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Three Things that Build Your Faith – Part 1
Part 1 – Understanding the Power of Your Words In Mark 11:23(NLT), our precious and powerful Lord and Savior said, “I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have…
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Thank You for Our Christ Authority!
Dear Heavenly Father, 1Corinthians 14:33 tells us that You are not the author of confusion. You are a God of order, and order is supreme with You. It’s how You run heaven, and it is also how You want us, as your children, to do things as well. Everything that has Your stamp on it…
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Thank You that My Child Is Not a Mistake
Dear Heavenly Father, I recently came across a video about a woman that was absolutely terrible to her kids. The things she did to them should never be spoken, but it made me think very deeply about my own child, and how much I love and appreciate his life. I gave birth to him at…
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Seeking God’s Will for My Life
It was a hot Sunday in the middle of summer and the church was packed, unusually so. It was 1977, and services had typically been well attended, but for months our choir was missing the best soprano probably in the entire state. The closest thing to a celebrity in our book, Deborah had a voice…
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Your Grace Is All We Need
Dear Heavenly Father, You tell us in Ephesians 6:12(NLT), “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” Father God, You do not want Your people to be ignorant concerning the…
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The Demolition of the Word ‘IF’
In Mark 9, we can read the record of a child possessed with a demon and was brought to the disciples. They were perplexed because they could not cast out the demon. This account, also in Matthew 17 and Luke 9, is the subject of many sermons and teachings, and there is little doubt in…
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The Time for Weeping is Over!
Many of you are waiting on something phenomenal. You have a strong sense that God is going to deliver the mega-load of blessings in your life, and it’s going to make all the struggle, suffering, confusion, and heartache make sense. It’s been a rough road, and you’ve seen some times that you never want to…
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Thank You for the Discipline of Fasting
Dear Heavenly Father, In the Old Testament Book of Daniel, You tell us about him, a prophet who was very loyal in his service to You. The Babylonians worshipped idol gods and did not honor You. When in captivity under Babylonian rule, Daniel was expected by the kings he served to adopt and follow the…
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Closed Mouths Don’t Get Fed-What about Closed Hearts?
On hot summer days in the south, there was no way that my grandmother would allow us grandkids to stay inside. With visiting cousins from up north, sometimes there would be seven or eight of us around, doing what children do—driving grown folks crazy. We were banished to the yard, and we had better not…
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Thank You for Hearing Our Prayers
Dear Heavenly Father, This week, I noticed a change in one of my good friend’s mood. Usually, he’s in a good mood, joking and laughing with me, having good conversation. It was different this week, and I mentioned to him that I had noticed a change. I asked if I had inadvertently said or did…
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Thank You for Forgiving Us
Dear Heavenly Father, There is so much to learn about being a Christian. As I grew to understand more about what You require of us, I must admit that at first, I was very confused. I heard a lot about the forgiveness that You offer, and it seemed to be a perpetual theme. In 1John…
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Combating the Blahs
The body of Christ is so incredibly blessed to have men that are tremendously gifted and eager to serve God’s people in leadership roles. They nurture us in God’s Word and help us to grow in Christ, but sometimes women of God need to connect the dots spiritually AND emotionally. When there’s a disconnect, and…
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You Have Shown Us the Right Path
Dear Heavenly Father, You gave us an astounding piece of instruction and wisdom in Proverbs 3:5(NLT). This verse tells us, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.” Many of us are familiar with this verse, yet we still depend on our own understanding. As soon as we hit…
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Preparing to Surrender
Those of us who hunger and thirst for God want to experience more of Him through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We need to understand that Jesus is in charge of leading us into the closeness we desire with Heavenly Father. In John 14:6(NLT), he said, “I am the way, the truth, and the…
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Jesus Christ Has Given Me the Keys
Dear Heavenly Father, I was asked today if I was ready to get married. I found it to be an interesting question because I find myself thinking more about my future these days, particularly as I get closer to finishing Nursing School. Things like where I may want to apply for a job, the environment…
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How to Overcome Being Stuck
There’s very little that is more debilitating than being stuck in a bad situation, and feeling as though you can’t do anything about it. My experience is that many people are feeling this way, but they’re hiding it. There was a time when I would be surprised by those who put on a public face…
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Don’t Make a Temporary Situation a Permanent One
Two women hear about an upscale store having a fantastic going-out-of-business sale for one day only. Both women, perfect strangers, get lost and end up at the same gas station. They strike up small-talk at the pump and voice their frustration at not being able to find the store, even with their devices. A disheveled…
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Let’s Wait Until We Get Married
Dear Heavenly Father, This week I came across a video about two young married couples that abstained from sex until they were married. It immediately caught my attention because they were very young, in their early twenties. In our generation, it is very rare for a young couple to decide to wait until they get…
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Soldiers Are Always Prepared for the Fight
You can be the sweetest Christian ever, you’re still going to have enemies. People will not like you just because, and that’s the truth of it. Sometimes they’re the people you’d least expect. I read a story the other day about a Christian couple who have recently gotten engaged. They are happily planning their wedding…
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Better Acquainted with the Holy Spirit
The Apostle Paul said in Galatians 2:20(NLT), “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Explaining the unparalleled beauty of this…
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Thank You for Spiritual Gifts
Dear Heavenly Father, This week I had the opportunity to speak Your Word to a friend of mine. Many Christians don’t do nearly enough to share the good news of Jesus Christ, but I’m so thankful that I had this chance. It’s always a great feeling to be able to pour into someone’s life. We…
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Freeze! You’ve Been Tagged!
When I was a little girl, we played this game called ‘freeze.’ The person who was “IT” had a big job, because there were lots of kids in my neighborhood, and we had a big yard; plenty of space to run, play, and hide. The designated “IT” would have to chase the other kids to…
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Thank You for the Holy Spirit
In John 16:13(NLT), Your Word tells us, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.” I know many Christians, Dear Father, that do not know the power and…
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Leftovers from the Ex-husband
With God, problems, no matter how small or great, can morph into opportunities for growth and blessings. He tells us this in Romans 8:28(NLT), where He says “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” When…
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Empowered by God!
A young woman said to me that she’s very confused by all that is going on, particularly in this country. She believes that people have fallen away from God and His Word to such a degree, that the human race will not get any better. “How can we bounce back from this?” she asked. I’ve…
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When Our Loved Ones are Attacked
As believers of Jesus Christ who love our families and friends, sometimes the most difficult tests of our faith occur when one of them is attacked. It is even more troubling when our relationships with them suffer as a result. It can be exhausting when it seems that you’re continually praying for a loved one…
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Victory over the Test
Dear Heavenly Father, During my time in nursing school, there have been many people that have said nothing but negative things about the classes. Whether it’s my classmates or even some of my instructors, they all make passing the class seem impossible. They say things like, “The class is too hard, and you’re going to…
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Blessed Be The Giver
Dear Heavenly Father, In Hebrews 13:16(NLT), You tell us, “But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” It is very important to You that we give and be a blessing to others, and you are reminding us not to forget to do good. Many of…
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The Cat is Out of the Bag, Can’t Put Him back in
Don’t miss your blessing. There is very definitely something wonderful slated to happen in your life soon. Some of us have had more disappointments and let downs by circumstances and relationships than we ever thought we could handle. Because of this, we’re afraid to cast our hope on something we can’t control, but this is…
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The Blessed Roles of Husband and Wife
Dear Heavenly Father, The world has an agenda that is very different from Yours. It has distorted the roles of the man and the woman. It has done so to such a degree, that the blessedness of their unique gifts is no longer held sacred. I remember the first time I heard the word ‘chivalry’.…