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Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. —Acts 16:6-10             …

At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart.  The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”  In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing. —Job 1:20-22              Elaine and I were walking on the beach the other day and happened to overhear one woman say to another— “I can’t believe it after everything I have done for you.”  Not sure what the issue there was, but there surely was some conflict.              In this life, in this…

YOU CANNOT UNDERSTAND ALL ABOUT GOD! The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. —Psalm 24:1              We live on an amazing planet.  Even in its fallen state, His creation has so much beauty and diversity.  Just consider the weather.  As I look out my window this morning, a John Deere tractor is raking the sand, getting ready for another day of people flocking to the beach to enjoy the sun and surf.  Then I look out another window, from a picture sent by Steve, and I see the snow awaiting my return to be plowed.  Others flock to the ski…

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” —Matthew 7:24-27              Water is so powerful in a storm. …

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. —Psalm 46:1 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. —Psalm 46:11              We have no strength of safety in and of ourselves.  If we think we do, then we are deceived.  Truly, God “is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.  Have you acknowledged that God has given you life?  Have you acknowledged that God has given you your very breath?  Have you acknowledged that God has given you everything else?  Rejoice if you understand this and that He “is our…

The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.  The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done. —Revelation 16:8-11              There are people who just not will not repent of what they…

The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.  Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah.  For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.  They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. …

Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, “There will be no more delay! —Revelation 10:5-6              This angel swears “by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it.”  Who is He who created…

The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts. —Revelation 9:20-21              After a third of mankind were killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur, “the rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze,…