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You* are beloved of God. (You* here refers to believers who have put their trust in Jesus Christ, who have received Christ as Lord and Savior.) You* who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ. (Jude 1) You* are beloved children. (Ephesians 5:1) You* have been chosen of God,…

The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started off. (John 4:50) And kept going: As he was now going down … (John 4:51) Believe and Do As we live our lives, the Lord tells us to do something. Our responsibility is to believe what Jesus said, and start doing what He…

You* are special. Yep, you*. You*: This is for believers in Christ, those who have received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. You* were chosen by God the Father. (Ephesians 1:4) You* were justified (declared righteous). (Romans 8:30) You* were redeemed (saved from the penalty of sin). (Ephesians 1:7) You* have been adopted by…

Emotions: Good and Bad God gave us emotions as part of being human. Our emotions can help us understand our hearts, comprehend our situation, and lead us to words and actions that please God. At the same time, our emotions have been corrupted by sin. Our emotions can yank us around, trap us in dark…

We are commanded to rejoice. Commanded. But how? How can we rejoice in troubled times, in suffering, in loss? Joy is a Perspective The key for me is realizing that joy is a perspective, not an emotion. Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials… (James 1:2) … we also exult in…

When you are in an especially beautiful or loving time, or when you know you have pleased God, or when you see a spectacular view of earth or the universe, you may have had a momentary chill. Or you may get a chill when you see evil, sensing God’s wrath. Soul Shivers I’m speculating, but…

The first Sunday in 2025. Brethren, … one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13–14) What do we need to forget about 2024 (and earlier)? What do we…

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come. (Revelation 4:8b) Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory. (Isaiah 6:3b) Our Holy God is totally above and separate from His creation. God is truly incomprehensible. Our…

The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10–11) And suddenly there appeared with the angel…

Love your enemies. (Matthew 5:44) Love your neighbor as yourself. (Luke 10:27) Love other Christians. (John 13:34) “Love” in each of these is agape love, the love of decision, choice, will. Agape love isn’t emotion, it is obedience. The Bible has a lot to say about each of these! Study. Believe! Pray! Obey! Family Christmas…