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Month: March 2014

Getting Rid of All Ill Will

Getting Rid of All Ill Will

Did you know that the first half of the lent is already over? Less than 20 days for Easter! Let’s continue to ready our hearts, minds, and souls for Jesus. Today I want to talk about something we very easily want to forget or, at least, downplay its importance in a life of a Christian. But the Bible does not want us to forget. If we want to mature in our faith, we need to be done with every trace…

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Blessings Come Through Wounds

Blessings Come Through Wounds

Do you know why we try so hard to hide our wounds? It almost feels like being vulnerable and real would be the end of the world. Like the real life would be only reserved for beautiful, perfect and unbroken. But that’s so, so wrong. First of all, there’s beauty in brokenness. Second of all, blessings come through wounds. Not by avoiding or hiding them. But by embracing them. Really. He was pierced because of our rebellions     and crushed because…

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The Aroma of Christ

The Aroma of Christ

Do you know that you convey a message of eternal life or death without saying a word? I know, quite a responsibility. But our part is just to cling to Jesus. He takes care of the rest. How does that happen? Let’s find out. In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ,…

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The Goal of Spiritual Growth

The Goal of Spiritual Growth

What do you think is the goal of spiritual growth? Is it mastering spiritual practices? Or something much simpler? Your answer to this question tells the health of your spiritual life. Sometimes we do get carried away with our own plans. Hopefully this post can remind you of what matters most and direct you back to the very center of Christian faith. No matter how well we fast, how spiritually mature we are…it’s still God alone who saves. God alone…

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How to Keep Joy

How to Keep Joy

Do you know how to keep joy? How to be always joyful? Happiness seems to come and go. In order to be happy we want more of things that used to make us happy. More stuff, more experiences, more fun. Always more. But that thrill-seeking leads us astray. Happiness-hunting gets us into trouble. More is never enough. It is a cycle to unhappiness. Why is everyone hungry for more? “More, more,” they say. “More, more.” I have God’s more-than-enough, More…

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The Desire to Be Like Everyone Else

The Desire to Be Like Everyone Else

It seems like this same old problem has been around since forever: people want to be like everyone else. The root cause for disobedience is the desire to be accepted and admired by others. Just like the Israelites were hoping to be like the other nations. “‘What you’re secretly thinking is never going to happen. You’re thinking, “We’re going to be like everybody else, just like the other nations. We’re going to worship gods we can make and control.” (Ezekiel…

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The Shamrock and the Holy Trinity

The Shamrock and the Holy Trinity

I’ve always loved the Finnish flag – a blue cross on white – because it so boldly states our faith in the risen Christ. But I also love the Irish shamrock. According to St. Patrick’s Day lore, Patrick used the three leaves of a shamrock to explain the Christian holy trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. How wonderful to embrace the central part of Christian faith as your very own. Go then and make disciples of all…

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Gaining the World Is So Not Worth It

Gaining the World Is So Not Worth It

Do you try to gain the esteem of the world? Are you concerned what others think of you? Would you like to please crowds? I think we all would like to be well liked. But how far are you willing to go to gain acceptance? These questions rose as I combined two very different writing prompts I received today:  ‘remember’ and ‘crowd’. Not a very likely pair. But they got me thinking. What do we need to remember? Crowd pleasing…

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God Is Good All the Time

God Is Good All the Time

Isn’t it amazing how God blesses us for merely following his guidance? You see, I felt God nudging me to do this random “Message in a Bottle” giveaway so I put it in the motion awhile back. Little did I know that this little giveaway would bless me so much. And I hope you will be blessed too. Crystal won the giveaway and she requested that I would send the message in the bottle to his cousin’s wife, Lisa Greshko,…

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Turn to God and Live!

Turn to God and Live!

Life does not have to be same old, same old over and over again. Your past can be buried and you can start anew and stop repeating the same old, same old over and over again.  But if the wicked turn away from all the sins that they have committed, keep all my regulations, and act justly and responsibly, they will surely live and not die. (Ezekiel 18:21, CEB) Your future does not depend on your past but on the…

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