Christian Living on Hypocrisy

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Did Nietzsche say God is Dead?

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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

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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Author

Austin Fischer

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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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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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Haters of Humanity?

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

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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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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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Author

Thomas à Kempis

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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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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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Dear Lord and God, I thank and praise

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Scripture

Colossians 1:9-10, Acts 17:10-12, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, James 1:5, John 16:13, Psalm 119:105

Dear Lord and God, I thank and praise You for Your Word, the Holy Scriptures, and for the promise that Your Holy Spirit will guide me into all truth. Give me a teachable spirit so that I may learn all...

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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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The Greatest Imaginable Number of Readings

Author

David Hare

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 22:21, Isaiah 5:8-9, John 6:63, Matthew 22:15-22, John 8:1-11, Colossians 2:2-3, 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Jesus Christ was prone to making comments which seem to support an almost infinite variety of exegesis. A remark like ‘Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and ‘unto God the things that are ...

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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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Author

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

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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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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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On Heaven and Hell

Author

Source Unknown

Keywords

Scripture

Exodus 32:null, Numbers 16:null, 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10, Mark 10:15, 2 Timothy 3:16, Romans 10:9

There’s a story of a young girl on a plane who was reading her Bible, and there was a businessman sitting next to her. He looked over to her and he said, you don’t really believe that do you?” And she...

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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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Not Getting the Message

Author

Andy Cook

Keywords

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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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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Taking Scripture Seriously

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Scripture

1 Peter 3:15, 2 Timothy 3:14-4

This week our lectionary text ( This article was published a few weeks late! ) is on 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5, that well-known passage that describes scripture as "θεόπνευστος," or "God-bre...

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Writing out our Faith

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

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

We all desire to learn from our role models, but some take this ambition to the next level. The writer Hunter S. Thompson was so obsessed with the writings of F. Scott Fitzgerald, and specifically his...

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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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Gracious God, as we turn to your Word

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Scripture

2 Timothy 3:16-17, Acts 17:10-12, Acts 8:26-40, Romans 10:17, James 1:22, Hebrews 4:12

Gracious God, as we turn to your Word for us, may the Spirit of God rest upon us. Help us to be steadfast in our hearing, in our speaking, in our believing, and in our living. Amen.

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Not a Painting on the Wall, but a Window

Author

John Piper

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

In the book A Peculiar Glory , John Piper describes how he maintained a traditional view of scripture, even after he went on to advanced theological studies in California and Germany. He describes hi...

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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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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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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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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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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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From the very beginning was Your

Author

John Birch

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 24:35, Isaiah 40:8, Psalm 119:105, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 4:12

From the very beginning was Your Word, Which spoke this world into being, Your Word, Which thunders from the skies, Your Word, Which flows like mountain streams, Your Word, Which whispers in morning b...

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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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