studies (970)

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Do not let a lack of self-confidence prevent you from living a fulfilling life and accomplishing your God-given destiny. Low self-esteem has its origin in fear. It is a tool used by the devil to stop you from being effective as a Christian and it manifests as depression, confusion, indecisiveness and lack of faith. 

Low self-esteem comes as a result of focusing on the wrong things. If you choose to focus on negative circumstances-the bills that are due, your faults and shortcomings, not to menti

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by Max Aplin  

 

As Christians, one of our main goals in life should be to love the people we have contact with. Love should be the hallmark of our relationships with fellow believers. And we should be known too for our love to those who are outside the family of faith. 

There are, however, various ways in which Christians often fail to love as they should, and one of these is by judging people. This is a common and serious sin. 

Different kinds of judging 

When we say that judging is a sin, we

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Everyone wants to be a great leader. Nowhere is that call more important than in the local church, where often the pastor is looked at to lead their church in inspiring and expectation-defying ways. Meanwhile, books on leadership tend to give broad advice that can be relatively difficult to apply in the local church setting.

We’re here to help.

Below is the best advice from CT Pastors on leading your church well. Whether you’re trying to raise up new leaders, lead into your strengths, or cast

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5 Ways We Can Lead People Better

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by Ed Stetzer

Being a leader is tiring. When I was pastoring in Buffalo in the early 90s, I was responsible for EVERYTHING. You name it, I did it:

Make the bulletins. Check.

Visit the hospitals and sick. Check.

Preach the message. Check.

Lead worship. Check. (I am still apologizing to Jack Hayford for my rendition of Majesty.)

Looking back, I am reminded that effective leadership is not in all the responsibilities or tasks we have, but rather in how well we develop the processes needed to ac

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The-Woman-At-The-Well.jpg?width=455The account of the woman at the well in John 4 is a beautiful story of how Jesus desires to meet our deepest needs. (Now, if you’re a man, don’t stop here because this story is about a woman. It applies to all of us!)

If we are not allowing Jesus to meet our deepest needs on an ongoing basis, then we are like the lady at the well.

Are you an emotional eater? Do you often drink alcohol to soothe a deep emotion? Maybe you spend endless hours watching television or surfing the internet. Maybe you e

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5 Powerful Life Lessons From A Hilarious Christian Rap Video

 

Viktory release a music video for the second single off of the new album “Tomorrow Came” called “We Won’t Stop”. Instead of following the mode, Viktory elected to create a hilariously entertaining abstract satire spoof of two old men tired of the younger generation playing loud music, so they take matters into their own hands. As wild and wacky as the video appears, There are some really true and meaningful themes on friendship,

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By Karen B. White

"Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, lestwhen you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied;" Deuteronomy 8:11-13 NKJV

Remember how excited you were when you purchased your first house, vehicle, boat? You decorate

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by Sue 

 

The first time Jesus called me to write, I didn't believe He meant me. I couldn't put two words together in all my fifty years and then suddenly He is telling me to write. I was minding my own business (which seems to be one of His favourite times to communicate) reading the book 'He and I' and His words jumped out on the page and Hit me in my face as it were, and pretty much shouted at me. I still couldn't believe. I said to Him 'you are not telling me to write because I can't.' If it
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by Deborah Lassiter

 

I often marvel at how long it took our heavenly Father to prune me down to the point of being able to use me to deliver and spread the gospel. What a road trip that was.I regret, when I look back now, how I spent at least 25 years living for myself which is AKA for fumbling around in the dark with only shadows of who I could really be, at best, as a glimmer of hope; but in reality no real structure, direction, or source to plug into for my life.

I fear that every person I th
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Protect Your Vision

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by Deborah Lassiter


When I think of protecting ones vision I can't help but think of the life of Eli in the bible a man that we observe, in the word of God, who is gradually losing his eye sight, way before, he mistakes Hannah's praying for being drunk. How do you misread that one?

Eli we discover is a descendant of the Levitical Priesthood, a priesthood named after Levi who was born to Jacob and Leah. Eli was a descendant of a priesthood that was chosen by God to tend to the work, and duties of
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Let God be God

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by Toni Babcock

 

"By faith Abraham, when he was called...obeyed, and he went out, not knowing whither he went," (Hebrews 11:8 KJV).

Envy, and its suspecting cousin suspicion, can present themselves in a reluctance to acknowledge the gifts and calling of another Christian. Take the astounding story of Bruce Olson, who embarked on a harrowing journey to reach a fierce tribal group called the Motilone. His adventure began when at nineteen years of age, he boarded a plane to Venezuela with seve
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by Sue Darling


What I love about him, I think it is the same reason why most of us do. He really opens up to God and speaks his mind from his heart to our wonderful Creator. When he is angry he tells God all about it, and when he is full of praise he does the same. David is so honest with God. When David is having troubles with his enemies he comes to God directly and spells out his troubled heart. If his enemies refuses to give up their evil ways, he then prays that God will show them up so t
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Remaining A Virtuous Woman

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by Vanessa Grossett 


Brethren before I get into the context of this article, I want you to know I didn't write this to create any controversy.

Under the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, this article is written to remind women of how God wants us to be, rather than taking on the world's view. In writing this I am also ministering to myself.

Yes this can apply to all Christians, but this has been specifically written for women, as us ladies hold a special place in the church. We are rel
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Yahweh - The Self-Existing One

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by Tai Ikomi

 

Yahweh 
(yaw-way)
The Self-Existing One - 

"That men may know that thou, whose name alone is YAHWEH, art the most high over all the earth" (Psalms 83:18).

The name "Yahweh" is translated LORD (in caps) in the Authorized Version of the Bible. He is the I AM THAT I AM. When Moses asked God what His name was after God gave him the mandate to go and set His people free, He told Moses that His name is I AM THAT I AM. What an awesome name!

This name is translated, "Yahweh." This is the only
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By Sue Darling

Some of the big reasons I believe why the Pharisees' did not or did not want to recognise Jesus Christ as their Messiah, was they were in love with themselves, not God. They took pride in their intellectual knowledge of the Old Testament and the power it gave them over the people. History always repeats itself. I believe if Christ came as He did the first time to us, the churches would be the very first people to put Him to death as they did long ago. I really believe that. 


Pe
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Mindful Connections

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by Toni M. Babcock 

 

"All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me but all things edify not," (1 Corinthians 10:23 KJV). 

Have you noticed in the break room lately, nearly everybody is hovered over an iphone? We don't seem to find each other as interesting anymore compared to the zany postings and snarky comments we read online. In spite of Facebook, we're actually not talking face to face as much anymore . Social media might more aptly be described
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by Tai Ikomi

 

Tormenting nature of Refusing to Forgive
A man was owed a large amount of money. When all avenues to receive payment had been exhausted, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with all he had. He fell on his knees and begged for a little more time to pay what he owed; he asked for patience. 

Out of sheer mercy, his lord absolved him and told him he was free to go. The debt had been cancelled. The same servant found a fellow servant and threw him into prison because he was un
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The Reason Mass Shootings Occur

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by Robert Driskell

 

It has happened again. Heartless mass shootings and the terrible aftermath in their wake. It seems like these types of things are happening with increasing frequency. An article in the Washington Post say that, as of December 3, 2015, "There have been more mass shootings than calendar days this year. News reports collected by a Reddit community show there have been 355 mass shootings in 2015" (1).

Another article in the Washington Post says that the reason mass shooting will
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How To Stop Mass Shootings

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by Robert Driskell

 

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10).

The only way to stop mass shootings, or any other crime, is for humans to have a change of heart. As long as there are people who persist in rebellion against our Creator, crimes (and criminal behavior) will continue. Murder, rape, assault, theft, adultery, etc. will not only continue but will increase as society worsens and begins to look upon many of these sins as 'normal'.

Secular cul
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Serving God's Way

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by Ken Barnes

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use it well to serve one another. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ.. (I Peter 4: 10-11 NLT).


There is a definite order of service delineated in this portion of scripture. It's God, then others and self. Unfortunately, we sometimes invert that order to ourselves, people, and then the Lord. In this hierarchy of service, due to our tendency to look out for number one, it is v
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