Tag: testing
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Happiness and Joy…or Not
Psalm 44; Isaiah 22:8b–14; James 4:4–10 🔎 Focus Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? James 4:4 NRSVue …you did not look at the One who did it, nor did you see the One who planned it… Isaiah 22:11 NRSVue We don’t like pain or suffering. We often do…
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Enduring Soil
I’ve read the Parable of the Sower many times. I’ve preached on it. Heard plenty of sermons on it. Verse 15 hit me today. What struck me this time, in particular, was “endurance”. When you go back and re-read the parable, endurance makes sense. It may indeed be the point of the entire parable. Developing…
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Changing Diapers
Psalm 74; Isaiah 26:16–27:1; Luke 11:14–28 When Joni (my wife) was pregnant with our first (to be born) child, we had an odd conversation with another couple. They told us (almost mockingly) that soon our conversation would change to include the color and consistency of our child’s poop. We chuckled. That was ridiculous. Who would…
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Prophetic Testing
How’s this for a test? Does the person seek to make the “other” the enemy? Not their struggles, their opinion, even their sins…the person themselves.
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Discerning Differences and Spirits
2 Timothy 3:1–9, Hebrews 12:11–15 (read online ⧉) Every generation (so far) says of the one to follow has said at least one of the lists in 2 Timothy about the generation that follows. It’s not that there isn’t truth to it, yet it is not necessarily the same heart truth. Especially the transition from…
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Let It Be
Psalm 112:1–9, Colossians 3:12–17, James 3:13–18 (read online ⧉) Galatians 5:22–23 lists the following as fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. 2 Peter 1:5–7 lists the following characteristics to pursue: faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, love. 1 Timothy 6:11 has its own list of characteristics:…
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Another Test?
Nehemiah 8:1–6; Luke 24:18–27; Acts 17:10–15 (read online ⧉) The Israelite Exiles have returned home, sort of. As Ezra reads the Scriptures, the remnant of Israel learns what it means to be God’s chosen people. Generations had already wandered away emotionally and spiritually. Then they went into exile in a foreign land with various gods…
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What Promise?
Psalm 146, Mark 13:14–27, Mark 13:32–33, Hebrews 11:13–22 (read online ⧉) The New Year is no longer new. By now many New Year’s Resolutions are broken. People have already surrendered to their loss. Often people telegraph or expect their loss, and behave as if they have already lost. By God’s grace, many of those who…
