Month: May 2019
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Lead In Love
Mark 9:33–37, Acts 15:36-41, 1 Timothy 6:3–11 It is an amazing fact that you might have learned yourself: people are different, and don’t always agree. There are various kinds of disagreements, and it is not necessarily bad to disagree. In fact, it is often through disagreements that better solutions, not just compromise, can be found.…
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The Other Side of Work
Psalm 33, Numbers 12, Luke 6:37–42 The Bible doesn’t say what event or interaction incited Aaron and Miriam to openly oppose Moses. Whether the Cushite woman was Zipporah—who Moses married prior to Israel’s exodus from Egypt—or another woman (Jewish and Christian scholars are unclear) it didn’t really matter (to God, at least). Aaron and Miriam…
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Unknowing Knowledge
Psalm 118, Romans 5:1–5, Hebrews 12:7–13 Patience. The old quip, “don’t pray for patience, for then God will provide circumstances that require it.” Endurance and patience. One is primarily a verb in scripture (Endure), while the other is a noun. In other words, they are different (scripturally) only in so far as how they are…
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Measuring Value
Acts 3:1–26, Acts 14:8–18 All of us have experienced—or know some close who has—a significant health issue, whether going on for years, or for a short time. Often those health issues come with significant costs, too, making a bad situation even worse. It also isn’t necessarily a matter of good or bad health care insurance.…
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Relating Love
Matthew 5:17-20, Matthew 22:34–40, John 13:31-35 It is not a minor thing for Jesus to affirm the Law and the Prophets. It is an essential fact to understand. Jesus in no way denied being a Jew, nor did he say being a Jew is bad. Over the course of history, it was bad theology that…
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Among Crowds
Psalm 26, Matthew 21:42–46, Acts 13:43–52 Crowds are a powerful thing. They can be a source of powerful change. In the current age, people are helping to launch products they want by putting some of their money into it. By doing so, people go around the big companies that controlled how new things came to…
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Dancing Fools
Psalm 148, 2 Samuel 6:12–22, Matthew 6:1–8 Do or do not before others? David danced in all his power during a massive 10 mile parade, taking the Ark from Obed-edom’s land to Jerusalem. He was the king. There were many sacrifices happening. There were all the musicians, followers and soldiers that would have been a…
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Our Responsibility and Others
Psalm 91, Exodus 32:7–26, Matthew 18:1–9 The Israelites had escaped the Egyptians. God’s promise to Moses (“You will worship me on this mountain.”) fulfilled. And they wandered away. That the Israelites wandered away probably didn’t surprise Moses all that much. He’d already experienced difficulties at their hands (and mouths). However, apparently, he was surprised—or completely…