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Is Heaven and Hell Real

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Eternal Life Or Eternal Death Matthew 25-28 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age.” (Mt. 28:19-20).                   How do we know the Bible is true and that Christ is the only way to heaven? Why can there be only one way to heaven? How do we know that not everyone will go to heaven? These are questions people have asked since the church's formation in the Book of Acts. To answer them, we need to ask the one question upon which everything hinges. Paul points us back to that question when he addresses the same issue in his letter to the church at Corinth. The critical question upon which everything hinges is the resurrection of Christ. Paul points out that if the resurrection is merely a story invented by the...
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The Danger of Being Misled

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The Danger of Being Misled Matthew 21-24 “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.”                   Matthew 24 is a pivotal chapter in our understanding of what is happening in the world today and where the world is going. We live in a world and culture that many have characterized as a culture of fear. Something sinister seems to lurk in the future, and causes us to be fearful. Everywhere we turn, there are signs that our world is moving toward an impending crisis. For some, it is the geopolitical world, where international tensions seem to rise even as the economy becomes more global than national. Others fear our environment is on the brink of turmoil because of misuse. Others point to the collapse of our nation's political unity. And the list goes on. As a result, people live in fear: fear of internat...
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The Importance of Forgiveness

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The Lost Art of Forgiveness  Read Matthew 16-20 “Then Peter came and said to Him, 'Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”  Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”                   Our society continually affirms that we are to stand up for our rights and oppose those who wrong us in any way. When someone mistreats, hurts, or wrongs us in any way, our society states that we are to stand up for ourselves and our rights. To not do so is a sign of weakness. Not only has forgiveness been withheld, but we see it as a sign of powerlessness. The Jews regarded themselves as more pious than others and stated that we should forgive a person up to seven times. Beyond that, a person was under no obligation to forgive.              ...
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The Parable of the Sower

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Living by God’s Words Matthew 11-15 “And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.” (13:23).                   Many people are familiar with the parable of the Sower. It is a story that is told often and one that we know but find difficult to apply. In the story, the farmer goes out and broadcasts the seed indiscriminately throughout the field. But the soil is not the same in every location. Each soil represents different levels of receptivity toward the gospel. However, it does not just apply to those who hear the gospel message of salvation; it applies to all of us whenever we hear the message of the Bible. It calls on all of us to evaluate our preparation and response when the message of the Bible is presented to us.  The first soil is the har...
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Anxiety and Faith

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Anxiety and Faith Read Matthew 6-10 “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.”                   We live in a world described as a culture of fear. One reason there is so much conflict and anger today is that people are fearful of the future. There is a sense that our world is rushing headlong into self-destruction, so people become fearful in the present. A close companion to fear is anger, for anger is the emotional response to what we perceive as a threat. The word itself refers to the apprehension and anxiety one experiences when we encounter a danger or threat. In the world today, the great perceived threat is what will happen tomorrow. We live with a deep-rooted concern that disaster lies just around the corner, whether it be economic, political, or societal. Chapman University has been tracking, for the last 11 year...
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How do we know what is true?

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The Certainty of the Bible Matthew 1-5 “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest leter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” (5:18).                   Where do we discover truth? Where do we find it, and to whom do we turn to discover what is morally right? This is the most fundamental question about life we can ask. Everyone will answer this question in their quest to determine how to live. Some turn inward and trust their own wisdom and understanding. They follow the adage, “Let your conscience be your guide.” To determine what is true, they look inward to their own reasoning. People thus say, “Be true to yourself.” However, we can easily be self-deceptive. Jeremiah warns us, “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it” (Jer. 17:9). So also Proverbs warns us, “There is a way which seems right t...
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Warnings and Hope

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Warnings and Hope Malachi 1-4 “But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall.” (4:2).                   Malachi was the last book of the Old Testament before Israel entered a period known as the 400 silent years. After Israel became a nation under Saul's leadership, God continually sent prophets to call the people back to him and to remain faithful to their covenant relationship with God. From the rise of Samuel during Saul's reign in 1070 B.C. to the end of Malachi’s ministry, a consistent prophetic voice directed people back to God. However, when Malachi passed from the scene, the prophetic voice went silent for 400 years until the arrival of John the Baptist and Jesus. As the last prophet, Malachi both condemned the people and offered the hope of salvation to those who would seek God. He...
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