What gift should you give?

"The best gift you can give your grandchildren is to take their parents to church."

~God's Little Answer Book

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Psalm 12:6-7

..."The words of the Lord are pure words;

As silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times.

You, O Lord, will keep them;

You will preserve him from this generation forever."...

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This one is for my father:

My precious father not only had his Ham radio license, N8AEG, since he was young by building his own radio, but he also raised homing pigeons until long after I left the "nest".

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The 8th of January: a little history.

 The 8th of January

January 8, 1815

Red Coats vs the Americans

The Battle of New Orleans

LEGO version

Oh, Boy...Somebody is in Trouble...

 

Jesus' mercy and grace is on display in we sinners who are saved by His marvelous grace.

..."a saint is someone who is no longer under condemnation for sin; or controlled by sin.

A saint is someone who has been humbled by the reality of her sinful impulses, her sin-infected motives, and her sin-stained record.

But instead of being constantly crushed by this reality, she finds herself constantly grateful for a far greater reality -- the reality of the grace and mercy extended to her in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

This grace keeps drawing her to turn toward Christ in sorrow over her sin.

She keeps finding that this grace is giving her power to forsake sin.

This grace is freely available to the last person you expect to become a Christian, whether that person is someone you see on the news, in your family photo, at your workplace, or in the mirror.

But it must be received.

Look at Saul, the Hebrew of Hebrews, who became Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles; a blasphemer who became a believer, a predator who became a preacher, a terrorist who became a theologian, a law-keeper who became a grace-receiver, a scoundrel who became a saint.

See and know that Jesus loves to put his mercy and grace on display in the lives of the worst of sinners."

- Nancy Guthrie, Saints and Scoundrels in the Story of Jesus: the Worst

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Marvelous Grace of our Loving Lord

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,

Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!

Yonder on Calvary's mount out-poured–

There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that is greater than all our sin!

Sin and despair, like the sea-waves cold,

Threaten the soul with infinite loss;

Grace that is greater– yes, grace untold–

Points to the Refuge, the mighty Cross

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that is greater than all our sin!

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,

Freely bestowed on all who believe!

All who are longing to see His face,

Will you this moment His grace receive?

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that is greater than all our sin!

-Julia Johnston

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1 John 1:5-9

..."This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us."

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Let's Leave and Cleave

 Genesis 2:18-24

..."Then the Lord God said, 

“It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.”...

...The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him.

So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place.

The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.

The man said,

“This is now bone of my bones,
And flesh of my flesh;
She shall be called Woman,
Because she was taken out of Man.”

For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.

And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed."

Proverbs 12:4

..."An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,

But she who shames him is like rottenness in his bones."...

Proverbs 19:13-14

..."A foolish son is destruction to his father,

And the contentions of a wife are a constant dripping.

House and wealth are an inheritance from fathers,

But a prudent wife is from the Lord."...

Proverbs 27:15-16

..."A constant dripping on a day of steady rain

And a contentious woman are alike;

He who would restrain her restrains the wind,

And grasps oil with his right hand."...

Mark 10:7-9

..."But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. 

For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, and the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh.

What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”...

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If you love the LORD then Follow Him!

LEAVE and CLEAVE!

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Memories which continue to encourage me

Every season brings happy memories of my sweet mother.

Bakings, makings, decoratings, moving furniture...to sitting and enjoying the breezes and listening to the wind through the pines.

So many things remind me of her. I lost her too soon -at age 67- but every thing about her comes out in me. 

The homemaking things I love to do - she taught me to do them.

The way she loved on each of us, family, and friends is instilled in me.

I will never cook as well as she did, but I sure can bake her cookies just as well!

I love to clean up the house after a season, and rearrange the furniture which still surprises everyone!

I love to make and create sewing, crocheting, crafts, miniatures...she saw this in me as a little one. I still have embroidery she had me doing when I was so young, and the doll house she bought at a moving sale which she eventually gave to me at age 5....

I cannot separate her from whom I became and I didn't realize this until she was with the LORD.  I am so very thankful for all of what my mother gave in me.

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God's Miracle of Love and Grace

It Took a Miracle

My Father is omnipotent,

and that you can´t deny;

A God of might and miracles,

´tis written in the sky.

 

It took a miracle to put the stars in place;

It took a miracle to hang the world in space.

But when he saved my soul,

Cleansed and made me whole,

It took a miracle of love and grace.

 

Though here His glory has been shown, 

we still can’t fully see

The wonders of His might, His throne, 

t’will take eternity.

It took a miracle to put the stars in place;

It took a miracle to hang the world in space.

But when he saved my soul,

Cleansed and made me whole,

It took a miracle of love and grace.

The Bible tells us of His power 

and wisdom all way through;

And every little bird 

and flower are testimonies too.

It took a miracle to put the stars in place;

It took a miracle to hang the world in space.

But when he saved my soul,

Cleansed and made me whole,

It took a miracle of love and grace.

The greatness of the Lord 

is seen in everything He made,

But greater far the work He did 

when on Him my sin was laid.

It took a miracle to put the stars in place;

It took a miracle to hang the world in space.

But when he saved my soul,

Cleansed and made me whole,

It took a miracle of love and grace.

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~John Peterson

2 Corinthians 5:17

..."Therefore if anyone is in Christ, 

he is a new creature; 

the old things passed away; 

behold, new things have come."...

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Never be hungry or thirsty ever again!

"Sweet water is flowing water.  

Plant your heart by the stream of God's love

and you will drink anew every day."

-God's Little Answer Book

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John 6:35

..."Jesus said to them, 

“I am the bread of life; 

he who comes to Me 

will not hunger, 

and he who believes in Me 

will never thirst."... 

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Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Make up your own mind

 

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Calculated Cruelty

"There are few actions meaner than ending all contact with one’s parents and depriving them of access to their grandchildren."

--Dennis Prager

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Shut off from Problems

 1 Peter 5:6-7

..."Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,  casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you."...

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Happy Christmas!

Jesus came to be our Savior! 

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Matthew 1:21

..."you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”...

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The Eve of Christmas

Enjoy caroling and worship this evening!

We celebrate the birth of our Savior - God Incarnate.

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Something Spectacularly Supernatural

"It's natural to be religious; 

it's supernatural 

to know Jesus and to make Him your Lord."

--God's Little Answer Book

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John 3:3

..."Jesus answered and said to him, 

“Truly, truly, I say to you, 

unless one is born again he cannot see 

the kingdom of God.”

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Compassion: Almost a Lost Art

 -Wizard of Id

This comic has so touched my heart. Compassion exudes from it.

Fewer people these days ever show kindness or compassion to others. And as time marches on these precious people will be gone. 

So many human beings, even when brought up in loving homes, are turning away from their parents, their families who love them to seek out malevolence among the peoples of the world.

Their hardness of heart connects them to mean, covetous people, and so...these grown children quickly become mirror images of their new friends. They will even proudly call these mean, evil people "their family", "their mother and their father..." when nothing can be farther from the truth.

How does this happen? 

Tickled ears? 

Jealousy?

Covetousness?

Control Freaks?

..."But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron"...

1 Timothy 4:1-2 NAS    -NIV translates this: ..."in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.

Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron."...

How else can we explain the trend to hate your own family?

Gentle readers...make sure you do not allow yourself to close down the part of you which expresses kindness and compassion.  These are traits of our Heavenly Father!  He taught us these, He put them in us. He will NEVER  abandon kindness or compassion for His children.  

Don't give up on your family who have abandoned you, though. Those who have chosen to hurt you terribly by their words or deeds.  The LORD hears your cries and He constantly works on your wayward people.  

It will be their choice to listen to the King of kings....but for you, dear mothers and sisters...you choose to listen and learn from the One who is able to save even the wayward!

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2 Timothy 3 NIV

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.

People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. 

Have nothing to do with such people.

They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires,  always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. 

They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 

But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.

You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. 

Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.

In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

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Good News!!!

Good News

Good news, chariot's coming,

Good news, chariot's coming

Good news, chariot's coming,

And I don't want it to leave me behind.

There's a long white robe in heaven, I know

There's a long white robe in heaven, I know

There's a long white robe in heaven, I know

And I don't want it to leave me behind.

Good news, chariot's coming,

Good news, chariot's coming

Good news, chariot's coming,

And I don't want it to leave me behind.

There's a starry crown in heaven, I know

There's a starry crown in heaven, I know

There's a starry crown in heaven, I know

And I don't want it to leave me behind.

Good news, chariot's coming,

Good news, chariot's coming

Good news, chariot's coming,

And I don't want it to leave me behind.

There's a golden harp in heaven, I know

There's a golden harp in heaven, I know

There's a golden harp in heaven, I know

And I don't want it to leave me behind.

Good news, chariot's coming,

Good news, chariot's coming

Good news, chariot's coming,

And I don't want it to leave me behind.

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sung by Kingston Trio

 

The King of kings and His Church

"The Christian Church began against overwhelming odds, but nothing could defeat it."

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1 Timothy 6:11-16

..."pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.

Fight the good fight of faith; 

take hold of the eternal life 

to which you were called, 

and you made the good confession 

in the presence of many witnesses.

I charge you in the presence of God, 

who gives life to all things, 

and of Christ Jesus, 

who testified the good confession 

before Pontius Pilate, 

that you keep the commandment 

without stain or reproach 

until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

which He will bring about 

at the proper time—

He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, 

the King of kings and Lord of lords, 

who alone possesses immortality 

and dwells in unapproachable light, 

whom no man has seen or can see. 

To Him be honor and eternal dominion! 

Amen."...

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Yes, you can have freedom from your past

 Romans 8:1-17

"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 

For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. 

But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him."...

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A Snowy Snoopy

 

Where can we learn the most?

2 Timothy 1:12, 2:24-26, 3:1-7

...12"I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day."...

...2:24-26 "The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will."

3:1-7 "But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."...

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Advice for a daughter from her father

The Improving of the Mind

..."I hope you will also find time to read and improve your mind. 

Read history, works of truth, not novels and romances. 

Get correct views of life, and learn to see the world in its true light. 

It will enable you to live pleasantly, to do good, and, when summoned away, to leave without regret."

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-General Robert E. Lee, letter to his daughter.

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Self Portrait

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He gave Himself up for me

"Don't trade heaven's eternal treasures for the earth's limited pleasures ---- The one cannot be lost, the other cannot be kept."

-God's Little Answer Book

Galatians 2:20

..." I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me."...

God's Word  :o)

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Busy Counting Snowflakes

Life is short: Choose Righteousness Together!

Ephesians 2:4-10

..."God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."...

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Are you all "tucked in"?

Feeling afraid?

You can find safety in Jesus.

When He is your Savior you can feel safer than safe. 

Romans 8

"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 

For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 

For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. 

But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. 

If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 

For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 

For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 

For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 

And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 

For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 

For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

What then shall we say to these things? 

If God is for us, who is against us? 

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 

Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? 

God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? 

Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? 

Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 

Just as it is written,

“For Your sake we are being put to death all day long;
 We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

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The LORD Gives Wisdom

Proverbs 2

..."My son, if you will receive my words and treasure my commandments within you, make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; for if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver

and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God.

For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice, and He preserves the way of His godly ones."...

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Decide: Deception or Truth

 "Many things may capture your eye---

---let faith in God capture your heart."

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Jesus said:

“Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. 

But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven."

Matthew 10:32-33

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Godly Advice

Godly advice from godly men and women is worth much gold.

Many persons ask for advice, but then they do not heed it ---as they rush to worldly wisdom, and digest it.

James 3:17-18

..."But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.

And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."

Ephesians 5:15-16

..."Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil."... 

-Wisdom is Knowledge Applied: The knowledge being from study or experience.-

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