Paul’s encounter with Jesus on the Damascus road teaches us that no person, no circumstance, and no difficulty is beyond the reach and transformational power of Jesus Christ!
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Generativity is defined as having "a concern for establishing and guiding the next generation.” The Psalmist exhorts us as adults to make it a priority to communicate to the younger generation the story of how God has led, guided, and blessed our lives. Are you hiding these things from them in any way?
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Forgiveness is required to maintain the bridges that make up relationships. Relationships are an exercise in bridge building, and nothing is more important in maintaining those bridges than forgiveness.
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Tabatha was an exceptional woman who left an incredible legacy and hole in her absence. She walked worthy of her calling as a Christian, and we are to do the same. We should consider our legacies and walk worthy of our calling.
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In Christianity, success is measured in contributions made in God's kingdom. It is the love that Christians have for one another that is to be their defining characteristic. The Christian should ask, "What good am I doing for other people" because that is the true currency of heaven. Success in God's eyes is measured in how well we love people.
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We all have Plans. Even if you're not a "planner," we all have plans. Life could be called a series of planning sessions. It's not wrong to have plans. However, it is wrong to plan without God.
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God has specific instruction for our lives. Wisdom is a skill for living life according to God's instruction. A wise person learns the skills necessary to follow God's plan. More wisdom results in a better life as you learn to live according to God's plan. Wisdom is attained through pursuit, and is retained through an openness to correction.
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We all know what it is to experience hard times whether it be poor health, financial difficulties, etc. How can we give thanks in the midst of such things? We don't need to be thankful for difficulties, but we have much to be thankful for in the midst of difficulties. We can bank on the promises of God.
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The man who sold everything gained, through a temporary loss, great wealth. There are some things worth having that we should purchase, even if it costs us everything.
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God uses people to help people. God intends people to touch and shape people. This is not always positive, but God intends it to be. We leave on one another indelible marks. These are never in consequential. These mini impacts are for good or for bad. We must ask ourselves, "Who is better for my having interacted with them?"
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Our church is a treasure, but it takes the continued contribution of its members to remain so.
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The success of the gospel can be credited to the membership of the church. The strength of Eastland is directly tied to the missional mindset of each and every member.
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Christ asks each of us the same question, "Do you love me more than __________?" If we are going to accept and perform the ministry Christ has given to us, we must answer this question in the affirmative. Christ's expectation of Peter and us are simple. He wants us to love Him and people. That is the ministry He has given to us.
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Stephen was a man of faith so filled with grace that those murdering him saw in his face the countenance of an angel. They saw not hatred, anger, or pain but the manifested grace of God. The grace of God allowed Stephen to overcome unbelievable abuse and hardship. Mastering self is life’s hardest task. God’s grace enabling us to take abuse and hurt is a miracle in itself. We must ask ourselves: to what degree do we have power over our own selves? By whom and what are you controlled?
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We all know what it is like to face disruptive questions, questions that create tension. We often don’t like this tension because tension is uncomfortable. However, to make better decisions, we must embrace the tension and probe the tension. We must ask the question: “What about this bothers me?”
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As Christians, we affirm a number of truths, all of which are vital and important aspects of our lives as Christians. Perhaps none is more self evident than our own sin and brokenness. This makes none of the truths Christians affirm more important than the resurrection. What are you going to do with the risen Jesus Christ?
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The self-restraint of God demonstrated on the day of Christ's crucifixion is remarkable and unparalleled in history. The jeers and mockery Christ faced, the rejection he experienced from everyone, including God the Father, are hard to fathom. All of this Christ endured willingly for us because he loves us. Love relinquishes all, and love absorbs all. What are you wiling to relinquish, and what are you willing to absorb for the sake of love?
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God is a God of order; that is clear in creation. He expects there to be order in the church. However, the church is not a business, and if you remove the Holy Spirit, the church becomes worthless. We must be both organized and Holy Spirit filled. We must be people of God who walk with God, and we must get our hands dirty in the service of the church. The church will be hurt by a neglect of the spiritual and the organizational. We all must do both, and we all must do our part.
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Christ suffered indescribably agony to be loyal to us. In the face of such willingness to be loyal to us, should we not strive to be loyal to Him?
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The miracles of the early disciples were done within the context of sharing the gospel. Multitudes of people found healing, and this healing gave opportunity for preaching. All of Jerusalem was filled with the doctrine of the early church. This preaching of the gospel led to imprisonment by the religious establishment on multiple occasions. However, the early church was determined to obey God rather than man and they went right back the preaching the gospel, which is what had led to their imprisonment in the first place. God has given the church a singular mission, and it is vital that we keep the main thing the main thing.
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