As Bad as It Gets | David faced a crisis. Pursued by Saul and Israel’s armies, he didn’t see any hope. He felt strangled as if by “the cords of death” and ungodliness that came at him in torrents. The assault was so intense that it “terrified” him. This was a life-and-death struggle…as bad as it gets. But when David cried out to God, everything changed. God dramatically answered his prayer: “Then the earth shook and quaked; and the foundations of the mountains were trembling and were shaken, because He was angry” (vs. 7-15). God responded only after David cried out to Him. David recognized that God delivered him “from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.” He continued to face trouble but knew that God was with him and would deliver him (vs. 16-19). We can feel David’s fear and sense how desperate he felt. Later, we can understand more clearly why he said, “I love You, O LORD, my strength,” and why he looked at God as his rock, fortress, and deliverer (vs. 1-3). It was wonderful to know that God would save him from his enemies! How do you respond when you face crises or feel trapped in seemingly hopeless situations? Learn from David: These are opportunities to cry out to God, confident that He will hear your prayers. Make Him your strength. Your rock, fortress, and deliverer. Your shield. Your stronghold. The horn of your salvation. He is worthy to be praised!
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Will New Laptop Bags Security Rules Improve Travel? | A lot of business travelers out there are probably rejoicing over recent rules changes from the Transportation Security Administration that will relax policies mandating all laptops be taken out of travel bags while going through security. For those who've always... 
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Sprint's Airave Femtocells to Arrive July 15? | Rumor has it that Sprint Nextel's Airave femtocell technology will go on sale nationwide this month. Airave, which has been available in a couple of markets since September, is similar to T-Mobile's Hotspot @Home service, which allows you to make calls from home via your mobile phone. And since the Hotspot service has been available for a year, a lot of experts have said recently that Sprint is offering too little, too late. I disagree. 
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Manmet People of China | Several years before, a copy of Mark's Gospel had fallen into the hands of Chang, a Buddhist priest in China. He and his friend, Chu'u, recognized it as a sacred book. They began to burn incense before it, also worshiping Jesus and His 12 apostles. Finally they found a missionary who told them more clearly about the life and work of Jesus, but the missionary soon left. The two Chinese men won 25 families to Christ. They gathered a company of earnest enquirers around them, hoping for the day when another missionary might settle in their midst. Cassels became that missionary. William stayed with them for about two months, encouraging them and instructing them in the things of the Lord. Cassels was frequently called upon to marry missionary couples. For himself, he resolved to remain single, even encouraging the single life for his friends. While staying in Hanchung in 1887 to officiate at a wedding, he met Mary Louisa Legg. His feelings now challenged his theories! He fasted, prayed, and sought God's will. They were married, and traveled to the city of Paoning, which was to be their home for the next 38 years. William Cassels was a natural leader, with the gift for organizing. But he always put spiritual vitality first, and spent much time in prayer. Pray for today's missionaries to stay focused on Christ in prayer and Bible study. Pray that they will teach new believers to do the same.-AL
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Honor Your Parents | Wednesday, July 2, 2008. I will honor my parents and God will bless me.
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Microsoft-Yahoo: Trapped in Groundhog Day | So, Microsoft hasn't given up on Yahoo after all? So it seems from a Journal story that just hit the wires, following on a melange of related possibilities raised by Boomtown's Kara Swisher. It seems Microsoft is talking with... 
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Matthew 5:38-42 | Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth?
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Hebrews 4:16 | Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
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Luke 12:29-31 | And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
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Motorola Slips Further | Today, AvianResearch released its latest monthly survey designed to gage which handsets are selling well -- or not -- at retail stores of AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile. And Motorola isn't doing well. 
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Lati People of China | William Cassels was born in 1858 in Portugal, the ninth of 13 children born to John and Ethelinda Cassels. They were English citizens whose work had brought them to Portugal. When William was only 10 years old, his father suddenly became very ill and weak. As he struggled to recover, the family returned to England, where he died a year later. At the age of 15, while attending school in England, William discovered athletics, and distinguished himself by winning cricket and football "colors." He also learned how to swim. When he left school, he already knew the focus of his vocation. From early years he had been conscious of God's call. He had learned the Scriptures as a child and knew them well, and when he was 12 or 13 confessed to an older brother that he had made up his mind to be a clergyman. He intended to go as a missionary with the Church Missionary Society, but when he expressed a strong desire for work in inland China, he was told that they were not prepared to start work in the interior. Therefore, he approached the China Inland Mission (CIM), and became a member of the famous "Cambridge Seven" which left for China in 1885. In March of that year, the "Cambridge Seven" reached Shanghai and were welcomed by Hudson Taylor, CIM's founder. The first 18 months in China were spent in language study. Pray that the Lord will burden the hearts of Christian youths with His call to disciple all nations everywhere.-AL
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Background for July | Extensive background information about the theme for this month's issue of the Global Prayer Digest.
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Editor's message for July | A personal message from the editor of the Global Prayer Digest.
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Jesus Prayed | Tuesday, July 1, 2008. Jesus knows more than I do, so I will follow His example and spend time in prayer with my Father God.
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What's Wrong With The World | Who will rescue me from this body of death?
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AOL's Ad Guarantee | Social network ads have become notorious for low prices and low click through rates. On June 30, Time Warner's AOL announced plans to bolster the value of social network ads by guaranteeing a set price for those placed on applications... 
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Aheu People of Laos | Four posts support a banana leaf shelter that acts as a home. This home cannot survive a mild wind, much less a monsoon. No problem! The Aheu people build simple shelters using banana leaves. Then when the leaves turn yellow, they know it is time to move to another site. Each stay lasts about 15 days. For this reason these Aheu people are called the "Spirits of the Yellow Leaves." Their nomadic lifestyle dictates that they never developed a tradition of farming. They are known as "hunters and gatherers," one of the most primitive societies on earth. Their nomadic lifestyle carries a high price. They remain poor, uneducated, unprepared for the outside world or ecological changes in their rain forest home. Premature deaths claim over half the population. Tribal leaders testify that they are always hungry. Other Aheu people have settled down and learned to farm. On either side of the Mekong River, they have the abundant rain forest from which to harvest food. The tropical climate should facilitate good crops, and the river itself provides fish for meals. Nevertheless, they have not enough to eat, nor is the spiritual hunger of the Aheus being satisfied. They remain unreached. Ask the Holy Spirit to prepare the hearts of village leaders to hear and respond to the news that our sins can be forgiven. Pray that God would guide and protect initial efforts of missionaries to reach this tribe.-EF
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Believing Prayer Changes Things | Monday, June 30, 2008. God invites me to pray and believe, so His will can be done on earth as it is in heaven.
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Nyaw People of Laos and Thailand | At 15 years old, she was sold to some men. Now she slaves for them in Bangkok, her dignity ruined. But she dreams of her home among the Nyaw people. Crowded alleyways contrast with the narrow trails in the rain forest. Noisy urban streets recall the fluttering butterflies. A baby's scream stirs memories of birds crying to each other. Grandmother boasted about the old ways. They grew rice, fruit, vegetables, and other crops. They fed their family and sold the surplus. Now they are poorer than nearby groups, so they look to the government for help. The girl, far from home, struggles to see any reason for pride in her tribe. Today few Nyaw children learn their ancient language and even fewer adopt their traditions. Gradually, they merge with the surrounding culture. Living on either side of the Mekong River, they become more Thai or more Laotian. In either case, they become less Nyaw. The Nyaw have lived near Buddhists for centuries. While some of them practice Buddhist rituals, most still cling to traditional Animism or spirit worship. They worship many spirits, especially those people in Laos. Every year, each village sacrifices to its guardian spirit. Pray that the Lord of the harvest will call workers to reach this near-forgotten tribe. Ask that the Holy Spirit prepare hearts of the Nyaw people to hear and receive the message of Jesus Christ. Pray for physical and spiritual freedom for the lost Nyaw girls, whose dignity has been destroyed.-EF
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Cursed By Blessings? | Sunday, June 29, 2008. Thank you Lord for my life.
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Saek People of Laos | "We're so glad we're no longer in this jungle alone!" the Saek woman said to Nancy, a missionary who has made her home with the Saek people in Laos. "We were so afraid before there were more people living around us. All the trees that surround us are frightening... We are afraid to wander too far into the darkness or the jungles for fear of encountering a spirit." The Saek people are traditionally Buddhist, but the Animistic fear that dominates their daily activities better defines their belief system. The spirit world terrifies them. If a family member passes away inside a Saek home, they will sometimes completely abandon the house, afraid that the lingering spirit will incessantly torment them. Most of the 18,000 Saek people in Laos live in this sort of fear every day of their lives. Saek women traditionally perform a "round dance," for which they are famed. Their homes are made of wood or bamboo and suspended on stilts. Rice is their primary crop. They get much of the rest of their food from fishing and hunting. Pray for a spiritual breakthrough among the Saek people. Pray that the bondages of Animism and Buddhism will be broken, giving way to freedom in Christ. Pray that God will raise up Saek communities that will love and serve Christ, setting an example for others to follow.-JR
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Pride and Humility | Saturday, June 28, 2008. Lord, please help me to beware of pride.
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Sprint to Help Virgin Mobile-Helio | Now that Virgin Mobile is all set to buy Helio, their network provider, Sprint Nextel, has offered to reduce the combined company's network fees and to pay Virgin for acquiring new subscribers. Was that a smart move for Sprint? I am not so sure. 
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Kuy People of Cambodia | "What a wasted trip," grumbled Saraen. "I trusted that guide and went with many others to get work in a neighboring country for three months. When time came to leave for home, our "guide" took our pay and ran away. We didn't even have money to get home!" The approximately 40,000 Kuy people of Cambodia are very poor subsistence rice farmers. At one time they depended on forest products for their livelihood. But much of the forests have been cut down, so they can't find goods there. The Kuy are often looked down upon by other Cambodians and sometimes cheated by people who pose as "guides." They are in need of improved agricultural methods and new means of making a living. Some need a clean water source, but their greatest need is for Jesus, the Water of Life. The Kuy language is unwritten and most Kuy people in Cambodia have very limited educational opportunities. Typically they may have two or three years in a Khmer (Cambodian language) grammar school. Though predominantly bi-lingual in Khmer and Kuy, theirs is an oral culture. Pray for wisdom for workers to produce tools appropriate to the oral culture of the Kuy. Pray for missionaries working to write the Kuy language using Khmer script. There are currently several hundred Kuy believers worshiping in Khmerchurches. Pray that God will raise up Kuy and Khmer leaders with a heart for this people in order to see an indigenous church planted among them.-Lynn Newhouse
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Motives | Friday, June 27, 2008. Lord, please help me to be aware of my motives.
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Bringing Health Records Online | When he worked in the emergency room, Dr. James Mault often had technology capable of saving patients’ lives. What he didn’t have was the technology to alert him to what life saving medications or treatments might kill them. “Sadly, as... 
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The Threat to "Fair Use" in the Blogosphere | UPDATE: I want to apologize to Robert Cox for calling him Roger in this now-fixed story. Also, I want to refer readers to his response, at the end of this post, where he gives more information on the Media Bloggers... 
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Yahoo's Reorg Goes Down: Less of the Same? | Despite advance criticisms involving the words "deck chairs" and "Titanic," Yahoo today announced the reorganization of its management ranks that had been expected for more than a week. Rising to replace a flurry of recent departures are former head of... 
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Mindshare Is a Terrible Thing To Waste | A couple of days ago I received a pitch from a company called CellSpin for a program that lets Palm Treo and Centro users post to popular blogging and social networking sites. It suddenly struck me that this was the... 
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Radio Royalties Bill Moves a Step Further | This morning, House Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property passed the Performance Rights Act, which seeks to charge terrestrial radio stations additional royalties for playing songs. Clearly, this is a big win for the music industry. A note of caution, however: This same subcommittee has passed similar bills before. The prior bills have failed to pass Congress. 
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So People of Laos | When the Siamese (now known as the Thai) invaded and pillaged Vientiane in l827, they returned to their homeland-present-day Thailand and Laos-with trophies of victory: the So people. The l50,000 So who currently live along the Laos-Thailand border are the descendants of these prisoners of war. Their POW heritage extends into the spiritual realm as well. Though the So people are nominally Buddhist, they engage in spirit worship. They live in fear of a host of malevolent deities, and try desperately to appease them with sacrifices and offerings. There are believed to be more than 2,000 professing Christians among the So. In the l950s and l960s, entire villages claim to have surrendered to God's Kingdom as missionaries preached the gospel and people were delivered from demonic influences and sicknesses. Most of the So, however, continue to labor under heavy chains of spiritual oppression. They refuse to give up their Animistic rituals because they believe it would displease the gods and bring harm upon their families and communities. Pray for God to liberate these prisoners of war. Ask Him to send laborers who will boldly preach the good news, proclaiming release to the captives. Pray for intercessors to be enlisted who will stand in the gap, persevering in prayer until the So are freed from the bondage of the enemy.-CL
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Are You In Trouble? | Thursday, June 26, 2008. When I face trouble I will pray and draw near to God, and He will help me.
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Tomorrow: Radio and Music Industries Collide | The battle between terrestrial radio stations and the music industry will heat up tomorrow, when the House Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet and Intellectual Property will go through mark-up of a bill that would require the radio stations to pony up more royalties to performers and record labels. 
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Yahoo to Stockholders: We Know What We're Doing, Really! | As Yahoo's top management prepares for a last-ditch roadshow to persuade big investors they should reject Carl Icahn's slate and vote for Yahoo's existing board, the company has released a letter to "fellow stockholders." Full text is after the jump.... 
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You Are Important! | Wednesday, June 25, 2008. God says I am necessary and important.
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Can Android Vanquish the iPhone (and Walk on Water)? | A theme runs through a large number of the many comments posted to my column on the iPhone and iPhone wannabes: Phones based on Google's Android operating system will soon emerge to blow away the iPhone and everything else. Of... 
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Taking Symbian Open Source: This Could Take a While | The big story today: Nokia's decision to transform Symbian, an operating system for smartphones, into an open-source project. News headlines scream that the new, open-source Symbian will eat Google's Android mobile OS effort alive. Well, I say: Not so fast. 
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God Loves Sinners | JOHN 3:16 KJV
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but
have everlasting life.
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Speak To Your Mountain | MARK 11:23 NKJ
23 "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain,
`Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in
his heart, but believes that those things he says will come to
pass, he will have whatever he says.
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Rejoice In Trouble
|
Maybe you have been forsaken by your spouse. Or are struggling
with the death of a loved one. Or facing the constant pain of
disease. Or the loss of a job or business. Or, maybe just the
daily grind of life.
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Hang On To Your Faith | The devil's whole strategy is to get you to turn loose of your
faith in God and His Word.
MARK 4:15 NIV
15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is
sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the
word that was sown in them.
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Focus On Jesus | True Christianity is not a religion based on rules and rituals
but a living relationship with Jesus Christ.
Many people reduce Christianity down to attending church
meetings and trying not to commit a list of certain sins.
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You Can Cast Out Demons | 17 "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name
they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
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You Have Authority Over The devil | LUKE 10:19 NKJ
19 "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
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What Are Alms? | "Alms" are not some kind of tree, but something you should know
about -- and do.
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The Cure For Weak Faith
| MARK 6:6 NIV
6 And he was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village.
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Why Read The Bible? | "I'm a busy person. I have a lot to do. Why should I spend my
time reading the Bible? I don't have time to do all I need to
do as it is."
"I already believe in Jesus Christ, that He's the Son of God
and my Savior. I've already heard the Gospel."
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Who Can Be Against Us? | ROMANS 8:31 NKJ
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us,
who can be against us?
We all face opposition. No one likes it. But opposition is a
fact of life on earth.
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Should Poor People Give? | ACTS 20:35 NIV
35 . . . the Lord Jesus himself said: `It is more blessed to
give than to receive.'"
Giving benefits the giver. The poorer you are the more you have
a need to give.
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How Does God Bless Us? | Does God bless us by giving us everything we think we should have, even if it's bad for us?
Does God bless us by always letting us have our way -- whether it's the best way for us, or not?
Does God bless us by letting us get away with self-destructive behavior?
Does God bless us by letting us mistreat other people with impunity?
Does God bless us by giving us more responsibility, more money, or more fame, than we can handle?
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Another Helper | JOHN 14:16-18 NKJ
16 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever,
17 "even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
18 "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
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Open Eyes | 2 KINGS 6:17 NKJ
17 And Elisha prayed, and said, "Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
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Be Who You Are | ROMANS 12:2 Wuest, An Expanded Translation
2 And stop assuming an outward expression that does not come from within you and is not representative of what you are in your inner being but is patterned after this age; but change your outward expression to one that comes from within and is representative of your inner being, by the renewing of your mind, resulting in your putting to the test what is the will of God, the good and well-pleasing and complete will, and having found that it meets specifications, place your approval upon it.
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Faith Is The Victory | 1 JOHN 5:4 NKJ
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.
We all love to win.
Victory is sweet. One reason it's so sweet is that it's usually not easy. Victory takes effort -- often great effort.
Effort is also required in the spiritual battle of good against evil we are all engaged in. But the effort required of us is to maintain our attitude of faith in God and His Word.
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Is Looking A Sin? | MATTHEW 5:28 NKJ
28 "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
This Scripture seems to indicate that even seeing a woman, and having the slightest thought of her attractiveness, could be a serious sin.
We must remember that the New Testament was written in the Greek language, and all English versions are translations done by people who are fallible. Whenever a difficult verse confronts us, it can often be helpful to consult those who are expert in the Greek language. One way is to examine how other English translators have rendered the verse. Another way is to consult Bible commentaries.
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Lack Of Knowledge | HOSEA 4:6a NKJ
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
People wonder why Christians experience so much trouble in life. The reason, according to the Bible, is a lack of knowledge.
The Bible tells us the devil is out to destroy us, but it also makes clear that we can overcome his attacks. The real problem lies with our ignorance.
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Honor Your Parents | EPHESIANS 6:2-3 NKJ
2 "Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise:
3 "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth."
Think about this: God himself promises that if you will honor your parents you will have a long and blessed life.
(Note that no exceptions are listed. Even if your parents were terrible, this is still God's Word to you.)
What a promise!
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