Tag: Life
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Another Year
Another year gone, another begun. Just a blip on God’s radar—perhaps a mere blink of His eternal eyes. And yet it’s a trip around the sun. And it contains a lot for us mortals. So much can change in the blink of an eye, not to mention in a year. A lot of it is…
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Toiling With All His Energy
“By what authority are you doing these things?” This was a question posed to Jesus by the chief priests, scribes and elders as he taught and preached in the temple. (Luke 20:1-2) He refused to answer their question, but it’s obvious to we, who have the advantage of hindsight, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, that…
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Before I Was Afflicted
Being afflicted is something people can’t seem to reconcile with a loving God these days. Why all the pain and suffering in this life if there is really a good God in charge of it all? If He can do anything why doesn’t He change circumstances? Why doesn’t He wave His hand and remove the…
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The Measure We Use
What measure do we use when giving to others? Whether or not we realize it, most of us are giving to people daily. Our giving is almost as numerous as the interactions we have with people. This obviously means that the giving I’m referring to is not always a tangible sort. But of course sometimes…
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Self-Evident Truth
There was a time in history—not that long ago—when certain truths were considered self-evident. This meaning that there were ideas and facts which contained truths that were considered universal and glaringly obvious. These were truths which even the most obtuse—if they were intellectually honest—could imagine the repercussions and ramifications of their violation.
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Innocence Invites Simplicity
Perhaps I’ll be called a religious simpleton for advocating for simplicity, but that’s okay, it helps me make my point. Innocence really does invite simplicity. We can see it around us and we can make a case for it in Scripture. For starters, the Bible has a way of boiling issues down to their essence…
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Are You Part Of The Resistance?
We should all be a part of the resistance. An organized, cohesive unit poised to take back that which an occupying force has usurped. No one should be sitting on the sidelines as long as this occupying force has a shred of influence in our territory. We have been tasked to confront this force and…
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Youth & The Dawn Of Life
Ecclesiastes 11:9-10 9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. 10 Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain from your body, for…
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The Work We Do
Something I’ve struggled with over the years is finding purpose. Everyone wants their life to count. To be meaningful. To have value. Taken to an extreme, this can cause Christians to endeavor, carnally, to do spiritual work. And it can cause believers to disdain work that seems mundane by nature. Both are the result of…
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Valentine: A Reflection
Well, it’s this time of year once more, A day with a lot of history and lore. Of mister Valentine’s nocturnal weddings, All in the face of potential beheading.
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Should We Fear For Our Children?
There have been times I’ve questioned the prudence of rearing children in this hour. The waters of life seem so murky and troubled. The culture of our nation seems to be increasingly hostile to sound Christian values. Will we face persecution in the near future? People have already lost livelihoods due to their faith. What…
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Christmas Reflections (A Poem)
It’s Christmas 2020 Looking back over the year, Some things were funny, Many things brought us fear. Would the virus destroy us? Would we go to the Pen, For not wearing a mask? Bad will between men.
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Do Not Be Conformed To This World
Have you ever noticed that the world system in which we live, is a mold? In the same way molten metals are poured into a mold and are formed into the shape of it, so are the lives of the masses poured into the mold of the world. Most people who are poured into this…
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A Man To Stand In The Breach (Podcast)
Hi all, since the release of my book, I’ve taken a break from blogging and have taken the time to reorient myself a bit. I’ve started a podcast in order to host the audio-file of my book as a giveaway for those who sign up for my email list. Since I’ve already set that up,…
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Forged Destiny Book Release!
Adventure. Exploration of the human condition. All woven into a grand tapestry… In this allegory, join Talon Forge on his youthful quest for a brighter destiny. Brutal work at the forges and a dogmatic culture are behind him. The world is at his disposal. Unfortunately, he finds rejection, suffering and darkness awaiting him. The Xandrian…
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Pushing Onward For The Prize
Philippians 3:12-14 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to…
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The Package Of Salvation
Is the cross a package deal? It certainly is, and people these days really put a lot of emphasis on that. It is said that if you are in Christ, you are a new creation. Plain and simple. Top to bottom. That’s the end of the old you. The problem is, the cross is a…
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Find Rest, O My Soul
Note: This post was first published on http://www.roytroyer.com on August 22 2019 Psalm 62:5-6 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. –NIV 84’ Many Illegitimate…
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Perfect Love Casts Out Fear
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. — ESV How many of us feel like we have been perfected in love? Does fear spring up from time to time? Perhaps it…
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If Jesus Would Have Wanted To
Have you ever paused and considered how many different ways Jesus could have changed the world? As the author of life and the creator of the universe, He had all the knowledge and ability needed to do anything. Jesus could have invented things that weren’t even a thought among men, until about two thousand years…
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He Keeps Us In Perfect Peace
The life of man, if left to his own devices, is like the seething waves of the sea, forever beating against the rocks, finding no rest for his soul. Like the restless tongue described in James, he is set on fire by hell, burning with passions, lusts and dreams not given by God. These provide…
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Where Is The Fear Of The Lord?
Where is the fear of the Lord? If we gaze across the global landscape, it is an obviously missing ingredient in the vast majority of influential societies. It is probably beyond coincidence that our world is in chaos right now. I think the two are very much connected. In times past, there have been great…
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Receiving A Hedge Of Protection
Often, I’ve thought of a hedge of protection as something God sovereignly gives to people for reasons not practical or traceable. I’ve thought the only thing you can really do practically to obtain a hedge, is to ask for it. Of course, it is true that asking for it helps greatly. Many times we have…
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Children Have Come To The Point Of Birth
Our spiritual walk is an evolving one. God does not mean for us to be stagnant, stale or slothful. Because of this, we frequently find ourselves coming to the end of seasons and into the beginning of new ones. As the new ones begin, it is similar to a birth. We have the pains and…
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The Lips Of The Righteous Feed Many
Proverbs 10:21 The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense. – ESV The Bible has a lot to say about the words we speak. It says death and life are in the power of the tongue in Proverbs 18:21. In James 3 it says the tongue is a restless…
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A Merciful Stroke From Heaven’s Whip
Proverbs 20:30 Blows that wound cleanse away evil; strokes make clean the innermost parts. – ESV What a statement from the wisest man who ever lived apart from Jesus. It is very counter cultural, and even counter intuitive for many of us. Our flesh cries out against the thought of discipline. That very fact should…
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A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken
Hebrews 12:26-28 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be…
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Freedom
Note: this post was first published on this site October 25, 2017 Freedom—the human spirit longs for it; people steal for it, go broke for it, even murder for it…and then there are people who actually fight for it and find it. This may come off as a strange or mysterious way to describe this…
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A Few Shades Less Proud
I remember when I first discovered I was very proud. It was a shock. I had struggled with inferiority most of my life and I had no idea that pride and inferiority operate together quite well rather than working against one another as I had supposed. The opposite of pride is humility and meekness—not inferiority.…
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Finding Great Spoil
Psalms 119:162 I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil. – ESV God’s Word becomes precious to His saints who use it as it is intended. Hopefully we don’t read it as some religious rite, or duty to get out of the way. Rather, we should seek it as life-giving spiritual nourishment…
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Did Not Our Hearts Burn Within Us?
Luke 24:32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” – ESV Two of the disciples were walking on the road to Emmaus when Jesus appeared to them. They didn’t recognize His physical appearance, but after…
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Shepherds Feeding Themselves
Jude is not a popular book by most standards. It’s short, and it uses its limited space to mostly put forth some very stern warnings and convictions. It lists many attributes of fake Christians having snuck into the ranks of those Jude was writing to. The one that stuck out to me is found in…
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Suppressing The Truth
At some point in my walk with the Lord, I had a revelation concerning the seriousness of suppressing the truth. It occurred to me that it is the ultimate form of self-righteousness and evil. Suppressing God’s truth is like saying to God, “Your version of reality is a lie. I’d rather construct my own universe…
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Hate Evil And Do Good
Romans 12:9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. –NIV 84’ I’ve gone through times in my Christian walk when I felt powerless over sin and evil. I had to wonder what people meant by saying we no longer have to sin after we become Christians. Supposedly we only…
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If Life Was Fair
We hear a lot—especially from young people—about the importance of fairness. At face value this seems like a good ideal to pursue. It is a great starting point, especially when we are contemplating the way we are to treat other people. The problem comes when we start thinking in terms of life not being fair…
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Reverence: A Key To Answered Prayer
Hebrews 5:7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. –ESV
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He Is Enthroned On Our Praises
Is it possible for us to contribute to the majesty of God? Would God entrust us with the task of building a throne for Him to sit on? This seems very unlikely to people who are very cognizant of their limitations and failures. We can contribute nothing by our own strength, this is true enough.…
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Deception & Revelation: Twin Towers
The age we find ourselves in is fraught with deception. There are more ideas and opinions than ever before. This is a natural outcome of the breakdown of long held traditions. At a glance this seems like a tragedy. Many people are led astray by false teachers and prophets. Chaos and strife become the order…
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Blessed Is The Man…
Psalms 1:1-3 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by…
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The Storm Before The Calm
It’s easy to look across the landscape of global activity and become frustrated, fearful and angry at this time. There is a shaking happening. There is a storm going on. A storm of spiritual warfare. Things look dark to many. Not necessarily because of the Corona Virus itself but many times because of the fallout…
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Sheltering In Place
As people in various states and occupations practice sheltering in place, they do so to avoid placing themselves in vulnerable situations physically. There was a time when Jesus’ disciples practiced sheltering in place, because of an order from their Master. It had nothing to do with their physical well being. It was for their spiritual…
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In Him All Is Victory
We have heard many times that in Jesus is all victory. This is true, but I’d like to raise the bar a little higher by stating that in Jesus all is victory. Basically this means that not only is every victory we have, found in Jesus, but that if we abide in Jesus continually, all we…
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He Did Not Give Us A Spirit Of Fear
2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. –NKJV Here is a timely subject. It’s been in my list of post titles for some time now, perhaps waiting for such a time as this. And no, I’m not digging it out to…
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Fearfully And Wonderfully Made
Psalms 139:13-14 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
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Dying Takes Practice
Dying is something none of us wants to do, but every time we do it, we are pleased with the results. We want more of it. We want a deeper death next time. But next time comes and it’s still a battle. I’m not talking about a literal death of course. That only happens once.…
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This Vaporous Life
This life is a vapor and then it is gone, We cannot expect it to last very long. Ninety years, one hundred, one twenty at best, Then we will enter a long season of rest.
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Choose This Day Whom You Will Serve
Joshua 24:14-15 “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River,…
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Satan Is Loath To Part With A Great Sinner
I’ve been reading a memoir of John Bunyan. He was a great sinner before he found grace and had many struggles as a Christian because of it. I’ve found a few parallels to his and my own testimony and have been very taken in by the story of his life. As I was reading, I…
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The God Who Answers By Fire
1 Kings 18:24 And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” – ESV This was Elijah facing off with the prophets of Baal. As he…
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Without Spot Or Wrinkle
Ephesians 5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might…
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We Will Not Be Put To Shame
What is the biggest reason believers fear to step out in faith, obeying the leading of the Spirit to do unconventional things? Most times for me it has been a nagging voice of fear, saying I will become a spectacle. That people would shake their heads and tell each other I’d lost my mind. Or…
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He Will Test & Establish You
1 Peter 5:10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. – ESV
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Work For It, Or Walk In It?
In many cases believers find themselves going back and forth between grace and works as if the two are mutually exclusive. Somehow we can’t seem to grasp the fact that the two can coexist and even thrive together. But only if we have them in the right order and from the right source. If we…
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Kingdom Goals For 2020
Another year behind us, a fresh one on the horizon. It’s amazing how the week between Christmas and New Year causes us to put on the brakes and think soberly. I know I did this past week, as I reflected on 2019 and focused on my Kingdom Goals for 2020. This year has been an…
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For To Us A Child Is Born…
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
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All Is Good—If We Love Him
Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. —NASB Many people talk about God’s unconditional love these days. To me it is a moot point whether God loves unconditionally or not. All we need to…
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His Yoke Is Easy—His Burden Light
Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” –ESV
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Standing Before Our Enemies
How often do we face enemies? How often do we retreat? I’m not talking about physical enemies. We are in a war in the spiritual realm. Every day, if we are wise, we put on our armor, ready to do battle. The battle does not wait on us—it is around us all the time. We…
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He Is Not A God Of Confusion
1 Corinthians 14:32-33 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. –ESV How many times do we find ourselves in doubt—questioning the will of God, our motives and even the path we are on? In a sense, these questions can be good. A person…
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Dealing With The Curses Of Balak
I am going through a major transition in business right now. My partner and I had two businesses together. We have agreed to separate, with him taking one business and me taking the other on negotiated terms. I have sensed that God has orchestrated this. I believe He has led me to this place, but…
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The History Of Halloween
The history of Halloween is a long one. Many cultural practices have conspired to create the product we have today. I’ll try to present this information chronologically to avoid confusion, and will add a few of my own thoughts at the end. I do not claim to have created a comprehensive account here; only a…
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God, My Compass
There are many things that guide people, that people essentially use as a compass. Money, relationships, entertainment and pleasures of all kinds. Or perhaps in many cases these things are more like treats dangled in front of us, leading us one step at a time to an unknown destination. In our natural state, we are…
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Our Need For A Shepherd
We were all created with the need for a Shepherd. In Eden, man communed regularly with God and they were in a perfect state of dependence on their Shepherd. When man fell, it was due to the fact that they wanted to become shepherds and gods unto themselves. God let them have their way in…
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The Gift Of Repentance
In an age where repentance is hardly acknowledged as a necessary means of salvation, my title may come off as paradoxical to some. Many view the idea of repentance negatively. It creates a premise that we are fundamentally evil. This used to be a commonly held belief in the church. But today many have lost…
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Holy (& Wholly) Unto The Lord
I know some of these plays on words are cliché by now, but it struck me how true this one is, and I have never seen it before as far as I know, so it might even be original.
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Stimulation Does Not Equal Life
Many things in life are illusions, deceptions and counterfeits. If we have the Spirit of God as our counsel, and a healthy hunger for the truth, then this soon becomes obvious. The more we walk the walk of faith, the more we come to realize how little in this life is honest, real, and lasting.
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