Christian Living on Enemies

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Scripture

Matthew 10:16, 2 Timothy 3:12, Romans 5:10, Hebrews 12:2-3, Luke 6:22

Jesus Christ lived in the midst of his enemies. At the end all his disciples deserted him. On the Cross he was utterly alone, surrounded by evildoers and mockers. For this cause he had come, to bring ...

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Haters of Humanity?

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Acts 8:1-3, 2 Timothy 3:12, 1 Peter 4:12-16, Matthew 5:10-12, Luke 6:41-42, Genesis 3:8-19, Genesis 39:6-20, Job 2:11-13, Job 42:7-9

Most of us are aware of various persecutions that took place during the first few centuries of the church’s existence. One particularly brutal local persecution took place during the reign of Nero, wh...

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What’s the Problem with Christians?

Keywords

Christians

Scripture

Philippians 1:27-28, Isaiah 29:13, Titus 1:16, 2 Timothy 3:12, Romans 12:17-18

I’ve asked strangers and casual acquaintances, “Why do Christians stir up such negative feelings?” Some bring up past atrocities, such as the widespread belief that the church executed eight or nine m...

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Christian Persecution & The Real Power

Author

John Dickson

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 5:10-12, John 15:18-20, 2 Timothy 3:12, Acts 14:22, Romans 8:35-37, 1 Peter 4:12-14, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Acts 1:8, Romans 8:11, Isaiah 41:10

What is the witness of the church in times of persecution? The historical record demonstrates that persecutions of Christians were regular and prolific in the first centuries of the church, especially...

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Author

A. W. Tozer

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Scripture

John 5:39-40, 2 Timothy 3:7, 1 Corinthians 8:1, 2 Corinthians 3:6, Hebrews 4:12

The modern scientist has lost God amid the wonders of His world; we Christians are in real danger of losing God amid the wonders of His Word.

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Author

Craig Blomberg

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Scripture

2 Timothy 3:16

Every command [from the Old Testament] reflects principles at some level that are binding on Christians (2 Timothy 3:16)

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Author

Oscar A. Romero

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Scripture

Hebrews 12:11, Galatians 6:1, 2 Timothy 4:2, Ephesians 5:11, 1 Peter 4:16, John 15:18-19, 2 Timothy 3:12

The church must suffer for speaking the truth, for pointing out sin, for uprooting sin. No one wants to have a sore spot touched, and therefore a society with so many sores twitches when someone has t...

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Not Getting the Message

Author

Andy Cook

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Scripture

James 1:22-24, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Timothy 2:15, Philippians 4:9, Joshua 1:8, Matthew 7:24-25, Colossians 3:16

Reading the Bible without applying it to your life can be downright dangerous. On August 3, 1996, Melvin Hitchens, sat on his front porch and read the Bible. After his Bible reading, this 66 year old ...

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The Bible a Great Comfort

Author

Andy Cook

Keywords

Scripture

2 Timothy 3:16-17, Romans 15:4, Isaiah 55:11, Hebrews 4:12-13, 2 Peter 1:19-21, Matthew 4:4, Matthew 24:35, Isaiah 41:8-10, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Psalm 46:, Genesis 37:12-36, 1 Samuel 19:, 1 Samuel 20:, 2 Corinthians 11:23-30, 2 Corinthians 4:17, Acts 21:27-36

For seven years, Terry Anderson was held as a hostage of Shiite Muslim fundamentalists. The former reporter for the Associated Press had been taken captive and held as a political prisoner, and for se...

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Author

Thomas à Kempis

Keywords

The Kingdom of God

Scripture

1 Peter 4:12-13, 2 Corinthians 4:8-10, Romans 8:17, John 15:18-20, 2 Timothy 3:12, Philippians 1:29, Luke 9:23

Jesus has many who love the kingdom of God, but few who bear a cross. He has many who desire His comfort, but few who desire His suffering. All want to rejoice with him, but few are willing to suffer ...

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Author

Austin Fischer

Keywords

Scripture

Galatians 6:3-4, Titus 1:16, 2 Timothy 3:5, Revelation 3:15-16, 1 John 3:18, Matthew 23:27-28, James 2:14-17

Christianity has suffered more casualties from faux faith than from honest doubt.

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Who Knocked Down the Walls of Jericho?

Author

Vaughan Roberts

Keywords

Scripture

Joshua 6:1-27, Ephesians 4:25, Proverbs 12:22, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Romans 15:4, Colossians 3:16

A police inspector went to visit a primary school, where he was asked to take a Scripture class. He began by asking, ‘Who knocked down the walls of Jericho?’ There was a long silence as the children s...

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Gracious God, give us humble,

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Scripture

Matthew 7:24, Philippians 2:12-13, John 14:15, Isaiah 66:2, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, James 1:22, Micah 6:8

Gracious God, give us humble, teachable, and obedient hearts, that we may receive what you have revealed, and do what you have commanded. Amen.

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Author

Dan Rather

Keywords

Scripture

2 Timothy 3:16-17, Proverbs 1:5, Proverbs 22:6

The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called ‘truth.’

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The Bible Outlives its Pallbearers

Author

Charles Colson

Keywords

The Bible

Scripture

2 Timothy 3:16-17, Romans 15:4, Isaiah 55:11, Hebrews 4:12-13, 2 Peter 1:19-21, Matthew 4:4, Matthew 24:35, Isaiah 40:8

The Bible has, amazingly—no doubt with supernatural grace—survived its critics. Thirty to sixty million copies are produced annually. The harder tyrants try to eliminate it and skeptics dismiss it, th...

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Author

John Wesley

Keywords

Scripture

2 Timothy 3:7, Luke 10:38-42, Matthew 22:34-40, James 3:17, Colossians 3:14, 1 Corinthians 13:2, 1 Corinthians 8:1

Beware you are not swallowed up in books! An ounce of love is worth a pound of knowledge.

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Adapted from “Spiritual Helps” in The Valley of Vision

Author

Arthur Bennett

Keywords

Scripture

Hebrews 12:10-11, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Psalm 119:103, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 8:26, John 3:16

Pastor: Eternal Father, it is amazing love, that you sent your Son to suffer in my place, that you have given me your Holy Spirit to teach, comfort, and guide me. Because of Jesus’ death in my place, ...

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What is a Christian?

Author

Bill Rodenberg

Keywords

Christians

Scripture

2 Thessalonians 1:3, 1 Peter 2:2, 2 Peter 3:18, Mark 5:19, Luke 14:23, Acts 1:8, Matthew 5:16, Luke 8:16, Philippians 2:15, Mark 4:1-20, Luke 8:4-8, Psalm 12:6-8, Psalm 91:1-2, Luke 8:39, 1 Peter 2:9, 1 John 5:13, 2 Corinthians 5:1, 2 Timothy 3:1-5

The word “Christian” has lost much of its meaning in our culture. It means “Christ in one.” As you communicate the Good News of Jesus Christ, this is what God expects of a Christian: He expects us to...

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Lord, may the gospel be to us more than

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Scripture

1 Thessalonians 1:5, Romans 1:16, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Acts 1:8, Romans 15:13

Lord, may the gospel be to us more than mere words. May the Holy Spirit produce in us strong conviction.

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Not Found Wanting

Author

G. K. Chesterton

Keywords

Christianity

Scripture

Hebrews 12:1-2, John 16:33, Philippians 3:10, Romans 12:1-2, 2 Timothy 3:12

Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it’s been found difficult and not tried.

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Eternal God, your Spirit inspired those

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Scripture

Romans 15:4, Acts 8:26-40, Luke 24:13-35, Hebrews 4:12, Psalm 119:105, 2 Peter 1:20-21, 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Eternal God, your Spirit inspired those who wrote the Bible and enlightens us to hear your Word fresh each day. Help us to rely always on your promises in Scripture. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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Eat This Book

Author

Eugene Peterson

Keywords

Scripture

2 Timothy 3:16-17, Romans 15:4, Hebrews 4:12-13, 2 Peter 1:19-21, Matthew 4:4, Matthew 4:4, Matthew 24:35

Christians feed on Scripture. Holy Scripture nurtures the holy community as food nurtures the human body. Christians don’t simply learn or study or use Scripture; we assimilate it, take it into our li...

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Did Nietzsche say God is Dead?

Author

Brian Zahnd

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 29:13, Judges 2:10-13 , 1 Samuel 8:4-9, Matthew 23:27-28 , 2 Timothy 3:1-5 , Psalm 10:4

Even though it’s now associated with him, Nietzsche didn’t coin the phrase God is dead. As the son of a Lutheran pastor, he would have heard that line in a Lutheran Holy Saturday hymn. And although...

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Author

Athanasius of Alexandria

Keywords

Scripture

Revelation 22:18-19, Acts 8:26-40, Hebrews 4:12, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Isaiah 55:10-11, Psalm 119:105

These are fountains of salvation that they who thirst may be satisfied with the living words they contain. In these alone is proclaimed the doctrine of godliness. Let no man add to these, neither let ...

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We praise You, Heavenly Father for sending

Author

Austin D. Hill

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 55:10-11, Acts 1:8, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Matthew 4:1-11, Acts 8:26-40, Isaiah 55:10-11, Romans 10:17

We praise You, Heavenly Father for sending us Your Word to instruct and convict us. You also sent Your Holy Spirit to guide and encourage us as we learn more about Your Word. Help us today to gain new...

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Lord, open our hearts and minds by the

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Scripture

2 Timothy 3:16-17, Nehemiah 8:1-12, Hebrews 4:12, Romans 10:17, Psalm 119:18, John 16:13

Lord, open our hearts and minds by the power of your Holy Spirit, that as the Scriptures are read and your Word is proclaimed, we may hear with joy what you say to us today. Amen.

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Draw us close, Holy Spirit, as the

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Scripture

2 Timothy 3:16-17, Acts 17:10-12, Romans 10:17, James 1:22, Hebrews 4:12

Draw us close, Holy Spirit, as the Scriptures are read and the Word is proclaimed. Let the word of faith be on our lips and in our hearts, and let all other words slip away. May there be one voice we ...

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The Strength of Catechisms

Author

Brian Dembowczyk

Keywords

Scripture

James 1:22-24, Matthew 7:24-27, Colossians 3:16, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 5:12-14

I’m a huge advocate of catechisms, for example, having used this approach with my kids. I even wrote one. The strength of a catechism isn’t in memorizing the questions and answers of the catechism; th...

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As you go into the world this week be

Author

Bud Thoreen

Keywords

Scripture

Romans 8:14, Matthew 4:1-11, Galatians 5:25, Ephesians 3:16-17, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, James 1:22

As you go into the world this week, be blessed with the knowledge of God’s word implanted in you. And be blessed with the presence of the Holy Spirit living in you and enabling you to put your faith i...

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A Vast Geographical Basin

Author

Richard J. Foster

Keywords

The Bible

Scripture

2 Timothy 3:16-17, Psalm 119:105, Hebrews 4:12, John 4:14

The Bible is like a vast geographical basin in which tributary streams feed into the currents of a parent river on its course to the ocean. The riverbanks are interspersed with openings where the trib...

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