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Neutrality is not an option
And it happened that on one of the days while He was teaching the people in the temple and proclaiming the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up to Him, and they spoke, saying to Him, “Tell us by what authority You are doing these things, or who is the…
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That which belongs to God
And the scribes and the chief priests tried to lay hands on Him that very hour, but they feared the people. For they understood that He spoke this parable against them. So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, so that they might catch Him in some statement, in order to…
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A son of Abraham
And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” And he hurried and came down and received Him gladly. And when they saw it, they all began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” But…
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An image of creation
Give ear to my words, O Yahweh, consider my meditation.Give heed to the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God, for to You I pray.O Yahweh, in the morning, You will hear my voice; in the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.For You are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil does not sojourn with You.The boastful…
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Forgiveness, hot and fresh
Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.” Luke 17:3-4 Introduction What a simple message from the Lord that is so incredibly difficult to live out. It…
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Leave it all behind
And Peter said, “Behold, we have left all that is our own and followed You.” And He said to them, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more at this time and in the age…
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The stones will cry out
Now as soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God, rejoicing with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, saying,”Blessed is the King who comes in the Name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory…
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God, be merciful
And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and was praying these things to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people:…
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Faith of a child
And they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He would touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they were rebuking them. But Jesus called for them, saying, “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever…
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The source of gladness
Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; be gracious to me and hear my prayer.O sons of men, how long will my glory become a reproach? How long will you love what is worthless and seek falsehood?SelahBut know that Yahweh has set apart the holy…
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More than all of them
And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. And He saw a poor widow putting in two lepta. And He said, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them. For they all put in their gifts out of their abundance; but she, out of what she lacked, put in all that…
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Doing our duty
But which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, “Come immediately and sit down to eat”? But will he not say to him, “Prepare something for me to eat, and, clothing yourself properly, serve me while I eat and drink; and afterward you may eat and drink”? Is…
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The doorbuster
The Law and the Prophets were until John; since that time the good news of the kingdom of God is proclaimed, and everyone is forcing his way into it. But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail. Luke 16:16-17 Introduction As we round off…
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Like a mustard seed
Therefore, He was saying, “What is the kingdom of God like, and to what shall I compare it? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and threw into his own garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.” And again He said, “To what shall I compare the…
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Peace with God
“I have come to cast fire upon the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is finished! Do you think that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three…
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Having been given much
And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and prudent steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge…
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The narrow door
And He was passing through from one city and village to another, teaching, and proceeding on His way to Jerusalem. And someone said to Him, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?” And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to…
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Merry Christmas
God, having spoken long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days spoke to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds, who is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His…
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One Lord
No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. Luke 16:13 Introduction The more you are given, the more is expected of you. This is a common theme throughout…
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How to hate
Now many crowds were going along with Him, and He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:25-26 Introduction I do not know…
