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5 Verses to Help You Conquer Doubt and Fear

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I’ve always been a perfectionist. Even as a kid, I wanted to be great at things on my very first try, and I would get so frustrated when I messed up or struggled. As I’ve grown in my faith, I’ve seen those same tendencies flare up time and time again. I sin, I repent, and then I sin again. And then, I get frustrated with myself, because shouldn’t I have learned this lesson the first time? Shouldn’t I be a better follower of Jesus who doesn’t keep messing up and forgetting what He taught? There have been times where my mistakes and my failures have led me down a path of seriously doubting my faith and my salvation. Could Jesus still save even a wandering, struggling sinner like me? Would He even want to? Maybe you’ve asked some of the same questions. Maybe you’ve felt the fear of wondering if you are truly saved or if God could truly love you despite what you’ve done. Maybe you’ve doubted who God is or what He says about who you are. There are seasons of life where all Christian...
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When Did Jesus See Satan "Fall Like Lightning"?

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In one of the more enigmatic verses in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells His disciples, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven" ( Luke 10:18 ). The question isn't about the  what  of Jesus' statement. It's clear that Satan is under judgment. Rather, the confusion is over the  when  of the statement. It might sound like a reference to when Satan  became  Satan, before the garden of Eden-abandoning his status among God's heavenly host-but that conclusion would be too hasty We basically have three options when it comes to figuring out the timing of Satan's fall: before, during or after Jesus' own time. Many people have offered opinions. Perhaps the most common interpretation is that Jesus is seeing or remembering the original fall of Satan. This option makes little sense in context. Prior to the statement, Jesus had sent out the disciples to heal and preach that the kingdom of God had drawn near to them ( Luke 10:1-9 ). They return amazed and excit...
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5 Most Important Teachings of the Bible

I often take the Bible for granted, yet in the Middle Eastern country where I live, millions of people have never even seen one. My friend Leyla had never held a Bible in her hands before. “Can I see that?” she asked.  As I gave her my Bible and watched her open it for the first time, I got goosebumps. She wanted to learn more about it, so I spent 10 minutes walking her through the Old and New Testaments, including the Psalms and prophetic books. Listening to Leyla read Scripture for the first time ever took my breath away: “In the beginning God created…”   ( Gen. 1:1 ) “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ…”  ( Matt. 1:1 ) “The Lord is my Shepherd, I lack nothing…”  ( Psalm 23:1 ) Psalm 23  mesmerized both of us as she read it aloud. “How beautiful,” she marveled. I felt grateful for this opportunity God gave me to see the Bible in a new light through someone else’s eyes.  What makes the Bible unique? My experience with m...
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