Tag: faith
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Childish/Childlike (part 3 of 4)

“Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 18:3 This week’s question is actually a challenge from our Lord Jesus. It isn’t just a question about what you and I are seeking or wanting from God. It is a question…
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How Real is Our Faith (part 2 of 4)

Last time we thought about this question: Is Heaven or Earth our home? Today we ask this question: Do we want godliness or painlessness from God? Consider that for a moment. Which do you really want from God? The apostle Paul said, “Whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss…
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How Real is Our Faith? (part 1 of 4)

For we walk by faith and not by sight – 2 Corinthians 5:7 For the next several weeks I want to think together about the reality of faith in the life of a believer. Paul says that the regular life of the believer is the life of faith. He contrasts this with a life of…
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Trust and the deception of our feelings

Have you said in your heart or heard a friend say, “I just don’t feel that God is very close to me.”? In that moment, although we may not realize it, we are wrestling with who to believe – our feelings or God. I think it matters who we believe! Let’s think today about that…
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Our Purpose Makes a Difference

I don’t know who said it, but I know that our world seems to live by this axiom, “He who dies with the most toys, wins.” However, we all know that it isn’t our stuff that makes a difference. Just look at the people in your life that have made a difference in you… It…
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Gospel Living Lessons

“I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.” – Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians (9:23) Think on that for a moment. Paul, who is our example in so many ways of the Christ-minded person, had at the back of his…
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The Resurrection – A Hope That Does Not Disappoint

There are some who question the importance of Jesus’ literal resurrection. They say, “Why do we hold onto these superstitious notions of a bodily resurrection? It’s not needed. It is enough that Jesus rose spiritually and lives in the hearts of his followers. That is sufficient.” Is it sufficient? Not according to the followers of…
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The Challenge: Faith Without Seeing

In May we celebrate Memorial Day. It is a day that we remember in this country what those who have gone before us have done. Our service men and women show us that freedom is precious. It is worth fighting for even if the one who fights will never get to use it again. Think…
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Simple, Straightforward Faith

Think for a moment about the truths that we teach children. We teach them to love their neighbor. We teach them to love God. We teach them to believe that God really works in their lives. We teach them to believe in Jesus. These truths aren’t minor. Nor are they little. They are the most…
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A Good Hurt

We say often in my house, “If wishes were fishes we would all be in the sea.” We wish a lot of things. As a Christian, I wish often that the people around me all knew Jesus. Sometimes, I even think so highly of them that I avoid thinking about their lostness. I avoid seeing…