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f94598b
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Yanked out of the present, Adam discovered the richness of the past in people's stories.
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presentism
history
urgency
discipleship
listening
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Randy Alcorn |
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f64b124
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We don't believe 'in the power of prayer,' but in our all-powerful God who empowers our inherently powerless prayers." --Burk Parsons"
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Randy Alcorn |
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30a14cd
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Reality's such a pain sometimes, you know?
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Randy Alcorn |
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1e4a897
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Perhaps parents' greatest heritage to pass on to their children is the ability to perceive the multitude of God's daily blessings and to respond with continual gratitude. We should be "abounding in thanksgiving" (Colossians 2:7)."
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Randy Alcorn |
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85fe26c
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The more I study nature, the more I stand amazed at the work of the Creator." --Louis Pasteur" --
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Randy Alcorn |
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e31ba63
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God is the highest good of the reasonable creature, and the enjoyment of him is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. To go to heaven fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, children, or the company of earthly friends, are but shadows. But the enjoyment of God is the substance. These are but scattered beams, but God is the sun. These are b..
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Randy Alcorn |
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3fdc725
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If we take God's Word seriously, we should avoid debt when possible. In those rare cases where we go into debt, we should make every effort to get out as soon as we can. We should never undertake debt without prayerful consideration and wise counsel. Our questions should be, Why go into debt? Is the risk called for? Will the benefits of becoming servants to the lender really outweigh the costs? What should we ask ourselves before going into..
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Randy Alcorn |
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a589507
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We can't surrender to the culture. We've minimized the role of fathers, so we've created a generation of barbarians, children who become men without growing up. They stay in boyhood through their 20s and 30s, sometimes their whole lives. They think of themselves first, indulge in pornography, do what they feel like, leave their wives, and culture, and churches to raise their children.
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heritage
parenthood
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Randy Alcorn |
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5d19dbf
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Our society holds to youthfulness with a white-knuckled grip. Ultimately it's all in vain. But the gospel promises us eternal youthfulness in God's presence.
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Randy Alcorn |
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cd5aa5e
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The fear of God is the death of every other fear; like a mighty lion, it chases all other fears before it." --Charles Spurgeon"
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Randy Alcorn |
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331441a
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Christ is the desire of nations, the joy of angels, the delight of the Father. What solace then must that soul be filled with, that has the possession of Him to all eternity!" --John Bunyan"
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Randy Alcorn |
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2ec5270
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Dr. Martin Luther King said, 'If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare composed poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, "Here lived a great street sweeper, who did his job well."
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Randy Alcorn |
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42ee463
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Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above" (James 1:17)."
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Randy Alcorn |
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af48d48
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Jesus came not only to save spirits from damnation. That would have been, at most, a partial victory. No, he came to save his whole creation from death. That means our bodies too, not just our spirits. It means the earth, not just humanity. And it means the universe, not just the earth. Christ's
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Randy Alcorn |
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737fda8
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There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, 'All right, then, have it your way.'" --C. S. Lewis"
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Randy Alcorn |
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d3cc945
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God is the Audience of One. There are no secrets from Him.
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Randy Alcorn |
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a122bfb
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He opened the first letter, No "Dear Mr. Woods." It was a page full of profanities. There was something oddly refreshing about honest, to-the-point hate mail. No hypocrisy and forced politeness. Too many letters ripped you to shreds, then closed off 'Sincerely yours."
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humor
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Randy Alcorn |
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a60a702
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We don't pretend all is well. But knowing God's commands to rejoice in him through his all-sufficient power, we meditate on his Word and call on him to impart his gladness to us. In time God exchanges our natural responses with his supernatural, joy-giving presence. Sometimes sorrow and joy do battle; sometimes they coexist, but when our hearts and minds are on Christ, joy is never far away:
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Randy Alcorn |
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2acc381
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My father, Li Tong, used to say, 'Church leader who does not believe in God is like barefoot shoe salesman.' We call our bureau leader the Caiaphas of China." "What does that mean?" "You remember Caiaphas from the Bible?" "No." "Did someone take your Bible from you?" "No. It's on my shelf. Remember? I've got three of them." "Perhaps Ben Fielding should give two away and then start reading the other one."
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Randy Alcorn |
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f42a3c2
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If God were to end history and reign forever in a distant Heaven, Earth would be remembered as a graveyard of sin and failure. Instead, Earth will be redeemed and resurrected. In the end it will be a far greater world, even for having gone through the birth pains of suffering and sin--yes, even sin. The New Earth will justify the old Earth's disaster, make good out of it, putting it in perspective. It will preserve and perpetuate Earth's or..
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Randy Alcorn |
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b4e90f8
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Anyone who waits for happiness will never be happy.
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Randy Alcorn |
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af905e7
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God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7). This doesn't mean we should give only when we're feeling cheerful. The cheerfulness often comes during and after the act of obedience, not before it. So don't wait until you feel like giving--it could be a long wait! Just give and watch the joy follow."
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Randy Alcorn |
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2100d5b
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Pride is spiritual cancer: it eats up the very possibility of love, or contentment, or even common sense." --C. S. Lewis"
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Randy Alcorn |
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75791f1
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When hard times come, people should lose their faith in false doctrine, not in God.
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Randy Alcorn |
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8ee1ad3
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Sin and death and suffering and war and poverty are not natural--they are the devastating results of our rebellion against God. We long for a return to Paradise--a perfect world, without the corruption of sin, where God walks with us and talks with us in the cool of the day.
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Randy Alcorn |
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5d668f0
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If your faith is based on lack of affliction, it's on the brink of extinction and is only a frightening diagnosis or a shattering phone call away from collapse. Token faith will not survive suffering. Nor should it.
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Randy Alcorn |
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7aa76c5
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If I promised you a new car, would you say, "If it's new, it probably won't have an engine, a transmission, doors, wheels, or windows"? No, you'd never make such assumptions. Why? Because if a new car didn't have these things, it wouldn't be a car. Likewise, when Scripture speaks of a new Earth (2 Peter 3, and Revelation 21), we can expect that it will be a far better version of the old Earth, but it will truly be Earth."
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Randy Alcorn |
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0d44be4
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To procrastinate obedience is to disobey God.
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tithing
stewardship
discipline
procrastination
obedience
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Randy Alcorn |
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0e82982
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The opportunities for using our financial resources to spread the gospel and strengthen the church all over the world are greater than they've ever been. As God raised up Esther for just such a time as hers, I'm convinced he's raise us up, with all our wealth, to help fulfill the great commission. The question is, what are we doing with that money? Our job is to make sure it gets to his intended recipients.
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wealth
opportunity
stewardship
missions
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Randy Alcorn |
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e19ca16
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British preacher Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) said, "Those who are 'beloved of the Lord' must be the most happy and joyful people to be found anywhere upon the face of the earth."
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Randy Alcorn |
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b312603
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Delaying giving as a strategy for future kingdom building is risky. We could hold on to assets out of fear of letting go or unwillingness to surrender control to the Lord. As long as money lies within our grasp, there's not only the danger that we'll lose the assets, but also that we'll change our minds or be seduced by the status, prestige, and recognition of controlling (or having our name attached to the distribution of) what belongs to ..
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end-of-life-giving
donation
inheritance
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Randy Alcorn |
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8a3abee
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So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18, NIV)."
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Randy Alcorn |
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7ce4bb7
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Spurgeon used his wit to provoke laughter in private and in public. He said in one of his sermons, "If by a laugh I can make men see the folly of an error better than in any other way, they shall laugh."
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Randy Alcorn |
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303b9f6
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There have been times when I think we do not desire heaven but more often I find myself wondering whether, in our heart of hearts, we have ever desired anything else. C. S. Lewis
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Randy Alcorn |
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296e78d
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If you hope for happiness in the world, hope for it from God, and not from the world." --David Brainerd"
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Randy Alcorn |
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9a44284
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Lord Foulgrin: "You must not let him see Charis as a place of learning, exploration, duties, travel, companionship, banquets, celebrations, and productive work. A low view of heaven is our ace in the hole." (conspiring to bring Fletcher down after salvation)"
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heaven
inspiration
truth
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Randy Alcorn |
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dc05aba
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Foulgrin: "If you can keep Fletcher from saying a definitive no to a temptation, you've won. Whatever is not a no is merely a postponed yes." (advice to the tempter Squaltaint)"
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faith
inspiration
truth
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Randy Alcorn |
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2bdf14d
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To the baby who dies it makes no difference whether those who refused to protect her were proabortion or merely prochoice.
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Randy Alcorn |
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1d8ccbd
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We should remember Christ's words, 'Let nothing be wasted,' when we look in our refrigerators and garbage cans and garages.
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christianity
stewardship
waste
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Randy Alcorn |
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9518986
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We will look into God's eyes and see what we've always longed to see: the person who made us for his own good pleasure. Seeing God will be like seeing everything else for the first time. Why? Because not only will we see God, he will be the lens through which we see everything else--other people, ourselves, and the events of our earthly lives.
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Randy Alcorn |
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8017773
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If we realize we're undeserving, suddenly the world comes alive. Instead of whining about everything that goes wrong, we're surprised at God's many kindnesses, and our hearts overflow with thanks.
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Randy Alcorn |
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b80d396
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When Yesu is everything to you, it is impossible not to speak of him.
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Randy Alcorn |
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38402d8
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Do we seek happiness because we're sinners or because we're human? Should faith in God be dragged forward by duty or propelled by delight? Must we choose between holiness and happiness?
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Randy Alcorn |
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af53c2d
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An obedient man is free when in prison," Quan said. "A disobedient man is imprisoned when free."
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Randy Alcorn |