LOVE FOR GOD
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Daily Readings: 1 John 1-2 and Psalm 48 The letters of 1-3 John were written by the apostle John, the son of Zebedee and brother of James, around about 90AD. At the time he lived in Ephesus and probably wrote it as a letter to be circulated among the churches of that region. Having known…
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Daily Readings: Luke 21 and Psalm 37 Jesus looked around and saw rich people dropping their gifts in the Temple treasury, 2 and he also saw a very poor widow dropping in two little copper coins. 3 He said, “I tell you that this poor widow put in more than all the others. 4 For the others offered their gifts from…
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Daily Readings: Luke 20 and Psalm 36 45 While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, 46 ‘Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the market-places and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of…
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Daily Readings: Luke 12 and Psalm 28 “1 … Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: ‘Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy…” Jesus gave this warning to His disciples at the very height of His popularity, when “a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were…
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Daily Readings: Luke 6 and Psalm 22 Jesus’ ministry had really just begun, but already He was drawing massive crowds as word of His miracles spread. Luke reports that “the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all” (v.19). I’m sure there were those who eagerly expected…
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Daily Readings: Luke 4 and Psalm 20 8 Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.”’ Seldom will temptation come to us as overtly from the devil as it did for Jesus in the wilderness. In any event, I’ve certainly never experienced it that way. Far more common is the subtle…
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Daily Readings: Galatians 4 and Psalm 135 Galatians 4 is focussed on the contrast between the past and present of its readers. In the past, those who were Jews had been subject to the Law, which acted like a “guardian” to show them the way to live. But they had been motivated by their fear…
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Daily Reading: 2 Corinthians 7 and Psalm 125 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. In the Christian life and in our pursuit of pleasing God, there is a very clear distinction to be made between feeling sad or sorry for something sinful we have…
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Daily Readings: 2 Corinthians 6 and Psalm 124 Yesterday, in 2 Corinthians 5, we saw how Paul exhorted his readers to live for the ultimate aim of pleasing the Lord. In today’s chapter we realise that this exhortation was not coming from an ivory tower of theoretical Christianity. Paul lists some of the emotional, spiritual…
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Daily Readings: 2 Corinthians 5 and Psalm 123 In 2 Corinthians 5, the apostle Paul writes beautifully about our life beyond the doorway of death. He reminds his readers that all believers will enter an eternal, heavenly home in the very instant our physical bodies die (v.1-8). Most importantly, though, he highlights the implication this…
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