Month: January 2018
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The Good Misery of a Guilty Conscience
After feeling the sting of guilt, becoming aware of failure, I prayed – “Father, thank you for making me miserable. You have preserved my life with your convicting Presence.” Yes, it may seem strange to thank God for a guilty conscience. However, those feelings of shame and guilt over thoughts, words, or actions that are […]
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Outrage and Insult
A friend posted a remark online reflecting his sense of outrage over an issue that Christians have debated for centuries. It is a real problem and thoughtful people who want to serve the Lord best will wrestle with it. And, honest and good people will arrive at very different conclusions. When I suggested in a […]
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A Quest for adventure?
Do you love an adventure? Several years ago, Bev and I flew to California and helped our kids move back to the East Coast. We drove a rental truck loaded with household stuff through the deserts of Nevada and Utah, over the majestic Rocky Mountains of Colorado, across the flat plains of the Midwest. We […]
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Words that are like rain on dry soil
Valued? Rejected? Yesterday, mid-afternoon, my phone notified me of a message. Opening it, I read a paragraph from someone commenting about how this daily blog was useful in her efforts to share the Christian life with her neighbors. Her note touched my heart because it was affirming, encouraging. Words like that are like rain, bringing […]
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Bar Code Christianity
Remember the supermarket checkout before the bar code scanner? Each item was marked with a price and the checker had to punch it into the cash register. Yep, I really can remember those days. Now, the item is passed in front of the reader that ‘sees’ a little box with lines in it and instantly […]
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Hungry still?
Frequently I come to the end of a worship gathering, or time in personal prayer, or study of the Scripture with a sense that ‘’there is more.” I remain unsatisfied. Is this normal? Is there some failure on my part that causes me to be hungry still? Haven’t I heard it said a thousand times […]
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Who’s calling the shots?
We use the phrase ‘call the shots’ about the person in charge, the one with authority. Supposedly it comes from the military, from artillery batteries. The officer who decided where and when to fire the powerful weapons was the said to be ‘calling the shots.’ That person’s authority was unquestioned. So, let me ask you, […]
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Monday’s opportunities
The young man told me that he felt he had a second chance at life and was resolved to make better choices. Several years ago, after a night of partying, he was in a catastrophic crash. The driver hit utility poles at high speed, flipping the car three times, and Matt was thrown into the […]
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God works in mysterious ways? Right?
There is a phrase we use when nothing else makes any sense. It is one of those that is true but usually it is more like an expression of defeat than an affirmation of faith. Sigh. “Yeah, God works in mysterious ways,” we say without much conviction. But, He does and He invites us to […]
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The Kingdom Arrives Quietly
Do you live with an awareness of the Presence and rule of Christ Jesus in your life? Is Jesus present and active today in your life? That is the key to knowing the promise of ‘abundant life’ that is the birthright of those who know Him. John 10:10 is not just a slogan or for […]
CoffeeBreak With The Word 