BECAUSE I SAID SO….

Anyone who interacts with children will immediately understand the temptation to simply reply with “Because I Said so.” when wanting them to obey. There are two ways imperatives can be given. The way of force, which includes judgment, has the attitude of “Why can’t you just do as I say?” The other responsive imperative takes…

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LOVING OTHERS WITH ACTION

Why do I have difficulty loving some people? Luke 10:30-34 (NIV) In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road,…

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THE SOURCE OF OUR RESOURCES

The twelve disciples continue to be a source of inspiration and learning. This week, we see them stumble again, experiencing again the hard lesson that Jesus is the only one who can meet their needs, whether they were looking for bread to eat, or peace in a storm. How often do we stumble over this…

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THE GREAT TENSION

Christ prayed for us to be in the world, but not of the world. Innocent as doves but wise as serpents. In. Not of. Being in the world means we are NOT to separate ourselves from those that need Christ. “In the world” means being exposed  to  the sin  of  the  world without actually participating, yourself. It does NOT mean that…

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PROMISE AND POWER

In an article from March 29, 2021, Gallup reported (Jeffrey M. Jones, Gallup News) that less than half of adult Americans have a formal membership with a specific house of worship, down more than 20 points over the past two decades. Gallup reports that the decline in church membership is primarily a function of the…

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HEARING

Sunday morning, Pastor Lawrence emphasized the difference between types of hearing. As used colloquially in English, and as defined by Webster’s, “hearing” is a physical act of the ear. It is sound waves, and vibrations. Processing of that information may or may not occur. The Hebrew word for hearing, however, has the idea of action…

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SHOULD HAVE, WOULD HAVE, COULD HAVE

Stuck. Today our power is out at home. An unexpected inconvenience that has messed up my plans for the afternoon. I don’t know when it will come back on… or if I’ll be able to get the laundry done and cook dinner tonight. Should I go to plan B? Truthfully, this annoyance puts me in…

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KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM

Is knowledge the same as wisdom? Before answering this question, consider another – is knowing about Christ the same as the Spirit living within us as believers? In thinking through this second question, consider Paul’s words in Galatians 5: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.…

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HEAVENLY OR HELLISH

I see them all the time – those darling little boys with pudgy cheeks and sparkling eyes who look like angels. Then, in a matter of minutes, those same sweet boys can turn into a beasts who scream and throw things at their sister! Adults too… siblings, co-workers, neighbors, aunties, uncles…. my own beloved spouse!……

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