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“Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign Lord. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live.” -Ezekiel 18:23 As a Christian, I have often wondered why people had to die in the Old Testament. It seemed so harsh — why couldn’t they…

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in…

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” -2 Corinthians 10:4 Have you ever heard of a “stronghold”? A stronghold in a spiritual influence in our lives that compels us to make decisions that aren’t good for our spiritual or even…

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:14-16 A couple of friends of ours came into town for one of our conferences. Afterward they stayed with us as…

“Jesus realized that the Pharisees were keeping count of the baptisms that He and John performed (although His disciples, not Jesus, did the actual baptizing). They had posted the score that Jesus was ahead, turning Him and John into rivals in the eyes of the people. So Jesus left the Judean countryside and went back…

“They refused to keep my decrees and follow my regulations, even though obedience would have given them life.” -Ezekiel 20:11 A lot of the time we wonder how following God will turn out. We wonder why we should live by Christian principles, or why God told Adam and Eve not to eat the apple. “Why…

“When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice.” -Genesis 22:9…

“Then when they are exiled among the nations, they will remember me. They will recognize how hurt I am by their unfaithful hearts and lustful eyes that long for their idols. Then at last they will hate themselves for all their detestable sins. They will know that I alone am the Lord and that I…

“Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” -Matthew 10:37, 38 We live in a culture today…

“But the angel said, ‘I am Gabriel, the sentinel of God, sent especially to bring you this glad news. But because you won’t believe me, you’ll be unable to say a word until the day of your son’s birth. Every word I’ve spoken to you will come true on time – God’s time.’” -Luke 1:20…