From the Blog
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Rediscover the Anticipation
Do you feel a sense of anticipation as Christmas approaches? For many, Christmas has become just another secular holiday, albeit the biggest of all holidays. But rather than having a sense of happy anticipation, some have a sense of dread or complacency. But remember when we were children? Christmas was so mysterious and wonderful then.…
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Gospel Guidance, Greetings, and Glory
The gospel reveals God’s love and righteousness to us and Paul closes the letter the way he began, with the gospel. In Romans 16:17-27, the apostle Paul closed his letter to the believers in Rome with a final word of gospel guidance, greetings, and God’s glory. Even in closing his letter, Paul was showing them…
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Greetings and Commendations
Many who preach through the book of Romans skip over these verses as a mere list of mostly unknown names that the apostle Paul commends and greets in closing. It’s neither propositional nor prescriptive, so they decide it’s not preach-able. Yet, we can learn much from the personal and affectionate way that Paul begins to…
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The Gospel Church
There’s not a lot of good news today. We have to remember that the news business is just that… a business. And bad news sells. Violence sells. Sex sells. If it bleeds, it leads. But aren’t you sick and tired of all the bad news? As followers of Jesus, we’re the ambassadors of the good…
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Living in Harmony
We need unity in the church today. For there is certainly little unity in our country or world. We live in one of the most divisive and divided days in our nation in my life time. Yet, the church is supposed to be different. One of the key marks of the church is supposed to…
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Discernment over Judgment
Judgment condemns, but discernment seeks to understand and point the person to Jesus. The motive in judging is self-righteousness and a sense of superiority, often accompanied by anger. But the motive for discernment is humility and love. In Romans chapter 14:13-23, the apostle Paul told the believers in Rome that as a result of having…
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The Welcoming Church
What are you looking for in a church? Do you want to be part of a church that looks like you, talks like you, thinks like you? Same color and race, same political party, same favorite basketball team and BBQ style? Or are you willing to welcome and receive others who have different personalities and…
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The Law of Love
What is your mental operating system? What kind of gravity tugs and pulls at your thinking? Do you struggle with anger, with depression, with a poor self-image, with unforgiveness, with temptation, with addiction, with hatred…? What controls your thoughts and attitudes and therefore your actions? Is it love? In Romans chapter 13, the apostle Paul…
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Dual Citizenship
In this passage, Paul describes how Christians should relate to their government. In other words, how those whose citizenship is in heaven are to relate to their worldly government. And the instruction he gives from the Lord is this: we are to submit to the governing authorities. With all the political division in our country…
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Be Connected
God wants you in His family photo, taped to His fridge, hanging over His mantle, tucked away in His wallet. God wants you to be connected to His family! But our sin has separated us from Him and causes us to isolate ourselves from Him and from one another. God doesn’t want us to be…