Category: Uncategorized
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“Oops! I Did a Good Thing!”
“Oops!” Haven’t we all said that? We say it when we do something poorly or accidentally. We say it when we wish that we could have done something different. It is an exclamation of our mess ups. Have you ever said “oops!” when you did a good thing? How often does that happen? Does it…
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4th of July Thoughts
Wow! Another 4th of July. Happy Birthday America! As I think about July 4th, I think about all the history of those days. I think of the people whose lives were made harsher as tyranny increased. I think about how the founding fathers grew more and more impatient with the conditions that they found themselves. …
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The Confidence of Knowing God’s Love
Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, 2 Corinthians 4:1 Did you have a grandmother like mine? In my grandmother’s house there were smells and expressions that told me I was loved and safe. Smiles, fresh-baked chocolate chip (or oatmeal) cookies, and hugs were common. So, there…
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Grace, Listening, Grace, Love, Grace, Patience…
There is a word in the Christian vocabulary that we really like on one hand, but also really struggle with. The word is grace. As we see the polarization of our communities right now over our differing responses to the virus and our differing responses to the protests and civil unrest, we can clearly see…
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Be An Example
Paul said, “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.” Quite a statement! It speaks of Paul’s desire to see those around him become like Jesus. It speaks of a discipleship that was more modeling than teaching. It also speaks of a man who was willing to let people see him for…
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Why I wear a mask at church – Guest blog
by Amy Jakes May 27, 2020 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy for all people. –Titus 3:1-2 Over the last couple of weeks, several from…
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Forgiveness – What we want, we should give
There is nothing so nice as an encouraging verse. However, thinking deeply and carefully about those encouraging verses can be equally challenging! For example, consider the Scripture that invites us to forgive… Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32 This verse, and many…
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Jesus is my Enough
When was the last time you heard people sing with abandon about Jesus? I have two events every year when I am surrounded by people who are doing that. The first is my pastors’ conference in February. The second is camp. Being a part of a group like that reminds me of how precious our…
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Live it Out
Paul said, “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1 Quite a statement! It is just 11 words, but it speaks of Paul’s desire to see those around him become like Jesus. It speaks of a type of discipleship that was more modeling than teaching. It also speaks of a…
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Walking With Each Other Toward Christ
Commiserate. This word comes to us from two Latin words. It means to “lament with”. Commiserating happens when we walk with each other through our struggles. Have we really thought about how important walking together through struggles is? Paul shares with the church in Corinth that – “We had the sentence of death within ourselves…
Pastor John D Jakes 