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On the Anniversary of Dad’s Death
“Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment accompanied by a promise, namely, “that it may go well with you and that you will live a long time on the earth” (Ephesians 6:2-3). Today is the anniversary of Dad’s death. Dad was a complicated man, to say the least. Recently I was talking to a Christian brother and, essentially, said that when we die it might be said for any of us believers: “He was a Christian… and he was a mess in many ways.” We never outgrow our desperate need for Christ. Anyone who knew my dad knew he had struggles, but they also had no doubt…
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“I see too.” Expecting to see God this Christmas
We have our last little toddler in the house at Christmas time! Well, that is what we thought a few years ago too, but we think this is our last one. He is almost two years old and he is the perfect age to enjoy Christmas. It’s hard to tell how much of it he enjoys and how much of it he finds frustrating. He is very excited for the momentary glimpse of lights he is able to enjoy as the car speeds forward but he is equally as angry when the dazzling lights are no longer in his view. It all happens too fast for him. I feel ya,…
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Your Christmas Wish
Each year growing up, I made a list of things I wanted for Christmas. I’m pretty sure “a horse” topped the list every single year (and no, I never got one). I definitely knew that in order to get what I truly wanted, I had to be nice, not naughty. Looking back, that’s probably why I never got the horse. Anyhoo… As adults, we don’t worry about making Santa’s NICE LIST so we can get what we desire most. Instead we embrace Christmas as a season of giving, good cheer, and hope for the new year. And as Christians, we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior. Reconciliation to…
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Periods, Purity and the Person of Christ
“Miss, can we take the Lord’s Supper if we are bleeding?” I stared blankly at the eight young Indian women I had come to teach on the eastern coast of India. I flippantly answered, “Of course you can.” Fearing I had misunderstood their question, the spokeswoman for the group asked me again emphasizing each phrase. “No, Miss, at that certain time, each month, can we take the holy elements?” Checking my spirit, I responded softer, “Yes. Of course.” Still unsure there hadn’t been some language barrier confusion, they nervously glanced at each other with a glimmer of uncertain hope. “Are you sure, Miss? We can even walk into the church?…
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A House Divided
“If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand” (Mark 3:25). The headlines recently, in America, were certainly unsettling for a news and commentary junkie like myself. The United States seemed to be imploding, committing suicide on live television. For some time now I have believed that we are witnessing the self-destruction of the United States. I often think of the words of Abraham Lincoln, who said, “America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.” History will show whether this proves true or not. On Friday morning July 8th, many…
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The Resurrection of Jesus Christ (Part II)
“[I]f Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead…. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost” (1 Corinthians 15:14-18, NIV 1984). Once again we are examining the foundational cornerstone of Christianity: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Click here to read the first part of this study.) The resurrection of Jesus is central to all Christian belief, as…
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