gotandem "Sinful Schemes"

gotandem "Sinful Schemes"
The schemes of a fool are sinful; everyone detests a mocker.[Proverbs 24:9]
Have you been plotting any sinful schemes lately?
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gotandem "The Penalty for Hot-Temperedness"
Hot-tempered people must pay the penalty. If you rescue them once, you will have to do it again.[Proverbs 19:19]
How do you deal with hot-tempered people?
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gotandem "And Now You Gentiles"
And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.[Ephesians 1:13]
How often do you think of the Holy Spirit as a gift?
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gotandem "Keys to Freedom"

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Did you know there are three ways Jesus sets you free? Here's today's Bible Minute.
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." But look at John 17:17. He says, "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth." There are three ways Jesus sets us free. Number one, He sets us free through His person, who He is. Only Jesus can give you spiritual freedom.
Number two, He sets you free through His work. Only Jesus died to pay the penalty for your sin.
Number three, He sets you free through His Word. Only Jesus gives you a Book that you can trust and know what Jesus said. If you're looking for freedom today, you find it when you read His Word.
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gotandem "Crown of Boasting"

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Did you know you can get a crown for sharing Jesus with other people? Listen to today's Bible Minute.
Daniel 12:3 reminds us, "Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." It's a way of saying that when you share the message of the Gospel with other people, that a crown waits for you. Now, each of us has the same opportunity to share the message of the Gospel. But there are some people who are always looking for opportunities to share the Gospel with anyone they encounter. Now, that's the kind of person this crown is for. There are different crowns for all of us. But if you're a person who's given to seeking opportunities to share your faith with other people--this could be your crown!
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go tandem "Merry Christmas!"

And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people."[Luke 2:10]
Our hope is that you continue to experience the joy found in knowing and following Christ every day. Merry Christmas!
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gotandem "The Advent: Day 29"
Merry Christmas!
Today's Homework: Take some time today to celebrate Christ's birth by reading his birth account in Luke 2:1-20.
Luke 2:1 Around this time, Emperor Augustus issued an order for a census to be taken throughout the Empire. 2 This registration, the first of its kind, took place when Quirinius was governing in Syria. 3 Everyone went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 So Yosef, because he was a descendant of David, went up from the town of Natzeret in the Galil to the town of David, called Beit-Lechem, in Y’hudah, 5 to be registered, with Miryam, to whom he was engaged, and who was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth; 7 and she gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him in cloth and laid him down in a feeding trough, because there was no space for them in the living-quarters.
8 In the countryside nearby were some shepherds spending the night in the fields, guarding their flocks, 9 when an angel of Adonai appeared to them, and the Sh’khinah of Adonai shone around them. They were terrified; 10 but the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, because I am here announcing to you Good News that will bring great joy to all the people. 11 This very day, in the town of David, there was born for you a Deliverer who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 Here is how you will know: you will find a baby wrapped in cloth and lying in a feeding trough.” 13 Suddenly, along with the angel was a vast army from heaven praising God:
14 “In the highest heaven, glory to God!
And on earth, peace among people of good will!”
15 No sooner had the angels left them and gone back into heaven than the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go over to Beit-Lechem and see this thing that has happened, that Adonai has told us about.” 16 Hurrying off, they came and found Miryam and Yosef, and the baby lying in the feeding trough. 17 Upon seeing this, they made known what they had been told about this child; 18 and all who heard were amazed by what the shepherds said to them. 19 Miryam treasured all these things and kept mulling them over in her heart. 20 Meanwhile, the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen; it had been just as they had been told.
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T The Holy Holidays - goTandem
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gotandem "The Pitfalls of Laziness"
I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one with no common sense. I saw that it was overgrown with nettles. It was covered with weeds, and its walls were broken down. Then, as I looked and thought about it, I learned this lesson: A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest--then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.[Proverbs 24:30-34]
Beware the pitfalls of laziness.
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gotandem "Offering for Our Sin"
For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.[2 Corinthians 5:21]
Take some time to think about this today.
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gotandem "Living for Him"
He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.[2 Corinthians 5:15]
According to this verse, why did Christ die?
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gotandem "The Advent: Day 28"
In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.[John 1:1-5.]
Christmas is all about Christ. His name is vital to the spelling of the holiday after all. But if we are only remembering Jesus as a baby, we're doing the day a disservice. We need to remember Jesus in his entirety. It is Jesus's life that brought light to everyone, our salvation.
Today's Homework: Take some time today to quietly tell Jesus what you're thankful for.
T The Holy Holidays - goTandem
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gotandem "The Cleansing"

Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.[2 Corinthians 7:1]
What are some areas you need to cleanse?
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gotandem "We'd Love to Hear Your Story"

Can you believe 2016 is almost at a close? Here at goTandem, we hope that it was a year where you felt God's presence. Maybe it was a year filled with spiritual triumphs or perhaps it was a difficult year. No matter what your year held, we'd love to hear your story:http://bit.ly/gTShare
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gotandem "The Advent: Day 27"
Sing a new song to the LORD,
for he has done wonderful deeds.
His right hand has won a mighty victory;
his holy arm has shown his saving power!
The LORD has announced his victory
and has revealed his righteousness to every nation!
He has remembered his promise to love and be faithful to Israel.
The ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
Shout to the LORD, all the earth;
break out in praise and sing for joy!
Sing your praise to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and melodious song,
with trumpets and the sound of the ram’s horn.
Make a joyful symphony before the LORD, the King![Psalm 98:1-6.]
The Christmas season is all about celebration. We have big meals. We bake cookies to bring to our neighbors. We travel across the country to be with the people we love. All in the name of celebration. But how often do we pause to actually celebrate who God is? And not just during the Christmas season, but all throughout the year? Maybe it's something we should take a look at.
Today's Homework: Take some time today to celebrate what God has done in your life. And then take some more time to celebrate what he has done for those around you.
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gotandem "Coming Home"
Read
“To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: ‘A man had two sons. The younger son told his father, “I want my share of your estate now before you die.” So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.
“A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.
“When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’
“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’
“But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began”[(Luke 15:11-24).]
Reflect My brother ran away from home. Well, "ran away," he was 18. But he was still in high school and he decided to leave our family and move in with his girlfriend's. It took him about three years but he has since come back home. He had some major bumps on the way back, and he still tends to do things that hurt us, but he’s back home. And I think that’s the main thing. So even when he makes decisions that tend to hurt us now, we remember when he wasn’t close to us and we’re thankful that he's near.
Respond Are you the prodigal, or have you been hurt by one? Take this week to see how this story applies to your life.
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gotandem "Close to God"
Read
Psalm 42:5-6 asks,
"Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again--
my Savior and my God!
Now I am deeply discouraged,
but I will remember you--
even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan,
from the land of Mount Mizar."
In Psalm 38, King David described his difficulty with "Because of your anger, my whole body is sick" (v. 3) and "My heart beats wildly, my strength fails, and I am going blind" (v. 10). But he then said with confidence "For I am waiting for you, O LORD. You must answer for me, O Lord my God" (v. 15).
In 2 Corinthians 11:24-28, the apostle Paul lists his pain and suffering. Take a look and then flip to 2 Corinthians 12:9 where he says, "Now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me."
Even in the worst pain, you can know the power of Christ and draw on the hope and comfort God offers. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 reminds us that "God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others."
Reflect
The Bible is full of people who have suffered because pain is a part of life. We’ve all suffered on some level. And it makes sense to go to God for answers. I mean, he created this world, right? If anyone would know why we’re hurting, it’d be him.
The Bible actually talks about pain a lot. And for me, it’s oddly encouraging to know that the heroes of the faith, like David and Paul, experienced pain on this planet. And they responded the same way I do...with questions. Just look at Psalm 42:5-6.
The part I have to work on is, even in my pain, to realize who God is and what he’s done for me. He wants to hear about my pain. He can handle the questions. But it’s our job to remember who he is.
For more on that, look at God’s response to Job in Job 38.
Respond
What pain are you in today? Physical? Emotional? Spiritual? Work on telling God about it. Then go through your life and see where God has brought you through pain. If you need to, write it down.
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gotandem "Wisdom and Happiness - 1"

Click here to listenLooking for the secret to happiness? Start with God's Word, and the Bible Minute.
Wisdom is the skillful approach to living that enables you to live in a way that filters all your experience through the knowledge of God. The basis then of our understanding of wisdom, is that we will be happy when we please God.
Psalm 1:1, "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful." Notice that well-being is tied to wisdom and happiness. Psalm 1:2, "But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night." Again, happiness is connected to well-being. Well-being is connected to the Word of God.
Wisdom, God's Word, and your happiness are all connected.
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gotandem "Stingy Losers"
Give freely and become more wealthy;
be stingy and lose everything.[Proverbs 11:24]
Why is giving a good thing?
How generous are you?
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gotandem "The Advent: Day 25"
Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”[John 8:12.]
There's this funny thing about darkness, if you're in it long enough, you get used to it. You start being able to see shapes. You start learning how to navigate around without stubbing your toes. It gets comfortable. But when the light turns on, after the initial blindness, everything gets better. You can see things clearly. Where that thing in the corner used to be a dark shape, now it's a dresser. You don't just function, you become effective. Which is a good way to look at the Christian life. You may function in the darkness, but if you want to be effective, head toward the light.
Today's Homework: Think about what the dark areas of your life are. How can you best bring them to light? Can you find someone to help you bring light to those things?
T The Holy Holidays - goTandem
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gotandem "A Personal Faith"
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"In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. Each person should have a personal conviction about this matter. Those who have a special day for worshiping the Lord are trying to honor him. Those who eat all kinds of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who won't eat everything also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. For we are not our own masters when we live or when we die. While we live, we live to please the Lord. And when we die, we go to be with the Lord. So in life and in death, we belong to the Lord. Christ died and rose again for this very purpose, so that he might be Lord of those who are alive and of those who have died"[(Romans 14:5-9).]
Reflect
This passage is actually pretty freeing. I spent a long time believing that when it came to giving God glory, there was a very clear right way, and everything else fell under the umbrella of “the wrong way.” And that’s not true. Some people go to church on Sunday afternoon. Some people go to a church in a school gymnasium. Some people sing, some people don’t...and they’re all doing it to honor God.
Now, obviously, you can't take this to an extreme. Burning a forest down on a Sunday is probably not the best way to honor God. But take some time. Look at what the early church did and what it looked like, and realize that not every church is the same because everybody is different and we all respond to God in different ways. As long as we are staying true to the Gospel and what the Bible teaches, we're in a pretty safe zone. So go out and worship and stop worrying about pipe organs and electric guitars. It's time to bring some glory to God!
Respond How do you worship God? Take this week to discover ways that you can honor God that you hadn't thought of before.
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gotandem "Beyond Words"
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Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!(1 Corinthians 13:4-8).
Reflect Love will last forever. My brain can’t even begin to wrap itself around that concept. And love takes so much work. Of course, I want people to love me forever. But loving others? Really?
Then I remember that the whole reason Jesus died on the cross is because he loved me first. And last. And now. And forever. And He loves me with this 1 Corinthians 13 kind of love. Faced with that...there's no excuse for trying to do less.
Respond Take this week to see how well you love others.
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gotandem "The Advent: Day 26"
“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.[Matthew 5:14-16.]
Often we think of Jesus as the light of the world, but in reality, he calls us that. We are to be beacons of hope and light to the world at large. It's an easy thing to forget. A lot of times we count on others to be the light and do our best to glide around in the background. But that's not what we're called to do. We're called to shine. So let's start doing that.
Today's Homework: Make an action plan of how to best start becoming a light in the darkness over the next six months.
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