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THE GIFT THAT KEEPS GIVING

“…whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”– John 4:14   REFERENCE: John 4:6-15   In the business world, there is residual income; the money continues to flow after an initial investment of time and resources, e.g., dividends, rent, or royalties. That is a gift that keeps giving. Jesus told the woman at the well of Sychar that whatever benefit she got from the well’s water would be short-lived, and she would come again....
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LEARN TO WAIT

"Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God." ~ Romans 4:20 (NLT)   REFERENCE: Romans 4:16-21   Waiting for something we anticipate can be mentally demanding, discouraging, and overwhelming. Since you have no control over the variables that determine the fulfillment of your expectations, you have to wait on God. Waiting takes faith and total dependence on God's integrity. Abraham, although desperately needed an heir, waited on God until the heir came.   Abraham waited on God for 25 years, holding on only to what God had said....
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CAPTIVITY WON’T LAST

“I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you...” ~ Jeremiah 29:14   REFERENCE: Jeremiah 29:10-14   Every real affliction a believer goes through can rightly be called captivity – a situation where you feel incarcerated and incapacitated. Being in a situation you would rather not be in is captivity. The same is true when you feel held back from doing what you desire by an event or bound by the power of something...
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REPAIR YOUR ALTAR OF PRAYER

“Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So, all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.” ~ I Kings 18:30   REFERENCE: I Kings 18:1-2 & 25-39   Israel endured three years of no rain, putting the nation in dire economic straits and desperation. Rain symbolizes the earth’s nourishment, refreshing, cleansing, renewal, and fruitfulness. The absence of rain in the land was a bad omen for the people because they were a farming society; rain for them is life, and the lack of it is death...
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TWO WRONGS

“But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command brought by his eunuchs; therefore, the king was furious, and his anger burned within him.” ~ Esther 1:10-12   REFERENCE: Esther 1:1-12   The unfolding drama in today’s text led to the divorce of this royal couple; it all started with an ill-informed and ill-timed request from a drunk king, drunk with power and wine. It shows how most quarrels start in relationships, friendships, and marriages: two wrongs. The husband started it, the wife responded, and it elicited a response from the husband, and it all went sour.   In the...
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SPIRITUAL LEGACY

"For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock." ~ Acts 20:29   REFERENCE: Acts 20:26-36   Paul significantly invested in leaving a spiritual legacy. He gathered this group on the eve of his travel and told them what to expect from the enemy after his departure. Yet, he reminded them that he had prepared them by his teachings and lifestyle and commended them to the word of God. He warned them that the enemy is diverse in his antics of attacks (savage wolves and perverse men); hence, they must also...
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BEWARE OF COVETOUSNESS

“And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” ~ Luke 12:15   REFERENCE: Luke 12:15-21   The inordinate quest for riches today is quite alarming. Don’t get me wrong, God wants you to have riches, but He does not want riches to have you. He does not want you to lose your soul or faith in pursuing riches. There is a spirit behind money; if you do not learn to second money to your love for God, it can corrupt you. That is why...
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GOOD WINS EVIL

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." ~ Romans 12:21   REFERENCE: Romans 12:17-21   We live in a world where evil and wickedness prevail. We all confront evil at some point and seek to overcome it. The problem, however, is that evil has unknowingly sipped into us because we live in this world; hence, our tactic for fighting evil is often with evil (i.e., revenge). Yet, the only scripturally guaranteed way to defeat evil is with good. Yes, it takes light to win darkness.   Good wins over evil. I will illustrate with a story in...
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RUINED BY RICHES

“For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.” ~ Proverbs 1:32 (KJV)   REFERENCE: Proverbs 1:29-32 (KJV)   Follow me into one of the stories in my collection: I was walking through an orchard, looking around, when I saw a low tree laden more heavily with fruit than the rest. On a closer look, it appeared that someone had dragged the tree close to the ground, and the weight of its treasures broke it. “Oh!” said I, gazing at the tree, “here lies one ruined by his riches.”   Soon, I...
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GOD GETS THE BEST

“And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, Is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, Is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you?” ~ Malachi 1:6-10   REFERENCE: Malachi 1:8   When someone gives me a gift that I know they could have done better, it irks me and says they are either stingy or do not value me that much. I’m sure you feel the same way. The quality of our generosity is often the test of our capacity for kindness, goodness, or spirituality. When God...
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