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Often when I read the Bible, I come across a familiar passage. It might be that I’ve heard a sermon on it, or that it’s recorded in another place in the Bible where I’ve read it previously. I was reading through the Gospel of John during Lent. When I came to John’s final chapter, I read some verses that startled me, because they took me back to my childhood…

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Our culture seems to run on tropes, mottos and trite bromides. Cute household signs are one thing, but empty platitudes that fail the common-sense test are another. Many popular slogans offer nonsensical advice such as, “you can be anything you want to be” (anything?), “follow your bliss” (what if that’s heroin?), and “manifest it into existence” (try manifesting someone back from the dead). Here’s another: “God will never give me more than I can handle.” But…is that true?

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The Bible is clear that we who follow Christ have a duty to raise children in the way that they should go (Proverbs 22:6). Leading by example, teaching them how to love by loving them unconditionally, helping them serve others, sharing our faith with them through scripture, and praying with them. But in our news-saturated world, it’s common to hear about teens who are wayward or in mental health crisis, without a solid family for support, chronically breaking the law or worse, willfully hurting other students or adults. This is happening to kids in and out of church environments.

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When Christians talk about “The Good News,” we’re talking about the Gospel. An interesting thing about the Gospel is that it’s as much for people who have heard it a thousand times as for people who have never heard it explained even once.

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Not always does this “honor” refer to honoring someone through kindness or help, but in many ways, such as showing honor by choosing to seek understanding instead of judging; showing patience when someone makes a mistake; offering forgiveness when hurt; apologizing first after an argument; commending people on their hard work when you notice it; standing up for others; paying attention to things others do behind the scenes and encouraging them in their efforts.

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The state highway department recently completed revisions to the major artery to which our street connects. The new left turn lanes and smooth paving are a real pleasure. But not a pleasure is the new timing of all the traffic lights along that site. We can wait as long as 2 minutes to get a green light to cross that road or turn onto it from our little street. Two minutes doesn’t seem like a big deal until you’re sitting at the red light with no cross traffic, and you still have to wait.

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I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

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God calls us, the people of His church to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17, NASB). When we pray, God says we will be heard. Whatever we ask for, it will be ours. Therefore, I ask that you humble yourselves to God and seek wisdom, guidance, protection, and courage for your pastor.

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Ninety-three million miles from Earth, our nearest star shines brightly enough to warm our planet and sustain life. We don’t question if the sun will still be shining tomorrow.

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Imagine this: You wake up on New Year’s morning to a fresh start. The dirty dishes you left in the sink the night before are clean and put away. The fridge door is sparkling clean, the sticky fingerprints nowhere to be seen. Holiday pounds have melted from your toned and fit body, and the wide-screen TV you’ve been struggling to save for stands proudly in the living room. Tada! What a wonderful fantasy!

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