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Slavery Hasn’t Ended
There are so many organizations responding now, it is hopeful. I heard another presentation today in my Kiwanis club on human trafficking. The statistics are astounding. Minnesota is ranked 13th in the nation for human trafficking. It’s not something overseas. It is something here. I love the story of William Wilberforce and his lifelong efforts to end the slave trade…
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What Holds You Back?
Two books I’ve read lately are stirring me from my complacency. Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream Sun Stand Still: What Happens When You Dare to Ask God for the Impossible The question is this: “What holds me back?” In Mark 10 the wealthy man comes to Jesus to ask what he needs to do to inherit…
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What Distinguishes Us – People of the Presence
12 Moses said to the LORD, “Look, you’ve been telling me, ‘Lead these people forward.’ But you haven’t told me whom you will send with me. Yet you’ve assured me, ‘I know you by name and think highly of you.’ 13 Now if you do think highly of me, show me your ways so that I may know you and…
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Keep It Simple
Humans are intelligent beings. We do stupid things, but that doesn’t mean we are completely mindless. Too often we focus on the dumb things people do. Overall, the human race is intelligent. While we sometimes focus on the dumb things people do, maybe we need a reminder from time to time that we try to seem “too smart.” It’s one…
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When We’re Not Effective… We Argue
In Mark 9 Jesus comes down from the Mount of Transfiguration with Peter, James, and John. He finds the rest of his disciples in an argument with the legal experts. 14 When Jesus, Peter, James, and John approached the other disciples, they saw a large crowd surrounding them and legal experts arguing with them. 15 Suddenly the whole crowd caught…
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No Place for Timid Hearts
As I read Radical and think of missionary heroes, there is a stirring in my heart about THIS being the time to step out in faith. We can’t wait for others. We need to hear the voice of the Spirit. Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream Again in the Apocrypha, the CEB translated a verse in Sirach…
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The Incredible Abundance of God
Whenever I take the time to read briefly in the Deuterocanonical Books (Apocrypha) I find such wonderful nuggets. Sirach, reading like Proverbs, continues to reveal the richness of pursuing God’s wisdom. 26 If you want to find Wisdom,then keep the commandments, and the Lord will supply her to you in vast quantities. (Sirach 1:26, CEB) God doesn’t sprinkle the richness…
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The “No More Signs” Generation
We can’t be pursuing Jesus simply for the signs. We are in pursuit because of who he is. May we not be in the generation where Jesus says, “No more signs.” 11 The Pharisees showed up and began to argue with Jesus. To test him, they asked for a sign from heaven. 12 With an impatient sigh, Jesus said, “Why…
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How to Get Jesus to Say, “Good Answer!”
Mark 7 has Jesus exploding all over the religious leaders’ views of what is “in” and what is “out.” What is “proper” and what is “improper.” Then, it’s lived out in the story of Syrophoenician woman. She has come to beg Jesus to cast a demon out of her daughter. Jesus has never hesitated to cast out demons. Here, he…
Tag: Lent
