devotional
Teach Me Lord
Teach Me Lord Teach me to pray and seek you; teach me to listen to you Lord. Teach me to
songs
Clear The Stage
Clear The Stage Clear the stage and set the sound and lights ablaze If that’s the measure you must take
general
Crafting Captivating Headlines: Your awesome post title goes here
Engaging Introductions: Capturing Your Audience’s Interest The initial impression your blog post makes is crucial, and that’s where your introduction
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The Art of Drawing Readers In: Your attractive post title goes here
Engaging Introductions: Capturing Your Audience’s Interest The initial impression your blog post makes is crucial, and that’s where your introduction
general
Mastering the First Impression: Your intriguing post title goes here
Engaging Introductions: Capturing Your Audience’s Interest The initial impression your blog post makes is crucial, and that’s where your introduction
bible studies
A Passion To Pray
Passon For Prayer
bible studies
The Debt of Love
The average American owes $2300 in credit card debt. That is taking all of the credit card debt and dividing it by the number of people. In reality, most people owe a lot more than that because not everyone has a credit card. I know a lot of you don’t live in the United States, but it is an excellent example of how much debt a person can have. The Apostle encourages us not the owe anyone anything except the debt of love.
bible studies
Falling Down
One day I fell down. Hard. Flat on my face. Ouch. Right onto the hard pavement. Ugh. Not literally. Sinfully. That’s right. I fell right back into old sin. I shouldn’t have been surprised. In fact, I wasn’t surprised. I should have seen it coming. The Lord had warned me. Over and again.
bible studies
Don’t Waste Your Life
In the farming industry, plants that don’t produce are cut down and replaced by one that does. To a farmer, a non-producing plant costs him profit. They don’t have the time to nurture it back to health because the costs of water and fertilizer are too high. As Christians, we are to produce fruit in our lives as well. Don’t waste your life on trivial pursuits.
bible studies
Overflowing with Hope
Where I live has been inundated with rain. That hasn’t been the case for the last decade as we suffered through a severe drought. As I type this, I am looking at a creek that is overflowing with swift flowing water. The last time I was here, it was completely dry. Our Christian life seems to be a series of droughts and floods. We go long periods of feeling distant to God and then short periods of being flooded with grace. Did you know God wants you to be overflowing with hope?
bible studies
Are You Ready
Have you ever watched one of those doomsday shows? They are usually about people who are preparing for Armageddon to happen and they are storing up all of the supplies and building shelters. They even have a name; “Preppers.” As a Christian, we don’t need to go to this extreme, but we do need to train ourselves to be ready for the end times. Are you ready?
bible studies
What Are You Living For
What gets you out of bed in the morning? Is it your job? Maybe, it’s an obligation like getting the kids ready for school? Have you ever asked yourself what you are living for? If we call ourselves a Christian, the Apostle Paul tells us that whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
bible studies
Unlikely Heroes
Much is written about King David and his mighty men’s exploits. David conquered Goliath, other ones took on a thousand men by themselves and defeated them, others took on a bear. We look up to these men but did you know that they didn’t start that way. These men came to David broken and down on their luck and became unlikely heroes. If you are feeling down today be encouraged by what God did in this group.
bible studies
A Harvest of Peace and Delight
There are very few things that are more disconcerting than a child that acts out in public. Whether they are throwing a tantrum to get what they want or trying to embarrass their parents to get them to do something, it makes everyone uncomfortable. As a Christian, we must correct our children when they do this. Discipline should never be seen as punishment, but instead as correction and guidance. Those parents who don’t discipline their children will reap a harvest of disgrace, those who do will reap a harvest of peace and delight.
bible studies
Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing
Are you a person that is easily distracted? Do you feel a little lost when it comes to the direction of your life? Most of us have struggled with those. When we look for help in those areas, people will tell us we need to focus and have a plan, which leaves us in the same place, just more confused. Jesus tells us the keep the main thing the main thing. Love Jesus with everything you have.
bible studies
Cascaded with Mercy
Have you heard the saying “Cheaters never prosper?” You parents may have told you that when you were a child because one of the kids on your block wasn’t playing fair. There is some truth to that wisdom. Sinners don’t prosper if they continue to conceal what they have done. God doesn’t bless sinfulness, and soon it will take a toil. Instead, he gives us mercy when we come clean. When we do, we are cascaded with mercy.
bible studies
Blessedness in Singleness
The single life for Christ is not for everyone. But for those of us it is for, the Lord will give us the strength we need, the love we desire, absolutely everything we need to walk day by day through this life without a human romantic companion, knowing there is no companion anyway that even comes close to the one who is forever. Than to Jesus. Than to Christ. Than to the Lord! AMEN!
bible studies
Will You Do This for Me?
Ever done something for someone you really, really, really love not because you wanted to do it, but because you really, really, really loved that person? In fact, something you really, really, rehttps://app.storychief.io/apostolic-marketer/stories/43460/edit#/channelsally didn’t want to do, but you just couldn’t help yourself? You so very much loved that person that you went ahead and did it anyway? Because it was totally worth the sacrifice when it came right down to it because that person meant so incredibly much to you?
bible studies
God Hears Your Faintest Call
I need not ask whether I may call on Him or not, for that word “whosoever” is a very wide and comprehensive one. ‘Whosoever’ means me, for it means anybody and everybody who calls upon God. I will therefore follow the leading of the text and at once call upon the glorious Lord who had made so large a promise.
bible studies
Salvation is For Sinners
Jesus told a story in Luke 18 to illustrate how salvation works. There were two men praying in church. One was a religious teacher, who spent his entire life making sure that he followed every rule of his religion. He even did more than was required, to make sure that he was better than other people. He said to God in a loud voice: “I’m really glad I’m not like other people,” as he glanced around and spotting a tax collector praying in a dark corner of the church. “I fast twice a week and I give more generously than necessary to the church.”
bible studies
The Kingdom’s Cure for Prejudice
The Gospels can be easily seen as the story of how, at every turn, Jesus confronted, rebuked, and demolished prejudice both with his inclusive and redemptive teachings, and with his example.
bible studies
Don’t Do It
I started to do it. Then came God’s voice. The Spirit of God living inside me. Telling me NO. Telling me what would be the negative consequences of the action I was about to take. Then my flesh responded. I would do it anyway. I wanted to. I had the right to make up my own mind. I could handle the consequences. But no sooner than I started in the direction the Lord told me not to go than I felt His hand from heaven restrain me. Hold me back. Keep me from going where I was headed. In the wrong direction.
bible studies
God Explained Himself to Me
Sometimes, friend, when our circumstances are a certain way, or we face certain challenges, or God clearly wants us to take certain opportunities, or He wants us to change course in a big way or even a small one, or He compels us to make certain decisions, or calls us to go in a certain direction and not another one, or He tells us it’s time to let something or someone go, we expect an explanation from God.
bible studies
Running for Safety
God doesn’t promise us this life will be without its challenges, hardships, hurdles, hurts, dangers, etc. We are living in a lost, hard, broken, and fallen world because of the sins of humankind. But in the Lord Jesus Christ no matter what we face on this earth, we can find everlasting life.
bible studies
How Could They Treat Me this Way?
Who are we to think He can’t understand what it feels like when people hurt us? NOBODY has ever been treated as badly as Jesus was. And NOBODY in the universe deserves perfect love and perfect treatment like He does. And look how the Lord is still being rejected all across the world!
bible studies
I Want to Go Here!
God is sovereign. Perfectly holy. Perfectly righteous. Perfectly wonderful. Perfectly glorious. Perfect in wisdom. Perfect in knowledge. Perfect in purpose. Perfect in everything right down to the detail. Right down to the location where He wants us. Whether here, or whether there, wherever He wants to send us, wherever He wants us to stay, wherever He wants us to go, wherever He wants us to pass through, to visit, etc. He knows best about everything – right down to our very location in this very moment.
bible studies
Help Me to Love
Why do I pray this? Why am I sharing this with you? To love is not always so very easy. Sometimes it is so very hard. Sometimes it seems impossible. At times I have been so very mad at God because of my life’s challenges at the time, or because I didn’t get something I prayed for, that I had everything but love in my heart. I had everything but praise in my mind and my mouth. I missed love in my actions. Oh, how wrong I was to be mad at God! I needed to purify myself and love the Lord instead. With all my heart. As He commands us.
bible studies
Come Back to Jesus!
How about you, friend? May I ask you this? Have you turned from your sins and received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Is your life truly devoted to Him? Do you bear the fruit of a life lived for Christ? And, if so, are you taking the love, time, and care daily to tell the world about Him? Are you sold out to Jesus? And to telling people the only way to everlasting life is through Christ?
bible studies
When God Chooses Your Life
What if you surrendered your life 100% to the Lord Jesus Christ? Not holding anything back? Willing to yield to Him your plans, dreams, agenda, calendar, time, heart, your work life, your social life, your entertainment life, your romantic life, your family life, your travel life, your sports and hobby life, your housing, your plans, your absolutely everything? Would your life look the same as it does right now? Or would it be entirely different? Or perhaps somewhere in between?
bible studies
I Know You Have a Plan
I knew even before I was born, the Lord had already planned my life not to mention my life’s purpose. I knew He knew every detail of all to which He would call me, exactly how He would enable me and provide for me, how He would lead me, the help He would send me, everything, absolutely everything, necessary for me to fulfill the life and life’s purpose to which the Lord has called me.
bible studies
Discouraging Voices
Discouragement can come from within. Discouragement can come from without. Sometimes discouragement comes from strangers. Sometimes friends. Sometimes even those closest to us. It never feels good, does it? And if we allow ourselves to fall victim to discouraging voices, we can find ourselves feeling down, depressed, confused, disappointed, scared, worried, bitter, resentful, etc. Anything but encouraged and excited as the Spirit of God beckons us to go forward.
bible studies
Facing the Wrong Direction?
Needing answers? Trying to make a decision? Having trouble figuring out what to do? Feeling confused? Wondering if you’re headed in the wrong direction? Or the right direction? Or not headed in any direction at all? Stuck? Unclear? Wondering which way to turn? Is it possible you’re facing the wrong direction?
bible studies
Center of Hope
It shouldn’t take any distance at all to go and serve at a Center of Hope. Every single believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should BE a Center of Hope. We should all shine with the love and light of Christ. We should all share the Gospel message. We should all love, pray for, help, and encourage people. We should all counsel people to follow the Lord Jesus Christ by living according to the Bible. We should all display to the world the message of the hope of Christ. We should all distribute to others the resources God gives us to share with others. When people look at us in our everyday lives, they should see Christ’s love, mercy, grace, compassion, comfort, forgiveness, joy, and HOPE!
bible studies
I Don’t Believe in Me
That’s when it dawned on me. That I don’t believe in me. And that I don’t believe I can succeed. In anything. You know how our world teaches us that we should believe in ourselves? And believe that we can do anything and everything? That we should chase after our dreams? That we should trust in ourselves? That we should believe we can do whatever we set our minds to? And so on? How could I keep moving ahead in my ministry work without believing in me? And in what I could accomplish in my strength?
bible studies
You May Do This But…
Because the life of obedience to Jesus, despite how indescribably challenging it can be to say no to self and yes to God and His ways, comes with the everlasting reward of being in Christ’s forever fellowship, drawing ever closer to Him, become ever more like Him, and looking forward to the rewards stored up for His faithful followers in heaven.
bible studies
The Time Is Not Yet
I knew the Lord’s will. But I missed the Lord’s timing. And herein lies the message. The Lord has a perfect time for His perfect will. He is perfect, and so are His plans for us. So is His timing for His plans. He is the great orchestra-tor – the great conductor – of everything good and everything beautiful. Right down to the very detail of all of His creation. Right down to the very time frame of it all.
bible studies
When You’re Vulnerable
See, when Satan dangled his bait before my hungry eyes, and desperate heart, I opened wide my mouth and prepared to take a big greedy delicious bite. Imagine, after all the time I’d been following Jesus, after all the time I’d spent studying the Bible, after all the time I’d received godly counsel, after all the experience I’d had through the years doing wrong and learning how to do right, there I had found myself about to fall hook, line, and sinker for the devil’s tantalizing, scrumptious-seeming bait.
bible studies
If You Love Me
We are to say no to selfishness and self-centeredness. We are to say yes to Jesus. If we love Jesus, we obey Jesus. When we disobey Jesus, if we love Jesus, we seek God’s forgiveness and turn back to Him and strive to do what’s right. We live to honor God. Not to honor self. We live to glorify God. Not us. We live to please God. Not self.
bible studies
Does God Talk to You?
Does God talk to you? Do you listen? What does He say? What do you do? God speaks to His children through the Bible, by His Spirit to our hearts in line with the Bible, and through His followers in line with the Bible. He only and always speaks in line with the Bible, so we need to make sure whatever we believe we hear from Him is in line with the Bible to make sure it’s from Him.
bible studies
How My Friend Encouraged Me
She pointed me to the Bible. To God’s Word. To God’s Truth. To stories in the Bible. And to scriptures. My burden lifted. By the end of the little conversation, we were laughing about something together. And I felt better. Because I was back on track. Following Jesus. My eyes were back on the Lord and His Word.
bible studies
Sorry Ain’t Enough
Sorry’s nice. Sorry’s pretty. Sorry’s proper. Sorry’s humble. Sorry’s good. Sorry’s necessary. But when it comes right down to it, sorry ain’t enough.
bible studies
Their Sin is No Excuse
I can recognize a finger-pointer in a heartbeat. I spent so many years being one that I can spot one in a flash. Do you know what I’m talking about? It’s the person who is so focused on pointing the finger at the other person’s sins that he or she can’t see his or her own and won’t do anything about his or her own. It’s the person who even if she acknowledges his or her sin excuses away his or her own wrongdoing by judging and condemning the other person for his or her sin and decides that the other person’s sin is worse and thereby is the perfect justification to continue in one’s own sin.
bible studies
In a Hard Place?
Are you in a hard place? I was in such an exceedingly hard place for decades I thought I’d never make it to the other side. But the Lord in His amazing love, mercy, grace, patience, wisdom, and sovereignty not only brought me through, but ultimately showed me what He had done in the midst of it all.
bible studies
Are You Feeling Guilty?
First, you are sinning against God and feel guilty about it and need to turn from your sins and seek His forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ who died on the cross to take our sin penalty and was raised from the dead. You need to feel genuine sorrow over your sin and sincerely desire to turn away from it and not return to it. You need to truly want to live in such a way you are honoring and glorifying God.
bible studies
Don’t Give Up for This Reason
The message God spoke to me is such vital truth. Living by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ isn’t about staring at our circumstances and basing our thoughts, feelings, and actions on what we see. It’s about putting our trust in Jesus and believing He will lead us on.
bible studies
Gone Astray
I had met him before. We had already talked about the Lord Jesus Christ. I had seen him a few times since. I knew the answer regardless of how he responded. About whether or not he was sincerely following the Lord Jesus Christ. About whether he was living his life in obedience to God. About whether he was submitted to God’s will and purpose. About whether he was reading the Bible and living according to it. Or whether he was off the path.
bible studies
Draw Near to God
God wants us in His forever fellowship. That’s why He sent His only Son Jesus to the cross to pay our sin penalty and be raised from the dead so all who turn from their sins to faith in Christ as Lord, truly devoting their hearts and lives to Him, are forgiven and given an everlasting relationship with Christ that we couldn’t otherwise have because of our sins and His holiness.
bible studies
Deny Self and Go
Now, mind you, everywhere He has sent me I haven’t wanted to go, He has blessed me immeasurably in the way of opportunities to grow in His image and to love and worship and serve Him and to love and serve others. Not to mention He has blessed me in other ways also – even when it’s been tough to go and tough to stay until He’s moved me on.
bible studies
The Beauty in This Day
Trouble with us humans is some of us especially myself have a tendency to focus on what we don’t like, what’s missing, what isn’t there, what makes us uncomfortable, on our challenges, on circumstances we’d prefer to do without, on the bad weather, on the season we don’t like, on our hurdles, obstacles, etc. When we do this, we don’t just miss the beauty of God’s bountiful blessings He bestows upon us each and every day. We miss the beauty of the Lord Himself!
bible studies
Reposition Yourself
Mr. Simeon puts his trust totally in me. Having me in sight at all times is exceedingly important to him. So much so that I either need to lift and move his body for him so he can lie on his bed facing me. Or he may even try himself to shift his head and body enough to get me in view. Mr. Simeon must reposition himself or be repositioned in order to be content. If he finds that his focus is not on me, he wants to be repositioned so that it is. Not all the time, as he does love his naps and such. But much of the time!
bible studies
Living the Dream?
The young man’s words were pretty telling, weren’t they? That’s exactly how I lived for decades. Living MY dream. For MY enjoyment. For MY pleasure. For MY satisfaction. For ME. For SELF.
bible studies
Three Things God Loves
I was on my knees when the Lord reminded me of three things He loves. Very simple. Straightforward. Clear. And true. For He always and only speaks in line with His Word. And His Word confirms He had in fact given me this message. God loves LOVE. God loves HUMILITY. God loves PURITY.
bible studies
Jesus Came With Gifts
More than 2000 years ago, Jesus arrived at our home, the earth. Although he received some gifts at his birth, it was he who came with the greatest gifts of all. He brought his gifts of unfailing love and faithfulness.
bible studies
He Loved Us First
I love the sequence of ideas here. God loved us while we were still in need of washing. God loved us and then he washed us. God didn’t wash us clean and then love us. God didn’t free us from bondage of idolatry and darkness, and then say “Okay, I can stand you now.” He loved us first.
bible studies
Proof of the Invisible
By the victory your faith wins, you prove the value of faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ to other people. By your strength when you have problems, you learn to rely more upon God. When you are able to overcome temptation by faith, your belief is seen to be reality.
bible studies
Better Than Anything You Could Imagine
For me, the fact that the goodness of the character of God is so far beyond what my mind can imagine is evidence for the existence of God. He’s a God who’s worthy of your love, and to whom you can entrust your life.
bible studies
The Barabbas Experience
How did Barabbas feel? He was condemned to death and there was nothing he could do to save himself. Then, unexpectedly, he was told: “You are free. Someone else has taken your place.”
bible studies
God Tells Us The Truth About Our World
The reality of the world is itself evidence for the existence of God. The universe’s fundamental constants fall within a narrow range that is compatible with life. Today, there are 38 recognised cosmic constants. Of these, the most sensitive is the space energy density (the self-stretching property of the universe). Its value cannot vary by more than one part in 10,120, or else life would be impossible.
bible studies
Jesus is Your City of Refuge
The cities of refuge were arranged in the land of Canaan so that anyone could reach one of them within half a day at most. In the same way, our salvation is near to us. Jesus is a present Saviour, and the way to salvation is close by. We must simply give up our own merit, and take hold of Jesus, to be our all in all.
bible studies
You Must Be Born Again
You must be born again (John 3:7). One of the most striking things about what Jesus said is not what he said, but whom he said it to. Nicodemus was a member of the Jewish ruling council and the leading theologian of his religion (John 3:1,9: “Israel’s teacher.”) Jesus was talking to a man who was revered by the nation for his knowledge and achievements. But what Jesus basically told Nicodemus was, “I appreciate your sincerity. However, when you are in my presence, everything you have done from the day of your birth until today – and I mean absolutely everything – means absolutely nothing.” Jesus was referring to salvation.
bible studies
Pray for the Glory of God to Fill the Earth
There are times when to pray for just one person is enough to stagger us. To intercede for a whole city needs a vast amount of faith. But how far-reaching was the psalmist’s request: “Let the whole earth be filled with his glory.”
bible studies
God Sees You in Love
When God is real to us, we will trust him with both our past and our future. Then we will be able to live for the present. We will look to him for wisdom and strength. Only those who see the invisible can see the impossible.
bible studies
Thank God He Doesn’t Always Answer Your Prayers with a “Yes”
Belief in God’s providence does not mean that God always answers our prayers affirmatively. He answers all our prayers, but he answers some of them negatively, and for the very best reasons.
bible studies
You Receive Through Faith
Abraham’s belief, trust, laying hold of God was credited, reckoned, imputed, accounted, and attributed to him for righteousness. Now, this is the same man who had lied to the Egyptian pharaoh that his wife, Sarah, was only his sister. This is Abraham, the great man of faith—whose faith occasionally balked and faltered.
bible studies
A Reason to Believe
Our Lord Jesus was not a pessimist. He was, however, a perfect realist. He said that in the last days, people’s hearts would fail them for fear. He said there will be a time of trouble such as never was, a tribulation so intense that unless God shortened the days, no flesh would be saved. (See Luke 21:26; Matthew 24:21-22 KJV.) Jesus was a realist. Christians must be, too.
bible studies
Store Up Your Treasure in Heaven
There’s a story of a shipwrecked sailor on an inhospitable island. He was dying of hunger. One day a box was suddenly swept to shore and he rushed eagerly to open it. But he fell back to the ground with bitter disappointment, because the box was full of gems and pearls. It was filled with riches that could not sustain his life.
bible studies
Faith is the Channel of Blessing
Faith is the gospel’s chosen vehicle because faith has no virtue in itself. Faith gives all the credit to God. That’s because the moment we forget that we are paupers, on a pension from heaven, we’re in danger.
bible studies
You Need Not Fear the Judgment
God’s judgment is not to be just an indictment because of sins committed. In fact, the real issue is not primarily the sin question but the Son question. Jesus said that whoever believes in him is not condemned.
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Jesus is Never Too Busy for You
We live in a society where everyone is too busy doing something else other than what we should be doing.
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God is Your Father
It is the privilege of all God’s children to call him Father. Perhaps you think you have little faith. Perhaps you want to be full of courage to face the challenges of life, but you stumble at every step, and even shadows make you afraid.
bible studies
Be a Dreamer
Joseph was a dreamer. He was teased about it. He was bullied. He was almost killed by his brothers because of it. He spent years as a slave, and then in prison.
bible studies
You Plus God Are Always a Majority
I’ve never fell quite like the majority. As a child I was very ill for several years, so I was always skinny and small. I was born overseas. I looked different, and I had to learn a whole new language. I got called a lot of names at school.
bible studies
Jesus Draws You to Himself
He put out his hand and took her, and drew her into the ark to himself (Genesis 8:9, NKJV). Do remember the story of Noah and how he sent out the dove to see if there was dry land? Worn out with her long flight, the dove returns to the ark as her only resting place. How heavily she flies! Will she drop into the waters? Will she ever reach the ark? But she struggles on.
bible studies
The Grace of the Lord Jesus is With You
The Bible closes with this blessing. It is a summary of all of the blessings that God has promised us. Grace abounding! Divine favor, unbought, unsolicited, and undeserved! The Bible begins and ends with this.
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You Find Grace Everywhere
Let me give you their message in a nutshell. It consists of judgment and salvation, of controversy and consolation, of condemnation and comfort. Every message of rebuke in the minor prophets comes with a promise of forgiveness. The mercy of God is the great theme in the writings of each of the minor prophets, just as it is in the New Testament and all the rest of Scripture. Because of our sins, judgment comes. But God intends it to turn our faces from this world to heaven, so we can find supreme good.
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He Loved Them to The End
This text describes the attitude of Jesus just before the Last Supper. The thought of what he was about to do, and the weight of the awesomeness of the burden that he would carry almost overwhelmed him.
bible studies
How Can You Hear God If…?
How can you hear God speaking directly and personally and intimately to you if… You have not turned from your sins and received Jesus Christ as Lord through believing He died on the cross to pay your sin punishment and was raised from the dead whereby you genuinely commit your life to God and His ways? You are not sealed with and filled with God’s Holy Spirit who lives inside His followers and leads us and empowers and equips us through our lives to love, worship, and live for God and to build, help, support, and encourage His Kingdom of followers? You do not spend time alone with God praying to Him, praising and worshiping Him, seeking and waiting on Him, and reading the Bible which is the number one way to hear from God and in line with which His Spirit speaks to our hearts?
bible studies
Are You Isolating?
Friend, there is a difference between solitude as directed by the Lord for His purpose and isolating ourselves from others and most importantly from Him. The Lord created us above all else to love and worship and honor and serve Him with all our hearts forever and to love others as ourselves. Our greatest love and intimacy is to be with God almighty through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And our second greatest love and intimacy is to be in relationship with our fellow humans. There is a time and purpose for us to spend time on our own, but never in disobedience to Christ. And never apart from Christ.
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What can make me whole again?
There is power in the Blood of Jesus!
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An Egyptian Robe and a Hebrew Heart
He had the position, the power and the wealth, but his heart told him there was something more
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Following Christ
It’s more than intention, more than a desire. In this message, you will hear what it takes to be a follower of Christ.