One of the most overlooked stories in the Bible involves the father of our great father in the faith, Abraham. He experienced a painful loss that ended up preventing him from reaching his intended destination. "This is the account of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran.…
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The upcoming national election will say something about whom and what the American people trust. Both candidates and parties stress the importance of trust. The fact is, they each want you to trust their leadership and promises, yet neither candidate is perfect, and there are reasons for legitimate concern on…
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“How,” you might ask, “can you rejoice when your heart is broken and you’re hurting?” When I learned that my baby had died, there was no escaping the pain – you can’t stop the sorrow you feel. But feeling your disappointment and staying stuck in it are two different things.…
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We tend to forget that crucifixion was the ultimate form of torture. The science of exquisite torture has never been equaled, much less exceeded, than in crucifixion. The crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth was no exception. Crucifixion was more than an ugliness blotted out by Easter, more than a speed…
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All of us have standards. We don’t always live up to them, but we at least try. For Christians, the Bible sets the standard, even with the variations in interpretation. Others set the standard according to their individual ideas or “inner compass.” For all of us, federal and local governments…
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The pharisaical approach is the epitome of legalism. It occurs when we obey God's Moral Law to earn God's love and attain God's righteousness. Key symptoms may include: Striving A lack of the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) A consistent lack of motivation for things like prayer or…
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The Rocky Mountains are my favorite vacation destination. I live in a flat, hot, crowded part of Texas, but my heart is at 10,000 feet. Winter or summer, I’d rather be in Colorado. If I take the scenic route, the Royal Gorge is on the way. Over 1,000 feet above…
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The message of "the Kingdom of God" is the constant theme of the message Jesus preached and the lessons He taught. He came proclaiming the power and presence of the Kingdom as the "entry" of God's will and rule, here to impact every situation. He applied kingdom grace and power…
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Not long ago, I accompanied a friend to the hospital for surgery. After she was wheeled away, I began talking with one of the nurses. Somehow the conversation came around the nurse's brother, who had been killed in an accident three years earlier. Like most untimely losses, the brother's death…
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The magnitude of Christ Jesus is something we desperately need to understand better. We need it because seeing him for all that he is will ultimately be the only way we can overcome our temptations to idolatry. In Desiring God, John Piper writes, “I know of no other way to…
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