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 Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 2:06 pm
Monday October 1st
The Pattern of Sound Words
Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 1:13
Patterns are given to be followed. The seamstress knows how crucial the pattern is if the fabric is to be cut properly and the stitches sewn correctly so that the cloth is transformed into a dress or a suit that fits. From God’s Scriptures we are given “the pattern of the sound words.”
God’s pattern is His way of speaking, so that we hear Him as He wants to be heard and so have life in His name. With His words of Law, He exposes our sin, convicting us of our failure to let Him be our God. With His words of Gospel, He puts His promises into our ears, comforting us with the forgiveness of sins through the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ.
The Lord’s pattern keeps us “in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” Luther once commented that the Christian lives outside of himself. He lives by faith in Christ and by love in the neighbor. Faith does not look to self but to Jesus for salvation. Love does not focus on self but on the people that the Lord places in our lives. Receiving Jesus’ gifts through faith, we hand them on to our neighbor in word and deed.
Lord, keep me steadfast in Your Word. Amen.
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Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 2:51 pm
Being Different Makes a Difference Part IV
“Hey, Ryan . . . listen to me,” Shane began. “All the things you'll give up to follow the Lord are the very same things that are ruining your life. You really don't want to do them anyway. You said that yourself.”
When Ryan didn't respond, Shane continued. “It just makes sense to give your life to God. It's obvious you're miserable. You already said you need God's strength to say no to the things you don't want to do.”
“Yeah, I know,” Ryan agreed.
“But you're right in thinking about the cost,” Shane continued. “Following Jesus isn't always easy. It means saying no to some attractive things everyone else seems to be doing. And they'll probably give you a hard time about it, too. But, hey, look who God's given you for a friend!”
“Get off it!” Ryan smiled as he tossed a pillow at Shane's head. “Everything you're saying makes a lot of sense. I really want to do this. I need to do this. But I'm still scared.”
Shane smiled and breathed a prayer for help as he leaned forward and opened his New Testament.
* * *
Shane's life opened the door for Ryan's salvation. Within his lifestyle, he also had three important aspects of leading someone to Christ. Let's sneak a peek at Shane's secrets. Lifestyle evangelism for him meant:
• Friendship. By being a friend to Ryan, Shane had earned the right to be heard. He had taken the time to establish rapport. Their friendship spanned five years. They had shared baseball, basketball, camping and several other common interests. By simply being a friend to Ryan over the years, Shane had earned his respect and won his trust.
• Consistency. Shane was consistent. First of all, he was consistent in his friendship with Ryan. He continued to encourage him and kept the lines of communication open, even when Ryan drifted into other areas. He wasn't condemning, yet he clearly didn't condone Ryan's actions either.
Chances are your non-Christian friend already knows what's wrong in his life. Instead of focusing on those wrong things, continue to love him and make it clear you want him involved in your youth group. Invite him often and encourage his attendance. When he does come, make him feel loved and accepted by introducing him to your church friends and youth leader.
Shane was also consistent in his walk with Christ. It would have been easy to accept the invitation to the party and simply not drink once he arrived. But Shane knew his influence would eventually be stronger if he didn't attend the party at all.
Know It!
Your lifestyle actually shouts a lot louder than our words. Are you being a consistent living example of Christ for those around you?
Read It!
Psalm 27:1-3; Psalm 27:11; Psalm 27:13-14; Psalm 28:11.
Pray It!
Ask Christ to shine clearly through your actions as well as be echoed in your words.
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Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 4:11 am
Tuesday October 2nd
There Are No Real Atheists
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” Psalm 14:1
The Bible has little interest in proving the existence of God. That God exists is assumed. Only a fool would believe otherwise. The Bible is much more concerned with idolatry, that is, dedication and devotion to the substitute gods that the human mind makes for itself. These idols are anything that a person fears, loves, and trusts more than the living God. They are as endless as the human imagination.
Mark Twain once quipped that in the beginning, God created man in His own image, and ever since, man has been returning the compliment. Homemade gods are most often reflections of the self. If we forsake the Word of the Lord, it is not that we become godless but that we fashion something in creation, such as wealth or health, an ideology, or maybe even our own reputation, as the object of our trust. Whatever your heart trusts is, in fact, your god.
Self-made gods will always fail. They promise life but give death. They entice with pleasure but deliver pain. The true God, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is trustworthy and true. He stands behind His name and His Word. He keeps His promise to be your God and Lord in life and in death. Where He is Lord, there is room for no rivals.
Lord Jesus, keep my heart and mind anchored in You alone. Amen.
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Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 5:20 pm
Being Different Makes a Difference Part V
Shane took a strong stand for what he believed was right. This made it absolutely clear in Ryan's mind that compromise was not an option. Because of Shane's consistency in avoiding evil, Ryan was able to better discern the difference between Shane's life and the lives of their other friends. He eventually came to the conclusion that he wanted that difference.
Many times Christian teens rationalize and think, It'll be a good witness to attend the party and not drink. Then everyone will know I'm a Christian and can actually see me taking a stand. But the next day at school when the hallway gossip floats through the tiles and someone's naming off everyone who attended the party, they won't take the time to say, “Oh, yeah, but I don't think she drank anything.” Your name will simply be remembered as one among many who attended the party. (For more quick thoughts on this, flip back to August 2.)
What kind of witness is that? Surprise! Your non- Christian friends see it as one big inconsistency. They don't want to see how similar you can be to them; if you're claiming to be a Christian, they want to see the difference!
• Love. First Corinthians 13 tells us that love is patient. Ryan had come close to making a spiritual commitment several times. When he didn't make a commitment at last summer's camp, Shane might have been tempted to respond, “What is it with you, Ryan? I give up!” but he didn't. He continued to love his friend and demonstrated that love through patience.
At a luncheon held at Azusa Pacific University on February 7, 1990, national speaker Tony Campolo addressed a crowd of professors and students. Commenting on personal evangelism, he told of asking a crowd of 10,000 how they were won to the Lord.
When he asked how many came to know Jesus Christ through television evangelism, no one raised a hand. When he asked how many were won to the Lord through evangelistic tracts, no hands were raised. When he asked how many became Christians through radio ministry, he saw four hands go up. When he inquired as to how many were won through a great sermon, he counted 40 hands.
When he finally asked, “How many of you came to know Jesus Christ personally because someone locked on to you and wouldn't let you go?” a sea of hands all over the auditorium were raised.
Know It!
What does that tell you about evangelism? When your life is truly different, it will make a difference in those around you!
Read It!
Proverbs 15:33; Ecclesiastes 12:13-14; Isaiah 56:1-2; Isaiah 64:4-8.
Pray It!
Ask God to help you to remain true to Him and different from the world-even when the pressure is on.
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Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 5:36 am
Wednesday October 3rd
God’s Law and My Neighbor’s Life
Jesus . . . said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
The First Commandment is the source of the other Commandments and is at the heart of each of them. The man in today’s reading from Mark learns this to his sorrow. He comes to Jesus with a misshapen question: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” (v. 17). When the Lord puts the Commandments to him, the man foolishly asserts that he always has kept them. Outward obedience to the Law covered a heart addicted to wealth. The man’s possessions are his god. Unwilling to let go of his idol, he goes away sorrowful. He follows his money rather than the Lord who loved him.
The first three commandments direct us to God Himself, His name, and His Word. The remaining seven commandments also point us toward God, but through the life of our neighbor. Where faith in Christ Jesus is absent, God’s name will not be hallowed nor His Word kept, nor will the neighbor be loved as God commands.
There is indeed only One who is good. That One is Jesus, true God and true man. He has kept the Law perfectly, and by His death under the Law, He has redeemed us from its curse. In Him, we are free to trust God and love our neighbor.
Lord Jesus, fix my heart on Your Word alone. Amen.
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Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 4:27 am
Thursday October 4th
What Is Faith?
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9
To confess is to say the same thing that God says. When we confess the Apostles’ Creed, we are repeating back to God what He has said to us in His Word. Faith takes God at His Word and speaks. Faith is not creative; we are not meant to make up things about God. To do so would make an idol of Him. We can speak about God only because God has first spoken to us.
When we confess the Creed, we are calling on the name of the Lord (see Romans 10:13). Reciting the Creed is more than recalling a series of biblical truths. When we confess the Creed, we express with our lips the faith—the trust in Jesus’ saving work—that God’s Word creates in our hearts. Faith can’t keep silent. The very nature of faith is to speak of the God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—who has called us out of the darkness of sin into the light of His favor.
When Luther prepared his Catechism, he concluded each of his explanations of the three articles of the Creed with the memorable words “This is most certainly true.” Faith has such certainty because it speaks of God, who is trustworthy in all His ways.
Open my lips, Lord Jesus, to confess the faith that You have given me through Your Gospel. Amen.
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Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 5:25 pm
Now That I've Learned to Walk, Where Do I Go?
Now that you've developed your personal testimony and are sharing your faith, what happens when one of your friends actually prays to receive Christ? Then what should you do?
Many times when we see someone commit her life to the Lord, we think, Whew, I'm glad she's a Christian now. I'll start looking for someone else I can witness to.
Just because a baby takes a few steps doesn't mean she's learned to walk, does it? She still falls down a lot. But if she has loving parents, they'll pick her up and hold her hand and walk with her, until she's mastered the skill and can walk alone.
The same principle is at work spiritually. Your friend has just made the most important decision in her life! But it's still all new to her. There's a lot she doesn't understand. How can she grow? How can she learn to walk on his own?
Don't put the baby down till she's burped. Just because a baby has consumed a jar of baby food doesn't mean she's finished eating. If she doesn't burp, she'll get sick. The wise parent knows she needs to rock, hold and gently pat the baby on her back until he burps.
Guess what! You're kind of a “spiritual parent” to your friend. You've fed her some terrific spiritual food. But you're not finished with her yet. Gently “hold” her till she burps. (Not literally, of course!) But you'll need to help her digest all the spiritual food that's inside her. There's a lot she doesn't understand. Be willing to explain and answer questions. You probably won't know it all. That's okay. Take her to your youth leader or other adults in your life who can help.
It's good to involve your new Christian friend in youth group parties, ski trips and pizza flings. She needs to know that Christ is her very best friend. You can help her learn that He laughs with her, hurts with her and understands her.
But that's kind of like just eating candy bars and drinking Cokes. They sure taste good! And it feels good to consume them. But to be healthy, we need more than just sugar in our diet. We need meat and veggies, too. They're not as much fun, and they don't taste as good, but if we don't get what we need we won't grow properly.
Again, this same principle is at work spiritually. Church parties, ski trips and pizza flings are a blast! But there has to be more. If your new Christian friend is really going to grow spiritually, she needs some meat and veggies-some Bible study, worship experience and accountability.
So while helping her learn that Christianity is a blast, don't forget to involve her in other aspects of spiritual growth that are also important. Plug her into a church (possibly yours), a Sunday school class (to provide accountability) and a Bible study to help her deepen her spiritual roots.
Know It!
A brand-new Christian needs nourishment, guidance and lots of love. Be willing to continue making the investment in your friend's life.
Read It!
Colossians 2:6-7; Colossians 2:11-15; Hebrews 4:12- 14; Hebrews 6:1.
Pray It!
Ask God to give you wisdom to help your new Christian friends grow properly.
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Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 4:16 am
Friday October 5th
Jesus’ Father Is My Father
For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. Galatians 3:26
A man may be many things—a husband, a citizen, a craftsman—but without a child, he is not a father. The Scriptures teach us to call God “Father,” for He has a Son: Christ Jesus. In the New Testament, God is not merely like a father, He is Father. He is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is this God whom we confess in the First Article of the Creed. He is the author of creation. All things have their existence from Him. But chiefly, He is the Father of His Son from all eternity.
It is only because we are in His Son that we can call God our Father. It is not that we are children of God by nature. The opposite, in fact, is true, for the Scriptures tell us that we “were by nature children of wrath” (Ephesians 2:3). Believers, whether they are male or female, are all sons of God through faith in the Son. In the ancient world, it was the firstborn son who received the inheritance. In Christ, the only begotten Son, we are made heirs of grace through His redeeming work on the cross. Joined to the eternal Son of the Father in Holy Baptism, we are given the holy and high status of sons of the Father through faith in Christ Jesus.
Holy Spirit, teach us to call God “Father” with delight for the sake of Jesus, our Brother. Amen.
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Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 9:15 pm
Don't Throw the Baby Out with the Bathwater!
If you're able to plug your new Christian friend into a Bible study and church, she's probably beginning to grow spiritually. But she's still a baby Christian. So it's understandable she'll fail. That's okay. That doesn't mean she's “lost” it or just can't cut being a Christian. It's normal to make mistakes. Remember when you first learned to ride a bicycle? You fell, scraped your knees, maybe even ran into your neighbor's mailbox-but you didn't quit. You kept on until you got the hang of it.
Please don't give up on your friend when she blows it. Encourage her. Remind her to ask for God's forgiveness, accept it, then get up and keep walking.
There may be some habits in her life that she needs to get rid of. It's not your job to point out all the bad stuff you see. That's God's job. You're not His “sin monitor.” Let Him deal with it in His perfect timing.
But as she begins to wrestle with some of these issues (possibly drinking, smoking, cussing, her sex life), you can help her learn to see and understand what God wants and expects. When she asks you (yes, wait until you're asked) if you think she should go out with Mark (who's a heavy drinker), you can share that as a new Christian it might be too big a temptation for her. And you can explain the importance of dating those who share her newfound faith and morality.
But if she goes out with him anyway and drinks and tells you about it later, don't throw out the baby with the bathwater. It's understandable you'll be frustrated. And it's understandable that you want her to “hurry and grow up” spiritually. But growth takes time.
Offer to pray with her. Seek God's forgiveness, then “toss out” the habit of going out with those who will tempt (just like you'd “toss out” old bathwater), and continue walking forward. Most important: Let your friend know you care about her spiritual growth! Don't abandon her. Stick close and introduce her to more Christian friends she can hang out with.
Know It!
Aren't you glad God didn't give up on you when you first came to know Him? Chances are you made a few mistakes, struggled to let go of some old habits and maybe even refused to break away from friends who were pulling you down. But because God stuck with you, showed you His patience and let other Christians into your life, you continued to walk with Him. Do the same for your friend.
Read It!
1 Corinthians 3:6; Colossians 1:10; Colossians 2:19; 2 Thessalonians 1:3.
Pray It!
Ask God to give you wisdom to know when to speak out and when to be silent.
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Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2007 10:01 am
Will You Be the One?
Through the years, God's call on our lives hasn't changed. He's still calling His disciples to share their faith and spread the gospel. Throughout the course of time He has used ordinary people to impact their world. Ordinary people. People with only one or two talents. People who sometimes get angry and lonely and hate practicing the piano and can't stand homework.
And through ordinary, everyday people, God defeated armies, turned a small group of slaves into a great nation, split seas, healed the sick and melted the hardened hearts of sinners. All this and more through people like us . . . people who were willing to be used. That's the key. Are you willing? Would you dare to be the one who sets a new standard for your group of friends? Would you be the one who starts a Bible club at your school? Would you be the one who starts a weekly prayer circle in your family? Would you be the one who stands with integrity at your part-time job? Would you dare to be the one?
Daniel dared. Moses dared. Abraham dared. So did Noah, Enoch, Abel, Sarah, Jacob, Joseph, Paul, Phoebe, Peter and a host of others. And because they dared to be influencers, the world was not the same when they departed. Just as God used each of them, He wants to use you to make an eternal difference in the lives of those around you?
Will you dare to be the one? To step out in faith? To stand alone if need be? Would you be willing to be made fun of? Laughed at? Mocked? Will you dare to wear your faith through your actions? Let your lifestyle speak God's love? If so, your world will never be the same.
The 12 disciples Jesus chose to begin the Church and spread the gospel were extremely ordinary men. Most had only received average schooling at the best. They didn't have much money. They weren't well-known by society. And they didn't own a lot of possessions. But they were willing to step out on faith, and oh how God used them!
It wasn't easy. They left their families, their friends and their vocations. They slept outside, worked long hours and walked long distances. But because they were willing to be used, God changed people's lives through their commitment.
We often think the people God chooses are those with all the gifts and abilities. That's not true. Again, all through Bible, God has specifically chosen ordinary people then blessed then after they answered His call. God isn't after the one with the ability; He's seeking the one with the availability. And if you're available, He wants to use you!
Know It!
So how about it? Will you dare to be the one? Will you allow God to use you to make a difference in the lives of those around you?
Read It!
Hebrews 6:12; Hebrews 10:16; Hebrews 11.
Pray It!
Ask God to mold your heart into one that's available for His use.
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Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 10:53 am
True Identity
Which one are you today
One minute you are what I created you to be
The next moment you acting different and funny
Where is the person I created with my bare hands
You are not the same woman
You are not the same man
You have taken on a whole new identity
You don’t look like me
You have allow your flesh to come alive
You have allow your spirit to die
No matter how hard you try
You feel something is missing in your life
You are not satisfy
You have a boyfriend or girlfriend
You are married
You are trying to find love
But is not enough
You are trying to live your own life
But your life is not yours
Your life is mine
I am waiting for you to realize who you are
You don’t know who you are yet
That why you keep taking the same test
Are you understanding me
Do you see what I see
When you stand in front of me
I got to strip you of everything
I got to take off your clothes
I got to take off your mask
Now at last
I see the person I created
Walk the way I chosen you to walk
Represent me in your talk
Be what I created you to be
You are to be like me
That is your true identity
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Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 1:32 pm
Saturday October 6th
Gifts from the Father
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17
God created the heavens and the earth in the beginning, but His fatherly work did not end there. When we confess the Creed, we are confessing that God has made us and that He is the giver of a multitude of gifts that sustain us in this body and life. We start by reflecting on our bodies, with their members crafted by God to function for our good. Indeed, we are wonderfully made! Consider the intricacy of God’s handiwork in knitting us together for life as His creatures.
Encircling the bodily gifts of organs, limbs, reason, and senses are the gifts of food, clothing, family, and shelter, for God richly surrounds us with all that we need to support our bodily life. God is also intimately at work to guard and defend, protect and preserve us from all evil, for He is our Father.
All of His gifts are poured out on us, not because we have deserved them, but because it is the very nature of our God to give. We know God is a gracious donor from His Son, whom our Father sent to redeem us in body and soul.
Teach me, Father, to receive all that I am and all that I have as a gift of Your love. Amen.
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Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 1:38 pm
Sunday October 7th
True God and True Man
You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Who do you say that Jesus is? This is the question that echoes throughout history. The answer to this question separates faith from unbelief. There can be no waffling here. Either Jesus is who the Father says He is, the beloved Son, or He is an impostor—or worse. Every true Christian creed is an unpacking of Peter’s simple confession that the man Jesus is the Christ, God’s Son.
Jesus is flesh and blood, but flesh and blood did not reveal to Peter who Jesus is. This was revealed by the Father, as His voice declared over the waters of the Jordan: “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). The descent of the Spirit marked Jesus as the Christ, God’s Messiah. Now Peter says of Jesus what the Father says of Him. What we say of Jesus is only true and certain as we repeat what His Father tells us of Him.
Luther says that we cannot draw God too deeply into the flesh. We see just how deeply God comes to us in the person of the One who made Himself to be our Brother and Savior. He took into Himself our created flesh. Begotten of the Father from all eternity, Christ Jesus is born of a virgin to be our Immanuel, God with us.
Lord Jesus, enliven me to confess You boldly as the Son of God and Savior of the world. Amen.
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Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 4:21 am
Monday October 8th
Bought Back
You were ransomed . . . not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 1 Peter 1:18–19
A person who cannot pay his mortgage or car loan may have his house or auto repossessed. In the ancient world, a person who still owed a debt after his property was repossessed was himself repossessed and made a slave. He received no wages; his release was possible only if a relative paid his debt and so ransomed him.
Sin enslaves us. Sin gives us over to Satan and death. An old hymn says it well: “Fast bound in Satan’s chains I lay; Death brooded darkly o’er me” (LSB 556:2). Jesus came into the flesh to pay the bill that we could not afford. He came to redeem us, buy us back, not with cash but with a commodity far more precious, His blood. He goes to the cross as the Lamb of God weighted down with the load of our sin. There He dies our death. Raised from the grave, He lives to free us from sin, death, and the devil.
Jesus exercises His lordship by becoming a servant who does for us what we could not do for ourselves. He redeems us. By His blood, we are free to live in Him.
Lord Jesus, thank You for the gift of redemption, which You purchased and won for me by Your innocent suffering and death. Amen.
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Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 9:40 am
Something's Wrong
Check out the following announcements found in church bulletins:
o Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.
o The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
o Low Self-Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 p.m. Please use the back door.
o The church will host an evening of fine dining, superb entertainment and gracious hostility.
o The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the church basement Friday at 7 p.m. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
And check out the following blunders found on billboards and signs:
o At a restaurant-gas station: Eat here and get gas.
o Found on the sign of a New Mexico dry cleaning store: Thirty-eight years on the same spot.
o Inside an L.A. dance hall: Good clean dancing every night but Sunday.
o On a sign in front of a New York convalescent home: For the sick and tired of the Episcopal church.
o Sign in a clothing store: Wonderful bargains for men with 16 and 17 necks.
o On a highway in Ohio: Drive slower when wet.
Something's definitely wrong in all of the announcements and signs listed above. Though each was written by someone with the best intentions, we laugh at the mistakes made and find humor in how the finished product reads.
The best intentions don't make something right. Even good people with the best intentions don't make something right. For validation of your morality and the decisions you make on a daily basis, don't look to those around you. Look only to Jesus Christ.
Know It!
God is your absolute and ultimate source of Truth. With His Holy Spirit working in your life, He can help you discern what's wrong with a situation you may feel questionable about. He can help you split fantasy from reality. And He'll help you discipline your good intentions into godly plans.
Read It!
Matthew 5:18; John 3:3; John 14:6; John 16:13.
Pray It!
Instead of simply accepting everything you hear from someone with good intentions, pray for God's Spirit to show you real Truth in all you hear.
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