Category: Christian Spirituality
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The Kingdom at Hand: The Gospel Is Bigger Than You Think
“Repent,” John the Baptist cried in the desert, “for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” In other words, it’s HERE. The kingdom has arrived. It has come. It is no longer far off, but at your fingertips. Jesus, Matthew tells us, preached the same thing. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.…
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Son of Blessing, Son of Kings: Why Jesus Is the Gateway to Life
The historical record of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham.” (Matthew 1:1, HCSB) Two weeks ago I asked if we know who our king is. Unlike Luke (who traces Jesus all the way back to Adam), Matthew starts with Abraham. As he lays out the genealogy of Christ (following an interesting,…
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“I Am”: How We Make God in Our Image … and How to Know Who He Really Is
When the children of Israel came out of the desert and God made a covenant with them, his very first two commands were these: You shall have no other gods before me, and you shall make for yourself no graven image — no idols. The interesting thing is that they weren’t in all that much…
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Anointed One: Is This the Jesus YOU Know?
The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham. (Matthew 1:1, NASB) We are citizens in the kingdom of God. Do we know who our king is? I’m asking that question seriously, because honestly, I think this is the number-one scandal in the church today. We’ve gotten…
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Yes, I Am Finite
As a young(er) person I used to think, “Man, if I only had the money I would do this or that, go here or there, do things I can’t do right now.” I still think that, sometimes, but the older I get the more I realize money is not the only, or even the primary,…
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Accidental Books & Life on Purpose
When I was young I could write books almost by accident. See, I would have an idea for a scene or a place or a character, and I would play with it in my mind for a while (and usually also with toys or sticks or something — I was a kid, and I “played”…
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That You Should Go and Bring Forth Fruit
“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain.” (John 15:16, KJV) So said Jesus to his disciples, and to us. But WHAT fruit? What is Jesus actually talking about here — bringing other people to…
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Rotten Trees and Hypocrisy
The other day, during a light rain, a massive tree on our lawn fell over. (Thanks to Naomi Currey for the pictures!) Despite the fact that it only took a small gust of wind to bring the tree down, it didn’t come as a surprise.…
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Heel Blisters and What I’ve Learned About Pain
A few days ago I returned from my second major hiking trip in the Bruce Peninsula — we covered 22 km of clifftop and woodland trails along Lake Huron this time. Breathtaking. I’ve seen a lot of beautiful places in my life, but this region — especially the parts you can only get to if…
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Your Life Is a Seed (Not a Diamond)
Once upon a time, there was a man entrusted with a great treasure. “This is the most precious thing I own,” his master told him. “I’m trusting it to you until I return. Don’t waste it.” Then the master left on a long journey (as masters in parables are wont to do.) The man gazed…