From the Blog
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A Shared Focus
The early church had a shared language–– it was the language of prayer. It was a shared focus, one that focused on spending time together talking to God in prayer. How are you doing in this area? Do you pray? Do you pray with your spouse, with your kids? Do you pray with your family?…
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A Shared Food
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There’s something about shared food, a shared meal that leads to authentic community. Every culture has its own distinct food. So does the family of God. However, isn’t the physical, but the spiritual food that makes for an authentic Christian community.
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A Shared Faith
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The first century church had four devotions. The first was the apostle’s teaching. They were devoted to the preaching, teaching, study, and obeying of God’s Word.
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Release Your Child to the Lord
Parents have questions… Practical questions like: How and when should I discipline my child? How do I get them potty trained? And spiritual questions like: When is my child old enough to confess faith in Christ? What about baptism and the Lord’s Supper? How can I be sure that they are saved? In answering these questions, we have God’s Word as our guide, but we must also take into account the child’s level of maturity. Have you noticed that every child is unique? No two are the same. And as they grow, they change. So the parenting style that seemed effective when they were small, doesn’t work when they’re older. These differences need different parenting styles.
In his first letter to the Thessalonians, the apostle Paul told them that he had been willing to parent according to their situation, sometimes gentle and affectionate like a mother and sometimes strong like a father in order to release them to live up to God’s calling. We can parent our children following God’s Word to match our child’s situation with a goal of releasing them to the Lord. -
Raise Up Your Child in the Lord
What is your parenting approach? Where did you learn how to be a mom or dad? Was it from your parents? From friends or a book? Or are you just winging it? The apostle Paul told the Ephesians how to raise up their children according to God’s plan. As Christians, we can follow God’s Word…
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Receive Your Child from the Lord
Don’t you wish kids came with an owners manual? Many times, we try to parent in our own strength and not rely on the Lord for our wisdom and strength. In Psalm 127, Solomon wrote about the necessity of recognizing the Lord as the One builds families and watches over them, so that we receive…
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Cooperating with God’s Goal (1 Thessalonians 5:12-28)
What’s your life goal? Do you have one? What do you think God’s goal for your life is? Would you like to know? What is God’s goal for your life? That you become like Christ. Born again with a new nature, becoming like Jesus, so that you might be ready for Christ’s return. In Paul’s first letter…
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Facing the Day (1 Thessalonians 4:13 – 5:11)
Have you ever had to face the death of loved one? Do you know the grief of such loss? Do ever feel discouraged by the increasing trouble in this world? Did you know that the Lord has a word for you to help you face such days? Including the Day of all days? In these passages of…
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Standing Firm in Christ (1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13)
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How is your faith today? Are you going through a trial, a time of difficulty? Is your faith growing and secure? Or has your faith weakened in the face of hardship? What does it mean to stand firm in Christ? How can we not only stand firm but grow in our faith in Jesus and in His soon return when times seem to be getting worse? In Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, he taught the believers how they could stand firm in Christ while looking for His return. We can stand firm together.
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Living Worthy of God’s Call (1 Thessalonians 2:1-16)
In Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, he told the believers that they could live a life worthy of God’s call to His kingdom and glory. We can live lives worthy of God’s call to His kingdom and glory. The text found in 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16 gives four marks of those who live worthy of…