March 18, 2024

A disciple of Jesus Christ in any generation will not be religiously or politically correct. Most worldly values, philosophies, and pleasures are opposed to what God deems to be true or appropriate. We all need God’s grace and the power of His Holy Spirit to boldly stand up for Jesus and the truth that is in God’s word. Please open your Bible to Mark chapter thirteen, and listen as Pastor Ray Viola completes his study of verses seven through thirteen.

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March 18, 2024

A disciple of Jesus Christ in any generation will not be religiously or politically correct. Most worldly values, philosophies, and pleasures are opposed to what God deems to be true or appropriate. We all need God’s grace and the power of His Holy Spirit to boldly...

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March 15, 2024

Satan has always opposed God’s plans and purposes. Therefore, Satan’s persecution of God’s people has been evident throughout world history. Jesus warned His disciples that they would face intensified persecution after He ascended into heaven and just before He would...

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March 14. 2024

In the Olivet discourse, Jesus admonished His disciples to watch, and He also warned them not to be deceived. Those imperatives are still important for us today as we draw ever closer to Jesus’ second coming. God’s eternal plans and purposes are going to be fulfilled,...

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March 13, 2024

Do you know that the Bible contains more prophecies about Jesus’ second coming than those that concerned His first coming? Today, Pastor Ray Viola will begin the study of the Olivet discourse in which Jesus told His disciples about the destruction of their beautiful...

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March 12, 2024

    The poor widow that gave all that she had to God stands in a stark constrast to our modern what’s-in-it-for-me culture that has even crept into the Church. Though her offering was small, her love for and devotion to God was rich in the Lord’s eyes....

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March 11, 2024

Jesus’ enemies spent so much time trying to trap Him in His words, that they missed Who He really is: God’s only begotten Son. Similarly, too many people get all tangled up with questions about the Bible that have no real bearing on their eternal destiny. The...

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March 1, 2024

In today’s passage, the conflict between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders had reached its peak. They demanded to know by what authority Jesus did His miracles, but Jesus deflected their question with a question of His own. By doing so, the query that was...

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February 29, 2024

Are there mountains in your life today? Know that faith in Jesus can help move those mountains, because He is able to do exceedingly and abundantly beyond what we could ever ask or think. Some of life’s obstacles arise from unforgiveness and bitterness. Faith and...

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February 28, 2024

Near the end of His earthly life, Jesus talked to His disciples about a faith in God that can move mountains. His twofold exhortation was simple and to the point: If you are going to follow Jesus as Lord, then you must have faith in God and walk in forgiveness of...

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February 27,2024

Following His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Jesus went to the Temple to cleanse it from the money changers that were exploiting God’s people. He rebuked the religious leaders for their fruitless lives. They were going through the motions of observing a religious...

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February 26, 2024

When Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey, many believed that the Messiah had come to deliver them from Roman oppression. They were only half-right. Jesus was the Messiah, but He came to deliver them from powers that were more oppressive than Rome: sin and...

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February 23, 2024

After healing Bartimaeus’ blindness, Jesus told him to go his way, for his faith had made him whole. However, Bartimaeus did not forget about Jesus and go his own way. Instead, Bartimaeus followed Jesus as He headed toward Jerusalem and the cross. We also should...

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February 22, 2024

Bartimaeus was one of many blind people that Jesus healed. Before he received his physical eyesight, Bartimaeus had received spiritual insight, for he called Jesus by one of His messianic titles: The Son of David. Because of his faith in Jesus, Bartemaeus received his...

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February 21, 2024

One word captures Jesus’ definition of greatness, and that word is servant. A servant is a slave that is in a permanent relationship of subjugation to another. A servant’s will is altogether consumed in the will of the one that he or she serves. In other words, a...

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February 20, 2024

God created us with a desire to be great. However, greatness that was both taught and modeled by Jesus stands in stark contrast with what today’s world considers it to be. Please open your Bible to Mark chapter ten, and listen as Pastor Ray Viola explains what...

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February 19, 2024

Jesus’ gift of eternal life is free, because Jesus paid the price for our sins. However, Jesus demands a full surrender to Him that includes a cross and promises persecution. May God grant us the ability to live our lives in a way that glorifies Him! Please open your...

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February 16, 2024

In today’s study, Jesus confronted a moral, wealthy young man. Though he was moral, something kept him from surrendering completely to Jesus—his great wealth. Is there something in your life that is preventing you from completely surrendering to Jesus? Please open...

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February 15, 2024

Statistically, many of you listening today have experienced the pain of divorce, either in your own marriage or growing up in a household that became divided by divorce. Only the Spirit of God and His word can bring the healing, clarity, and hope that one needs after...

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February 14, 2024

Marriage, divorce, and remarriage are subjects of great controversy within the Church. Using Scripture as our textbook, Pastor Ray Viola will address these critical issues head-on. Please open your Bible to Mark chapter ten, and follow along as Pastor Ray begins his...

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February 13, 2024

Jesus told His followers that they were the salt of the earth. Just as eating salty food makes a person thirsty, Jesus redeemed us to create a thirst in others for Him and His kingdom. Please open your Bible to Mark chapter nine, and listen as Pastor Ray Viola...

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February 12, 2024

In the ancient world, salt was used as a preservative, medicine, and as a flavor enhancer in food. Metaphorically, this is what Jesus wants Christians to be in our modern culture. Regardless of your vocation or location, Jesus wants you to have a salty influence on...

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February 9, 2024

Being saved by grace and through faith in Jesus means that we are the salt of the earth. Being salt means that we should be influential in a corrupt world system. We should be stepping stones that lead to Jesus, not stumbling stones. Please open your Bible to Mark...

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February 8, 2024

In today’s study, Jesus makes it clear that, despite being saved by grace, we must still endeavor to root sin out of our lives. Jesus wants His followers to be holy and to walk circumspectly. We are His witnesses to a lost and dying world. Please open your Bible to...

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February 7, 2024

Does unity in Christ mean that believers do not need to be confronted about their sins or that there are not religious frauds that need to be exposed? Absolutely not! No Christian or church is absolutely perfect. Scripture contains many examples of Jesus and the...

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February 6, 2024

God’s grace and His Holy Spirit form a bond among all born-again believers to each other and to Jesus. Because Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and He rose from the grave for our justification, we should not let differences in administrations, operations, and...

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February 5, 2024

Jesus rebuked His disciples for their sectarian attitude towards a man that was casting out demons, even though he was not one of them. This sectarian spirit exists today. While distinctions and a diversity of gifts exist within the Body of Christ, sectarian divisions...

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February 2, 2024

Jesus is building one body comprising many members. Just as our physical bodies have many different parts, so too does the Body of Christ. All contribute to the wholeness of the Body, but the individual functions are diverse. Please open your Bible to Mark chapter...

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February 1, 2024

Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Never sacrifice your faith in the living words of Jesus on the altar of human reasoning or systematic, dispensational theology. Such philosophies attempt to explain away the availability of God’s miracle-working power...

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January 31, 2024

After Jesus healed a demon-possessed boy, His disciples asked Him why they were unable to help the boy, because Jesus had previously empowered them to cast out demons. Jesus told them that their failure was due to their unbelief and a lack of prayer and fasting. Never...

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January 30, 2024

John the Baptizer came to prepare the way for the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry. In a way, as Christians, we have a similar mission. Jesus commissioned us to tell the whole world that they can be made free from the power of sin through the blood of our...

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January 26, 2024

In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus’ transfiguration followed His commands for His followers to deny themselves and take up their crosses. Those that do, will also be similarly transfigured in eternity. However, this transformation begins at the very moment that a person repents...

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February 16, 2024

In today’s study, Jesus confronted a moral, wealthy young man. Though he was moral, something kept him from surrendering completely to Jesus—his great wealth. Is there something in your life that is preventing you from completely surrendering to Jesus? Please open...

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January 25, 2024

One day, Jesus took Peter, James, and John to the top of a mountain to pray. While they were praying, Jesus was transfigured before them, and Moses and Elijah joined Him. Peter wanted to erect a tabernacle for the three of them, but Jesus’ Father declared, “This is my...

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January 24, 2024

Picture yourself in a crowd listening to Jesus teach, and then He makes several challenging commands, such as, you must deny yourself to follow Me; you must take up your cross to follow Me; you will have to lose your life for the sake of the Gospel in order to find...

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January 23, 2024

Public altar calls at church or at envangelistic events are intended to be times for people to respond to the Lord after hearing the preaching of God’s word. In today’s passage Pastor Ray Viola will discuss one of Jesus’ altar calls, so to speak. Please open your...

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January 22, 2024

Whom do you say that Jesus is? Your answer will be reflected in not only what you say, but in how you live your life. Truly believing that Jesus is both Lord and Christ will bring about a change in your heart and a change of purpose in your life. Please open your...

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January 19, 2024

Jesus once asked His disciples, “Whom do you say that I am?” C. S. Lewis observed that there are only three possible answers to that question: Jesus was either a lunatic, a liar, or Lord and Christ. Please open your Bible to Mark chapter eight, and join Pastor Ray...

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January 18, 2024

Is Jesus Christ your Bead of Life? If so, the focus of your life should be on Him and not yourself. This means fellowshipping with Him frequently so that you might be able to serve Him effectively. He wants us to be His ambassadors to a lost and dying world, so that...

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January 17, 2024

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day angered Him, because they only sought to question, disrupt, and discredit Who He was. Like many hard-hearted skeptics, they had no intention of believing that Jesus was their Messiah. Don’t be like the Pharisees and Sadducees, seek...

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January 16, 2024

Are you facing a need in some area of your life? Perhaps Jesus has already helped you through a similar trial in the past. Regardless, remember that Jesus, our Emmanuel, is with you and in you, and working on your behalf, because He is a compassionate God. Please open...

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January 15, 2024

Today’s passage describes Jesus once again multiplying loaves and fishes. Unlike the first time that He performed such a miracle in a Jewish setting, Jesus did this miracle in a primarily Gentile setting. This shows that our Heavenly Father sent Jesus to be the Bread...

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January 12, 2024

Everywhere Jesus went, people with afflictions and diseases came to Him, or were brought to Him by caring friends. Jesus, because of His divine compassion, healed them to reveal His Father’s heart toward the people of this world, and to bring glory to His Father’s...

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January 11, 2024

Divine compassion moved Jesus to minister to the hurting, needy, and outcasts of society. Those acts of compassion glorified His Heavenly Father, Who is the God of Israel. When our hands, feet, or lips are moved with compassion, we too can bring glory to the God of...

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January 10, 2024

Do you have a son, daughter, or another loved one that is trapped in the vice of some sort of demonic power? If so, today’s study is tailor-made for you. Please open your Bible to Mark chapter seven, and join Pastor Ray Viola as he completes his study of verses...

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January 9, 2024

In today’s message, a Syro-Phoenician woman asked Jesus to heal her demon-possessed daughter. Though Jesus did not immediately heal the young girl, her mother’s humility before God and her great expression of faith caused Jesus to show her mercy, even though she was...

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January 8, 2024

According to Jesus, people are defiled by the sin in their hearts. A key indicator of what resides in our heart is what we say with our mouth. May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in the sight of God! Please open your Bible to...

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January 5, 2024

According to the religious teachers of Jesus’ day, the body could be defiled by what a person ate or drank or by eating with unwashed hands. However, Jesus said that only what came out of a person’s heart could defile him, not what they consumed. Learn more about...

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January 4, 2024

God looks on the heart; He is less concerned with outward appearances. In contrast, religionists tend to focus primarily on external appearances and works. This leads to bondage, fear, and spiritual emptiness. Give your heart to Jesus, and compassionate works of...

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January 3, 2024

Religion places an emphasis on outward appearances, but God places emphasis on our hearts, attitudes, and motives. The Pharisees of Jesus’ day zealously prayed, fasted, tithed, and observed holy days, but their hearts were far from God. Beware of becoming a follower...

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January 2, 2024

Like the church at Laodicea, modern churches are plagued by indifference of the heart. Moderate Christianity is becoming the norm. Instead of changing the world, the world is changing the Church. Jesus used a shocking mechanism to wake up this church. His rebuke was...

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January 1, 2024

Of the churches mentioned in Revelation, Jesus gave the Laodicean church the most mind-boggling evaluation. People in this materially prosperous church seemed satisfied with their comfortable lives. Though there was no mention of gross immorality, Jesus did not...

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December 28, 2023

The ancient city of Philadelphia was orginally intended to be a city that would spread Hellenism to the surrounding region. However, Christ used a small church congregation in that city as a missionary outpost to spread the Gospel to a lost and dying world. The love...

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December 28, 2023

Jesus gave the Holy Spirit to the Church. Jesus wants His churches and the people in them to be Spirit-filled and Spirit-led, not driven by the desires of men or guided by worldly precepts. In His letter to the church at Sardis, Jesus had to rebuke them for their dead...

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December 27, 2023

The victorious Christian life is not a passive one. Every message that Jesus gave to the church exhorted, commanded, and, in some cases, called to repentance. At the end of the day, however, we have the power to overcome only because the One that overcame on the cross...

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December 26, 2023

In His letters to seven Asian churches, Jesus made different promises to those whom He called overcomers within each church. In an inspired epistle, the Apostle John defined an overcomer is someone that believes that Jesus is the Son of God, meaning that they believe...

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December 25, 2023

Jesus sent a message to a church in Smyrna. He had high praise for them, because, though they were financially destitute, they were spiritually rich. Saints in Smyrna were persecuted and even martyred for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Accordingly, Jesus promised...

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December 22, 2023

In the book of Revelation, Jesus sent seven messages to seven different churches in Asia. In these messages, He revealed certain things about Himself to them, and He also gave them several promises. Please open your Bible to Revelation chapter two, verse one, and...

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December 21, 2023

Today’s passage contains John’s vision of Jesus. Imagine His glistening hair, His face shining brighter than the sun, Christ’s eyes as a flame of fire, His feet glowing as if in a furnace, and His thundering voice. What would you do if you had such an encounter with...

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December 20, 2023

Today’s passage is one of the most profound statements of the of deity of Jesus Christ in all of Scripture. It is a description of our Lord that fills our hearts with wonder, awe, and amazement. It is a description of our coming King. Please open your Bible to...

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December 19, 2023

Christians will be spared the final seven years of earthly upheaval, because they will be enjoying the marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven. After that joyous event, they will return with Jesus, Who will make a swift end of the Antichrist and his earthly kingdom....

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December 18, 2023

The devil is roaring today like a lion. The wicked seemingly hold all the reigns of power globally. However, we have great news for you today: He Who roars last WINS! The Prophet Joel proclaimed, “The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from...

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December 15, 2023

In His Olivet discourse, Jesus described the global upheaval that would occur in the last days, but then He gave us the Good News: When all the tribes of the world are mourning, then Jesus would return in power and great glory to destroy the powers of darkness and...

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December 14, 2023

John summarized Christmas for us in verse fourteen of the first chapter of his Gospel: The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. We pray that your celebration of...

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December 13, 2023

When John wrote his inspired Gospel, He wasted no time in getting to the main point: Jesus was in the beginning with God, and He was God. Furthermore, by Him all things were made. Then He reached out to those whom He created that they might become God’s children....

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December 12, 2023

The Gospel of Jesus Christ changes everything. We pray that, in the days ahead, God would reveal His glory to us. As He does this, it will transform us individually and corporately as the Body of Christ with God-glorifying, Gospel-based affections for Him, for one...

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December 11, 2023

At Christmastime we look back to Jesus Christ’s first coming as a baby born in Bethlehem, but we also look forward to His second coming when He will renew and redeem every part of fallen creation. The Christmas season is a time for remembering and rejoicing. Please...

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December 8, 2023

Every sinner can experience God’s love and saving grace when they call out to Jesus to forgive their sins. Likewise, when a person reaches out to touch Jesus in prayer, He will touch their pain, sickness, and suffering in a remarkable way, because He is compassionate....

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December 7, 2023

Imagine being in the grip of a long-term disease or emotional depression. Then, one day, you see Jesus, and, in faith, you reach out and touch the hem of His garment, and you are healed! This happened many times when Jesus walked the earth two thousand years ago. The...

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December 6, 2023

Many people followed Jesus, because they were interested in His miraculous blessings, but not His lordship. Have you repented of your sins and trusted Jesus, the Bread of Life, to be your Savior? If so, you have experienced the greatest miracle in the universe: A...

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December 5, 2023

One can find many spiritual truths in the miracles of the loaves and fishes. For example, when impossible situations arise in our lives, Jesus already has the answer. We need only give what little we have to Him in faith, and He can do the miraculous. Please open your...

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December 4, 2023

John the Baptizer was a Spirit-filled man that lived his life to glorify God, even when it resulted in his imprisonment and death. In contrast, King Herod lived his life according to his passions instead of his conscience. John, like all born-again believers, will...

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December 1, 2023

Today’s passage tells a tale of two men. John, the Baptizer, died for righteousness’ sake. King Herod was an immoral man, and he had John killed for speaking out against his sins. In eternity, John will receive a crown of life, but Heord will spend eternity in the...

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November 30, 2023

Christ purchased His followers with His precious blood for His glory. Our assignment is to represent Jesus’ life in everything that we do. May God grant us the grace to remember that we live to follow and please only One, and His name is Jesus. Please open your Bible...

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November 29, 2023

Near the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry, He returned to Nazareth. Many from His hometown still rejected Him, though many faithfully followed Him. Jesus taught His disciples by precept and example that following Him at times includes being rejected, despite being in...

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November 28, 2023

Are you or someone that you love in a seemingly impossible situation? Jesus told people in such circumstances to not be afraid: only believe. Whether your troubles are spiritual, financial, relational, or physical, one touch from Jesus can still make things right....

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November 27, 2023

Jesus healed many people that were hopelessly ill. Jairus’ daughter was at death’s door, and another woman had a long-standing bleeding problem that no doctors could fix. However, both had faith that a touch from Jesus could solve their problems—and they were right!...

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November 24, 2023

Our heavenly Father sent Jesus to destroy the works of the devil. In today’s passage, Jesus freed a man that was bound by a legion of demons. Jesus can still deliver people from the kingdom of darkness by the power of the Gospel that bears His name. Perhaps you, or...

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November 23, 2023

Jesus’ primary mission during His first advent was to redeem mankind from the debt and crippling power of sin. However, a significant part of His ministry on earth also involved setting people free from the powers of darkness, especially in cases involving demonic...

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November 22, 2023

In life, you are either in a storm, coming out of a storm, or about to enter into another storm. Fortunately, as Christians, we know that Jesus will be with us, regardless of our circumstances. Please open your Bible to Mark chapter four, and listen Pastor Ray Viola...

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November 21, 2023

Everyone is going to encounter storms in their lives. As Christians, we can have the confidence that Jesus will be with us in and through those storms. We can also have the confidence that one word from Jesus is enough to calm that storm. Please open your Bible to...

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November 20, 2023

When God’s word gets planted into your heart or the heart of someone else and acted upon, the DNA of that seed will bring forth much fruit. The key is to keep on sowing and trusting God for the harvest, despite circumstances that might seem unfavorable. Please open...

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November 17, 2023

A farmer might not understand how his crops grow. He just knows that he must plant the seed, water it, and care for what starts to grow. The fruit will come in its own time. Likewise, as believers, Christ wants us to sow the seed of the Gospel in our own lives and in...

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November 16, 2023

Jesus has made Christians stewards of His word, and we must be wise stewards of what God has given to us. Christ has made this generation of believers responsible for this generation of souls, and one day we will all have to give account of our stewardship. Are you...

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November 15, 2023

Today’s passage concerns two important themes: The first is the kingdom of God, and the second is the importance of really hearing what Jesus said. Jesus showed us a little of what the kingdom of God looked like on earth. Our stewardship of Jesus’ words impacts our...

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November 14, 2023

Jesus wants us to be fruitful branches. However, temptations, spiritual assaults, and even the pressures from our day-to-day living all combine to hinder God’s word from taking root in our lives. In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus laid out for us the kinds of things...

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November 13, 2023

Jesus’ Parable of the Sower teaches us that hearing God’s word and bearing fruit is related to the stewardship of our hearts. The same seed that bears fruit in one life ends up being rejected or choked out in others. To find out why, please listen as Pastor Ray Viola...

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November 10, 2023

James admonished his readers to be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. May we all hear, heed, and bring forth fruit with patience for the glory of God! Please open your Bible to Mark chapter three, and listen as Pastor Ray Viola...

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November 9, 2023

Our relationship with Jesus must be based on trust and obedience. These should be the foundational elements for our relationship with Christ. One cannot genuinely call Him Lord, if we do not do what He asks of us. Please open your Bible to Mark chapter three, and join...

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November 8, 2023

The Holy Spirit’s mission on earth is to point people to Jesus Christ. To reject that message by believing that all roads lead to God or that one can get to heaven by doing enough good works is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and unpardonable. Salvation is only...

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November 7, 2023

The Holy Spirit’s mission on earth is to point people to Jesus Christ. All the miracles that Jesus did were done by the power of the Holy Spirit so that God would be glorified. These miracles also revealed that Jesus is the One and only Savior of the world. Please...

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November 6, 2023

Jesus took a rag-tag group of about a dozen men and trained them and empowered them. Through their testimony, Jesus changed the world. If Jesus Christ is Lord of your life, then He has chosen you, imperfect as you are, to be a witness of His grace, His resurrection,...

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November 3, 2023

Jesus called a group of twelve men to be His closest disciples. By wordly standards, these men had little to offer for most lacked education, wealth, and social standing. Yet Jesus empowered them to preach the Gospel, heal the sick, and cast out devils. Please open...

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November 2, 2023

Manifesting His Father’s compassion, Jesus went about healing broken people and delivering others from Satan’s bonds. Today, through His Spirit-filled servants, Jesus is still delivering people from the powers of darkness and physical afflictions while giving life to...

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October 31, 2023

As creatures of the fall, we are all withered spiritually, physically, mentally, and relationally. Fortunately, regardless of how impossible your situation might seem, one word from the Master can still set you free today. Just as Jesus healed a man with a withered...

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October 30, 2023

In today’s passage we will see Jesus once again embroiled in a controversy with the religious hieerarchy of His day. It is tragic when man-made traditions oppose the miracle-working power of the Gospel. The Pharisees were upset with Jesus, because He healed a man with...

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October 27, 2023

Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil—even on the Sabbath. He also came to set people free from man-made rules and regulations that exalt themselves against the true knowledge of God. Forms of godliness are no substitute for walking in the life and power of the...

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October 26, 2023

Jesus performed seven miracles on the Sabbath. He did them, not to prove a point to the Pharisees, but to reveal God’s heart towards us. That is, God values the meeting of basic human needs more than keeping a bunch of man-made rules. Please open your Bible to Mark...

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October 25, 2023

Jesus declared that when a person truly comes to Him in faith, everything becomes new. Our motives for prayer, fasting, and everything else that we do changes. A born-again believer no longer does these things, as a religionist might, to earn favor with God....

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October 24, 2023

Deeply imbedded religious traditions are hard to break, and many of Jesus’ actions deviated from their man-made traditions. For example, fasting, which should be for the purpose of drawing closer to God, had been changed into a sign of one’s supposed spirituality....

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October 20, 2023

People talk a lot about health care these days, and there is no shortage of opinions. While we should all be greatful for our skilled doctors, dentists, and therapists, what the world really needs is a Physician that can heal our sick and diseased souls. Jesus is that...

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