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He Rejoices Over Us!

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  “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”‭‭Zephaniah‬ ‭3:17‬ ‭ESV ‬‬  “God is in your midst.” I love that word “in.” One dictionary definition is “enclosed or surrounded by something else.” When you’re at home, you’re surrounded by walls, and the roof overhead provides shelter. It’s your place of refuge. God is “in” your midst. He shelters you, surrounds you, and is your place of refuge. There’s no place you can go where He isn’t. Psalm‬ ‭139:7-10‬ ESV‬‬ says, “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.” ‭‭ He is as close as your next heartbeat and the breath you breathe. He is th...
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A Walk Through Proverbs Eleven

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  Proverbs, a remarkable book of Biblical principles, aims to guide us in living wisely, making sound choices, and finding guidance. However, are there some truths we can confirm in the New Testament?  I was challenged recently to see what Proverbs Eleven had to offer.  I selected the following verses to examine from the ESV translation: Proverbs 11:12 states, “Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent.” In Matthew 7:1, Jesus advises, “Judge not, that you be not judged.”  This advice resonates with the truth conveyed in Proverbs 11:12. After all, we often lack complete knowledge of others’ struggles, life situations, and inner thoughts. When we don’t have all the facts, it’s best to remain silent. Proverbs 11:17 emphasizes the benefits of kindness, stating, “A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.” Being kind to others is indeed rewarding. What does the New Testament say about this? In Matthew 5:7...
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Choose Words That Speak Life

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  “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” Proverbs 18:21 ESV This proverb holds immense truth: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Our words have the profound ability to either wound or heal, to encourage or criticize, to build up or tear down. They leave lasting scars that can influence our decisions for years to come. Words have consequences. Consider the story of Numbers Chapter 13. The Lord instructed Moses to send twelve men to scout the land of Canaan, the promised land. Out of these twelve, ten returned with a disheartening report, instilling fear in the hearts of the people.  Numbers 13:32-33 says, “So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from...
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Talk to Yourself

  “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”  Psalm‬ ‭42‬:‭11‬ ‭ESV‬‬ ‭‭  This verse appears twice in Psalm 42, in verses 5 and 11, and again in Psalm 43:5. This made me wonder who wrote this Psalm must have been going through some challenging times. Have you ever felt this way or asked yourself similar questions? Why am I feeling “cast down”? Why is my soul in “turmoil within me”? Perhaps it’s because of an offhand remark that you took personally. How did those comments make you feel? Small, inferior, inadequate, not good enough? The list could go on. But why are you listening to the negative voices instead of the truth the Spirit is trying to convey to you? Don’t let your emotions or feelings overpower you. Instead of letting yourself speak to you, why not turn the tables and speak to yourself? Isn’t that what the Psalmist did in Psalm 42? They were likely growing weary of...
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