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Save us from the “Rah Rah” Resurrection
Every year there is some comment, post, article, etc., out there that will wonder why Christians go through the “morbidity” of Lent or “dwell” on the crucifixion. It’s a braggadocious claim about how they live in the resurrection power. Jesus is alive! Jesus IS alive. And the resurrection IS where we dwell. We live in the power of the same Spirit that raised Christ…
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We live in panic
We continually live our lives in panic and frustration and anxiety, letting the storms of life dictate the condition to us, all the while forgetting the GOD of those storms resides in the boat with us (Mark 4:35-41)
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Thirsty People
There spiritually thirsty people everywhere. Often, they are at the margins. They are in very visible places at very invisible times, like the woman at the well, because we have buffered our lives from needing to view “people like that.” It’s easier on us, and isn’t that what the gospel is all about? One of the reasons we keep our…
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Permanently dead?
Our life in Christ is powerful. We too often take Lent and think on our miserable failures without realizing the glorious power of the Savior. Today’s reading in Romans gives us the glimpse of power we need. Our present activity is VITAL. It should powerfully reflect God’s will in our lives, if we are truly dead to our sin and alive to…
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Look to what SETS FREE
Jesus constantly challenged the bound up authority of religious rulers because he was there to demonstrate the rule of the KING. The inmates were trying to run the asylum, and that just never goes well. We too often default to pretend spiritual formation, which drifts to legalism, because we can’t measure the heart. We don’t trust the Spirit to do…
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Rock and the hard place
There is a saying where you can find yourself “between a rock and a hard place.” Yesterday was one of those days. There are just those intense moments… or hours… or days… when the pressure is so intense. Even crying out to God seems laborious. Psalm 40 is a cry for help. It is the psalmist assuring God he (the psalmist) is…
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Understanding the LAVISHNESS of his grace
Pause, if you will, for just a few minutes to read Paul’s opening in 1 Corinthians and somehow take in this thought: “ALL I need is provided. ALL is mine in Christ Jesus. I do not lack.” 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— 6 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 7 Therefore…
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Daniel’s Prayer of Confession
In this season, it’s not just about “our” sins (on a personal level), but OUR sins as a whole. When Daniel gave confession for Israel, he didn’t lay it on those who had gone before. He had done nothing wrong in his life to personally bring Israel into captivity, but in this prayer, he inserts himself into the confession. Note…
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Holy Spirit Proving Grounds
The Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tested by the devil. (Matt. 4:1-11) There are places where the Spirit will lead us to test our character. Even if the event seems intense, it’s a “controlled environment.” We miss those proving ground tests all too often in our own lives. We have weak theologies that don’t believe in a devil, or…
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The invitation to new starts
Lent isn’t about giving up alone. It’s about examination. It’s about new opportunities that don’t involve selling products in multi-level marketing schemes. New opportunities in the Spirit. New opportunities to be reminded of the fresh start we can receive by the power of the Spirit. Walk in those opportunities! 31 Abandon all of your repeated sins. Make yourselves a new heart…
Tag: Lent
