Category: Christian Living
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Helping our kids love church, again
“The reason I hate church is that you pay attention to everyone else there but us.” ~ Megan, age 7 Those words rattled my soul. I’d rather have gotten cold-cocked by Mike Tyson in a bar fight than heard those words. That’s when I knew that things had to drastically change in how both how I…
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The woman at the well and me
Headphones in, volume up, helmet strapped on, I mounted my bike with a lot on my mind. Already running late and frustrated that my air compressor was not working, I peddled down my block. With my rear tire nearly flat I knew I’d have to stop at the nearby gas station and fill it up.…
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Billboards & False Prophets
You’ve likely seen this billboard. People nationwide are talking about it– especially as the supposed day is quickly approaching. I had largely ignored the signs until this variation appeared… “The Bible Guarantees It.” What does the Bible guarantee about impending judgment? “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven,…
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Sober Judgment
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. Romans 12:3 I struggle with this verse. Paul makes it sound so easy and…
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Who feeds you?
On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grain fields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he…
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Minister by doing
Religious leaders get hung up in theological ideological debates, Jesus did not. One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”Jesus answered them, “Have…
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Redemption Song
Good Friday reminds me of this song and this moment for two reasons. May we sing songs of freedom this weekend. Jesus came to set captives free. May we celebrate and remember as ones freed from bondage. As we celebrate Easter this weekend, let’s remember that Jesus didn’t die just to redeem you. He died…
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The Chronology of Holy Week
Have you ever tried to teach Holy week? It can be confusing to nail down the chronology. Looking at the narrative and laying it out against what we celebrate reveals that we might not be counting the days exactly the way the four Gospel writers counted days. Palm Sunday – Jesus enters Jerusalem (Luke 19…
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5 Simple Ways to be Good News This Week
Photo by Steve Snodgrass via Flickr (Creative Commons) Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Practically speaking, that means that going to church on Sunday and rocking a Christian bumper sticker isn’t enough. Here…
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Reward yourself
The reality is that no one is going to give you the rewards you deserve. You do so much for others that goes unnoticed. You sacrifice so many things that only Jesus knows about. And in doing so you grow weary. And if you don’t take care of yourself there is a 100% chance you’ll…