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Devotional

Christ Alone

I am grateful that the Scriptures do not teach a Gospel that can be undone by the misuse of a pronoun.

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Devotional Social Issues

Is Your Reasonableness Showing?

Throughout the first three and a half centuries, Christians were outlaws, without equal rights—but that did not stop them from living well for the advancement of the kingdom of God.

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Devotional

Learning to Pray from Those Who Came before Us

Whenever I read of faithful saints from the past, from missionaries on the field to preachers in their study, the one common aspect of their lifestyles is this, they were committed to prayer.

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Devotional Social Issues

Important Questions to Ask Ourselves When Thinking about Today’s Race Issues

When I am faced with the racial tension that is plaguing our nation, what is it that I want?

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Devotional

How will we (Christians) be remembered after covid-19?

I can’t shake the thought.  Ever since our men’s prayer meeting this morning, all that is going through my head is this question:  what will Christians be remembered by after this crisis?  What will the church (universal) be known for having done during this pandemic? Will we be remembered for complaining about the government or […]

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Devotional

The Providence Mindset

As I continue to think about the practical implications of believing that God providentially preserves and governs all that is (even during a pandemic and “shelter in place”!), I have to admit, I’m in awe.  At the end of Romans 11, Paul cries out with the same kind of amazement when he says, “Oh, the […]

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Devotional

Fear in proper context…

I have dealt with a lot of fears in my lifetime.  A lot.  Too many.  No, like seriously, far too many.  Sure, anxiety runs in the family and I had some interesting traumatic experiences early on in life, but looking back, I robbed myself of a lot of peace and joy by allowing fear to […]

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Devotional Social Issues

So far, so (much) good

Early in the book of Acts, persecution broke out, Christians scattered, and the Gospel spread throughout the world.  What was hard on the church was used for its expansion and the fulfillment of its mission: make disciples of all nations.  On the other hand, a lot of church historians would point out that after the […]

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Devotional

An Implication of Faith in Christ

Philemon 6 (NIV) 6 I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. I don’t think that the apostle Paul was simply putting the pressure on Philemon.  Guilting someone into doing what is right is not […]

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Devotional Uncategorized

Pray for each other

At the end of a number of letters, Paul requests prayer for himself and those with him (see for example Eph. 6:18-19 and Col. 4:3-4).   This has always struck me.  Paul, a man of God who appears to be so confident and bold, requests prayer precisely for boldness and, in addition, for clarity.  Paul’s request […]