From the Blog
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First Things First
Do you have a hurried life? Hurriedness is more than a bad habit, it reveals a condition of the heart. Did you know that God cares about your heart? That He cares about your love? What you put first? In the gospel according to Mark, Jesus was asked what was the greatest commandment. In a…
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Less is More
Our world has gotten overwhelming and complicated. Everything in your life takes up space. Whether it’s mental space, physical space, relational space or calendar space, you only have so much room. How can we make space in our lives for what really matters? What if there was one singular and simple secret for having less…
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Advent Means Love
Above all else Advent, which means arrival or coming, is about God’s love coming to us! You see, that’s what motivated the greatest gift ever given. It was God’s love. Yes, Jesus was wrapped in swaddling cloths, but more than that, He was wrapped in God’s love. As the Bible says, “For God so loved…
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Advent Means Joy
Isn’t “joy” supposed to be what the Christmas season is about? Isn’t it why we say, “Merry Christmas?” The Advent season is an invitation for us to consider the promise of joy found only in Christ. In Peter’s first epistle, he encouraged the dispersed believers throughout Asia Minor to find their true joy in Christ.…
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Advents Means Peace
Where is the peace we are promised in the Christmas story? Today’s news is filled with stories of war. As the prophet Jeremiah said, “People are saying, ‘Peace, peace’ when there is no peace.” Are you at peace today? Do you have a deep, abiding, quiet sense of peace? Or are you struggling with anxiety…
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Advent Means Hope
At Jesus’ first advent, He was proclaimed as “Savior.” As the angels announced to the Shepherds, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11). In His second advent, He will return as King and will gather all those as Paul says who…
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A Greater Priest
Do you ever feel like Job? “If only there were someone who could bring me together with God!” Someone who not only understands you and your situation, but also is able to bring you near to God? That was the purpose of the Old Testament high priest. He represented the people before God. Yet, they…
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A Greater Access
We all want special treatment, special access, especially to something or someone we deem important or valuable to us. We want to go backstage. We want to be able to sit in the reserved seats. We want to sit courtside and actually meet the players and coaches and feel that we’re part of the team.…
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A Greater Rest
Are you weary and heavy with burdens today? Are you struggling with an aching kind of exhaustion that no amount of napping can cure? No vacation spot can alleviate? Let us consider two questions today: what is this rest that Jesus offers? And how do we enter into this rest? In the book of Hebrews…
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A Greater Calling
Fighting and terrorism between Israel and Hamas. Riots in our streets. Shootings in Maine. Political fighting and disunity. Concerns about the economy and inflation. Growing anxiety and suicidal ideation among our young people. Where can we turn? Whose voice shall we heed for help? Whose calling? There are so many competing voices and most have…