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Showing posts from August, 2026

Am I obedient?

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Saul and his men spared Agag’s life and kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs—everything, in fact, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality. Then the Lord said to Samuel, “I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command.” Samuel was so deeply moved when he heard this that he cried out to the Lord all night. Early the next morning, Samuel went to find Saul. Someone told him, “Saul went to the town of Carmel to set up a monument to himself; then he went on to Gilgal.” When Samuel finally found him, Saul greeted him cheerfully. “May the Lord bless you,” he said. “I have carried out the Lord’s command!” “Then what is all the bleating of sheep and goats and the lowing of cattle I hear?” Samuel demanded. “It’s true that the army spared the best of the sheep, goats, and cattle,” Saul admitted. “But they are going to sacrifice them to the Lord your God. We...

Is my hope in the Lord?

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Rejoice in hope. Be patient in tribulation. Be constant in prayer. - Romans 12:12 (ESV) Rejoice in hope . Now, may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. - Romans 15:13 (NASB) For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. - Jeremiah 29:11 (NASB) Choose to view life through God's eyes. This will not be easy because it doesn't come naturally to us. We cannot do this on our own. We have to allow God to elevate our vantage point. Start by reading His Word, the Bible...Pray and ask God to transform your thinking. Let Him do what you cannot. Ask Him to give you an eternal, divine perspective. - Charles Swindoll Be patient in tribulation. Do not fret because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers. For they will wither quickly like the grass and fade like the green herb. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell i...

How am I handling adversity?

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They say they serve Christ? But I have served him far more! (Have I gone mad to boast like this?) I have worked harder, been put in jail more often, been whipped times without a number, and faced death again and again and again. Three times, I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times, I was shipwrecked. Once, I was in the open sea all night and the whole next day. Five different times, the Jews gave me their terrible thirty-nine lashes. I have traveled many weary miles and have often been in great danger from flooded rivers and from robbers and from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the hands of the Gentiles. I have faced grave dangers from mobs in the cities and from death in the deserts and in the stormy seas, and from men who claim to be brothers in Christ but are not. I have lived with weariness and pain and sleepless nights. Often, I have been hungry and thirsty and have gone without food; often, I have shivered with cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm...