BARNA ON NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS
When it comes to the types of resolutions people make, Americans not surprisingly focus on self-oriented changes. Among those planning to make resolutions, the top pledges for 2011 relate to weight, diet and health (30%); money, debt and finances (15%); personal
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Norman Geisler from his book, "A Popular Survey of the Old Testament" notes the following:
Ezekiel begins with a vision of the glory of God, explaining that Judah no longer experiences it because of their sin (1-24). He then speaks of God's visitation in judgment on the nations surrounding Judah
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Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jan 14, 2011
"MAKE ME!"
They had behaved badly in class but they were equally disruptive in the detention room, swearing, acting tough and defying anything I said with a smart comment. Unacceptable behaviour. I have never really had a problem with anger, but the closest I came was in that classroom. Teaching
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Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jan 13, 2011
MARGARET: THE HARD SOIL
Each week I give a devotion in each of the 8 dining areas of the Shalom Centre and Margaret (not her real name) is there, with ears which will not hear. Her heart is a fortress, cold, hard, defensive. The gates are huge, old and impenetrable, bolted with fear and pride that
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Contributed by Paul Fritz on Jan 3, 2011
GIVING UP THE WHOLE WORLD
Bruce Larson tells how he helped people struggling to surrender their lives to Christ:
"For many years I worked in New York City and counseled at my office any number of people who were wrestling with this yes-or-no decision. Often I would suggest they walk with me from
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START WITH HEAVEN
Randy Alcorn states the following: “Often our thinking is backwards. Why do we imagine that God patterns Heaven’s holy city after an earthly city, as if Heaven knows nothing of community and culture and has to get its ideas from us? Isn’t it more likely that earthly realities,
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Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Dec 25, 2010
AMAZING!
When dementia had taken its course, Bess (not her real name) was left with just a couple of words, but one word which she used to respond to almost any situation was the word "AMAZING!" After a lifetime of words, what a great word to have on your lips at the end of your life. Matthew
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Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Dec 18, 2010
THE THRONE OF CHRISTMAS
In the very centre of Christmas cheer, amidst the silver bells, coloured baubles and lights, enormous sparkling chandeliers, banners and wreathes and beside a gigantic Christmas tree, there in the middle of everything stands a huge throne that dominates the centre of the
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Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Dec 15, 2010
OUTLIVED HIS CHILDREN
His weather worn face looked like ancient parchment stretched over a wire mesh skeleton and his eyes, haunted with memories, looked straight through me into my soul. As I gave my devotion that day I could tell that he understood the anguish Abraham must have felt as God said,
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Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Dec 10, 2010
SOME TIME LATER
Day after day the drudgery of books had began to depress me. Don't misunderstand. I love reading books. I was working in a warehouse at the time. Two of us would work in a large cubicle to pack books into boxes according to a computer order and convey them to be stacked onto
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THE WORD AND THE SPIRIT WORKING TOGETHER
Why does Satan hate Jesus? Why does He not even want to hear His name? Why does that which is evil hate that which is good? Maybe it has something to do with graveyards? Yes, you heard me right graveyards.
Jesus loves to go into graveyards and raise the
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A MARRIAGE MADE IN HEAVEN
An elderly Italian man lay dying in his bed. While suffering the agonies of impending death, he suddenly smelled the aroma of his favorite Italian sprinkle cookies wafting up the stairs.
Gathering his remaining strength, he lifted himself from the bed. Leaning against
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Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Dec 6, 2010
SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE
There's plenty of evidence of blatant disregard for human life today. Terrorism and suicide bombers? Capital punishment? Human trafficking. Abortion?
So what is God thinking when He asks Abraham to take his only son, the son he loves, and to sacrifice him as a burnt
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Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Dec 4, 2010
GOD IS NOT A GENIE
She was ferocious and yet frail. When I told her that I was a Chaplain she took the opportunity to bombard me with accusations and questions. "What is the use of prayer if God is going to let those 29 miners die anyway? All those good people prayed around the clock for those
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Contributed by Matt Stacy on Nov 18, 2010
OBJECT LESSON: SPIRIT-FILLED BOTTLES
(Will need 2 water bottles, One empty and one full)
We can be like these water bottles, here. One is full of "spirit" and one has none. (Crush empty bottle) This empty bottle with no integrity inside is easily crushed under the pressure I apply to the out
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