Tag: sanctification
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What Exactly is a Scoffer?
What’s your go-to response when you come across an unfamiliar word? Do you skip over it or pause to determine its meaning from contextual clues? Or perhaps you actually take a minute or two to look up the definition. When reading works of fiction or certain non-fiction pieces, it may suffice to ignore or speculate […]
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Same Team: The Gift of the Church Body
Devotional Originally appeared on Proverb’s 31 Encouragement for Today “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:27 (NIV) “Same team! The SAME team,” I yelled with hands cupped around my mouth, willing my voice to reach the ears of the peewee players on […]
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5 Ways for Christians to Move Past Divisiveness
I’d just returned home from a meeting at church where the tension was high, tempers were hot, and the conversation was heated. On the ride home, I’d convinced myself that the only solution was to separate the team, proceed with opposing plans, and hope for the best. As I shared my thoughts with my husband, […]
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5 Questions to Help Believers Keep An Eternal Perspective
“Time is short. Eternity is long. It is only reasonable that this short life be lived in the light of eternity.” -Charles Spurgeon Eternity, a simple word, but a complex concept. We waited an eternity for our food; the car ride lasted an eternity; it seemed an eternity before our baby slept through the night. […]
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How to Cultivate a God-Centered Life
When my husband, then boyfriend, announced he purchased a house that rested on 25 acres, it was a struggle to share in his excitement. To me, 25 acres meant work and lots of it. Ironically, it meant the same thing to my husband, but instead of dread, he was eager. To him, this was an […]
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3 Kind Things to Say When you Didn’t Get the Gift you Wanted
“What made you think this is something I would like?” “Oh, this isn’t the color I wanted.” “Are you sure this gift was for me?” “You kept the receipt, right?” No, these aren’t words muttered by a five-year-old; unfortunately, these cringe-worthy comments came from my almost mid-twenties’ lips. Regretfully, youth or ignorance wasn’t to blame, […]
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Why Does God Hate These 7 Things?
Have you ever wondered if God hates certain sins more than others? The Scriptures clearly express God’s disdain for sin. Sin entered the world through the rebellion of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Consequently, we are born sinners. We find redemption through Christ’s atoning work on the cross and placing our faith […]
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4 Things God Reveals When We Pray for New Eyes
“Wow, l can read that sign! When did we get that new restaurant? Woah, I can see that person walking across the street!” A trip to the optometrist confirmed that I had needed major vision correction, so after wearing my new glasses for the first time, a whole new world seemed to suddenly appear right […]
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5 Things the Bible Says About God’s Punishment
Nestled in fiery colored flames, the bold, uppercase words on the highway’s billboard, “TURN BEFORE YOU BURN,” caught my attention. I understood the intent—to provoke an intense sense of urgency to accept Christ or spend eternity in Hell. Although the message was sincere, the approach didn’t sit well with me. Shouldn’t God’s love, not His […]
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You May Need to Give Up More Than Just Sin to Follow Jesus
I gazed at my phone’s blank, black screen. Did I just quit my job to stay at home full-time with my children and write a book? Discounting that I had never even posted a blog, until that moment, my career in sales had been my identity. For some time, the Lord had been calling me to leave […]
Laura R Bailey 