Blog
image from Digital Sojourners
We have all been wronged, deeply, by a friend or a family member or a boss or a coworker or a spouse. Those scars run deep, and the memories sometimes never fade. The pain can still eat at our hearts. Last week we explored the forgiveness that God grants us, how he wipes out our sins and guilt. We get a clean slate. But genuine forgiveness is a two-edged sword, one that cuts both ways. If God wipes out our sins, we need...
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Meet Allie, our loved feline who marvelously expresses some modern morality. For years, Sheila adamantly opposed cats being on our bed. Finally, she softened enough to allow Allie on, IF she kept to a pad near the bottom. See pic 2 for a sample. She knows the pad is her pad. But look at the second pic—she went off...
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image by The Syrophoenician Woman
Last week’s post explored how our harsh language can damage others and turn people off to God, so let’s flip the coin to see how we might build a positive view of him in our society. No street preaching of “Turn or Burn.” No need for a degree in defending the gospel. No memorized testimonies that may not relate to our listeners. Instead…
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The location of the above spot on Rock Creek will remain a secret. Well away from any campground or road. No recently stocked trout, so if you happen to find it, forget using Power Bait. Wild trout reign here; at a minimum, stockers have lived here long enough to get cagey. So walk softly, watch your shadows, and stalk the fish with worms. Night crawlers are best. Techniques that land trout in campgrounds with newly stocked trout won’t work here. Ya gotta know the habits and leeriness of your targeted trout. Sharing Jesus...
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image by KPCC
I love the line in a current worship song, “He brings our chaos back into order.” The universe began in chaos, formless and void, until he spoke it into being, with order. Enough order for us to design smart phones and sent rockets to Saturn, and, well, you get it. God also does that in our lives—we simultaneously head in different directions with contradictory goals, and he brings consistency so we can be productive. But…
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image by SnowTart
Demon Faith--the ultimate oxymoron and insult, perhaps. James, the brother of Jesus, stated that many believe in Jesus without trusting him. The demons do that. Hence, demon faith. In an extended definition of genuine faith, James said, “You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?” (James 2:19-20 NLT, but see verses 14-26). But could we possibly have some elements of demon faith in our lives? Not that our faith is...
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image from Zito's Talking Blog
Have you ever wanted something so much that if God didn’t provide it, that lack became a block between you? Maybe being healed, or prosperity, or a relationship? Or…just fill in the blank. The classic problem of pain. God’s omnipotence says he could; his love says he would. So if he doesn’t act as we ask, then we question either his caring or his power. Or both. But maybe we err.
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image from yrm.org
Growing up, I sincerely yet shallowly gave my life to Jesus. That superficiality caused enough spiritual struggles to leave me feeling guilty, so in college I left faith. Four years of searching and studying brought me back to Jesus, much more deeply, but some struggles remained. Then Wayne, the custodian at the Christian junior high where I taught, encouraged me to study about the Holy Spirit. Understand that in reaction to some overemphasis on charismatic gifts and some weird stuff going on, the church I grew up in minimized talk about the Holy Spirit. My study revealed one reason for my struggles...
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