Tag: tongues
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Gifts or Curses
1 Corinthians 12:1–14 (read online ⧉) You have probably read this passage many times, and probably heard a few sermons on it. You might have even delved into it during your investigations of your spiritual gifts. And we will get to that. However, there is a warning in these verses that we often miss. “…you…
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Falling Down
Numbers 11:24–30; Joel 2:27–29; Acts 2:1–21 (read online ⧉) Just in case you didn’t know, today is Pentecost. Some call it the “true” birth of the Church for the Holy Spirit fell upon the people of God, and has not left us yet. It is also called Whitsunday, of which part that is white (for…
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Silence is Not Always Golden
Deuteronomy 5:1–31; Matthew 26:57–62; Acts 6:8–15 (read online ⧉) Perjury is a crime. Knowingly providing false witness under oath is a criminal offense, as it should be. Knowing our system, however, perhaps the penalty is not severe enough. People speak “white lies” thinking they are doing the right thing (again, in a court case). People…
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Gospel Politics
John 8:31–59, Acts 13:46–52 (read online ⧉) One of the biggest struggles we—as Christians in America—continue to face, and will face even more deeply, is the hardness of heart to the Gospel. This will include people who identify themselves as Christians. As it becomes harder to be a cultural Christian, the pressure to not be…
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Why of Baptism
John 1:19–28, John 3:22–28, Acts 19:1–7 (read online ⧉) Baptism holds a central place in the Christian church from its very beginning. The only other act that is of equal or perhaps greater importance is the Eucharist (i.e., Communion). Today, it is the ceremony/event by which people are welcomed into the church universal. Over the…
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Very Much Active
Numbers 11:16–17+Numbers 11:24–30, 1 Samuel 10:1–13, Mark 9:35–41 The Holy Spirit—the third person of the Trinity—often does not act in a way we understand or can predict. That makes us frustrated. For example, there are Christians who believe the Holy Spirit has ceased miraculous activity. For some, that means no miraculous healings. For others that…
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Pentecost
John 20:19–23, Acts 1:4, Acts 2:1–36 The short vignette in the locked upper room after the Resurrection seems as if was a snippet of a memory that was lacking something. Yet, John felt it was important. As a precursor to Pentecost, Jesus’ statement/blessing about receiving the Holy Spirit was an important thing. Jesus had already…
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4th Friday after Easter
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…