Episodes
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Don’t You care? That’s one of two questions, three actually, that were asked as Jesus and the disciples took a boat ride late one night on the Sea of Galilee. And all three of them are helpful to keep in mind whenever you and I find ourselves frightened and feeling abandoned by our Savior. Let’s look at this first question today. (Join us for our next devotion on Friday as we take a look at the second, and third questions asked during this stunning event.)
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In Job, the prophet found himself stricken by crushing loss and crippling illness. And if you’ve ever found yourself experienced loss, faltering finances or diminished health, you may have found yourself confronted by some tough questions. You may have even wanted to give God a piece of your mind. Well, you might be surprised to know that God has a few choice words for us.
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Tent camping. Just the image of it ignites your sense of adventure. Stunning scenery, fresh air, sleeping under the stars and camp fires. However, if you've lost your home, tent camping isn’t the summertime adventure that comes to mind. The apostle Paul, a tent-maker by trade, likened these bodies to tents that wear out. With joy, he points us to the resurrection and our heavenly home to come.
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In describing the kingdom of God Jesus compared it to a mustard seed. The seed itself is tiny. You can’t help but sigh and think, “Is that it?” However, what appears to be weak and unimpressive brings about remarkable results.
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There’s a reason that old gardens –especially those large estate gardens you may visit in the summer – look more majestic than the average garden in your backyard. Plants were given time to grow. We like to see results and we want to see them now. So, it’s not surprising that we may find ourselves expecting much the same when it comes to planting the seed of the Gospel. But it doesn’t always work that way.
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“That’s crazy talk!” Now there’s handy phrase to use when the person you’re talking to doesn’t seem make sense. It’s an informal way of saying, “You’re babbling!” And yet there were those who were comfortable using a similar phrase to describe our Savior. The reality is that much of what you and I take for granted as a matter of faith sounds crazy to the world – until the Holy Spirit calls a person to faith by the Gospel.
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This year is the 60th Anniversary of National Safety Council's defensive driving program. Some of the principles that it incorporates are based on techniques that were known even before that. One of those principles has a lot in common with the instruction that Paul gives us here in 2 Corinthians.
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Sharing the Gospel of our Savior’s love in this world can be difficult. Sometimes it’s thrown back in our face like a bucket of cold water. It can be more than a little disheartening. As a result, we may want to bottle up the Good News that God has given us and keep it to ourselves. So, why keep doing it? As Paul points out, the answer is something you don’t see yet, but you will. And it will be worth it!
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Here in Mark, we hear of an instance in which the Pharisees accused Jesus of "trespassing." He crossed a fence that others had made to protect God's command and gift of the Sabbath by healing a man in the synagogue on that day. Jesus reminded them that He has authority over the Sabbath and certainly over any man-made fences that others had built around it to protect it. He assured them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." In fact, even today, the opportunity for worship is all about healing.
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Does the Church seem weak and disappointing? Is your pastor less than movie-star material? Don’t worry. Chances are good, as God’s Word points out, that even if you had Paul as your preacher, or a congregation as gifted as the one in Corinth, many folks would be still be unimpressed. But, as the apostle reminds us, that's not by accident.
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Have a rest! That's easier said than done. We have an urge to fill up our free time with work. Sometimes that work can even crowd out the opportunity to worship if we're not careful. In order not to sip into this trap, God has given us a remarkable command and invitation.
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When folks first look at Christianity, they tend to look for things that will make life good – handy bits of advice to make life easier, tips for getting richer, life coaching ideas and things like that. However, it's worth noting that on the evening when Nicodemus came to Jesus instead of our Savior giving him a list of things he must do to make life good, Jesus told him that what he actually needed – life itself. Take a closer look at the remarkable gift our God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, gives to us through faith.
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Are you and I no better than a rusty old mower that gets rolled out to the curb and winds up in a landfill? Hardly! And as Christians, it would be terrible if we let ourselves fall prey, with the world, to this way of thinking. God has so much more in mind for you and me. Listen to the confidence that David held in the Old Testament. It was the confidence that comes as we look ahead to the resurrection. This was not simply David’s hope in his final hours, but a joyful assurance that gave him strength throughout his life. We share this same hope and joy this day.
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Have you ever tried to take a photograph and the brightness of the sun make it impossible? Timothy explains why this is the case when it comes to God. In his first letter, he tells us about our God who “alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see.” However, now that Christ has come and redeemed us, you and I can now approach Him with confidence.
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It’s worth knowing that shortly before His ascension took place, Jesus assured the disciples that He wouldn’t leave them to wander aimlessly on their own. He promised them the Holy Spirit and said, “He will guide you into all truth.” And what a great blessing this is for you and me. Jesus’ promise of the resurrection and everlasting life with Him is our unchanging destination. Here's how the Holy Spirit keeps us oriented on the trip so that we don’t get lost along the way. Like a compass that points steadily north, the Holy Spirit keeps our focus on Christ.
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In many cases, the maps at the back of your Bible included one showing how people converged in Jerusalem for Pentecost. It may even have arrows from the locations listed in Acts all pointing to Jerusalem. But take another look at that map. Reverse those directional arrows and what you see is an explosion of people who then returned home – north, south east and west – telling everyone what they had seen and heard. That ongoing eruption of Good News continues to this day and this Good News has now traveled all the way to you. The Holy Spirit made sure of it.
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Impressive! You can’t help but marvel when you hear about the events that took place at Pentecost! Whenever we describe something as impressive, we usually mean that it was amazing, astonishing, and incredible to behold. Pentecost was all this an more. And in celebrating this event, yesterday in church, we may have found ourselves thinking, “Wow, I’ll bet that was impressive!” But that word “impressive” refers to much more than just razzle-dazzle. In fact, the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit continues to have an impact and leave a mark this day!
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You and I live a world which embraces lies. That’s not surprising since our Savior describes the adversary as the father of lies. In John, Jesus prayed that the Father would protect us from the evil one. And Jesus tells us the manner in which God does this. Praying for the disciples, and all who would follow, He asked the Father, “Sanctify them in the truth.”
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Why am I here? It’s one of the great existential questions that folks find themselves asking from time-to-time. With the work of salvation complete, and our risen Savior's assurance of forgiveness and everlasting life, have you ever wondered why you woke up today on this side of heaven? Jesus answers that question!
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When folks are asked, “Are you sure that you have eternal life,” a response frequently given is: “I hope so.” Sometimes, the answer given is, “I’m not sure. I don’t know.” However, in Christ you can know that you have eternal life. In fact, you can be absolutely sure of it. 100% sure. Here's why!
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