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Keep Doing Good And Receive God’s Favor
Good people obtain favor from the Lord, but he condemns those who devise wicked schemes. Proverbs 12:2, NIV Keep doing what is right in the eyes of God, and you will gain favor. You may think that nothing is happening, and it seems like all your efforts are wasted. But wait and see, God will prove to you that He is working behind the scenes. He is making a way for you. So if you feel tired of doing good, then claim the promise on this verse. God will surround you with His favor. There may be instances when people are tempted to take revenge, but remember the goodness of…
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Focus On The Mission That God Planted In Your Heart
As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?” “Do you speak Greek?” he replied. “Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the wilderness some time ago?” Paul answered, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.” Acts 21: 37-39, NIV Paul went through persecution, and a commander of the Roman troops tried to stop the crowd from hurting him. At that time, people wanted to kill him because they believed that he was teaching something that…
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When Things Aren’t Easy
The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. Acts 21: 30-31, NIV Paul went to Jerusalem, and people wanted to kill him. But before he arrived there, the Holy Spirit already warned him about the suffering that he would experience. He knew what was waiting for him. But despite all these threats, Paul accepted the truth that things won’t be easy. He embraced his situation and…
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The Fear Of The Lord Is The Beginning Of Wisdom
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10, NIV This verse doesn’t discuss the kind of fear that will kill our souls, but it refers to our sense of awe and reverence for God. It means that we acknowledge and honor God as Holy, pure, and just. In everything we do, we believe with all our heart, mind, and soul that God is sovereign above all. This kind of fear is the beginning of wisdom. When we treat God as powerful and mighty, we will have faith to believe in His ways. And when we believe that He is in the…
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Doing The Will Of God
When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.” Acts 21: 12-14, NIV The Holy Spirit already revealed to Paul that he will experience suffering in Jerusalem. This is the reason why the other disciples pleaded him not to go there. But even though it breaks Paul’s heart to see them weep, still…
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The Painful Situations In Your Life Will Someday Make You Stronger
Facing the challenges and difficulties in life won’t be easy. It’s like a mental battle and, sometimes, a daily struggle. When the world somehow shows you its negative side, part of you would wish that life would’ve been different. You would probably hope to go to a place where no one knows you. You just simply wanted to disappear. But that is the reality, whether you like it or not, you can’t help but experience difficult situations. It’s part of the whole package. This is the reason why it’s helpful to focus not on the things that are happening around you, but on what’s going on inside. If you start…
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Serving God Won’t Always Lead Us To A Happy And Exciting Life
When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship. Acts 20: 36-38, NIV Paul experienced many painful things while doing God’s ministry. When he met with the Ephesian leaders, he expressed his heart as their shepherd and then prayed for them. After that, they all wept for him because it grieved them to know that they would never see his face again. These moments were heartbreaking. We somehow thought that when we follow…
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Aim To Finish The Race
I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. Acts 20:23-24, NIV This is what Paul said when he was talking to the Ephesian elders. He shared to them how the Holy Spirit opened his eyes to the possible hardships that he will face. In short, the Spirit taught him how to accept and deal with it. God prepared his heart and Paul…
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Serve The Lord Despite All The Pain And Challenges
I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. Acts 20: 19, NIV Paul went through so many trials while serving God. It was not a comfortable and easy life for Him. He cried and experienced moments of pain. But despite all these, he stayed faithful to God. With great humility, he continued to serve Him with everything that he had. Sometimes, we have this mindset that whenever we serve the Lord, He will keep us from hardships and challenges. We tend to have this perspective that when a person follows God, he will then…
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The Word of God
Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Proverbs 30: 5, NIV If you are in the middle of a very dark season, and you can’t seem to find the light, come to God and take refuge in His word. You are not alone. God is speaking to you. Open your Bible and let His word penetrate your soul. His word is pure, and it has no error. So, if you think that what God is saying is not true in your life, then keep your faith and believe that His promises will come to pass. Whatever happens, the flawless word…
