• Devotional

    Devotional – May 1, 2011

    VERSE: 2 Corinthians 13:11–Finally brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. TRUTH: All that we need and all that we are should be found in Christ. His love and peace through us can help us to rejoice, be made complete, and all those other characteristics listed above. It’s a circle; if we follow His commands to rejoice, be made complete, and the others, then we’ll experience more and more of the love and peace of Christ. That will then help us to rejoice more. RESPONSE: Lord, thank You for providing us with everything we…

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  • Devotional

    Devotional – April 30, 2011

    VERSE: 2 Corinthians 12:10–Therefore I am content with weakness, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong. TRUTH: Can we say that we are content with our weaknesses and surrender them to God so that Christ is shown strong through us? Paul knew that was the secret to living because our strength comes from the Lord. RESPONSE: Father, You are so amazing and You give such strength. Thank You for demonstrating Your strength through my weaknesses. Please help me to be content with my weaknesses so that Your strength may be even more evident to those I am…

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  • Devotional

    Devotional – April 29, 2011

    VERSE: 2 Corinthians 11:30–If I have to boast, I will of what pertains to my weakness. TRUTH: Often, God chooses to exalt Himself through the weaknesses we have. He shows His might, power, and glory in all these area if we will turn them over to Him. The only thing we can truly boast about is that the Lord has moved in our life! RESPONSE: Lord, may I only boast in Your movement through me. Nothing I do on my own is worthy of anything, only that which You do through me.

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  • Devotional

    Devotional – April 28, 2011

    VERSE: 2 Corinthians 10:5–We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every though captive to the obedience of Christ, TRUTH: Our thoughts have a lot of influence over us, however, we are to be in control of our thoughts, not the other way around. Do our thoughts always reflect obedience to Christ? If not, are we actively asking Christ to help us take every thought captive and destroy those thoughts which are not reflective of Him? RESPONSE: Lord, even though no one else knows my thoughts, You do. Help me to take captive my thoughts so that every area…

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  • Devotional

    Devotional – April 27, 2011

    VERSE: 2 Corinthians 9:6–Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. TRUTH: Paul is specifically talking about money here. What are we using our money to sow and plant? Are we planting a little or a lot? The Lord seeks for us to trust Him with our money and all that we use it for. Do our actions show that trust? RESPONSE: Father, help me to focus on my money and how I am sowing it. Do I plant it in You and Your kingdom? Am I sowing it sparingly or bountifully?

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  • Devotional

    Devotional – April 26, 2011

    VERSE: 2 Corinthians 8:9–For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. TRUTH: Jesus Christ left everything in heaven to come and provide us with His grace and mercy. We are rich based on our relationship to Him, not based on our monetary wealth. RESPONSE: Lord, help me to view my wealth based on Your sacrifice, not my monetary status.

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  • Book Review

    Book Review – Fern Valley by Aileen Stewart

    Fern Valley is a quaint little town with lots of possibilities for its young inhabitants. This collection of short stories by Aileen Stewart tells of the goings on of the animal children in this little community. Kimmy Curlytail the pig, Betsy Woolridge the sheep, and all their friends have stories to tell and adventures to experience here in Fern Valley. The characters are cute and likeable. The stories are well thought out and teach moral and relationship lessons to the readers. The writing would be able to be read by most 8-10 year olds, but even younger children would enjoy having the colorful characters and exciting stories read to them.…

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  • Devotional

    Devotional – April 25, 2011

    VERSE: 2 Corinthians 7:9–I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. TRUTH: Discipline is never fun and often causes people to feel sad, yet Paul was pleased that the people of Corinth had been sorrowful to the point of repentance. When we are confronted with areas where we have fallen short, do we just get upset? Or, do we get upset to the point where we repent to God and long to be made right with…

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  • Devotional

    Devotional – April 24, 2011

    Happy Resurrection Sunday everyone! VERSE: 2 Corinthians 6:18–“And I will be a father to you , and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” says the Lord Almighty. TRUTH: Through Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, we have been given the opportunity to be made right with God. If we accept Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, God will accept us into a close, personal relationship with Him. RESPONSE: Lord, Your triumph over death, Your payment for our sins, and Your love made a way for me to know and understand and have a real relationship with You.  Through Jesus, You are my Father and I am Your child!

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  • Devotional

    Devotional – April 23, 2011

    VERSE: 2 Corinthians 5:21–He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. TRUTH: Here is the Gospel message. The reason for Christ’s coming and His purpose is all about His becoming sin on our behalf , so that we could become the righteousness of God. Have we accepted Jesus’ sacrifice so that we might be transformed into the righteousness of God? RESPONSE: Lord, I thank You for Your sacrifice and for becoming sin on my behalf. Now I can become the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ.

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