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IN THE FIERY FURNACE Read Daniel 3:8-25 Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.  – Daniel 3:19 (NKJV) Yesterday, I worked with the pizza ovens at my part-time job. Fear of burning the pizzas, I kept a close eye on the thermometer, which read 540 degrees Fahrenheit, and continuously requested my supervisor to double-check the oven temperature. He would always reply, “The oven needs to be hotter!” Whenever I checked the pies,…

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TIME WITH GOD Read Matthew 26:36-58 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, ‘What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Matthew 26:40 (NKJV) Have you ever had the experience where you got up early in the morning and tried having a worship experience with God, but you were so sleepy that you could not stay up? Such was the disciples’ experience when Jesus asked them to watch and pray. Their eyes were heavy, and they could not find the energy they needed to pray for the master. Were they disinterested in…

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OVERCOMING TEMPTATION Read 1 Corinthians 10:1-22 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV) All humans on earth experience temptations daily. Christ, when He was here, experienced temptation constantly from the devil (Matthew 14:1-11). God never promised us that He would remove our temptations but provide us the ability to endure and be overcomers. Christ was…

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A GOD OF CHANCES Read Luke 23:26-56 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:42-43 (NKJV) Have you ever had a bad habit you wanted to break? How often did you find yourself doing that thing you no longer wanted to do? Our struggle with the flesh, sin, is similar. Paul speaks of his battle with sin and the desire to do good. He wrote,  “For I know that in me (that is, in…

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A MATTER OF CHOICE Read Joshua 24:1-28 And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers serve that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15 (NKJV) Have you ever had a moment when everything seems to be going right? You look in the mirror and say, “You are amazing, and look at all you have accomplished.” Joshua…

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MOLDING THE FAMILY Read Deuteronomy 6:1-25 You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. Deuteronomy 6:7 (NKJV)  Before embarking upon the Promise Land, the children of Israel received the commandments of God that they should live. It was to be from generation to generation. It is that “repetition is the key to real learning” Jack Canfield, Janet Switzer (2009). “The Success Principles (TM),” p.32, Harper Collins. Constant reinforcement of the commandments was encouraged. In…

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TALKING WITH JESUS Read Matthew 6:1-18 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Matthew 6:7 (NKJV) Talking to one of my former schoolmates this week, we reminisced on the good old college days. I reminded her of a line she would use when she was praying. “Lord, you said the cattle on a thousand hills belong to you. Can you please sell one of the cows and give me the money?” We have been laughing about this for years each time we…

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HOPE FOR THE FUTURE Read Philippians 3:1-21 Our citizenship is in heaven, and we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20, (NKJV)  Interestingly, every year the world celebrates the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus, yet there is little spoken of or recognition that he will be returning. When Jesus left earth and ascended to heaven, He promised He would prepare a place for us. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may also be. (John 14:2-3). The Christians hope…

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SHARING THE LAST MEAL Read 1 Kings 17:8-16 And Elijah said to her, ‘Do not fear; go and do as you said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me, and afterward make some for yourself and your son. 1 Kings 17:13 (NKJV) This week at church, we had an early thanksgiving celebration. We could go into the community and share gift bags with some of the less fortunate and help make their thanksgiving a better experience. It is a joy when we can extend the blessings that God has given us to our…

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