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When he came to Jerusalemhe tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.But Barnabastook him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus (Acts 9:26-27). With the a...
Keep ReadingWhen [Saul] came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. So Saul stayed wit...
Keep ReadingAll the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessionswas their own, but they shared everything they had (Acts 4:32). The Christian school that I used to teach at in Uijeongbu, South Korea, was very unique. Every teacher who worked there came as a missionary and saw their students and families as their mission field. This mindset create...
Keep ReadingActs 4:32-34 Sharing doesn't come naturally to us. Just look at toddlers. I think of my 3-year-old granddaughter and how she will grab things, sometimes out of my hands, and declare that the item is "my special _______ "(you can fill in the blank with anything here!). At present, it seems like most things are her "special things" and I must coax her to be more generous, t...
Keep ReadingNor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need (Acts 4: 34-35). [Editor's note: This week, as part of our Inner Strength series, we're exploring generously hearted,the fourth of o...
Keep ReadingListen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going t...
Keep ReadingWrite these commandments that I've given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the door...
Keep ReadingHear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about themTie them as symbolsWrite them on the doorframes of your houses (Deut. 6:4-9). When we visited Jerusalem earlier this year, a...
Keep ReadingHear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on...
Keep ReadingHear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on...
Keep ReadingThen we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). Babies are so cute (s...
Keep ReadingTherefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here(2 Corinthians 5:17)! If we want to have a resilient core, that kind of inner strength that allows us to bounce back from difficult life events, work through emotional pain and suffering, and be able to tap into the strength that God provides, we must be transformed. Two of the...
Keep ReadingWe are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:20 NIV). Many years ago - almost 12, to be exact - Santa gave me the Christmas present that led me to be the person I am today: my first horseback riding lessons. One day, I was riding Walnut the lesson pony when ...
Keep ReadingWe are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5: 21). Martinus Evans started running after his doctor told him he needed to lose weight or face serious health consequences. He started running, but nearly quit after a spectator at a race yelled that he was too f...
Keep ReadingFor Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconcil...
Keep ReadingThen we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown hereand there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of peoplein their deceitful scheming (Ephesians 4:14). We moved from tree-filled North Carolina to not-tree-filled South Dakota this summer. The yard at our new house was grass only, and pretty soon upon arrival we put ...
Keep ReadingFrom him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work (Ephesians 4:16). Every time I go to the theater, I'm always amazed by the never-ending movie credits. In order to make that movie happen, it took around 500 to 1,000+ people working together and contributing their individual knowl...
Keep ReadingInstead, we will speak the truth in love,growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love" Ephesians 4:15-16 (NLT). Our God is a relational God: Father,...
Keep Reading"We will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From Himthe whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." (Eph. 4:15-16) Geodes are common rocks, usually round or oval, whose cavities are lined with mineral deposits. From these, crystals grow, provided they have...
Keep Readingwe will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (Ephesians 4:15-16) We've spent the last few weeks considering what is not true about us: we are not to allow ourselves to be define...
Keep ReadingSo if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ,who was I to think that I could stand in God's way? (Acts 11:17) In this chapter of Acts, Peter is returning to Jerusalem after the Holy Spirit has directed him to visit a group of Gentiles. Peter is confronted by a group of Jewish Christians who are challenging his decision to spend time w...
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