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Psalm 30:6 Now in my prosperity I said, “I shall never be moved.”
How easy it is to rejoice when things are going just the way we want them to. How easy it is to say thank you when someone does something nice for us…
But how difficult is it to look for the good in things when all around you is crumbling and falling apart. How difficult is it to really say thank you when what was given to you was not what you wanted?
God continues to supply our needs which do not always line up with our wants… But we need to recognise they come from God for a reason and for our needs.
Will you remember God even when things go wrong?
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2 Timothy 2:24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,
Everyone expects Christians to be good and do the right thing all the time, right? Well we should know by now that is not possible!
Being a Christian in a twisted world can be very difficult; but with God on our side we do have a mentor who is always righteous.
Us trying to keep close enough to Him is the part we have to struggle with so inevitably we will come up against things which we do not agree with.
Don’t jump in and cause an argument because that is not going to lift anyone up, but be patient, gentle and kind and try to teach others in a respectful manner.
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2 Timothy 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Do you like to squish things through your fingers? It may be nice to squish purpose made things but what about something gross?
Getting carried away with your desires sometimes leads to you getting something gross on your hands – and that is not just the physical things we play with but spiritual matters too.
Trying to avoid bad things does not always work so staying away from the things that can get us involved with those bad things can help us to avoid them in the first place.
Some friends will encourage you to do good whilst some will encourage you to do bad – think about it.
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2 Timothy 2:20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honour and some for dishonour.
Sometimes you may feel like you are not good enough to be a person who shares the Gospel. Sometimes you may not feel good enough even to be called a Christian.
But think about the containers you may use today. Would you use that crystal glass to clean out the bath with? Would you use a wooden bread-bin to freeze your latest stock with?
All types of vessels are useful, some only once in a while. Don’t count yourself out just because you may be one of those vessels!
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Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marvelled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.
It does not take a college or university education to be able to tell someone about Jesus Christ! Far from it because God wants to be able to use every one of us.
The disciples were not men who had been through formal schools and learned from theologians but rather ordinary men from the community.
Yet they were now being recognised as men who had been with Jesus and were teaching like Jesus taught. What an honour!
Let us all aim to take a few words from Christ with us into our work places and into our friendship circles today.
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Mark 6:2 On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, ‘Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands!
How do you react when you hear someone teach you about Jesus? Are you always willing to try and learn more? Do you listen but not take anything in?
I must admit that there are some days when I am in church and I do not take much in because I am too tired or too distracted to concentrate!
Jesus taught with great authority because He did know so much, so had lots to pass on to others.
As long as we stay within the bounds of what we know, we can teach with great authority as well – it is always good to hear someone teaching with authority!
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Matthew 13:52 And he said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.’
The scribes were just one part of the Jewish nation who were supposed to pass on the knowledge of the scriptures to others. They were the teachers.
If teachers only teach old ways, then society does not move on but is stuck in those old ways. But if new ways are taught, society can move forward.
Jesus wanted people to learn from the old scriptures as well as all the new information He was teaching the disciples. Some of the new information was hard for them to accept because many were caught up in the old ways.
Are you willing to listen to new ways, new information and sit and discuss whether it is right and correct?
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Matthew 13:51 Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”
What do you do when you read your bible and don’t quite get what it says? Do you fold the corner of the page over and say you will come back tomorrow?
Do you say that you understand because you kind of get what it says? Or will you stop and ask someone directions?
We do have our bibles which have all we need to get to know Christ, but in order to really get to know your God you need to go deeper.
Jesus did not explain things in every detail – we tend to switch off when we get too much information. Instead He gave us enough to get us interested and focused.
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Esther 5:3 And the king said to her, “What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you—up to half the kingdom!”
There is a big difference between how Esther handled this and how the woman from yesterday’s verse handled the offer for anything they wanted.
Esther did not want riches or any personal desire; she wanted others to be set free and have the blessing. The woman yesterday wanted it all for herself.
Are you willing to share everything God gives you, or will you keep it to yourself?
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Mark 6:23 And he promised her with an oath, ‘Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.’
Can you think of anything or anyone who would please you so much you would offer them absolutely anything?
Herod gave a banquet to which many people were probably invited, one of those being this very beautiful woman. Herod was so captivated by her he was willing to give anything to have her.
What he did not count on is for any person who take him up and test his limits to the absolute full!
Satan will try to tempt us with something that will make us throw caution to the wind and not care for consequences! Be very wary!
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Ecclesiastes 5:2 Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few.
When we come before God, how do we behave? Do we suddenly put on airs and graces? Do we suddenly find all sorts of words to say?
We need to be honest with God and not try to do things differently just because we dare to speak with God. We cannot hide things from God, so be honest and open always.
Don’t try to impress God because that is not going to work; He already knows what is in your heart and mind. Be open and say things from your heart. Keep it simple.
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Matthew 6:7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
We do like to have things repeated at times. We do like to repeat things at times. But do we like listening to people who are repeating themselves over and over again?
When we want to take our prayers to God we need to be honest with Him and we need to focus on what we actually are praying for.
When we are very young we tend to ask for things over and over again – our parents could tell us of all the times we have made them mad by asking for the same things time and time again.
Treating God as if He is nothing more than someone we just want to get something out of not treating Him in a right and proper manner. Let us do it properly and with thought!
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Mark 7:7 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
It is a very easy thing to tell others about something that sounds so good and promises so much. It is not such an easy thing to admit you got it wrong when it does go wrong.
God does not want us to say things because they sound good. He does not want us to say things because people want to hear them.
God wants us to tell people the truth, the real Gospel story.
We should go to our services to learn more about God and not to hear the latest gossip or sing the latest song. This is God we are worshipping!
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Acts 5:29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.”
This is one of those places in the New Testament where we are commanded to obey God totally. It may not seem like it to us but the original language is quite strong.
I think the wording could have been more like “we MUST obey God exclusively” but that may have given people a way of disobeying authorities.
Man does not always think of everything, but God does. Man may have hidden agendas, God has an exclusive goal.
Trust God and continue to try and do everything for His glory and according to His will. It is profitable for all!
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John 3:4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
Some of the things Jesus said to His disciples and followers must have seemed a bit farfetched and impossible to follow at the time; but when we look back on them knowing the interpretation we see what was meant.
Taking words out of context is a very dangerous game and can lead to many things including war!
Jesus would always offer an insight into what He said to allow some people to comprehend what was being said, but many times He did not make it plain to all.
Take what God says and discuss it with the people around you – all will benefit from what you find out!
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John 6:52 The Jews therefore quarrelled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”
When we take the word of Jesus literally we miss the point all together!
Jesus did not come as a scientific text book to give us the exact answers of life, the universe and everything; we should not expect to gain that from our Bibles.
What Jesus did give us is hope through promises of what is to come in our futures. If we want to live with Him we have to study His words and gain insight into what they mean, not take them all literally!
Jesus gave His body so we could have life afterward; no matter which way we look at it, it is an enormous promise to get into our heads!
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John 6:40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
When Jesus tried to tell the people He was the Messiah they took offense that any man should say such a thing even though they knew their Messiah would come at some stage!
Are we ready to accept Christ in whatever form He comes to us? Are we ready to drop our own work so we can pick up what Christ gives us to do?
The door is open wide and we are invited in – but we do need to go through the door.
That door is Jesus Christ – accept Him now as your Lord and Saviour!
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Numbers 21:9 So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.
I love the fact that God used a sign of the evil to take away that evil from the Israelite camp.
God wanted people to realise they would be healed just by listening to Him and obeying His command; and not through any physical thing they could do.
A bronze snake can do nothing! It cannot even do harm like a real snake. Yet that is what God chose for the people to look up to.
God wants us to listen to Him and not worry about all the things in this world around us because He is bigger than big!
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Isaiah 45:22 Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.
We need to look to God in faith and in prayer; don’t try and seek Him through various other things or through causes because our relationship is through Christ and nothing else.
We must not look at the people who make the most noise or the best noises but look to God.
The Holy Spirit will guide us in our walk with Him, so trusting in Him rather than in other people who talk the talk.
Walk the walk and trust Christ to save you.
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John 3:17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
Let us never forget why God came into the world as a human being!
We may not be able to forgive as quickly or totally as God can because we carry all sorts of baggage with us all the time, but Christ has and does forgive totally.
Christ came to make sure we can join Him in heaven and has opened the door for everybody to join Him; everyone who will trust in Him.
Christ has paid it all, and He paid it with love. Go out and serve Him with love.