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Showing posts from 2020

20 Reasons to be Happy About 2020

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I'm sure that I’m not alone in saying that we’re all ready to turn a page on this past year. But before we do, let’s honor the biblical command to give thanks in all things. Consider 20 reasons to be thankful to God in 2020. (And add a few of your own reasons in the comments below!) 1. You are alive! Begin with the basics. We can’t take life for granted. Each time your heart beats or your protons and neutrons continue to swing around each one of your atom’s nucleuses (sp?), you can thank the Lord Jesus for holding you together by the Word of His power. Each heart beat, each thought is a new gift from above. I’m reminded of a friend who has had an extremely difficult seven years who recently shared this thought with me from Ecclesiastes: “For whoever is joined with all the living, there is hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion” (Ecclesiastes 9:4). Ok, so you don’t feel like your strength was like a lion this year. But at least you are alive. If you are alive you have ho

Comfort in Distress

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     Have you faced something distressing recently? I know many in our church family have faced some extremely difficult life circumstances. Some have lost a close family member or found out about cancer. Most of us have been enduring this difficult period of time for an extended period of time as a church community, city and as a Country.      I realize these sentences are not news to you. And yet, I bring them up because I’ve been encouraged lately by similar sentences penned by the Apostle Paul in the Bible.  I’ve been reading 2 Corinthians in my time with the Lord and wanted to share with you some of Paul’s difficulties as well as how he found comfort and “did not lose heart.”       Paul describes difficulties that outweigh most of our life’s weights. Listen to these words, and perhaps you will identify with a handful of them: He faced affliction (1:4, 6, 8). He faced sufferings (1:5, 6, 7) He was burdened excessively, beyond our strength (1:8). He despaired even of life (1:8). He

Motivational Biographies - Samuel Pearce

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We glean so much from the lives of good friends, right? I find the same is true from others that I've never met, but I read about in Christian biographies. These people have lived for the Lord and leave us a legacy in writing. I'm thankful for biographers who dig up their testimony and share their lives with us. Today we consider Samuel Pearce a young man who was passionate for the Lord and the millions who did not have the opportunity to hear of Him. Consider his testimony summarized in this video. You can purchase the book here: https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/hi...

Bible Reading Calendar for Advent 2020

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 Final Five Days to Christmas reading schedule: Download a pdf file here. Feel free to share, copy, duplicate and change as much as you would like.

Emotional Balance through the Gospel

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The image below is from Chapter 3 in the book on emotions that I'm working on. Lord willing we will be able to publish the book by the end of this year. So many biblical principles help us in our emotional stability. The Gospel is central to emotional balance.

Beware the Thankless 2020 Attitude

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I’m tempted too, believe me! I’m tempted to complain about all that has happened this year. “Misery loves company.” And there’s something about griping with co-workers about working conditions at the water-cooler that is cathartic. But there’s something else about it - its wrong.  Yes, I said it. We need to stop complaining about all that has gone wrong in 2020. Instead, we need to be thankful. Consider below 7 reasons to be thankful this year, and consequently, why it's wrong to complain about your circumstances. An Odd-Ball in A Thanksgiving-Cancelation Culture Before I get to reason number one, let me say that I feel a push against Thanksgiving this year. Not an organized push by governments to limit our gatherings. That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about looking down on someone who focuses on the positive. When I focus on the Lord’s blessings this year, or even just try to accomplish normal activities I fear to appear insensitive. But thankfulness is not that. Perh

Thankful for an Ant

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We are about a week from Thanksgiving, right? Perhaps we should correct that; as you know, all seasons are seasons of thanks. There is something about being thankful for what you have that keeps a positive outlook, which in turn keeps you from ruminating over what you don’t have. We really do have much to be thankful for as Christians - especially as Christians in such a comfortable society (2020 stresses included).   How would anyone be thankful for an ant ? I love watching my wife look out the window at birds. We have such a variety here in Queens. She loves them. Birds are ok, but the bugs we could do without. After all, there are so many of them. I guess they are ok as long as they stay outside. Corrie was thankful when visited by an ant.   I mentioned Sunday that I’m reading through “The Hiding Place” by Corrie Ten Boom which is an amazing   testimony of a Christian family   that showed God’s kindness by helping Jewish people escape Nazi occupation in Holland. In doing so, they we

Is their new revelation? Or is the Canon closed?

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Has there been new written revelation from God since the 66 books of the Bible? Should we expect other religious books? Let's take a look at this question from Battery Park, NYC. For answers to more questions, take a look at our new booklet "What does the Bible say about the Bible?" - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08N3JG3KN

Forgiveness and Reconciliation

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Are you perfectly loving? Do you perfectly fulfill Christ's command to love God and others? As you read the principles of a loving Christian outlined in 1 Corinthians 13, you will have to agree with me that we all fall short of the perfect Law of love.   "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (1 Corinthians 13:3-7, ESV). Every time I go over those principles, I’m reminded again of yet another way that I have been unloving.  What do we do then?  That is what this lesson is about.  We will all do things that displease our spouse, friend, co-worker, or family member, so we must learn the art of forgiveness and reconciliation.   The opposite of forgiveness in your heart is bitterness, and there are few deadlier infl