SEED IS THE KEY

“Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness...” – II Corinthians 9:10   REFERENCE: II CORINTHIANS 9:6-15   God supplies our every need, whether bread to eat or seed to sow. He gives seeds to the farmer to plant and then good crops to harvest and eat. This principle of sowing seeds and reaping their harvests ensures the farmer always has seeds to plant to perpetuate a cycle of having to both eat and sow. God started everything using His word...
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FRIENDLY FIRE

“Then Saul and all the people who were with him assembled, and they went to the battle; and indeed, every man’s sword was against his neighbor, and there was very great confusion.” ~ I Samuel 14:20   REFERENCE: I Samuel 14:13-20   How mighty is our God!  Outnumbered, and facing a military garrison with his armorbearer, Jonathan declared, “nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few,” – I Sam 14:6. They bravely approached the Philistine soldiers, and miraculously, they killed about 20 men. The Philistines were at war with Israel and all the odds were stacked against Israel. Worse still, the Philistines...
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AT WHAT COST?

“This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots.” – I Samuel 8:11   MAIN TEXT: I Samuel 8:9-20   Israel had God as their Monarch, but they soon envied their neighbors ruled by kings. These kings wore rich clothes, lived in regal buildings, rode strong stallions, and majestically led their armies into battle. Impressed, Israel felt having a king would earn them regional respect. They clamored to have their own king. What...
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FAIL FORWARD

“Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him because the soul of all the people was grieved... But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” – I Samuel 30:6   REFERENCE: I Samuel 30:1-8   Almost all men encounter failure on their journey to success. Their response is the difference between average people and achieving people. Winston Churchill said, “…failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.” It is this courage to continue that many find difficult. The failing is not the problem; the question is, “Will failure move you forward?” Failure can either stagnate or...
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RISING ABOVE FAILURE 

“So, David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?” And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.” – I Samuel 30:8   REFERENCE: I Samuel 30:1-8 There is hardly a successful man that never went through a season of failure or setback. It is their response that determines their outcomes in life. When we see people at the top of the ladder, we never think that they may have fallen back several times on the rung before getting to the top. David was and still is a...
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