Tag: marriage
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Leave the Simple Ways
6Leave your simple ways, and live,and walk in the way of insight.”–Proverbs 9 In the book of Proverbs, you are heeding the call of one of two ‘women’–Lady Wisdom or Madam Folly. Let’s unpack this verse with three statements. Those of us who follow Jesus already understand these. But, frankly, every person is a disciple…
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Two Yokes
14Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?–2 Corinthians 6 Here is a stock photo I found of an ancient yoke for oxen. To be unequally yoked was to put two oxen together that were so different that they would not pull…
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New and Reconciled
17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting…
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Five End-Times Focuses
13Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14Let all that you do be done in love.–1 Corinthians 16 We get closer to the end by the day. Here is how Paul ended his first letter to the church at Corinth. It wasn’t written to us, but here it is for us.…
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Unmarried Investment
32I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. 33But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— 34and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her…
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Four Arrows for Your Self-Talk Quiver
Let’s take these line by line from Psalm 9:1-2. I used bold type for the verses. I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart I need to respond to my situations with thanksgiving. Gratefulness is one of the best motivating attitudes. My whole inner person needs to be involved in this. This gratefulness influences…
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Don’t Let Your Life Sag
18Through laziness, the rafters sag; because of idle hands, the house leaks.–Ecclesiastes 10 I am not a carpenter. I am not claiming any contractor, handyman, or professional woodworking status. So my opinion on these verses isn’t informed by any expertise in home repair. But please allow me to take one step back and say what…
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Heart Transactions
3Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, 4and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”–Luke 17 It’s very tempting to picture forgiveness as an unconditional matter. I will admit, it does…
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The Three S’s of Love
25And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”26He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with…
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Joseph Got It Done
4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7And she…
Joel M Bradshaw 