Author: Brian W. Smith
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On Becoming a Pharisee
(Based on Luke 6:1-11) Jesus stood on the edge of the grain field with His disciples standing behind Him. He stared back at the group of Pharisees, a Jewish religious sect, even as they confronted Him in anger. They were demanding to know why the disciples were doing something on the Sabbath day that was…
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Praying About Forgiveness
You, Lord Jesus, have the ultimate control over my life through Your Word and the power of the Holy Spirit. No one is going to snatch me out of Your hand, causing me to give up on You…
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“God Hears Our Cries”
(Based on Psalm 40:1-5, 11-17) When you have waited a long time for an answer to a prayer and have not seen it, faith can deteriorate into doubt, and questioning God can become a problem. I have gone through this over a period of many years, finding myself at times questioning God’s goodness and grace.…
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What Brings Mercy to a Nation?
God, through Ezekiel, calls for the people of Israel to repent from sin to avoid destruction. This message parallels warnings to modern America, emphasizing the need to turn from idolatry, sexual immorality, and political idolization. True salvation and hope lie in repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, rather than worldly distractions.
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Why Warn People About Sin?
People who read my blog may well find themselves asking “Why does he write warnings about sin?” I can assure you I don’t do it to make myself look or feel more righteous, because if I do, I’m seeking to justify myself before God and other people, and I know that doesn’t work. I just…
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Why God Destroyed Whole Cities
(Based on Genesis 19) Why would a loving, compassionate, and merciful God completely destroy two whole cities full of people through such a drastic means as fire and brimstone from heaven? This is a question that has troubled Jewish and Christian scholars for centuries, even as they studied the Genesis 19 account of the destruction…
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What Kind of Time are we Living In?
Thoughts from Acts 4:13-31. When I read this passage, I think of what the apostles were facing when they stood before the Sanhedrin, who were demanding to know where they got the power from to effect the healing of the lame man who was over 40 years old. They weren’t well-educated men; they were fishermen.…
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God’s Unending Promise to Israel in the Face of Rising Anti-Semitism
Rocket attacks by Hamas from the Gaza Strip. Threats by the Iranian government. Mainline Protestant churches in the U.S. calling for boycotting, divestiture, and sanctioning against Israel and its economy. All in the name of promoting peace in the Middle East by forcing Israel to give up land, including East Jerusalem, to the Palestinians. This…
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A Final Warning to Those Trying to Change Me
November 16, 2022 What happens when you find yourself the target of an all-out effort to turn you into the total opposite of everything you are? This is what I’ve been going through with members of this “woke cancel culture” and the LGBTQ+ activists among them. God has something to say to this. Beginning the…
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Hydrogen Fueled EVs: The Best Solution to the Fossil Fuel-Exhaust Emission Problem
Amidst the growing calls for more Americans to buy or lease electric vehicles, whether they can afford them or not, there is something being left out of the discussion by government, media, and the general public. That is the matter of what fuels the batteries powering the electric motors in these vehicles which then requires…
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