discipline

3173) Thou Shalt Not Be Complacent

Adapted from the Ask Pastor John podcast, with John Piper, at:  http://www.desiringgod.org ——————————— Zephaniah 1:12  —  (The Lord says), “At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish those who are complacent, those who say in their hearts, ‘The Lord will not do good, nor will he do ill.’”      A nineteen-year-old […]

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3161) What to Give Up for Lent

Give up complaining…  Focus on Gratitude. Give up pessimism…  Be an optimist. Give up worry…  Trust Divine Providence. Give up bitterness…  Turn to Forgiveness. Give up hatred…  Return Good for evil. Give up negativism…  Be Positive. Give up anger…  Be more Patient. Give up pettiness…  Be more Mature. Give up gloom…  Enjoy the Beauty of

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2883) Best Bible Verses (2/2)

     (…continued) The Bible is filled with hundreds of wonderful verses.  Most Emailmeditations include three.  In addition to that, I have posted on my website a daily schedule for the reading of many of the very best verses.  There are at least three for each day of the year– over 1200 in all.  These

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2882) Read the Instructions (1/2)

      It is the night before Christmas, 2:00 in the morning and you are tired.  But you are still up, sitting by the Christmas tree, trying to figure out how to assemble the Barbie and Ken Deluxe Doll House.  Your daughter has been asking for that for weeks, and in just a few

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2816) Learning the Language of Heaven

Adapted from Dr. Walter Sundberg’s chapel sermon, March 12, 2008, at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota      The United States has been and still is a nation of immigrants, and millions of these new arrivals want to learn the language of their new country.  Thus, there is a great need for ESL (English as

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2788) Chains (b)

     (…continued)  “Be on guard, be alert,” says Jesus, “for you do not know when that time will come… what I say to you I say to everyone– Watch!”  Jesus is referring here to that time when he will come again.  In the Bible we read of Jesus’ first coming.  In Jesus, God was

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2787) Chains (a)

     For years Mick has smoked three packs of cigarettes a day.  Now, when he comes up the basement stairs he has to stop and catch his breath even though he is not yet fifty years old.  He wants to quit smoking and he is angry with himself that he cannot.  He’s mad at

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2389) Scattering Seeds (part 2 of 2)

   (…continued)  Now so far, this is easy enough.  Jesus tells the parable and then explains it.  But what Jesus doesn’t do and what is not explained in the text is how this works, and what you and I are supposed to do about it.  The illustration of the different types of ground is useful

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2388) Scattering Seeds (part 1 of 2)

Above painting:  The Sower, 1888, by Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) ————————– Matthew 13:1-9…18-23  —  That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake.  Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.  Then he told

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2386) Stay Connected (2 of 2)

     (…continued)  In John 15:13 Jesus said he would die for us, his friends.  What we need most in life is connections, relationships.  Jesus tells us here that the most important connection is already taken care of.  We are connected to God– if we will allow it.  Remain in me, Jesus pleads.  Don’t say

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