Tag: faithful
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12 December 2019
Isaiah 26:1–6, Psalm 18:1–9, Nehemiah 6:15–16 (read online ⧉) What is hope? Hope is knowing deeper than deep that God has got your back. The struggle for us is that having our back doesn’t always mean avoiding pain or consequences. Isaiah’s vision of Jersualem is that of a city that can withstand whatever the world…
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Stars of Hope
Genesis 22:15–18, Deuteronomy 1:10, Isaiah 54:1–10, Romans 4:13–25 (read online ⧉) Twice God promised Abraham (and once for Jacob) that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars. Imagine all the stars without our modern lights drowning them out. For Abraham that was a promise beyond expectation, and certainly beyond anything that God needed…
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Hope Together
1 Chronicles 29:14–19, Psalm 31, Isaiah 2:1–5 (read online ⧉) It is pretty universal across humanity for people to question their value and their purpose. In the ancient world, the view of gods was often not particularly positive. Much of the activity was done to appease the wrathful gods and to “bribe” them enough to…
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23 November 2019
Jeremiah 22:18-30, 2 John 4–11 (read online ⧉) It is always a parent’s hope that something of them will be passed on and carried by their children, and even their grandchildren. If it is a company or wealth, people generally make detailed preparations to make sure that all goes as planned. There are wills, contracts,…
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Remember the Gone
Matthew 22:23–33, 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18, Romans 8:26–30 All Saints Day was established to honor the saints of the church. As we talked about yesterday, it is also a good time to reflect upon those that helped shape your faith. By so doing these people were doing the work of saints. Now, let us be clear,…
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Strong Protecting Love
Isaiah 26:1–6, Psalm 18:1–9, Nehemiah 6:15–16 Strength is measured in many ways. When you’re the one being attached, often it is by fists (or equivalent). Another way is deterrent. In other words, what will be the cost to attack? When a strong city is called out, it is a city that, yes, can defend itself.…
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Long Haul Saving
Numbers 21:4–9, Galatians 5:22–24, 2 Corinthians 6:3–13 The story is of the staff is fascinating, and we can see its long-reaching effects even today (look at many ambulances). However, as fun as that might be, we need to talk about one of the underlying causes of the tale…the impatience of the Israelites. In many ways,…
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Covenantal Bride
Ezekiel 16:7–22, 2 Corinthians 11:1–4, Revelation 19:6–9 The image of the church as the bride of Jesus was not a new concept. Israel/Judah was often compared to a wife, though, sadly, often an unfaithful wife. Despite the seeming graphic nature of this passage in Ezekiel, there is a strong implication of innocence, harking back to…