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Some of the most effective prayers are the shortest prayers. Jesus said, "Peace, be still," and the wind and the waves ceased (Mk. 4:39). He said, "Lazarus, come forth," and Lazarus came back from the dead (Jn. 11:43-44).
Today, there is a new emphasis on the quantity of prayer instead of the quality of prayer. Jesus never advocated long prayers, and there are only a few instances where Jesus prayed long prayers. This is not to say that communion with God is not important. It certainly is, but formal prayer is only one part of our communion with the Lord.
Psalm 5:1-2 uses the words "prayer" and "meditation" interchangeably. Therefore, communing with God through keeping your mind stayed on the things of the Lord is...
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To day we laid to rest The Lord's' 20-21st Century's Evangelist, sure there...
DO YOU HAVE A HARD TIME LOVING YOUR ENEMIES? HOW ABOUT SOMEONE WHO WOULD KILL A CHILD? I HAVE A HARD TIME LOVING SOMEONE THAT WOULD DO THAT BUT I KNOW I SHOULD. I HAVE TO CHOOSE TO LOVE THEM. I KNOW GOD LOVES THEM BUT HATES THE SINS THEY COMMIT JUST AS HE LOVES US AND HATES THE SINS WE COMMIT.
The motive behind our gift is more important than the gift itself. Paul said if he gave all of his goods to feed the poor, or if he made the ultimate sacrifice of giving his own life for someone else, and wasn't motivated by love, his gift would profit him nothing (1 Cor. 13:3).
Many Christians give faithfully but never see the hundredfold return that the Lord promised because of wrong motives (Mk. 10:29-30). Paul said God loves a cheerful giver - not one who gives grudgingly or out of debt (2 Cor. 9:7).
Jesus gave us the key to purifying our motives in this same teaching. He said, "But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth" (Mt. 6:3). Giving in a manner in which you will not...
I HAVE WRITTEN SO MANY MESSAGES ON HEALING IN HOPES THAT SOME OF YOU WILL FINALLY REALIZE THAT GOD WANTS YOU HEALED? THERE IS NOT ONE PLACE IN THE BIBLE WHERE JESUS REFUSED TO HEAL SOMEONE AND HE SAID HE ONLY DID THE WILL OF HIS FATHER. (JOHN 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.)
Which would you rather have - God defending you, or you defending yourself? That's the choice that Jesus is offering us here. "Turning the other cheek" is not a prescription for abuse but rather the way to get the Lord involved in your defense.
Many people feel that these instructions of Jesus guarantee that others will take advantage of us. That would be true if there was no God. But when we follow these commands of Jesus, the Lord is on our side. He said in Rom. 12:19, "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but [rather] give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance [is] mine; I will repay, saith the Lord."
When we fight back, we are drawing on our own strength. But when we turn the other cheek, we are invoking...
A person who has to swear or make a promise to validate his statements is a person whose word is no good. The thrust of Jesus' teaching here is that we should live in such a manner that no one would ever have to have additional proof that we are telling the truth. Our word should be our bond.
We have all heard the story of the young shepherd boy who cried wolf when there was no wolf until finally no one believed him when the wolf really came. Our lack of integrity in performing our word has the same effect on people today.
Very few people conduct business anymore with their word and a handshake. Even contracts are not sacred if an individual can afford a good enough lawyer. But this is not the way God intended it.
God has fulfilled...
ARE YOU USABLE TO JESUS? IF WE WANT TO BE USED WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED. DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME JESUS MINISTERED IN JERUSALEM WHERE THE MULTITUDES BELIEVED ON HIM WHEN THEY SAW THE MIRACLES HE HAD PERFORMED? WOULDN'T YOU THINK THAT THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A GOOD TIME TO GET THE PEOPLE TO GO OUT AND START SPREADING HIS GOSPEL? JESUS DIDN'T THINK SO. SEE WHAT IT SAYS IN JOHN 2:23-24 "Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men." HE DIDN'T WANT THE PEOPLE PROCLAIMING HIS GOSPEL IN THEIR OWN ABILITY. THEY WERE NOT READY.
HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE BIBLE? I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT WHAT IS IN IT BUT ABOUT THE HISTORY OF HOW IT CAME TO BE AVAILABLE TO US. YOU SHOULD FEEL BLESSED THAT YOU EVEN HAVE A BIBLE TO READ. DO YOU READ YOURS? DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHERE YOURS IS? SOME HAVE SO MUCH DUST ON THEM THAT IT IS HARD TO EVEN TELL IT IS THE BIBLE AND SOME HAVE THEM OUT FOR ALL TO SEE AND ONLY TOUCH IT TO KEEP IT CLEAN SO PEOPLE WILL THINK THEY ARE RELIGIOUS. WHAT A SHAME!
I HAVE...
God's commandments are not intended to make us miserable--they're meant for our own happiness. Satan's lie in the Garden of Eden caused Eve to question God's motives behind His command (Genesis 3:5).
Malachi 2:15 says God hates divorce. God doesn't hate the people who divorce. He hates the act of divorce because of the damage it does to people. God loves people.
Today, people see divorce as an easy way out of marital problems. But this is based on the misconception that the mate is the problem--which is rarely the case.
People who blame their mate for their problems give in easily to divorce, thinking that a new partner will solve the...