A Florida photographer finds mystery couple in engagement photos after eight-year search
Fifth-grader receives surprise recognition for paying off fellow students’ lunch debt
The path to personal peace
By Greg Laurie ”You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” - Isaiah 26:3 If you want to overcome fear and worry, then you need right thinking. In other words, think about what you think about. We’re told in Philippians 4:8, “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (NLT). If you want personal peace, this is where it begins. Why is the mind important? It’s command central. With our minds we reach to the past through memories, and we reach to the future through imagination. We need to learn how to think properly and biblically. As 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, “We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ” (NLT). The next time you’re troubled, you might try talking to yourself. We need to tell ourselves to think biblically, because it doesn’t always come naturally. For example, we see the writer’s despair in Psalm 42: “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad?” But then the writer continues, “I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!” (verses 5–6 NLT). Many of the Psalms are songs and prayers. They … [Read more...]
The Reason For The Season: Day 24
As Christmas approaches, the Baptist Message team invites you to pause daily from the hustle and bustle of life to focus on the Reason for the reason. Join us in a 24-day challenge to read through the Gospel of Luke to get a greater understanding of Jesus’ birth, ministry, death and resurrection. Day 24: Luke 23 (NKJV) ================================== Jesus Handed Over to Pontius Pilate 1 Then the whole multitude of them arose and led Him to Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.” 3 Then Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” He answered him and said, “It is as you say.” 4 So Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no fault in this Man.” 5 But they were the more fierce, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.” Jesus Faces Herod 6 When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked if the Man were a Galilean. 7 And as soon as he knew that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time. 8 Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for … [Read more...]
The Reason For The Season: Day 23
As Christmas approaches, the Baptist Message team invites you to pause daily from the hustle and bustle of life to focus on the Reason for the reason. Join us in a 24-day challenge to read through the Gospel of Luke to get a greater understanding of Jesus’ birth, ministry, death and resurrection. Day 23: Luke 22 (NKJV) ================================== Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus 1 Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, 2 and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. 3 Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. 4 And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. 5 They were delighted and agreed to give him money. 6 He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present. The Last Supper 7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.” 9 “Where do you want us to prepare for it?” they asked. 10 He replied, “As you enter the city, … [Read more...]
The Reason For The Season: Day 22
As Christmas approaches, the Baptist Message team invites you to pause daily from the hustle and bustle of life to focus on the Reason for the reason. Join us in a 24-day challenge to read through the Gospel of Luke to get a greater understanding of Jesus’ birth, ministry, death and resurrection. Day 22: Luke 21 (NKJV) ================================== The Widow’s Offering 1 As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times 5 Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, 6 “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.” 7 “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?” 8 He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For … [Read more...]
The Reason For The Season: Day 21
As Christmas approaches, the Baptist Message team invites you to pause daily from the hustle and bustle of life to focus on the Reason for the reason. Join us in a 24-day challenge to read through the Gospel of Luke to get a greater understanding of Jesus’ birth, ministry, death and resurrection. Day 21: Luke 20 (NKJV) ================================== The Authority of Jesus Questioned 1 One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him. 2 “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?” 3 He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me: 4 John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin?” 5 They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered, “We don’t know where it was from.” 8 Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.” The Parable of the Tenants 9 He went on to tell the people this … [Read more...]
The two most unlikely people
By Waylon Bailey Were there ever two more unlikely people than Joseph and Mary? Is there any more improbable event than the birth of Jesus Christ? Joseph and Mary were peasants from an obscure village in an obscure part of the world. Only the events of of the birth of Jesus Christ could have made them known by anyone other than a few hundred people over their entire lifetimes. At the same time, some of the most recognizable people of history lived at the same time. We all know the name Julius Caesar. He lived in the generation prior to the birth of Jesus Christ. His great nephew and adoptive son was Caesar Augustus. Augustus was named Octavian but received the name “Augustus” from the Roman Senate. The word august means grand, lofty or exalted. At the death of Octavian the Romans proclaimed him as a god as they had Julius Caesar. And as they did with Julius Caesar, they named a month of the Julian calendar after Augustus (August). Octavian at first shared power with Mark Antony and one other ruler. At the Battle of Actium in 31 BC, he defeated the navy of Antony and Cleopatra (the ruler of Egypt). All of these were people of high status and unbridled power. God chose not to use the mighty of the world but the … [Read more...]
The Reason For The Season: Day 20
As Christmas approaches, the Baptist Message team invites you to pause daily from the hustle and bustle of life to focus on the Reason for the reason. Join us in a 24-day challenge to read through the Gospel of Luke to get a greater understanding of Jesus’ birth, ministry, death and resurrection. Day 20: Luke 19 (NKJV) ================================== Zacchaeus the Tax Collector 1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” 8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has … [Read more...]
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