Stages of Life on Temptation

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Wrestling with the Devil or God?

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 32:24-28, Genesis 32:30, Hosea 12:3-4, Hebrews 5:12-14, 1 Corinthians 3:1-2, Romans 5:3-5, James 1:2-4, Luke 9:23-24, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Maturation is a lifelong journey with different phases, human and spiritual. And it has many setbacks. What can be helpful is to have a grasp of the natural seasons of our lives and how these interfac...

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God of grace, power and glory –

Author

Richard Herman

Keywords

Scripture

1 Corinthians 15:57, 1 Chronicles 16:11, Romans 8:28, Philippians 4:13, Psalm 121:2

God of grace, power and glory – Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer – and our Father: When we’re tempted to think it’s all up to us: to change the world, to overcome evil, to establish Your kingdom. to m...

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Miserable Elvis

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Romans 12:2, Psalm 119:10, James 1:14-15, Ecclesiastes 5:10, Matthew 6:19-21, Romans 7:19, Ecclesiastes 2:10-11

Like many others who find themselves in the spotlight, Elvis Presley struggled with his fame, as well as the many temptations that befell him during his time as an iconic musician. In 1958, following ...

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A Sinner or Saint?

Author

Source Unknown

Keywords

I heard about a pastor who was asked by a man in the community to do his brother’s funeral. Neither of the men had been churchgoers or showed any religious inclinations. The man offered to give $25,00...

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God of grace, power and glory–Creator,

Author

Richard Herman

Keywords

God of grace, power and glory–Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer–and our Father: When we’re tempted to think it’s all up to us: to change the world, to overcome evil, to establish Your kingdom, to make ...

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Different Seasons, Different Challenges

Author

Ronald Rohlheiser

Keywords

Scripture

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, Ecclesiastes 3:11, Luke 15:11-32, Proverbs 20:29, Psalm 90:10-12

Someone once quipped that we spend the first half of our lives struggling with the sixth commandment ( Thou shalt not commit adultery ) and the second half of our lives struggling with the fifth comma...

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Stepping Over our Wounds

Author

The Pastor's Workshop

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 4:6-7, 1 Samuel 1:6-8, 18 , Luke 15:28-32, Jonah 4:1-4 , Ephesians 4:31-32, Psalm 55:22

Sometimes we have to “step over” our anger, our jealousy, or our feelings of rejection and move on. The temptation is to get stuck in our negative emotions, poking around in them as if we belong there...

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What is Most Important and Yet Most Absent from Parents

Author

Paul David Tripp

Keywords

Parenting

Many, many fathers and mothers carry a particular problem into their parenting, and they don’t know it. It affects the way they think about the task that has been assigned to them. It affects the way ...

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Author

Mal McKissock and Dianne McKissock

Keywords

Grief

People in support roles should resist any temptation to say ‘I know how you feel’, even if they have also experienced the pain of grief. We can never really know how another feels—we can only use our ...

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Forgive us our Mattresses

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

While countless children grew up reciting the Lord’s Prayer, it is somewhat unsurprising to learn that many didn’t exactly have the words correct. In an article by Ann Landers of the Chicago Tribune, ...

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The World, a Definition by Eugene Peterson

Author

Eugene H. Peterson

Keywords

Scripture

John 2:15-16, Romans 12:2, Ephesians 2:1-2, John 15:18-19, James 4:4

The world, though, is protean: each generation has the world to deal with in a new form. World is an atmosphere, a mood. It is nearly as hard for a sinner to recognize the world’s temptations as it is...

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Graduation Charge and Blessing

Author

The Pastor's Workshop

Keywords

Our God has loved you from before your birth until today. Though unseen, he has cared for you and protected you every day. We rejoiced when he called you to repentance and redeemed you for the sake of...

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Adapted from Psalm 73:1–28

Prayer of Confession All: Certainly God is good to his people, to those pure in heart, but as for me, I nearly stumbled; I nearly lost my sure footing. I struggle with envy as I look at the those in ...

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Heavenly Father, our Savior told us,

Author

Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 16:25, Luke 17:33, Proverbs 3:5-6, Jeremiah 29:11, James 1:5

Heavenly Father, our Savior told us, "Those who try to gain their own life will lose it; but those who lose their life for My sake will gain it." These are hard words. We confess that we oft...

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Adapted from Proverbs 24:1-2, 5-6

Author

Dustin Ray

Keywords

Scripture

Proverbs 24:1-2, Proverbs 24:5-6

Pastor: “Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them, for their hearts devise violence, and their lips talk of trouble.” All: Forgive me, O God, for I have envied evil people who have mor...

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Author

Andrew Arndt

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 41:39-43 , Exodus 4:22-23, 2 Samuel 9:6-7, Luke 15:17-24, Galatians 4:6-7 , Psalm 103:13-14

When he [the prodigal son] found himself desiring to be treated as one of the pigs, he realized that he was not a pig but a human being, a son of his father. . . . Once he had come again in touch with...

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Adapted from Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Author

Dustin Ray

Keywords

Scripture

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Pastor: See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you today, by loving the LORD your God, by walking in his ways,...

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Adapted from Psalm 51 (BOCP)

Scripture

Psalm 51:1-13

Leader: Have mercy on me, O God, according to your loving-kindness; in your great compassion blot out my offenses. People: Wash me through and through from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin. F...

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Enduring Our Sinful Behavior

Author

Carolyn Mahaney

Keywords

In her book, Feminine Appeal , Carolyn Mahaney pontificates on the relationship between God’s providence and the guilt we often experience as parents who often fall short in our parenting: We can ...

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Adapted from Psalm 119:9-16

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 119:9-16

How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart t...

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Inspired by Matthew 4:12-23

Author

Dustin Ray

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 4:12-23

All: Holy Father, You are gracious to call us to Yourself. You are the King of kings, the Lord of Lords, and the Treasure of treasures, worthy of our lives. And just like Jesus called out His disciple...

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Ask, Seek, Knock

Author

Jenny Child

Keywords

Scripture

1 John 5:14, James 4:3, Matthew 13:45-46, Jeremiah 29:13, Matthew 6:33, Matthew 7:7-8, Romans 8:15-16, Mark 10:46-52

May we ask according to your will, not according to our desires, for you will give us what is right for us. May we seek you as the pearl of great price, not half-heartedly but with our whole being, fo...

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A Franciscan Blessing

Keywords

May God bless you with a restless discomfort about easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may seek truth boldly and love deep within your heart. May God bless you...

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Inspired by Psalm 106

Author

Dustin Ray

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 106:null

Pastor: Both we and our ancestors have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness. In the trials of this past week, I have not praised you but have forgotten your wondrous works. Al...

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Author

Eugene Peterson

Keywords

Repentance is a realization that what God wants from you and what you want from God are not going to be achieved by doing the same old things, thinking the same old thoughts. Repentance is a decision ...

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Father of heirs and orphans, Salvation

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Father of heirs and orphans, Salvation of saint and sinner, Draw near and forgive us. Forgive us for clinging to law more than grace. Forgive us for choosing slavery when you offer us adoption. Forgi...

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Author

Miguel de Cervantes

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 27:4, Philippians 4:8, Genesis 1:31, Isaiah 61:3, Ecclesiastes 3:11, Proverbs 31:30, Psalm 45:11

It is the prerogative and charm of beauty to win hearts.

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Author

Julian of Norwich

Keywords

Scripture

1 Peter 5:10, Psalm 23:4, Matthew 11:28-30, Hebrews 4:15-16, 2 Corinthians 12:9, John 16:33

But Jesus spoke to me all that I needed to understand, and here is what he said, “Sin has a part to play in my plan, but all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well...

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Author

Anthony of Egypt

Keywords

Our life and our death is with our neighbor. If we win our brother, we win God. If we cause our brother to stumble, we have sinned against Christ.

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Author

Tim Kimmel

Keywords

Some of your children's rebellion against your spiritual lifestyle might be a necessary step in their finding an authentic relationship with God. But beware: If they find it, it might look quite d...

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