In Psalm 18:6 David is praising God for hearing and answering his prayer for protection when he was on the run from Saul. You can almost hear David’s excitement that God heard his prayer and answered him as he proclaims, “In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard
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They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity. For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. 2 Corinthians 8:2-3 (NLT) My friend Gary is always
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In recent years I’ve heard a lot of talk about the idea of “best practices.” It’s a bit of a buzz word in the business world and recently it’s made landfall in the church. The term, “best practices” conveys the idea that there are a set of recognized procedures and techniques that are generally accepted as the most prudent and
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And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7 (KJV) Christmas was a big holiday when I was growing up, but there is one tradition in particular that stands out to me. Every year before our Christmas dinner,
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1 Corinthians 12:26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. I woke up this morning to the news of another alleged megachurch leadership scandal. It happens so regularly anymore we have become accustomed to the nauseating pattern. Accusations are made and corresponding dismissals issued. Public relations maneuvers and
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I was talking with some friends that other day about humility. We got to talking about humble brags, something that, because of social media, has become commonplace. A humble brag is when you say something that, on the surface, sounds humble but the motive behind it is really to brag. For instance, I might say, “I can’t believe I tripped
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Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 1 John 4:7-8 (NLT) It happened at elementary summer camp, and it happened fast. In fact, I was smitten with just
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Do to others as you would like them to do to you. Luke 6:31 (NLT) I was perturbed. It was frustrating enough that the mechanic couldn’t tell me why the red warning light had come on in my car. But in addition, he rattled off a long list of other items he said needed immediate attention. He was willing to
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