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Month: October 2011

Shutting Up the Inner Pharisee

Shutting Up the Inner Pharisee

Do you ever wonder why on earth Jesus gave such a hard time for Pharisees? They were decent folks, weren’t they? Here’s how Jesus saw it: Frauds! Isaiah’s prophecy of you hit the bull’s-eye: These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their heart isn’t in it. They act like they’re worshiping me, but they don’t mean it. They just use me as a cover for teaching whatever suits their fancy.” He then called the crowd…

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Happiness vs. Blessedness

Happiness vs. Blessedness

Happiness seems to be what the whole world wants. But happiness is based on feelings, luck, and circumstances. Blessedness is something deeper. Blessedness is rooted in God. I bless God every chance I get; my lungs expand with his praise. (Psalm 34:1, MSG) There’s a huge difference between happiness and blessedness. The difference is GOD. God is the source of all the good things in our lives. God is the source of peace in the midst of hardships. God is…

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Spiritual Adrenaline Boost

Spiritual Adrenaline Boost

Are you feeling blue? Has life sucked all energy out of you? Do you need a little boost? Here’s an important verse (used in two different psalms!) to lead us into the right path on our search for spiritual adrenaline into our souls: Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?       Why are you crying the blues?    Fix my eyes on God—       soon I’ll be praising again.    He puts a smile on my face.       He’s my God. (Psalm 42:5…

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How to Satisfy Your Soul

How to Satisfy Your Soul

Is your soul satisfied? How do you feed your own soul? What does shape your soul? It does make a huge difference what we let enter into our souls. We can harm our souls with wrong choices. “We work to feed our appetites; Meanwhile our souls go hungry. (Ecclesiastes 6:7, MSG) “Don’t dabble in the occult or traffic with mediums; you’ll pollute your souls. I am God, your God. (Leviticus 19: 31, MSG) “Look at that man, bloated by self-importance—…

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Confident in God’s Love?

Confident in God’s Love?

This week our children were asked “How would you describe yourself?” as part of an assessment in their kindergarten. Our daughter answered “I am beloved and I don’t pick on my brother”. That got me thinking. If I felt this delighted to hear that my child knew she was loved…how much more our Heavenly Father would be delighted if we truly embraced his love and grace? How wonderful it’d be if all God’s children could say with confidence “I am…

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Why 2B Holy?

Why 2B Holy?

If we are free in Christ….why do we need to bother with holy living? If we are not under law….why should we be holy? It is true that we are set free by grace through faith in God. And that we can’t do anything to earn our salvation. But holy living is not about trying to save ourselves. Holiness is our way to love God back. Holy living is about acting out our love for God. It cost God plenty…

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Preventing Spiritual Hunger

Preventing Spiritual Hunger

Spiritual hunger is a very unpleasant traveling companion. As pilgrims we have a long way to go and our path will not always be easy. So we need to make sure we are as spiritually healthy as we can. In order to prevent spiritual starvation we need to stay close to God and bask in his presence. When we are spiritually well fed it is so much easier to take any rough patch on the road. If we include God…

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Faith in Ordinary Life

Faith in Ordinary Life

One of the biggest blessings in my everyday, ordinary life is God’s presence. Faith is not an abstract theological construction but an on-going conversation with God. Faith and life are meant to be intertwined. God is with us as we peel potatoes and as we converse with our neighbors. When we pray as we go God is in small details of our lives. Psalm 15 gives us a glimpse what faith in ordinary life could look like. God, who gets…

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Two-Step Fearless Living

Two-Step Fearless Living

Do you want to live fearlessly? Good for you. Because fear cripples and cramps joy out of living. And joyless living is only surviving from day to day. We are meant to thrive, to enjoy the days we’ve been given. How then can we achieve the state of fearlessness? The first step: PRAYER! Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a…

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An Invitation to Abundant Life

An Invitation to Abundant Life

Are you in need of life-giving, life-nourishing words? Do you feel dragged down? You’ve come to the right place. I want to share with you a gem in the Bible: the chapter 55 in Isaiah. We need to read and re-read this every time we feel spent, tired or over-whelmed (or all three at once). Because here God offers you love, grace, and joy. All three at once. “Hey there! All who are thirsty,    come to the water! Are you…

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