Tag: Christianity
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Another Year
Another year gone, another begun. Just a blip on God’s radar—perhaps a mere blink of His eternal eyes. And yet it’s a trip around the sun. And it contains a lot for us mortals. So much can change in the blink of an eye, not to mention in a year. A lot of it is…
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Toiling With All His Energy
“By what authority are you doing these things?” This was a question posed to Jesus by the chief priests, scribes and elders as he taught and preached in the temple. (Luke 20:1-2) He refused to answer their question, but it’s obvious to we, who have the advantage of hindsight, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, that…
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Before I Was Afflicted
Being afflicted is something people can’t seem to reconcile with a loving God these days. Why all the pain and suffering in this life if there is really a good God in charge of it all? If He can do anything why doesn’t He change circumstances? Why doesn’t He wave His hand and remove the…
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The Measure We Use
What measure do we use when giving to others? Whether or not we realize it, most of us are giving to people daily. Our giving is almost as numerous as the interactions we have with people. This obviously means that the giving I’m referring to is not always a tangible sort. But of course sometimes…
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Self-Evident Truth
There was a time in history—not that long ago—when certain truths were considered self-evident. This meaning that there were ideas and facts which contained truths that were considered universal and glaringly obvious. These were truths which even the most obtuse—if they were intellectually honest—could imagine the repercussions and ramifications of their violation.
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Innocence Invites Simplicity
Perhaps I’ll be called a religious simpleton for advocating for simplicity, but that’s okay, it helps me make my point. Innocence really does invite simplicity. We can see it around us and we can make a case for it in Scripture. For starters, the Bible has a way of boiling issues down to their essence…
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Are You Part Of The Resistance?
We should all be a part of the resistance. An organized, cohesive unit poised to take back that which an occupying force has usurped. No one should be sitting on the sidelines as long as this occupying force has a shred of influence in our territory. We have been tasked to confront this force and…
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Youth & The Dawn Of Life
Ecclesiastes 11:9-10 9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. 10 Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain from your body, for…
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The Work We Do
Something I’ve struggled with over the years is finding purpose. Everyone wants their life to count. To be meaningful. To have value. Taken to an extreme, this can cause Christians to endeavor, carnally, to do spiritual work. And it can cause believers to disdain work that seems mundane by nature. Both are the result of…
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Valentine: A Reflection
Well, it’s this time of year once more, A day with a lot of history and lore. Of mister Valentine’s nocturnal weddings, All in the face of potential beheading.
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Should We Fear For Our Children?
There have been times I’ve questioned the prudence of rearing children in this hour. The waters of life seem so murky and troubled. The culture of our nation seems to be increasingly hostile to sound Christian values. Will we face persecution in the near future? People have already lost livelihoods due to their faith. What…
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Do Not Be Conformed To This World
Have you ever noticed that the world system in which we live, is a mold? In the same way molten metals are poured into a mold and are formed into the shape of it, so are the lives of the masses poured into the mold of the world. Most people who are poured into this…
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The Package Of Salvation
Is the cross a package deal? It certainly is, and people these days really put a lot of emphasis on that. It is said that if you are in Christ, you are a new creation. Plain and simple. Top to bottom. That’s the end of the old you. The problem is, the cross is a…
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Children Have Come To The Point Of Birth
Our spiritual walk is an evolving one. God does not mean for us to be stagnant, stale or slothful. Because of this, we frequently find ourselves coming to the end of seasons and into the beginning of new ones. As the new ones begin, it is similar to a birth. We have the pains and…
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A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken
Hebrews 12:26-28 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be…
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Freedom
Note: this post was first published on this site October 25, 2017 Freedom—the human spirit longs for it; people steal for it, go broke for it, even murder for it…and then there are people who actually fight for it and find it. This may come off as a strange or mysterious way to describe this…
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A Few Shades Less Proud
I remember when I first discovered I was very proud. It was a shock. I had struggled with inferiority most of my life and I had no idea that pride and inferiority operate together quite well rather than working against one another as I had supposed. The opposite of pride is humility and meekness—not inferiority.…
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Finding Great Spoil
Psalms 119:162 I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil. – ESV God’s Word becomes precious to His saints who use it as it is intended. Hopefully we don’t read it as some religious rite, or duty to get out of the way. Rather, we should seek it as life-giving spiritual nourishment…
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Did Not Our Hearts Burn Within Us?
Luke 24:32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” – ESV Two of the disciples were walking on the road to Emmaus when Jesus appeared to them. They didn’t recognize His physical appearance, but after…
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Shepherds Feeding Themselves
Jude is not a popular book by most standards. It’s short, and it uses its limited space to mostly put forth some very stern warnings and convictions. It lists many attributes of fake Christians having snuck into the ranks of those Jude was writing to. The one that stuck out to me is found in…
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If Life Was Fair
We hear a lot—especially from young people—about the importance of fairness. At face value this seems like a good ideal to pursue. It is a great starting point, especially when we are contemplating the way we are to treat other people. The problem comes when we start thinking in terms of life not being fair…
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He Is Enthroned On Our Praises
Is it possible for us to contribute to the majesty of God? Would God entrust us with the task of building a throne for Him to sit on? This seems very unlikely to people who are very cognizant of their limitations and failures. We can contribute nothing by our own strength, this is true enough.…
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Deception & Revelation: Twin Towers
The age we find ourselves in is fraught with deception. There are more ideas and opinions than ever before. This is a natural outcome of the breakdown of long held traditions. At a glance this seems like a tragedy. Many people are led astray by false teachers and prophets. Chaos and strife become the order…
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Blessed Is The Man…
Psalms 1:1-3 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by…
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The Storm Before The Calm
It’s easy to look across the landscape of global activity and become frustrated, fearful and angry at this time. There is a shaking happening. There is a storm going on. A storm of spiritual warfare. Things look dark to many. Not necessarily because of the Corona Virus itself but many times because of the fallout…
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Sheltering In Place
As people in various states and occupations practice sheltering in place, they do so to avoid placing themselves in vulnerable situations physically. There was a time when Jesus’ disciples practiced sheltering in place, because of an order from their Master. It had nothing to do with their physical well being. It was for their spiritual…
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An Attitude Of Gratitude—No Exceptions
Note: This post was first published 8/30/2018 1 Thessalonians 5:18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. —ESV How many times do we go through life reacting to the circumstances around us, and feeling justified in doing so? It is tempting to be thankful when…
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Fearfully And Wonderfully Made
Psalms 139:13-14 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
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Satan Is Loath To Part With A Great Sinner
I’ve been reading a memoir of John Bunyan. He was a great sinner before he found grace and had many struggles as a Christian because of it. I’ve found a few parallels to his and my own testimony and have been very taken in by the story of his life. As I was reading, I…
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The God Who Answers By Fire
1 Kings 18:24 And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” – ESV This was Elijah facing off with the prophets of Baal. As he…
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Without Spot Or Wrinkle
Ephesians 5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might…
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We Will Not Be Put To Shame
What is the biggest reason believers fear to step out in faith, obeying the leading of the Spirit to do unconventional things? Most times for me it has been a nagging voice of fear, saying I will become a spectacle. That people would shake their heads and tell each other I’d lost my mind. Or…
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Work For It, Or Walk In It?
In many cases believers find themselves going back and forth between grace and works as if the two are mutually exclusive. Somehow we can’t seem to grasp the fact that the two can coexist and even thrive together. But only if we have them in the right order and from the right source. If we…
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For To Us A Child Is Born…
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
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He Is Not A God Of Confusion
1 Corinthians 14:32-33 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. –ESV How many times do we find ourselves in doubt—questioning the will of God, our motives and even the path we are on? In a sense, these questions can be good. A person…
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Dealing With The Curses Of Balak
I am going through a major transition in business right now. My partner and I had two businesses together. We have agreed to separate, with him taking one business and me taking the other on negotiated terms. I have sensed that God has orchestrated this. I believe He has led me to this place, but…
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The History Of Halloween
The history of Halloween is a long one. Many cultural practices have conspired to create the product we have today. I’ll try to present this information chronologically to avoid confusion, and will add a few of my own thoughts at the end. I do not claim to have created a comprehensive account here; only a…
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Do We Count It All Joy?
When we first started out on our journey of faith it might have come as a surprise to us that we were destined for hardship. The first few bumps we faced certainly did not inspire joy, and probably caused us to pause and evaluate. What did we sign up for? Is it worth the cost?…
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A Lion In The Kingdom
Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion. –ESV This verse is from the Bible so we must begin with the premise that it is true. But many times we look around and see what we perceive as righteous people cowering before an onslaught of evil…
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I Will Not Be Inquired Of By You
In the beginning of this chapter, the elders of Israel had come to inquire of the Lord through the prophet Ezekiel. Throughout the chapter, the Lord lays out to Ezekiel why He would not respond to their inquiry. Basically it had to do with idolatry.
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If God Would Not Move
Something I have noticed throughout my Christian walk is that many times God lets me see what I would be left with if He would not move on my behalf.
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The Third Welsh Revival
Wales has a history of a few revivals, but the one most talked about is the third one, which by most accounts started in early 1904. In a town called New Quay there was a preacher named Joseph Jenkins. He is considered to be the leader of the early stages of the Welsh Revival.
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Taste And See That The Lord Is Good
How often have we stood in the shadows and watched as others partake of the goodness of God, thinking instinctively that we have no portion in this? Even many who have some type of relationship with God, do not realize what is theirs experientially in Christ Jesus.
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The Slumber Of This Age
It’s like there is a lullaby playing on a PA system that reaches around the world. Spiritual slumber is settling like a cloud on hordes of Christians. With the availability of so many things that are spiritual poison to those who languish in them, many have done exactly that.
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When Evil Serves The Purpose Of God
You may have read the title of this post and wondered if I have gone off the deep end. Well, I haven’t. The purpose of this post is not to try and soften my characterization of evil in any way. I am not trying to justify evil by showing how it can serve God’s purpose.…
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Think About Such Things
The mind has been referred to by many as a battlefield. It is true, there are many ideas that contend for supremacy in the mind of man.
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Truth Has Stumbled In The Public Squares
Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far away; for truth has stumbled in the public squares, and uprightness cannot enter. Truth is lacking, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. The Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice
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The Love Of Many Will Grow Cold
Matthew 24:11-12 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. –ESV
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Discovering Israel—With Jonas & Kristi Troyer
On December 14th2018 Jonas and Kristi drove from their temporary home in Virginia to New York City to catch a flight from the JFK airport. They were beginning a two week trip to the Holy Land.
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Faith—A Simple Illustration
This chapter in Hebrews is notorious. It has many graphic illustrations of faith–practiced by those of whom the world was not worthy. I recommend reading the whole chapter if you want a deeper faith. But in this post I would like to explore this one verse. And share a simple illustration for those who may…
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When heaven descends
If you have been walking in the faith for any amount of time, you have probably wondered what your purpose is here on earth. Why were you made? What plan does God have for you? And what does any of this have to do with the title of this post?
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The Fingerprints Of God
As I go through life, many times simply trying to get through the next big hurdle, trying to meet the next deadline, or achieve my next self imposed goal, (not to be confused with a Kingdom goal) I can get pretty absorbed in mundane matters before I know it.
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Kingdom Goals For 2019
It is a well known tradition to make resolutions for the coming year, but I’ve found that for most people, those are setups for failure and disappointment. Most likely it’s because we enter into these resolutions with our own will and strength.
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Holy (& Wholly) Unto The Lord
I know some of these plays on words are cliché by now, but it struck me how true this one is, and I have never seen it before as far as I know, so it might even be original.
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Stimulation Does Not Equal Life
Many things in life are illusions, deceptions and counterfeits. If we have the Spirit of God as our counsel, and a healthy hunger for the truth, then this soon becomes obvious. The more we walk the walk of faith, the more we come to realize how little in this life is honest, real, and lasting.
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Nothing Can Separate Us…
Romans 8:38-39 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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A Lamp On A Stand—A City On A Hill
Matthew 5:14 & 15 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. –ESV What does it mean to be a light? I…
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Going Through Life Like A Battering Ram
Some of the posts I publish are nothing more than a reflection of my own mistakes and the lessons I learned from them. Lucky for those who read my posts, I have made plenty of mistakes and shouldn’t have a shortage of materials any time soon. I am reminded, because this post definitely falls in…
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When Others Don’t Understand
Everyone has times when they feel alone and like no one understands their situation or their life. This can especially be the case for believers. Since our relationship with God is personal on most levels and corporate on a smaller level, there is a lot of room for misunderstanding.
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The Tightrope Of Life
There are many analogies thrown around, many metaphors given, and many philosophical statements made, in an attempt to encapsulate life and the world we live in. These methods create points of reference and pictures in our minds. So bear with me as I present yet another analogy.
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When The Harvest Is Not Yet
Here is a subject that seems appropriate for the fall season. It is a time when many in rural areas are harvesting what they have planted in the spring. You see pumpkins and cornstalks lining shops in town. Local produce has been available for some time now. Soon the leaves will change and fall—nuts will…
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Intelligence—A Poor Substitute For Wisdom
What is wisdom? I believe its definition has been broadened and cheapened over the years as society has devolved. If you do not set a correct premise and beginning for wisdom, then what grows from there is automatically faulty.
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Temporal Or Eternal—Where Is Your Reward?
The priorities of the human mind amaze me. The way we embrace delusion for reality, and temporal over eternal many times. Even the most strategic businessmen—who are well acquainted with waiting patiently for a reward—do not necessarily know much about storing up eternal wealth. Also, many people in the faith do not behave as though…
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Light—In The Midst Of Darkness
One would think that between light and darkness, the choice would be easy. If we were presented with a straight forward option between the two, it probably would be. The problem is, there is a friend of darkness who has strategies of glamorizing darkness and lying about its consequences. He presents doorways into darkness and…
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Mortifying The Flesh—In Order To Live
Romans 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. —KJV
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The Old Has Gone, The New Has Come
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. –ESV This is a familiar verse to many of us. It has probably also been an inspiration to many. How many of us became born again, and did not learn to…
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My Will Be Done, Or God’s Will Be Done?
The battle of the will is one that has spanned the ages. But no matter how many decades, centuries and millennia pass by, man is not content to honestly settle the issue of who knows best. Or who has supreme authority. This can extend into human authority that God has ordained as well.
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The Truth Hurts—But Only If You’re Living A Lie
We’ve all heard the old saying: “the truth hurts.” On face value it appears to be that way many times. You say something to someone without thinking. That person takes offense at what you said, even though you didn’t mean to be offensive. You have hit a nerve you didn’t know was there.
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The Disappointments Life Brings
Last week I wrote a post titled “The Fiery Trials Of Life.” This is a lite version of that post. Disappointments are not necessarily fiery, but they present trials in their own right. If a person does not learn early in life how to deal with disappointments, they often have stunted growth—in character and spirit.
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The Fiery Trials Of Life
Refining lives through trials is something we hear a lot about as believers. We nod our heads and recognize the self-evident truth of the matter. But when our turn comes we tend to be a little more skeptical about the necessity of the procedure.
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Alarm Clocks & Wedding Bells
We live in sleepy times. Times when people would rather shrug their shoulders and turn the other way than stand for something decent. On the other hand, there seems to be no trouble in finding people willing to stand for what is immoral, and hold it up as the highest of virtues. Alarm clocks and…
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