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Showing posts from May, 2015

SO FOCUSED ON GOSPEL LIVING

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1 Thess 4:11-12 What does it mean to be so focused on gospel living?  Everything you do should be done out of complete dependence on the blood-bought grace and promises found in the death and resurrection of Christ. Everything you do should be done with a view of displaying the all-satisfying grace of God in the gospel. Everything you do should show the glory of God, by treasuring above all things the One through whom grace comes. Our Lord Jesus Christ! He is our plumb line, the one who stands at the finish line when we pass from this life into the next. He is the reason we exist and live and find true joy in the midst of broken and fallen world.  As Paul wrote “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation . For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether

THIS IS WHAT LOVE LOOKS LIKE

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1 Thess 4:9-10 Have you ever said something you wish you could take back?  And when your confronted and guilt sets in,  you say “sorry, please forgive me”, and they respond with “why should I forgive you?”  You answer with “I’m a Christian.” Wrong answer! Why?  The name Christian is something that gets abused today by many in the church.  When we use the term Christian to get ourselves out of a bind thinking everything is going to be ok and all were doing is destroying the name that has been given to us at such a high price [meaning the cross]. It’s one thing to say that you are a Christian; it’s another thing to prove you are a Christian by the way you live your life. There should only be one way in which we are to live! Godly for the glory of Christ, in the gospel.  See, how we respond to the gospel and God’s word will directly and indirectly influence how we respond to others in the church and outside the church….even the ones who seem unlovable! Just as we need the Sp

MOTHERS ARE A BLESSED PEOPLE

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There was a Greeting Card video that went viral about a job posting online and in the newspaper looking for a “Director of Operations” so they held real interviews    online through Skype chat with potential applicants looking for a legitimate job.  And they described this job to the applicants as one of the hardest jobs in the world.  They went on to say…..  It’s a position that requires more than 135 hours per week, constant mobility, keen coordination and adept communication. There are no breaks, no holidays off, and there is no pay. As a matter of fact the work load gets even greater around the holiday season. You need to be able to work standing up most of the time. You will be consently on your feet, bending, a high level of stamina. You must be able to work in a chaotic environment. You are to have degree in medicine, finance and the culinary arts.  And he finishes by saying “there are billions of people who hold this position! ………..MOMS Moms are such a blessing and a

DON’T DO IT PLEASE!

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1 Thess 4:1-8 There’s a story about a group of coach drivers applying for a job. One of them would be chosen to carry the king’s children up and down a narrow, winding road leading up to the king’s mountain-top castle. With dozens of steep drop-offs and no guardrails, it was a daunting assignment. The king’s chief asked each candidate this question: HOW CLOSE CAN YOU GET TO THE EDGE WITHOUT GOING OVER? The applicants offered various responses indicating their confidence in skill! One man boasted he could drive the horses at nearly full speed for the entire length of the road, always keeping within 6 inches from the edge. The interviewer was unimpressed. Finally, one driver stepped forward and responded, “Sir, if it’s the king’s children, I want to stay as far from the edge as I possibly can.” This man was hired for the job.”  This should be our answer when we are faced with a decision that will affect our Christian walk with a holy a merciful God! Shouldn’t it?  As we look i