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1 Chronicles
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Many readers who make it through the books of Samuel and Kings find the accounts in First Chronicles to be redundant. While it does duplicate much of the text, hidden truths are found in this book and it offers a unique perspective not found elsewhere. In short, the book of First Chronicles is God's perspective of Israel.
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1 Corinthians
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Believers were expected to conduct themselves in a way that identified them with Jesus Christ, not with the pagan culture surrounding them. These things were important to the survival and growth of the Corinthian church, which Paul included in the letter.
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1 John
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John, in several places throughout his letter, emphasized love as the confirmation of abiding in Him. The believers were not to love the world or anything in it, but instead were to love their Christian brothers and sisters.
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1 Kings
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The events recorded in 1 Kings cover a span of about 120 years of Israel's history. The book is divided into two obvious sections: the unified kingdom under the reign of Solomon recorded in chapters 1-11, and the divided kingdom under the reign of many different kings recorded from chapter 12 to the end of the book.
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1 Peter
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Christians are a chosen people who had been called out of darkness. As such, they were to follow the example of Christ in love, obedience and forgiveness.
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1 Samuel
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The book of 1 Samuel recounts the ministry of the prophet Samuel during the rise and fall of Israel's first king. In an age when everyone did what was right in their own eyes, God raised up Samuel, a boy who became a powerful man and helped guide the wayward king, thus protecting the entire nation of Israel from utter spiritual ruin. First Samuel is a story of God's merciful provision for rebellious people who rejected Him as their true King.
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1 Thessalonians
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Even with tremendous opposition and persecution, Christians in Thessalonica were able to stand strong in their faith, bringing joy and peace to Paul, their spiritual father.
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1 Timothy
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According to 1 Timothy, personal integrity is a greater responsibility for those who desire to be a leader. And only those who have proven themselves faithful over time are to be selected for such a role.<
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2 Chronicles
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Like 1 Chronicles, this book is made up of two distinct sections. The first covers the reign of Solomon, and the second covers the rise and fall of the remaining kings of Judah. Altogether, 2 Chronicles reveals God's heart toward His people: though they were a rebellious nation who continually rejected Him as their King, He still continued to watch over them, and fulfill His plan of redemption through them.
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2 Corinthians
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Paul was providing the Corinthian church an example of Godly restoration when it comes to church discipline. Just as he had reassured them of his love and concern after rebuking them for their behavior, they, too, were to show forgiveness and love so that a fallen brother could be restored back into fellowship with them.
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2 John
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Home fellowships were a significant and intimate part of their daily Christian walk. John did not want any open door for the lies of the enemy to come in and deceive God's people.
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2 Kings
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The book of Second Kings is like the tragic ending of a movie. The nation of Israel had deteriorated to the point of no return. What began as a promise to Abraham took shape as a unified nation that God rescued from the hands of Egypt with mighty signs and wonders. But it ended when divided and rebellious people were too prideful to seek the one true God who gave them every opportunity to repent.
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2 Peter
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Peter's desire as an apostle and follower of Jesus Christ was to not only strengthen the faith of the believers, but to warn them of the sheep in wolves' clothing that were coming in to destroy the flock.
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2 Samuel
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The book of 2 Samuel follows the life and reign of David. God used David to bring Israel back to Himself, and to set the standard for the reign of future kings. Many kings after David were judged by whether they had done what was right in the sight of the Lord according to their father David. But more importantly, 2 Samuel records the personal covenant God made with David for an everlasting kingdom.
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2 Thessalonians
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Paul's heart was fixed on the spiritual growth of the Thessalonians, as well as their accuracy in Christian doctrine. So in a brief letter, he took the time to clarify that indeed the Lord's Day had not come yet, and that there were events, or signs, which had to occur before that day.
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2 Timothy
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Timothy came from a long line of believers. His grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice, were both Christians. They passed down their spiritual heritage to Timothy, who embraced the faith with incredible tenacity.
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3 John
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Unity among the believers was of utmost importance, and any uncharitable actions disrupted the harmony of the church. It was Gaius' responsibility as a church leader to continue to set the example in love, faithfulness and holiness.
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About the Bible Part 2
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The Bible can be divided into seven distinct sections, with each section building on the truths and developments of the previous. While some theologians may have differing opinions as to the names of the divisions, they include book of psalms, books of prophecy, books of gospels, books of poetry, books of the law, books of the epistles and books of history.
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About the Bible Part I
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The Bible is made up of 66 individual books, written by 40 different writers, over a 1600 year period, all with one Author, God Himself. Each book has a distinct Messianic undercurrent, often in surprising locations.
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Acts
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On the Day of Pentecost came the initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and it was His power that enabled the disciples to move the Gospel over such a large geographical area in such a short time. This amazing growth of the Church is recorded in the book of Acts.
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Amos
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Bible Facts
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As the inspired Word of God, the Bible provides the world with a set of standards and principles to live by. The authors were humans who were divinely guided to write words of eternal truths and to communicate the will of God.
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Colossians
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The focus of Paull's letter was to bring the Colossians back to the foundational truth that Christ is the head, and everything and everyone else was to fall in line after Him. Christ was to be a part of every area of their lives, and His presence was to be evidenced by their obedience to His words.
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Daniel
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While well-known Bible stories about Daniel can bring excitement and wonder to young wide-eyed learners, and are illustrations of incredible faith and obedience under pressure, their importance is only secondary to the overall impact that the prophet Daniel had on the society that he lived in.
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Deuteronomy
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The Israelites are now standing at the threshold. The much longed for Promised Land that had been pledged to Abraham more than 400 years earlier, the land flowing with milk and honey, lay just a few miles away. The Israelites were camped in the land of the Moabites, overlooking Jericho and the plain of Jordan, on the eastern border of Canaan.
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Ecclesiastes
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all of the insights that Solomon provides in the book of Ecclesiastes are not so much what the meaning of life is, but rather what it is not. Through a series of deductions, one by one the things that seem important are labeled as nothing but vanity, or empty and fleeting. But in the end, the conclusion that Solomon comes to is simple: Fear God and keep His commandments.
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Ephesians
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Paul unfolds the great mystery of the church like no other letter. God's secret is revealed, that those who are united by the blood of Jesus Christ all make up the Body of Christ, one that expresses the fullness of Christ on earth.
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Esther
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The book of Esther tells the story of how a Jewish girl became a queen, and like a graphic novella describes intriguing people, luxurious places and delicate protocol, mixed with emotions and difficult decisions, all during a turbulent political setting.
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Exodus
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The book of Exodus may be one of the most important books of the Old Testament. In it are the providence and protection for the people of God, whose forefathers moved to Egypt to escape a famine 430 years earlier. Exodus begins where Genesis ends, unfolding one of the greatest stories of deliverance.
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Ezekiel
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The book of Ezekiel portrays a prophet's agony over the waywardness of a people who persistently rejected God as their King. Despite multiple opportunities to repent, Judah remained hard-hearted and ultimately faced devastating consequences. With blunt imagery, Ezekiel accurately describes the adultery of the people of Israel, and the depths of their ruin because of it.
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Ezra
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ezra
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Galatians
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Through a concise sequence of spiritual logic, combining both the Law and the teachings of Jesus, Paul brings the Galatians back around to the foundation of their Christian faith, that their salvation was based solely on their faith in Jesus Christ.
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Genesis
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The heartbeat of Genesis is the sinful state of man and his need for a Savior. God created man so that He could have intimate communion and fellowship with him. But the entrance of sin in the Garden of Eden broke that relationship between creation and the Creator. Although Adam and Eve had to pay a painful price, their excommunication from the garden came with a promise: one day Satan will be defeated, and the relationship between God and man will be restored.
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Haggai
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The people of Judah had become discouraged. But God spoke through the prophet Haggai the words that the people needed to hear, "<i>I am with you.</i>"
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Hebrews
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As for the believers of Hebrews, they had received the salvation that the believers of old had been waiting for. For this reason, the author exhorted them to continue in their Christian faith despite the intense opposition, for to turn back to Judaism was unthinkable.
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Hosea
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Hosea ministered to the northern kingdom of Israel during the reign of Jeroboam II. By outward appearances, Israel was doing well. But just below the surface, spiritual and political unrest and anarchy were brewing.
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Isaiah
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The book of Isaiah was written during the reigns of kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, all of whom successively ruled the southern kingdom of Judah. During this time politically, both Israel and Judah had reached incredible wealth and power. Unfortunately, they also had declined spiritually, giving in to division, idolatry and immorality.
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James
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By putting into practice the things that James wrote in his letter, the believers scattered throughout Judea could experience unity and blessing, and set in motion a godly example for the generations to follow.
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Jeremiah
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Throughout the ministry of Jeremiah, he shed many tears for the people of Judah, knowing that they could not escape destruction without an upright covenant relationship with God expressed by obedience. It was to this end that Jeremiah prayed, interceding for the people, and speaking truth despite the intense persecution he experienced.
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Job
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While Job survived seemingly insurmountable experiences, the true beauty of his story lies not in the terrible tragedies of his life, but that Job passed many tests by remaining faithful despite the circumstances. Job learned true humility and dependence on God through the hard times.
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Joel
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Joel prophesied to the southern kingdom of Judah, during the greatest natural disaster in the history of all Israel. While the exact time of the event is unknown, the effects were devastating and long-standing. A plague of locusts had swarmed the land of Judah and destroyed not only the crops already in the ground, but also the seed for the next planting season. It was like no other event before it, including the plague of locusts that struck Egypt in the days of Moses.
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John
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There are multiple teachings written in John that are not found anywhere else, and there are accounts of miracles and personal encounters that are not recorded in any other book. But no other book co clearly reveals the truth that Jesus is the Son of God. This is the heart of the message of the book, and everything recorded in its pages points to this truth.
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Jonah
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The story of Jonah is often told in Sunday School, but the book of the Bible is an important message for Christians who tend to disobey God. Jonah was to preach to the city of Ninevah, but his hatred for the people had him sailing away, only to be thrown off the boat and into the belly of a whale.
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Joshua
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Throughout the book of Joshua, there are several incredible accounts of God moving in both miraculous and mysterious ways. As the feet of the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant stepped into the overflowing Jordan River, the waters suddenly parted and all of Israel crossed over on dry ground. Upon crossing, Jericho was the first city they reached. After the Israelite army marched around Jericho for six days, and then seven times on the seventh day, they blasted their horns and the seemingly impenetrable walls crumbled to the ground.
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Joshua Remains Faithful and Enters the Promised Land
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Though they did not deny the existence of foes in the promised land, Caleb and Joshua chose to trust in God for their victory and inheritance. It is for this reason that God chose Joshua to become Moses successor and Caleb to be Joshua's general.
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Joshua Trusts God and Wins the Battle
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Joshua was a man of faith and decisive action. God had commissioned Joshua to lead the Israelites into the promised land, even though the inhabitants would not be taken without a fight. Joshua's character, his leadership abilities, his faith and readiness typify how Christians can live a victorious life in Christ through faith.
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Joshuah and the Sin of Achan
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As observed in Joshua's account of the sin of Achan and many other stories in the Bible, sin never just effects the offender. Families are torn apart and cursed. If sin is allowed to run amuck, an entire church can be corrupted. This is why deviation from the commandments and strategies that God has given to us is often devastating.
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Joshuah and Victory in Battle
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When fighting the Christian fight, God enables Christians to have victory through every battle. The book of Joshua can be viewed as how to live victorious lives through the strength of God.
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Jude
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It was important for the believers to stay in close fellowship with those who taught the truth given by the Apostles, to avoid being led astray by the craftiness of false teachers. It was also the spiritual responsibility of believers to discern between truth and deception, to avoid false doctrines and even apostasy.
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Judges
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Despite the sins of Israel, God always remembered His promise to Abraham for a nation that would be His special possession. So rather than let them be completely destroyed by their enemies, God sent them a rescuer, a judge, who delivered the people from their oppression.
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