S238P1 – Difficult truths: the Samaritan woman

Jn. 4:11-18 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this…

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S237P10 – Dark seasons of the soul: depression

Psa. 34:17-18 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Her life was like anyone else’s with ups and downs, with hills to climb and valleys through which…

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S237P9 – Dark seasons of the soul: complacency

Pro. 29:18 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but happy is he who keeps the law. The beginning of her journey had been marked by numerous efforts to grow in spiritual knowledge and wisdom.  She was not a child when she came to Christ, but her approach to her new faith…

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S237P8 – Dark seasons of the soul: isolation

Eph. 4:11-13 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining…

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S237P7 – Dark seasons of the soul: disregard

2 Chr. 36:15-16 The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his…

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S237P6 – Dark seasons of the soul: vengeance

Rom. 12:19-21 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap…

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S237P5 – Dark seasons of the soul: resentment

Gen. 37:17b-20 So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.  “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that…

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S237P4 – Dark seasons of the soul: suspicion

Gen. 3:4-6 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”  When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the…

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S237P3 – Dark seasons of the soul: doubt

Gen. 16:1-2 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.” Abram agreed to what Sarai said. He knew he served…

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S237P2 – Dark seasons of the soul: fear

Jn. 18:25-27 Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?” He denied it, saying, “I am not.”  One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with…

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