merri ellen g :)
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Prepared for the Future
Sometimes there are trying circumstances in our lives that don’t make sense to us. We wonder why God is allowing us to go through them. But God is preparing us for what is ahead. Everything we go through in life is preparation for what will follow. God will always give us what we need, when…
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When You Are Mistreated
“Just about everyone is treated poorly at one time or another. But many people never recover from mistreatment. Whether or not they label themselves as “victims,” they allow hurtful experiences to disrupt their lives permanently. They use negative incidents as excuses for sinful or irresponsible behavior. Other people, despite being wronged, continue to let faith…
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Battling in Prayer
“How do you handle conflict? Do you rely on your own abilities, try to win the favor of influential people, or attempt to manipulate circumstances? Maybe you give in to worry or seek to escape instead of dealing with trouble. The best thing we can do when facing a challenge beyond our control is to…
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Scoffers and Scorners in the Church
“According to Proverbs, what happens to the scoffer, the man or woman who always has to be right, who derides rather than engages opposing views? … The first result is loneliness Prov. 9:12. Scoffers impress the impressionable if they are allowed to hold forth Prov. 19:25; 21:11 but as time goes on, the scoffer not…
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Four Ways We Forget the Lord
“David Powlison has written that “the only way we ever sin is by suppressing God, by forgetting, by tuning out his voice, switching channels, and listening to other voices. When you actually remember, you actually change. In fact, remembering is the first change.” Here are four examples from the Bible of how we actively forget…
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Ten Practical Preparations for Hearing the Word of God on Sunday Morning
“As we enter the sanctuary, let us “come on the lookout for God and leave on the lookout for people.” Come with a quiet passion to seek God and his power. We will not be an unfriendly church if we are aggressive in our pursuit of God during the prelude and aggressive in our pursuit…
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Abolishing Injustice Today
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – The A21 Campaign rings true through the famous words of Margaret Mead. The A21 Campaign stands for abolishing injustice in the 21st century. Anyone can join – everyone can make a…
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Troubles Grow Us
“The troubles we face are part of God’s way of growing us. And He gives comfort right in the midst of those hardships.” Read… How to Share Real Grace (Part One) « Alan Fadling: Notes from my Unhurried Journey.
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How Does Growth Truly Happen?
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” – 2 Peter 3:18 Growth always happens “in grace”. The truest measure of our growth is not our behavior, it’s our grasp of grace–a grasp which involves coming to deeper and deeper terms with the unconditionality of God’s love. It’s also…
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What Grace Does
What Grace Does The Law says, “You have not continued in all that I require of you, and therefore you are cursed.” And the gospel says, “Christ has redeemed you from the curse of the law, by being made a curse for you.” The Law says, “You are a sinner, and therefore you should be…
Following and Trusting : Encountering God Out of the Box 