Tag: People
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The Advance of the Gospel: In Joy
The book of Job in the Old Testament presents the story of a man who, despite his righteousness, is subjected to immense suffering. Job’s friends, in their misguided attempts to provide comfort, suggest that his misfortune must be due to some hidden sin. Job, in defiance, is confident that God will ultimately vindicate him, that…
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The Advance of the Gospel: Selfish Motives vs. True Intentions
In Philippians 1:15-18, Paul provides insight into how the message of Christ is being proclaimed and how the gospel is advancing, despite his imprisonment. Intriguingly, there seem to be two groups of people within close proximity to Paul, possibly in the city where he is imprisoned, each preaching Christ but with divergent intentions. One group…
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The Advance of the Gospel: In Suffering
When baking, it’s often wise to follow a recipe, as it guides us to create the delicacy we envision. It instructs us on the ingredients to add, how to mix them together, and even specifies the right oven temperature to bake that perfect cake you’re dreaming of right now. In the grand scheme of Christian…
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Gospel Partnership Is Prayerful Partnership
Saying you are going to pray for someone is a common occurrence in the Christian faith. We hear the needs of others and strive to support them. Prayer is our go-to action when we cannot provide tangible help, and it’s far from being the ‘least’ we can do. This is not to diminish the reality…
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Gospel Partnership Is Joyful Partnership
After Paul gives his initial greetings to the church in Philippi (Philippians 1:1-2), we immediately sense just how much joy and affection he has for them. In v3-8, we read of how their partnership in the gospel is a joyful partnership. Prayers For The People In v3, Paul gives thanks to God for this church.…
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On Connection
The other day I was out for my daily bout of exercise, the intentional walk to get out of the house and get the body moving, and as I passed one particular person in the street I noticed how enthusiastic they were in saying ‘hello’. It may have been a very brief interaction but through…
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A Sent People – Part 4: The Kingdom of God Is Near
This is part four of a 5-part devotional series based on Luke 10:1-12 (See part one and two and three) It includes the reading of Scripture, considering its teaching, asking questions of ourselves for reflection, and applying it in practical ways. Enjoy. Part 4: The Kingdom of God Is Near Passage: Luke 10:9-11 Heal the sick who are there and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God…
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A Sent People – Part 3: People of Peace
This is part three of a 5-part devotional series based on Luke 10:1-12 (See part one and two) It includes the reading of Scripture, considering its teaching, asking questions of ourselves for reflection, and applying it in practical ways. Enjoy. Part 3: Person of Peace Passage: Luke 10:5-8 “Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ And if a son of peace…
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Youth Ministry With The Training Wheels Off
On the outside basketball court, just down the road from where we live, we spent time as a family helping our eldest daughter with her bike riding. For a few hours we were focussed on helping her with her coordination, pedalling, steering, and balance as she learnt to ride a bike without training wheels. It…
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God’s Love Expressed: Through Our Love For One-Another
In the passage 1 John 4:7-21 the beginning and the end command us to love one-another. It’s like a love one-another sandwich. In v7-8 it reads, “Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not…
Life and Faith 