A Time to Be Renewed BE CONTROLLED BY THE WORD

“It is written!” is a statement that carries great authority For the believer. Our Lord used the Word of God to defeat Satan, and so may we. But the Word of God is not only a sword for battle; it is also a light to guide us in this dark...

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A Time to Be Renewed BRIDLING THE TONGUE

In selecting the bit and the rudder, the Apostle James presented two items in his epistle that are small of themselves, yet exercise great power, just like the tongue. A small bit enables the rider to control the great horse, and a small rudder enables the pilot to steer the...

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A Time to Be Renewed SUBSTANCE, EVIDENCE, WITNESS

Three words in Hebrews 11:1-3 summarize what true Bible faith is: substance, evidence, and witness. The word translated substance means literally “to stand under, to support.” Faith is to a Christian what a foundation is to a house: it gives confidence that he will stand. When a believer has faith,...

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A Time to Be Renewed DO YOU QUALIFY

Not every believer is equipped to establish other Christians in the faith. Ideally, every Christian should be mature enough to help others grow in the Lord and learn to stand on their own two feet. Unfortunately, some Christians are like those described in Hebrews 5:11-14. They have gone backward in...

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A Time to Be Renewed AVOIDING BURNING WORDS

A fire can begin with just a small spark, but it can grow to destroy a city. A fire reportedly started in the O’Leary bam in Chicago at 8:30 p.m., October 8, 1871; and because that fire spread, over 100,000 people were left homeless, 17,500 buildings were destroyed, and 300...

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A Time to Be Renewed TURN THE OTHER CHEEK

The original Law kept people from forcing the offender to pay a greater price than the offense deserved. It also prevented people from taking personal revenge. Jesus replaced a law with an attitude: Be willing to suffer loss yourself rather than cause another to suffer. Of course, He applied this...

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A Time to Be Renewed DEPRESSION: WHO CAN ESCAPE IT

“You seem to imagine that I have no ups and downs, but just a level and lofty stretch of spiritual attainment with unbroken joy and equanimity. By no means! I am often perfectly wretched and everything appears most murky.” So wrote the man called in his day (1864- 1923) “the...

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A Time to Be Renewed POWER WITHIN

While flying back to Chicago from upper New York via New York City, we had to stay in our holding pattern over Kennedy Airport for more than an hour. When the stewardess announced that we would be landing an hour late, a man across the aisle shouted, “Bring out the...

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A Time to Be Renewed GOD’S MIGHTY POWER

The Holy Spirit empowered Paul to minister, enabling him to perform mighty signs and wonders. The miracles God gave Paul to do were “signs” that they came from God and revealed Him to others. And they were “wonders” in that they aroused the wonder of the people. But their purpose...

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A Time to Be Renewed BE READY FOR REWARD TIME

When the Lord returns, there will be a time of judgment at “the Judgment' Seat of Christ.” Each of us will give an account of his works, and each will receive the appropriate reward. This is a “family judgment” as the Father deals with His beloved children. The Greek word...

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