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Joseph’s dream
Genesis 37:1–4 and 12–28 are part of the lectionary readings for the tenth Sunday after Pentecost, which is August 9th. The narrative concerning Joseph begins when he was a young man of 17. Joseph and some of his brothers were taking care of his father’s flocks (v. 2). The brothers had done something inappropriate while they were away from home tending the sheep. Joseph saw the wrongdoing and informed Jacob. Commentators take different views of Joseph’s action. Some censure him as a tattletale, while others commend him for acting as a conscientious son. Although the text doesn’t state it, the brothers undoubtedly felt bitterness toward their younger sibling because he…
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A Call to Mobile Discipleship
Discipleship is a mobile moment-to-moment opportunity. It was designed that way. From God’s instructions to parents in the Old Testament to Paul’s instructions to believers in the New Testament—scripture shows us that we all are called to mobile discipleship. But what does mobile discipleship look like?
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Disruption: Thoughts on Life and Chaos
Recently I set a goal to keep the house in spic and span shape for five days straight. Admittedly, this isn’t the most exciting thing one can do, but there’s something refreshing about having your surroundings in order….shirts hung neatly on their hangers, shoes in their rightful spot, junk mail sorted out and squared away. It gives one a sense of orderliness, peacefulness, and, most importantly, control. So, I set out last Sunday, spent a few hours getting rooms, bathrooms, and closets in top-notch shape, and determined to maintain my newfound tidiness for one week straight. And then life happened. My once-clean home is a far cry from its Sunday start. And…
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Called To Disciple
Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to have experienced and learned from Jesus during His earthly ministry? The other day my husband and I were having a conversation regarding the way we respond towards different people and their circumstances. He told me that I was like the apostle John and he was more like Peter. Who was John? Well, John was spoken of as the disciple Jesus loved. (John 13:23) The Scripture is clear that John was the brother of James and the son of Zebedee. (Matt. 4:21-22; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16). He was a fisherman by trade and an ordinary man. Many are familiar with John because he wrote five books…
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Has 2020 been crazy or what?
Isn’t it weird that 2020 seems so out of control? Does this mean that God is preparing us for the end times, or has he officially got the ball rolling on that? Is this just another year that we will look back at and say, “boy that 2020 was a crazy year?” or will we forget this year even happened except when it’s brought up in conversation or on the History Channel? Is 2020 a year of correction from God designed to remind us that He’s still in charge? I’ve asked all of these questions and I think I have the answer to them all and the answer is probably…YES! I have to…
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Racism: Where Do Whites Go from Here?
If public prayer meetings, sermons, and social media are any indication, a lot of white evangelicals are finally saying we need to go beyond observing, having conversations, and constantly analyzing semantics in the fight against racism. Yes, it’s high time we got way more involved. So, “Where do we go from here”? In this two-part series (come back in two weeks), I’ll lay out some baby steps. First, we start with humility. As members of the majority group, we have a certain ignorance when it comes to knowing what it’s like to live as a member of a minority population. I heard a trusted Black brother say this week, “People have to…
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When Holding Onto Faith Feels Like a Battle
Sometimes life feels like a battle and we are not sure if our faith will be able to withstand. It can. It will. Here's how it might make it through.
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Discernment for Our Time
“These are the numbers of the divisions of the armed troops who came to David in Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him, according to the word of the Lord….Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do.” 1 Chronicles 12:23, 32 (ESV) Truly we live in a day where believers should seek to be like the sons of Issachar – to understand the times and act accordingly. In this passage, the tribes of Israel are coming to David, to establish him as the rightful king of Israel. Saul’s reign was over and now the time had come for David,…
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An Invitation to Lament
Everyone is grieving. Students mourn the ball games and proms they didn’t have. Folks agonize over the jobs and insurance they’ve lost. People ache after their loved one joined nearly a quarter of a million others killed by this “novel” virus. We’re all grieving . We need to. We need to wrestle and scream and plead with God to do something about the whole dadgum thing. Actually, we need to lament. Today I invite you to lament with me. We’ll journey together, interactively, so grab something to write with and get into a comfy chair. Begin by jotting down the first thoughts that come to mind when you hear the…
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Is this thing on?
It’s 9:55am on a Tuesday morning and in 5 minutes I’m about to go “live” on Facebook to share a lesson or devotional on a special Facebook Page aimed at the kids and parents that call Rock Creek Church their church home. I’m prepared and ready to share something utterly profound and amazing since after all God’s word is indeed just that, but then I realize I have no idea if even one person will be online with me to see it. Will I be saying “is this thing on?” That’s when it struck me…Oh my Goodness, does God feel this way sometimes? Does God sometimes feel like anyone is hearing him? Granted,…
