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TRY PRAISE

"Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful." – Psalms 33:1    REFERENCE: Psalm 33:1-9   Global trends are constantly changing: fashion changes with the seasons, people's tastes in movies, arts, and music change, and new slang forms before you try to learn them. One thing that will never become outdated is praise in the mouth of God's saints; praise will always be necessary, relevant, and ever-pleasing to God. No matter what happens, hold on to praise as a master key.   Sometimes, the enemy comes at you with all he's got and 'knocks the...
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GOD LISTENED

“Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.” ~ Genesis 30:22   REFERENCE: Genesis 30:14-24   Although Rachael was a loved wife, she remained barren for many years while her rival sister, Lear, bore children like it was going out of fashion. I can imagine the shame, taunting, suspicion, misunderstanding, etc., that Rachael endured from Leah and her neighbors. We serve a God who sees, hears, and cares. As our text reveals, God listened to Rachael’s prayers.   Rachel tried everything possible to have a child, to the extent of giving her maid to Jacob. Yet,...
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BLESSING IN THE BROKEN PIECES

“…And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.” ~ Matthew 14:19   REFERENCE: Matthew 14:13-21   On the day Jesus had a multitude to feed, the miracle was not in the five loaves of bread but in the broken pieces. Jesus, upon receiving the bread, looked up to heaven, gave thanks, broke the loaves into pieces, and gave them to the disciples to give to the multitude. It was the broken pieces that God multiplied and...
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PURIFYING FIRE

"And the Chaldeans who fight against this city shall come and set fire to this city and burn it, with the houses on whose roofs they have offered incense to Baal and poured out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke Me to anger." ~ Jeremiah 32:29   REFERENCE: Jeremiah 32:26-42   Fire purifies and refines. In scripture, it speaks of the refining judgment of God. Israel provoked God to anger by their many idolatries, and He decided to judge them by sending the Chaldeans to ravage the land and take them into captivity. In addition to their imprisonment, Jerusalem would...
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THE KING’S SLEEPLESS NIGHT

“That night the king could not sleep. So, one was commanded to bring the book of the records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.” ~ Esther 6:1   REFERENCE: Esther 6:1-10   Imagine if everyone you ever showed kindness to remembered you and paid you back. Well, it doesn’t always work like that. Men forget, but only God remembers. The reward of kindness often comes from unexpected sources and, sometimes, from the same person to whom kindness was done. When God is set to remember and reward you, He will give kings sleepless nights.   Mordecai gave...
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HELP OTHERS GET AHEAD

“Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead.” ~ Philippians 2:3 (MSG)   REFERENCE: Philippians 2:1-4 (MSG)   In this world of competition and intense rivalry between people, businesses, and companies, there is a rising tendency for selfishness and lack of empathy. It is a dog-eat-dog world, and people don’t care how or who they hurt to get to the top. That is contrary to the spirit of Christianity. As Christians, we are lifted when we lift others and help others get ahead.   Paul, in this...
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LEMONADE FROM LEMONS

“Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters—that you may be increased there, and not diminished.” ~ Jeremiah 29:6   REFERENCE: Jeremiah 29:1-7   Life doesn’t always mimic storybooks; life can be tough. If we had our way, we would rather things were easier, better, and more meaningful. However, plans don’t always go as planned, purposes are disappointed, and life often surprises us. The enemy’s cruelty comes at us as bitter as lemons, but we must learn to turn lemons into lemonades....
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NO MORE

"In those days they shall say no more: 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, And the children's teeth are set on edge.'" ~ Jeremiah 31:29 REFERENCE: Jeremiah 31:23-30 Our reference scripture gives a note of hope to a people who have suffered for the sins of many generations and have been sent into exile and captivity. God promised restoration, prosperity, agricultural excellence, and all-round comfort. This promise was a pivot upon which their story changed – from captivity, bondage, slavery, etc., to freedom and welfare. God told them that their painful experience resulted from their fathers' sins, but no more.  ...
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YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES: CULTIVATE IT

“And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.” ~ Matthew 25:15   REFERENCE: Matthew 25:14-30   Each man has received something from God; He cheats no one and sends no one empty. As in the parable, it may seem unfair that one has five, another two, and another one, but God gives each according to His ability. The good thing is that He will not also judge or require from each one more than He gave them. The difference is what...
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YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES

“I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things, I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” ~Philippians 4:12-13   REFERENCE: Philippians 4:12-19   God did not make you from leftover material. He made you in His image and of the finest stock. You are fearfully and perfectly made – a unique work of God’s genius, created specially by God for a special purpose. You are a partaker of God’s nature, full of...
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