reflections
God Knows You!
God Knows You!
A Collection of Reflections
Our Days Are His
Pastoral reflections on faith, grace, and redemption — pondering along the way
All Reflections
129 posts 
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Waiting ...
Waiting ...
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Follower
Follower
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At Our Side
At Our Side
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Looking again, to see as God sees …
"It says,” … “that you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all you...
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Vanity
Vanity
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Adonai
Adonai
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Bless the Lord!
Bless the Lord!
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Living Hope
Living Hope
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Who is He?
Who is He? Listen! I am standing and knocking at your door. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will eat together....
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Blessings to All
Blessings to All
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The Thankful Psalm of Knowing the Good Shepherd
Ever humbled in gratitude and thanksgiving for knowing the Good Shepherd! The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie dow...
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The Glistening Temple
The foundation was laid with massive stones hewn from deep in the earth. The walls leading up to the sacred place were straight and true pos...
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Idols in our lives ...
“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or th...
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Into the woods of dappled light …
Into the woods of dappled light … Just beyond the meadow of blossoming clover, soft and fair … Are the woods of dappled light which beckons ...
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God is the good in all things!
God is the good in all things! And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called accordin...
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You shall not murder!
“Thou shalt not murder” (Exodus 20:13, NKJV) Of all the commandments, the commandment to not take a human life is one of the easiest command...
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His Precious Name
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain (Deuteronomy...
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No Coveting
“Don’t desire with obsession the things of your neighbor and do not be consumed with possessing the affections of the spouse of your neighbo...
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The Neglected Blessed Walk
O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly wi...
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The Sabbath is not about a day but about our Great God!
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8, KJ21). The Commandment regarding the Sabbath is clear and concise in its tone, con...
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Honor
Honor your father and mother, as the Lord your God commanded you. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is givi...
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Life Prayer
Life Prayer
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To retain, might not be gain …
What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? (Mark 8:36, KJ21) Much effort is put forth in the course of our...
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Seeing, Realizing and Living
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth with a measure ...
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God's Purpose for the Bible
It really doesn’t matter to God, nor does it affect you or anyone around you: if you own a Bible, read a Bible or even if your name is found...
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The significance of owning a Bible.
The significance of owning a Bible.
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The Crushing in the Early Hours
Wenceslaus Hollar, Jesus on the Mount of Olives, Print, NGO Image, National Gallery of Art, Public Domain When He arrived at the place, He s...
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Seeing beyond what our eyes see.
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affli...
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What We Are
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1 NIV). D...
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Tears and Joy
How can it be that our eyes can overflow with liquid emotion and our hearts can ache with intense joy at the same time? How can it be that t...
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The warm Place
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows (Ja...
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Made Precious
Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for ...
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The Greatest Treasure in the World
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he...
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The Dwelling Place
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fort...
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What would it be like ... if we were truly like God?
In many countries, little children wander the dirty streets picking through the rubbish thrown in corners of buildings and doorways, ever lo...
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There is life in the Word of God.
Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because yo...
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Desiring the Spirit of God
“Do not be filled up with the empty beverages of the earth focused life ... this only leads to foolish living and endless unfulfilled stupor...
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The Compassion of Jesus
It is not an easy thing to find someone who cares about you as a person and acts in your interest because of their concern. It is inherent a...
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The giving of nothing and the delivery of everything …
The rich and privileged men stood in front of the crowds consumed with religious pretense, language and bluster as they came fully clothed i...
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Meeting the Savior on our rebellious roads …
“For by grace are ye saved through faith …" (Ephesians 2:8, KJ21). For centuries … parents, poets, politicians, philosophers, teachers, prea...
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Seeing the Savior who travels beyond all sin to bring salvation.
You will say on that day, “I will give thanks to You, O Lord. Even though You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away and You comfort ...
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Letting the Author finish His work …
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, an...
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Author and Perfecter of Life
Author and Perfecter of Life
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God alone is my place ...
God alone is my place ...
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Prevailing Grace
Prevailing Grace
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Mercy and grace are not something new with God!
The Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the Lord will drive you. There yo...
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An all-encompassing shield around us …
Lord, how they have increased that trouble me! Many are they that rise up against me! Many there be that say of my soul, “There is no help f...
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The agreeable soil of our hearts ...
This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word. The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only t...
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Our Savior comes in the empty and seemingly void of promise!
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV) Instead of promises...
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The Melody of God’s Love.
Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright. Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him with the ha...
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Hope in all hoplelessness!
Once after a sacrificial meal at Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to pray. Eli the priest was sitting at his customary place beside the entran...
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Letting the Risen Christ Live in Us
Most Christians can talk about Christ being a real person who lived on this earth many years ago. Most Christians speak of Christ being aliv...
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Suffering that Heals
Then He said unto them, “O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not Christ to have suffered these th...
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On the Days After Easter
Letting the Risen Christ Live in Us Most Christians can talk about Christ being a real person who lived on this earth many years ago. Most C...
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There are no words!
There is a word for the inability to express, contain or bring forth adequately in words something too great or extreme to be expressed or d...
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The Crushing in the Garden
Wenceslaus Hollar, Jesus on the Mount of Olives, Print, NGO Image, National Gallery of Art, Public Domain When He arrived at the place, He s...
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Our Humble King
On the next day many people who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and w...
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The Only Secure Place for our Trust
“It is better to trust in the Lord, Than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord, Than to put confidence in princes” (Ps...
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Going Out to Deeper Waters
Going out to deeper waters is more than a phrase! Now when He was through speaking, He said unto Simon, “Launch out into the deep, and let d...
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God is greater than what we think, feel or understand!
“We must love God in more than just in our thoughts about Him or in what we say about Him, we must trust Him and His steadfast love in all w...
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He comes in the crushing, the crashing, and the covering!
For the waves of death encompassed me, torrents of destruction assailed me, the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted ...
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Kiss the Son
Jesus Christ is more … Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take...
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Ironic Blessings
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they say all kinds o...
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Being Peace
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. (Matthew 5:9, KJV) How is peace secured and how is peace given? S...
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Thankfulness is the beginning of all blessing!
Attributed to Pieter de Jode, NGO Image, National Gallery of Art, Public Domain And it came to pass as He went to Jerusalem that He passed t...
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The purity of an honest heart.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. (Matthew 5:8, NASB) A valuable but slightly tarnished object is given to you and it l...
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Realizing the blessing that mercy is to us!
God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5:7, NLT) You and I are completely undeserving of the great mercy...
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The fruit of our days …
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and ...
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The Taste is Good
Blessed are those that hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. (Matthew 5:6, NASB) Tiny, chemical and physiologica...
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At the speaking of our name …
But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sh...
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Jesus Christ is more …
Domenico Gagini, The Nativity, NGO Image, National Gallery of Art, Public Domain For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the go...
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The One Who Knows
Circle of God the Father, Pierre Mignard, NGO Image, National Gallery of Art, Public Domain Ask, and you will be given what you ask for. See...
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The Choice of Quietness before God
Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5, ESV) Some words languish in major disregard in the Biblical text becaus...
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The Comforter is Coming!
Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4, ESV) An enemy seems to have triumphed. Expectations for future good...
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The Kingdom Belongs to the Poorest Subjects
Alphonse Legros, Supper of the Poor, NGO Image, National Gallery of Art Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven....
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The Swirling Tempest
But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel,“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;I have called you ...
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The Incomprehensible Removal
He is merciful and tender toward those who don’t deserve it; he is slow to get angry and full of kindness and love. He never bears a grudge,...
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Setting your affection and attention upon things above …
“Since, then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians...
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Confession is more than confessing our sin …
“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness; according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions....
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The smallness of our being …
“So teach us to number our days that we might get a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12, ESV) Human beings at times, tend to live in ways that ove...
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The Walk
There are walks which are easy where the course of the path is straight and relatively flat, devoid of any difficulty. Then again, some walk...
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The Burden of Falseness
“What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; d...
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This New Day
“To give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise ...
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Climbing the Mountain
Climbing the Mountain
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Life is found in the releasing!
Have you released your life to your
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The Empty Manger
The Manger Gertrude Käsebier 1852 – 1934 National Gallery of Art, NGO Image, Public Domain “Who, being in very nature God, did not con...
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He came for everyone!
“You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he coul...
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The Incarnation (God’s gift to the world)
“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was J...
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Name above all names ...
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isaia...
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The Christ Child who came for us ...
“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; for those that live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine” (Isaiah 9:2, NL...
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A Simple Prayer in the Unexpected Return of Winter
A Simple Prayer in the Unexpected Return of Winter Heavenly Father ... Thank you for the beautiful fall of warm breezes and the deepest and ...
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To every thing there is a season
“There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven – A time to give birth and a time to die; a tim...
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A knock at the door of our house …
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me....
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Encouraged
“So encourage each other and build each other up …” (1 Thessalonians 5:11, ESV). They were young, so very young … when last they saw this la...
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Going Home
“An ox knows its owner, and a donkey its master’s manger, but Israel does not know, My people do not understand” (Isaiah 1:3, NASB). Th...
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God's gift of beauty in creation.
God's gift of beauty in creation.
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The Lord is our strength and our shield.
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” (P...
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Just tired out …
National Gallery of Art, NGO Image, Public Domain “The one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not gro...
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A Branch on the Vine
Living as a branch on the vine ...
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Beware of any intent to hurt and harm!
Pieter van der Heyden after Pieter Bruegel the Elder, "Anger" National Gallery of Art, Public Domain – NGA Image “You have heard the l...
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Be wary of the condemnation which comes from your own sinful heart.
“By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than o...
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The Heavens Declare
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals kno...
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In all things …
“You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you in the ...
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Seeing hope and beauty in a difficult place ...
"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up th...
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A faithful servant of God …
“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?...
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God loves …
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 1:31, NIV). ...
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Living and dying ...
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done ...
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The Light in us …
Jesus is the Light of the World, are you journeying in your life looking to Him, and is His light in you, shining in the darkness?
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After all Christ did, there are still no words for what He does …
But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that ...
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There are no words ...
Albrecht Dürer, The Crucifixion, National Gallery of Art, NGO Image, Public Domain "He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so t...
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We need more than a cool drink of water ...
“As the deer pants for water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. Where can I find him to come and stand before him...
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Looking Again at Being “Born Again”
Sometimes we see it as born again into eternal life. If salvation is solely emphasized, we reduce our Christ to a ticket broker to heaven. H...
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Shutting down the engine of angry retaliation.
The engine of anger often starts as someone inserts your key in the ignition of your emotional engine by offending you, disregarding you and...
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A time beyond the times of our lives.
“There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven – A time to give birth and a time to die; a tim...
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Making a U-Turn
“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!” ...
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Seeing those around you ...
Seeing those around you ...
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In the deepest anguish, a soaring hope …
Theodor Galle after Jan van der Straet Jeremiah Published 1613 Print National Gallery of Art, NGO Image, Public Domain “My soul continually ...
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Wispy tufts releasing their life in the wind …
It is a small delicate flower of the prairie. This slight little plant was treasured by the Native America people for its medicinal properti...
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Clay quite ordinary or a vessel extraordinary ...
"And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay and you are the Potter. We are all formed by your hand" (Isaiah 64:8, LB). There...
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From the seed ...
And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts a...
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A summer blessing …
"But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like cal...
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God is more …
“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be the glory i...
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The flower before the leaf …
The flower before the leaf … Fragile into the spring they push forth, tiny sprigs of life with the palest of color, topped with hearty tops ...
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Beware of the adulterous heart ...
“You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend...
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Who we are ...
“The most common form of despair is not being who you are.” Søren Kierkegaard
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This "Thank God Day"
Is not every day a "Thank God Day?" “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength” (Corrie Ten Boom). How...
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The One who meets us at the well.
He comes alone when all other companions are off dealing with the common needs of their day. Does He not have things to do? Why would ...