Tag: act
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Untrashed
Malachi 1:6-9 Perhaps you’ve heard an acquaintance, a friend, a family member say, “God won’t accept me until I clean myself up.” Or perhaps, “if I enter the church, lightning will come down and/or the church will catch on fire.” Behave, believe, belong has long been the order in the church. That’s likely where these…
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How to Come Back
1 Corinthians 11:17–33 It’s almost over it seems. The time of being masked and constrained nears its end. On the other hand, already another strain of COVID is showing up, but the reality is that we, as an entire world, are at our limits. It seems great that we’re almost there, except that we really…
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Seeing Christ In The Lives of Others
Romans 12:16–21 As part of our college ministry many years ago, we asked our college students to come up with their mission statement. It was coached in a business/organization language; it should have been better phrased as a Rule of Life. Mine was: Seeing Christ in the Lives of Others. Yes, the title was my…
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A Movement: Of Priest and Temple
…if we…focus too much on the outside, the temple comes crumbling down, for the internal structure cannot hold up the facade shown to the world, and we then dishonor God by our fallen temple.
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Hear the Roar
Psalm 85:8–13; Amos 3:1–12; Colossians 4:2–18 The Psalm speaks of the land of Israel having God’s blessings. It needed it. God’s blessing was both a protection and a source of bounty. The gist is that if Israel’s people were being blessed by the land, including peace from war, bountiful crops, and growing families, then God…
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Give It Up
Psalm 123; Jeremiah 7:27–34; Matthew 8:18–22 There was this guy who loved science. He loved nature. He pursued the academics to take care of the wilds. Except he was stubborn. You see, what he loved wasn’t the science, but Creation. In fact, he wasn’t good at it at all. He stuck with that choice for…
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Divided Unity
Psalm 33:12–22; Job 37:1–13; 1 Corinthians 15:50–57 God’s might and power cannot be denied. God’s glory is present in Creation. A majority of people surveyed stated that they are closest (or most aware of) God when they are in “nature” (or non-humanity altered environments). As Elihu says (the person speaking in Job), God’s power is…
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How We Wait
The stage is being set. The Disciples are getting ready. Jesus told them to wait in Jerusalem. They didn’t wait in a state of inaction. They readied what they believed was right and in such a way that they could respond. Then they waited for the fulfillment of the promise Jesus made.