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We had hoped that…
The pastor-scholar Dr. Bernie Cueto had posted this Easter message: The disciples on the road to Emmaus had hoped that Jesus would improve their situation: “we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel” (Lk 24:21). They had hoped to be delivered from Roman oppression, that Jesus would free them
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The Reckless Love of God?
Reckless Love First, let me say I love Cory Asbury’s title song on his debut album. You can listen to it here, if you aren’t familiar: Reckless Love (Official Lyric Video)YouTube · Bethel MusicJan 19, 2018 Cory sings about the overwhelming, never-ending, love of God. How God’s love chases us down and finds us. Cory
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DeWesternizing the Christmas Story – Post 3: The Main vs. the Minor Characters
Who we think are the major players may not be whom God wanted highlighted. The Christmas story was an event of cosmic proportions, played out in the most unassuming of settings. Did God not know that a birth in Rome, or at least in the palace in Jerusalem, would have been more suitable for the
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DeWesternizing the Christmas Story – Post 2: The Church Christmas Play versus God’s Cosmic Drama
The little church where I grew up had an annual Christmas Play but couldn’t afford to have multiple set designs. In fact, keeping it simple was the theme. Our one little manger scene at the front of that small church was packed with Mary and Jesus, surrounded by Joseph, three Kings, some shepherds, a cow
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DeWesternizing the Christmas Story – Post 1
Our modern understanding of the Christmas Story is a mix of the biblical stories told by Matthew and Luke, plus centuries of adding on traditions. We then fill in any gaps with modern, Western, individualist assumptions. Let’s ponder a few with three postings this week: Post 1: Everybody knows when to celebrate Christmas, right? (Source:
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Praying them in rather than out
When our two boys were very little, a mentor commented that fathers often pray when an adult child has made bad decisions or is in an unhealthy relationship. We should certainly pray then, but he commented, “How much wiser is it to pray earlier, for a young father to pray that the child will grow
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My yoke is easy …
Jesus noted in Matthew 11: 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” It is commonly
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Mary and Martha (Lk 10:38-42)
We all have heard sermons that Martha should have stopped cooking and sat down with Mary at the feet of Jesus. “Turn off the oven and sit down, Martha!” Not exactly. Someone needs to cook. When Jesus was finished talking, everyone expected to eat. So, why was Mary correct and Martha wrong? We need to
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Crown of Righteousness
In my previous post, I quoted Paul’s verse from 2 Timothy: Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day (2 Tim. 4:8). When we hear “crown,” we often have a mental image of the crown of a king or
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Lost her Battle with Cancer
“Aunt Betty lost her battle with cancer.” We often hear a phrase like this, commonly murmured respectfully in church. It meant this wonderful Christian woman, my wife’s Aunt Betty, died. I hate this expression. It suggests that we win the battle with cancer when we live (through some treatment) or the cancer is in remission
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Biblical Thoughts
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