June 8, 2016
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
General Essays
| Tags: A Generous Christmas
The Advent and Christmas season is a time of reflection, worship and gratitude here at Jacob's Well. It is also a time of generosity and teaching the next generation the truth that Jesus taught us "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
Over the last several years we have engaged in intentional generosity as a community during the holiday season. In the month of Dec...
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September 23, 2015
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Biblical Book Introductions
| Tags: timothy, paul, disciple, Maturity, 1 Timothy, Ephesus, Churches
When teaching a new book in the Bible we develop an introduction that covers the background, authorship, context and main themes of the work. The following is a link to our introduction to the book of 1 Timothy. ...
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September 9, 2015
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Biblical Book Introductions
| Tags: paul, 1 Thessalonians, Thessalonica
The following is an introduction to the first letter to the Thessalonian church in the mid century CE. It covers various historical and cultural background issues as well as personal, theological themes in 1 Thessalonians. ...
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September 9, 2015
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Biography
| Tags: african american, Jupiter Hammon, Black Christian History, Christian
A Brief Biographical Sketch of Jupiter Hammon one of the first published African American authors in the Americas. ...
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September 9, 2015
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Biblical Book Introductions
| Tags: introduction, Judges, Book of Judges
A survey and introduction to the Old Testament Book of Judges. The redemptive historical setting, basic background and major theological themes in Judges...
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January 3, 2015
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
General Essays
| Tags: prayer, old testament, Prayers
The following is a simple list of prayers uttered throughout the ages by Old Testament saints...
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September 25, 2014
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Biblical Book Introductions
| Tags: matthew, introduction, Sermon on the Mount
A look at the Gospel of Matthew and the Sermon on the Mount found in Chapters 5-7. ...
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July 26, 2014
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Biblical Book Introductions
| Tags: wisdom, proverbs, introduction
INTRODUCTION [1]
Wisdom, as related to human beings, may simply be defined as the life quality that enables one to make good choices in the complicated circumstances of life in order to walk a good path. For the follower of Jesus, wisdom is the art of godly living.
Every culture knows that there is a way to live that is rightly called foolishness. There really is a way t...
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January 4, 2014
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Biblical Book Introductions
| Tags: james, Book of James, Epistle of James, Epistle
To read on your device or to print a PDF of our introduction to the Book of James simply follow this link:BUILD: The Book of James...
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April 13, 2013
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Theological Reflection
| Tags: marriage, family, Home, Home Team, gospel, Root for Home Team
What is the family and why should we be rooting for it? A discussion of humanity in community for the glory of God....
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February 21, 2013
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Biography
| Tags: Francis Grimke, Black Christian, biography
There are some stories which are simply neglected in the history of America and the story of the Grimk family is certainly one of them. What began with a southern, white family of Charleston aristocrats flowered into a group of people dedicated to the abolition of slavery and civil rights in America. The Christian gospel shapes the story at many of its twists and turns. Th...
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January 26, 2013
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Theological Reflection
| Tags: god, Attributes, Shared, Unshared, Relational
God has revealed himself to us in Scripture to have certain attributes to his nature. ...
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November 30, 2012
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Biblical Book Introductions
Introducing basic narrative hermeneutics, studies of the Pentateuch and background issues for the Book of Exodus...
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May 19, 2012
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Biography
| Tags: peter, disciple, apostle, witness, pope, papacy
A look at the Apostle Peter ...
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February 7, 2012
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Biography
| Tags: truth, sojourner, sojourner truth
Sojourner Truth - follower of Jesus, abolitionist, advocate for women's rights...
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December 16, 2011
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Biography
| Tags: isaac watts, watts, joy to the world, hymns
A brief treatment of the life and influence of Isaac Watts on the history and singing of hymns in the English speaking world....
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October 31, 2011
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Junk Drawer Essays: Apologetics
| Tags: death, jesus, resurrection, eternity
Richard and Sundar discuss death and the coming reality of eternity...
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October 25, 2011
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Junk Drawer Essays: Apologetics
| Tags: god, love, theology, philosophy, brain, mind
two friends discuss the biological, philosophical and theological nature of love...
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October 19, 2011
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Junk Drawer Essays: Apologetics
| Tags: god, evil, world, sucks
Two friends discuss the problem of suffering and the suckiness of people...
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October 12, 2011
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Junk Drawer Essays: Apologetics
| Tags: perfect, good, the good, finding god, questions, apologetics
Two friends discuss the ideas of perfection and ontological goodness...
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October 12, 2011
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Junk Drawer Essays: Apologetics
| Tags: religion, finding god, questions, apologetics, senus divinitatus
Two friends discuss the religious nature and sense of the divine in human beings...
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September 25, 2011
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Junk Drawer Essays: Apologetics
| Tags: universe, creation, design
Two friends discuss the universe together...
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September 20, 2011
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Junk Drawer Essays: Apologetics
| Tags: finding god, questions, apologetics
An introduction to the usefulness of our questions in growing in faith, confidence and the defense of the historic Christian faith...
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July 31, 2011
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Junk Drawer Essays: Apologetics
| Tags: mission, timothy, titus, theology, circumcision
Theology and missionboth matter
During the first few decades of the Christian movement there arose a controversy as to how the Old Covenant laws should relate to New Covenant faith. As the gospel of Jesus was proclaimed in the world, both Jews and non Jews began to place their faith and trust in him as their Savior. As God created a new community of the faithful out of gr...
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July 3, 2011
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Biblical Book Introductions
| Tags: john, mark, gospels, matthew, luke
A short introduction to the canonical gospels...
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May 4, 2011
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Junk Drawer Essays
| Tags: gospel, jesus, god, fear, worry, anxiety, freaking out
In our world human beings struggle deeply with various fears, concerns and anxieties. This essay is a brief discussion of these things and how they are related to our trust in God. ...
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February 6, 2011
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Junk Drawer Essays: Apologetics
| Tags: jesus, god, man, incarnation, deity, divinity
Jesus Christ is the most unique figure in all of human history. He was fully God and fully human in one person....
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October 3, 2010
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Junk Drawer Essays: Apologetics
| Tags: god, sovereign, determinism, materialism, free will
Is the future determined? Is there any such thing as destiny? What do various worldviews say to us about this matter? ...
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September 26, 2010
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Junk Drawer Essays: Apologetics
| Tags: ecclesiastes, nietzsche, void, sacred games
Have we fulfilled Friedrich Nietzsche's imagination by creating sacred games to distract us from the emptiness of life without God? ...
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September 19, 2010
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Biblical Book Introductions
| Tags: ecclesiastes, vanity, meaningless, solomon, qohelet, meaninglessness
An introduction to Ecclesiastes connecting authorship, literary genres, purpose and overall message of the book....
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August 15, 2010
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Junk Drawer Essays: Apologetics
| Tags: gospel, jesus, judgment, judge not
Why the judgment of God is right and good and why we must understand this in order to grasp the significance of the gospel of Jesus Christ....
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July 25, 2010
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Junk Drawer Essays
| Tags: gospel, god, suffering, pain, evil, humanity
Thoughts on God, suffering and the gospel of Jesus Christ...
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July 8, 2010
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Junk Drawer Essays
| Tags: elders, authority, biblical authority, parents, government
God has given us authority in our lives for our good and his glory. There is authority in the family, the church and civil government that has been ordained and instituted by God. ...
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June 13, 2010
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Junk Drawer Essays: Apologetics
| Tags: creation, genesis, science, evolution
An interaction with questions and issues surrounding the interplay of science, the book of Genesis and the biblical doctrine of creation....
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May 23, 2010
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Junk Drawer Essays
| Tags: new covenant, sacraments, baptism, paedo baptism, creedo baptism, believers baptism
A discussion of baptism and its relationship to the new covenant. We take a look at whether the sign of the new covenant should be applied at birth or the new birth. ...
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May 16, 2010
by Reid S. Monaghan
| Tags: church, word, word and sacrament, preaching, gathering
The importance of our practice of gathering each week for worship...
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May 9, 2010
by Reid S. Monaghan
| Tags: mission, evangelism, service
Sharing the gospel with others...
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April 21, 2010
by Reid S. Monaghan
| Tags: scripture, study, meditation, bible
A short guide to help us connect regularly with the sacred Scriptures. ...
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April 12, 2010
by Reid S. Monaghan
| Tags: spiritual disciplines, core rhythms, means of grace
In God's grace and kindness he has given his people certain rhythms and spiritual practices in life in order to transform us and develop deep relationship with Him and one another. ...
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March 15, 2010
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Biography
| Tags: st. patrick, patrick, ireland, biography, st. patrick biography
Each year a peculiar celebration takes place among many people. Green clothes are worn, green beer is imbibed and strange stories about snakes being chased out of Ireland are told. Shamrocks abound and leprechauns seem to jump out from behind every bush. People are pinched for not participating in the fashion of the day and parades are thrown in the name of a man who live...
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February 21, 2010
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Junk Drawer Essays
| Tags: elders, deacons, members
It is clear from Paul's letter to Titus that the church was not to be a chaotic mass of people without guidance or leadership. In fact, Titus' very mission on Crete was to "set what remained in order and appoint elders in every town." (Titus 1:5) God has graciously gifted his church with leadership so that there might be a proper order to its life together. Although the si...
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February 15, 2010
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Biography
| Tags: african american, preacher, black history month, lemuel haynes
A short summary of the life of the pioneering African American preacher Lemuel Haynes (1753–1833)A short summary of the life of the pioneering African American preacher Lemuel Haynes (1753–1833)A short summary of the life of the pioneering African American preacher Lemuel Haynes (1753–1833)...
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February 7, 2010
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Biblical Book Introductions
| Tags: gospel, titus, manifest, preached, good works
Long ago a young man was charged to continue to push forward the mission of Jesus on an island in the Mediterranean Sea. The communities that Jesus established were to bring his message and manifest his Kingdom throughout the earth. This would happen as the Words of God were proclaimed faithfully and good works were done in his name.
In this introduction I want to orient ...
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January 24, 2010
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Junk Drawer Essays
| Tags: jesus, beer, wine, alcohol, moderation, prohibition, liqour
Looking at the teaching of Scripture regarding the use and abuse of alcohol...
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January 4, 2010
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Biblical Book Introductions
| Tags: god, wisdom, proverbs, wisdom literature
An introduction to the wisdom literature and the book of Proverbs...
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November 22, 2009
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Junk Drawer Essays
| Tags: akrasia, desire, freedom of inclination, romans 7
Why do we not always do what we want? Or do we? ...
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October 18, 2009
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Junk Drawer Essays
| Tags: eternity, judgment, karma, justice
A brief look two views of life, consequences and eternity...
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October 11, 2009
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Junk Drawer Essays
| Tags: clean, unclean, sacrifice, jesus, camp
The Old Testament cleanliness codes point forward to the coming Christ who would sanctify a people for himself. Jesus is crucified outside of the camp to bring people to God and call us forward in sacrificial mission. ...
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October 4, 2009
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Junk Drawer Essays
| Tags: kingdom, god, money, rich, poor
A biblical meditation on being rich or poor in light of the Kingdom of God. ...
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September 25, 2009
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Biblical Book Introductions
| Tags: jesus, gospels, luke
Looking at the identity of Jesus and how we encounter him in the gospels......
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August 23, 2009
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Ephesians
| Tags: marriage, wives, husbands
A biblical meditation on marriage....
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August 2, 2009
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Ephesians
| Tags: mouth, speech, cursing, profanity, cussing, christians
How should we use our words? Good question, read on. ...
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July 27, 2009
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Ephesians
| Tags: imitation, imitation of god
An Essay on the Imitation of God......
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June 9, 2009
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Ephesians
| Tags: community, church, the church
What is the Church? This article looks at the church as a people called to God through the gospel, transformed with him as they grow together and sent into the world on mission to represent for Jesus....
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June 5, 2009
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Ephesians
| Tags: prayer, how to prayer, life of prayer
A wrestling with the biblical practice of prayer...
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April 18, 2009
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Biblical Book Introductions
| Tags: ephesians, introduction, life, doctrine
A short introduction to the biblical book of Ephesians for contemporary readers....
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April 12, 2009
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Junk Drawer Essays: Apologetics
| Tags: jesus, resurrection, history, apologetic
A look at the historical reality of the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...
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March 30, 2009
by Reid S. Monaghan
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Category:
Junk Drawer Essays
| Tags: government, christians
Throughout history, followers of Jesus have served faithfully under various forms of government and political regimes. This essay is a small treatment encouraging us to remain faithful to Christ in whatever circumstance or rule we find ourselves under. ...
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