Belief and Hope

Belief and Hope And he said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!  Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?"  And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to...

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Shine Like Stars

Shine Like Stars Do everything without grumbling or arguing,  so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky. Philippians 2:14-15 Jesus Christ is the light of the world, the light...

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The Gospel of John in a Word

The Gospel of John in a Word Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may...

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Death Swallowed Up in Victory

Death Swallowed Up in Victory He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,     and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.  Isaiah 25:8 A wise, veteran pastor once said, “When...

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Washed in Blood

Washed in Blood So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves.”  And all the people answered, “His blood be on us...

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Newer Isn’t Always Better, But This Time It Is

Newer Isn’t Always Better, But this Time It Is Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.  Jeremiah 31:31 Old is not necessarily bad, nor is new necessarily good.  When God promises to...

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God’s Workmanship

God’s Workmanship For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.  Ephesians 2:10 After his beautiful description of salvation by grace through faith in Christ, Paul then describes us as God’s workmanship.  The Greek word here is the word “Poema.”  It is...

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We Preach Christ Crucified

We Preach Christ Crucified For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  1 Corinthians 1:22-24 The...

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God’s Love for Sinners

God’s Love for Sinners But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Romans 5:8 In Romans 5, St. Paul describes our condition at the time at which Christ died for us.  Weak, ungodly, sinners, even enemies of God are the...

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A Broken Heart for Valentine’s Day (Ash Wednesday)

A Broken Heart for Valentine’s Day (Ash Wednesday) The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.  Psalm 51:17 Valentine’s Day falling on Ash Wednesday provides a great opportunity to teach about the condition of the human heart.  On this...

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