The Problem with Evangelism
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Matthew 28:16–20 The Church began with a few people, most of whom ran away scared and afraid when Jesus was arrested. And then Jesus rose again. The people who ran and the few who did not, saw him, touched him, ate with him and then were commissioned by him to go...
Read MoreWomen, Men & The Restoration of All Things
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”...
Read MoreCalled to Freedom
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1 God wants you fulfilled. God wants you satisfied. God wants you to be “okay” — more than “okay,” he wants you to experience life beyond your your greatest imagination. Jesus said that he came so that we might have “more and better life than you ever imagined” — imagine that. God wants you to thrive, not...
Read MoreKingdoms and Canaries
The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. The LORD has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad. LORD, save us! LORD, grant us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you. The LORD is God, and he has made his light shine on us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I will praise you; you are my God, and I will exalt you. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever....
Read MoreA Freedom That Changes Us
When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek...
Read MoreCreated to Thrive and be Free (Steps 4 & 5)
When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin. Psalms 32:3–5 Everybody is born with an innate desire to be more than just ok, to thrive. Everybody is born with a longing to be free. Ok, so if we just make that happen we will solve all the worlds problems, right? Unfortunately, no. It’s not that simple. It depends...
Read MoreFreedom: Commitment (Steps 1-3)
Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal. . . . the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” . . . . Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and...
Read MoreEverybody Has A Drug of Choice
You and I have need of the strongest spell that can be found to wake us from the evil enchantment of worldliness. C.S. Lewis –The Weight of Glory Jesus said a lot of amazing things — and he backed them up with actions, miracles and healings. Some things — many of the things — he said are troubling, hard to deal with. And so, we often dismiss them or don’t take them as seriously as he meant us to. One of those was the pathway he gave us to a meaningful life, “whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.” (Mark 8:35)....
Read MoreJourney To Freedom
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. Ephesians 4:1; Galatians 5:13 The gospel is all about freedom. As followers of Jesus we are called to live into God’s intention of freedom. The freedom that he offers is not a mere spiritual freedom, but a practical one; freedom that effects every area of your life and that leads, Jesus says to “more and better life than you could ever imagine.” (John 10:10 The MESSAGE) God wants you to experience this kind of freedom, and so he...
Read MoreTime to Go — with God
When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.” “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment. Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He...
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