Category: Christian Faith & Life
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What Are You Holding On To?
“Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him…
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He Knows Exactly What We Need to Hear
“Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me” (Matthew 28:10). After everything they did, Jesus called them brothers. Sit with that for a moment, dear Christian. Think back to everything our Savior experienced on Holy Thursday and Good Friday. Think back on what his disciples—his…
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Easter Sunday Devotion: He Lives
“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!” (Luke 24:5,6) What would Good Friday be without Easter? What if Jesus had died and stayed dead? For the disciples, life of a sort would have gone on. What choice would they have? Best not think too much about Judas.…
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What’s So Good About Good Friday?
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). I love Easter. When you walk into our church on Easter morning, the smell of our flower cross fills the sanctuary. The bright white of the banners and lilies provides a brilliant contrast to the pastel-colored shirts and dresses. Everyone is smiling. Church is full.…
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Holy Thursday Devotion: He Remembers Me
He took bread . . . and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you.” . . . He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” (Luke 22:19,20) That Thursday evening as Jesus ate the Passover meal with his disciples, he had…
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Do You Believe This?
Note: The first half of this post draws directly from John 11:17-27,38-45, at times quoting it word for word. By all outward appearances, Jesus arrived too late. Mary and Martha’s brother, Lazarus, had succumbed to the debilitating sickness, the one that caused his sisters to send an urgent message to Jesus: “Lord, the one you…
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Everyday Encouragement
“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for…
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He Gives Us What We Really Need
“Will you give me a drink?” With that simple question, Jesus turned societal and cultural expectations upside down. Culturally, Jewish men did not talk to women they weren’t related to. It wasn’t proper or right. Nor did Jewish men ask Samaritan women for water from wells. They didn’t ask them for anything—Jews and Samaritans hated…