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Honoring Parents in the New Testament by James R. Coggins

The fifth of the “Ten Commandments�� (Exodus 20:12: “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you) is affirmed in the New Testament. In Mark 7, Jesus criticized the Pharisees and teachers of the law for finding a way around this commandment. “Honoring” parents has many aspects, but one aspect is making sure their physical needs are met as…

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Perseverance: Standing Firm in Faith

Perseverance is a virtue that is often tested in our daily lives. I know I’ve been struggling lately with multiple book deadlines that have dominated most of my time. At times, perseverance can feel as if you’re climbing a mountain. As my husband is fond of saying when faced with difficult situations. Whether we face personal struggles, professional challenges, or spiritual trials, the ability…

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@ChristiansRead article by Vicki Hinze

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Because You Can v Because You Should by Vicki Hinze

At times, we’re all caught between what we can do and what we should do. All too often, it’s hard to tell the difference. It is an instinctive thing, wanting to help those who need it.  Whether it is our spouse, our child, a friend, or some stranger we encounter who needs a lift. It’s especially hard when it’s our child.  We want better for them than we had.  We want to smooth their path in…

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The Faith of Children by Peggy Webb

At our little country on a cold Sunday night before Christmas, our small group of children did a pageant that surely ranked right up there with The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. The donkey got into a fight with the sheep, Joseph rocked out with an imaginary electric guitar to “Go Tell It on the Mountain; the star got sleepy and yawned during the whole song; Mary and the Littlest Angel belted the…

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Rivers of Living Water

News Flash – Thank God for the Israel/Hamas Hostage Release agreement. May it move forward and be perfectly completed. The Jordan River divides Jordan (photo #1) from Israel (photo #2). Both countries share the river which is divided by a rope carrying brown floats visible in photo #1. The rise of our world’s civilizations depended on rivers. It still does. That’s especially true in the Middle…

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Words for a Marriage by James R. Coggins

When my wife and I got married forty-six years ago, friends, family members, and church members gave us a wide variety of much needed gifts, helping us to get established as we set out to build a life and a family together. Along with the gifts were cards, and often the cards had handwritten Bible verses on them. People did that in those days. They knew the Bible (better than most people today)…

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Honoring Parents by James R. Coggins

“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:12 NIV). In our individualistic society, we tend to interpret the fifth of the Ten Commandments in an individual way. We think it means that if I personally honor my parents, then God will reward me with a long life. But this commandment was part of the covenant between God and…

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Listening Above the Noise

Each year has its lessons. Some are harder than others. 2024 had plenty for my husband and me. Last year, we put our home on the market and planned to sell it and move to Colorado. This would be a major move for us. All our previous moves have been in Texas and usually within a fifty-mile radius. But Colorado has been a dream of ours and we believed the timing was right. When the house went…

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Be perfect. Read the Jesus Parts! (In scripture)

The new year is upon us, spurring thoughts of resolutions. What to do? Shall we pray more? Be kinder? Walk more? Eat less? Maybe we all take a deep breath and relax. We can do it all, however, perfectly. Yes, I said that. Ever anxious me is an advocate of deep breathing, though, as it calms the body. Grace builds upon nature, too, not the best foundations I grant you. Human beings have a…

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Choices in the New Year by Nancy J. Farrier

Photo by Vladislav Babienko on Unsplash Many people believe the New Year means a new start, and it often can mean that. After all, every day brings a new chance to change for the better. We can put off old habits and choose to be better, kinder people. New starts or change doesn’t happen without work though. We must focus on the choices we make and decide deep within to follow God’s path…

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A Fabulous 2025 by Tara Randel

I can’t believe it’s another new year! Everyone says time passes quickly, but the last month sure flew by. After celebrating the holidays and just returning from a camping trip to usher in the new year, I have a few thoughts. First, I hope 2025 is a fabulous year for all. I don’t make resolutions, but I do have goals I strive to keep each year. This year, my top issues are: Bible Study. I love…

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Classic Messages by James R. Coggins

Over the holidays, my wife and I again took advantage of the opportunity to watch two classic movies— A Christmas Carol (the Alistair Sim version released in 1951 and based on the Charles Dickens novel of 1843) and It’s a Wonderful Life (1946). Both of these movies have endured, not only because of their production values, but also because of the themes they addressed. They are profoundly…

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Ready or Not It's 2025! by Vicki Hinze

2025 is Upon Us.  That makes the question, “What will we do with it?” When the door opens on a new year, new opportunities open, too.  Those opportunities usually require action.  So what can one do to make this your best year yet? ACCEPT WHAT IS.  Last year is gone.  For some it was good. For others it wasn’t. For most of us it was a mixed bag of ups and downs, good and bad times, and it held…

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Words for Christmas Day by James R. Coggins

As has been my custom at Christmas in recent years, I offer today a couple of my poems. Since no one has time to read blogs at Christmas, it is the perfect time to share poetry, since no one reads poetry anymore anyway. It is my gift to you, either the gift of poetry to read or the gift of time if you do not read. May your Christmas be blessed nevertheless. The Visitation It is expected that a…

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And Heaven Held Its Breath!

The angels have been part of Jesus’s life from the beginning until the end. From Gabriel announcing His upcoming birth to Mary to the shepherds hearing the news of the Savior being born in the City of David. I like to imagine the angels, silent witnesses to the events that would change human history down on earth, watching and holding their breaths as the long-awaited moment happened. A Baby’s…

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Merry Christmas from Tara Randel

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas. My hope is that we all slow down, enjoy precious time with family and friends and remember Jesus being born in a manger for you and me. There is so much about this time of year to celebrate! Before long we’ll be looking to next year, which is a different conversation all together! There is so much to be excited about and it starts by thanking the Lord for all…