Category: be ready
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Too Bright
Has anyone else ever felt as though this is sometimes what it’s like when trying to explain to people that Jesus is the only way to heaven? Or how about when trying to encourage the Body of Christ to behave in such a way that honors and glorifies Him rather than following along with the…
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Hold Fast (or “The Opposite of the Free Grace Movement”)
Perhaps (like me up until recently) you haven’t realized there was such a thing as the “free grace” movement. Immediately you have to wonder about the concept, since we already know that grace IS free or it isn’t grace, right? So what’s the point? Well, their point is that they don’t feel that there can…
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The Sign
“I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that…
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Temple of God
This article was extensively edited, including the title, on April 29, 2019. Hopefully we all know from reading our whole Bibles for ourselves that each believer’s body in this age is the temple/dwelling place of God. (1Cor. 3:16-17, 6:14-20, 2Cor. 1:22, 6:16, Eph. 2:22, 3:16-17, Gal. 6:8, Rom. 8:9-14, 1Thess. 4:7-8, 1John 3:24, 4:13, 2Tim.…
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Conversations
I would like to (anonymously) share conversations that I recently had with fellow believers about sharing the truth with others so that we can use this opportunity to examine what the Bible says about the matter. Both of these instances included women who have absolutely beautiful hearts for God—they are saved and show it by…
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Beautiful
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by
in be ready, born again, bride of Christ, children of God, Christ’s return, deception-delusion-discernment, discipleship, faithful-steadfast, free will, freedom, gifts, Holy Spirit, hope, idolatry, Jesus-Messiah-the Christ, kingdom of God, last days-end times, love, lukewarm Christians, mark of the beast, repentance, salvation-redemption, sanctification, sexual immorality, sovereignty, temple of God, thanksgiving-grateful, the Church, tribulation-persecution-trials-testing, walk in the Spirit, wisdom-truth, worship-praise-honorin messageThis devotional was originally written by me in December, 2014, but not published anywhere until 2016, and then updated in July, 2018 (and deleted the parts of it which had been split up into 20 posts). I have updated it again in December, 2022. The entire article can be downloaded as plain text pdf with…
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Wisdom From Above
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly,…
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A Parable: The Neglectful Fiancée
A young woman’s fiancé went to war, leaving her with his valuables before departing. He wrote many love letters to her while he was away. His beloved missed him very much, but she managed to carry on with her life in his absence. Finally (and suddenly) the day came when he returned, and he invited…
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Dreaming or Awake?
Don’t you hate it when you’re watching a show on television or at the movies—really into it—investing emotion into what’s transpiring, etc., only to have it revealed that it was all a dream? Or for Star Trek fans, sometimes it turns out to be a holodeck program. Sometimes it’s even a dream within a dream…
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Be a Light
But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. Ephesians 5:13 Just think – if God hadn’t designed the moon so that it would light up when the sun shone on it, then we wouldn’t see it at all, would we? That’s how it is with believers. He shines…
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Good News and “Bad” News
Good news and “bad” news: The good is that Jesus loves even you, even me, despite ourselves–even though He knows every single thing about us, even our very thoughts. Wow! The “bad” news is that He doesn’t love our sin. He came to FREE us FROM it, not only the consequences for it, but also…
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Who’s Your Daddy?
A word of encouragement to be ready when Jesus returns: Please don’t buy it if the devil tries to sell you the lie that children of God can enjoy their sins just as much as the rest of the world. Our old nature loves to hear it, because its just plain easier to go along…
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The Eclipse
These are dangerous times we’re living in. Not because we’ll be harmed by today’s total eclipse (August 21, 2017), but because of the risk we take when we let anything obscure the Light of the world from our view. Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me…
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Different Drum
Wonder why I keep beating the same drum about how children of God should behave like it if they are serious (and not call themselves by His name if they’re not – 2 Tim. 2:19)? Because in the Bible, God gave us a picture of what it means to belong to Jesus. When we are…
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Set Free
When I felt this message beginning in my heart a few days ago and began to write it down, I didn’t have an idea yet what I would call it or when I would finish it, but God did. So here we are celebrating Independence Day in the United States once again and here is…
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Parables About Readiness
Today, I noticed some similarities between the Parable of the Ten Virgins (in Matthew) and the Parable of the Foolish Builder (in Luke). Neither had prepared ahead for what would be needed. The foolish virgins had not thought about how the bridegroom could be delayed and so they should have brought along more oil for…
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The Way is Hard
Question: If it’s so EASY to get into heaven that all we have to do is claim to believe in Jesus, then why did He say that the way is EASY that leads to destruction and HARD that leads to eternal life? It almost seems like there’s more to this, doesn’t it? What is hard…
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Be Angry and Do Not Sin
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Ephesians 4:26-27 People prefer to only remember Jesus by how mild mannered and loving He was, but there were times when He did get angry. Can you name the two times that…
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Robots
I always say that if God wanted robots, He would have made them–but He didn’t. He gave us free will–which we LOVE when we are getting our way and HATE when others are getting their way that negatively affects us. But another thought about robots is this: How could a robot possibly be made in…
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Question for You
Question: Has God become less worthy of your love now that almost 2000 years have passed since He gave His only Son to save you? Or has He become less powerful than He was, so that there is no longer any need to have a healthy respect for Him that you should obey? Is society…
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Subliminal Suggestion?
I saw a disturbing thing at Walmart yesterday. They had two magazines side by side. One with Emma Watson dressed as Belle and the other with the Virgin Mary. Both of their heads were facing slightly downward and to the right. The resemblance of the composition of each picture was extremely noticeable. Is this just…
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Put on Christ
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality,…
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The Narrow Door
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” Matthew 7:13-14 This is just TOO important to be “too busy” for. PLEASE don’t be distracted by the world, enthralled by the…
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Your Crown
I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. Revelation 3:11 Have you ever thought about what you would do differently if you actually KNEW that Jesus were returning SOON? How much time would you need to get “ready?” A year, five years, ten, twenty? What…