John on Creation Care The Environment

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Re-Wilding and Restoring Balance to Nature

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Galatians 5:1, Galatians 5:13, John 8:36

In 1995, the gray wolf was reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park after a seventy-year hiatus. Scientists expected an ecological ripple effect, but the size and scope of the trophic cascade took th...

liturgy

A Prayer of Absolution for the Overchallenged

Author

David Zimmerman

Keywords

Scripture

1 John 4:18, Galatians 5:22-23

Good God, We have a lot going on. You are a God of grace, And we are made in your likeness. Let us then be people of grace. Meet our human concerns with the fruit of your Spirit: Love for ourselves...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Ephesians 4:1-16 (Guide A)

Author

Gabe Fung

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 4:1-16, 2 Samuel 11:26-12:13a, Psalm 51:1-12, John 6:24-35, Galatians 5:22-23, Psalm 68:18, Philippians 2:5-11, Romans 12:3-8, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 1 Peter 4:10-11, Acts 14:4, Romans 16:7, 1 Corinthians 15:7, Galatians 1:19, 1 Thessalonians 1:1, 1 Thessalonians 2:6, Romans 12:3-5, 1 Corinthians 12:14-27

Background to the Letter and Passage Paul’s letter to the Ephesians was probably intended for wider distribution and use among the various churches around Ephesus. As such, there is no particular cri...

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Oaks of Righteousness

Author

Alan Fadling

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 61:3, Jeremiah 17:7-8, Psalm 1:3, John 15:5, Galatians 5:22-23, Colossians 2:6-7, Hebrews 6:12

In his excellent book, An Unhurried Life, Alan Fadling contrasts our overly busy lives with a vision of the kingdom from Isaiah chapter 61: Isaiah envisioned a kingdom in which those people in need ...

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We Are What We Love

Author

James K. A. Smith

Keywords

Scripture

Galatians 5:22-23, Ruth 1:16, Luke 10:38-42, Luke 10:25-37, Colossians 3:17, 1 John 3:18, Matthew 22:37-40

Identities—what makes us who we are, the kind of people we are—is what we love. More specifically, our identity is shaped by what we ultimately love or what we love as ultimate—what, at the end of the...

liturgy

Fire of the Spirit, life of the lives

Author

Hildegard von Bingen

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 2:7, Romans 8:10-11, John 16:13, Isaiah 11:2, Galatians 5:22-23

Fire of the Spirit, life of the lives of creatures, spiral of sanctity, bond of all natures, glow of charity, lights of clarity, taste of sweetness to sinners, be with us and hear us. Composer of all ...

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Forgive Us, Renew Our Spirit

Keywords

Scripture

John 15:16, John 1:12, 1 John 3:1, Psalm 119:37, Galatians 5:22-23

Pastor: Gracious Father, You have chosen us for a purpose – that we might bear lasting fruit for Your Kingdom. You call us to walk humbly before You and to share in the struggle with the least of thes...

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Author

Samuel Chadwick

Keywords

Scripture

John 3:5-8, Galatians 5:16-26, Romans 8:14, Philippians 1:19, 2 Corinthians 3:18, 1 Corinthians 2:12

The Christian religion begins in a New Birth in the power of the Spirit. It is developed under His guidance, and sustained by His presence; but ignoring the Spirit, it becomes a matter of education an...

Quote

Author

John Stott

Keywords

Scripture

Hebrews 13:16, 1 Peter 4:10, Luke 10:27, Romans 13:8-10, Galatians 5:14, 1 John 4:20, Matthew 22:37-40

Social responsibility becomes an aspect not of Christian mission only, but also of Christian conversion. It is impossible to be truly converted to God without being thereby converted to our neighbor.

Quote

Author

Paula Ripple

Keywords

Scripture

Galatians 5:14, John 13:1-17, John 8:1-11, Ephesians 5:1-2, 1 John 4:19, John 13:34-35

Jesus reassures us that every effort to love ourselves and others more faithfully, however imperfectly we are able to do this, is a response to God's call to love as he loved. It is a response to ...

Quote

Author

James I. Packer

Keywords

Scripture

Galatians 5:22-23, Romans 8:9, Ephesians 3:16-17, John 14:16-17, Acts 1:8, 1 Corinthians 2:12-13, 2 Corinthians 3:17-18

The Christian’s life in all its aspects—intellectual and ethical, devotional and relational, upsurging in worship and outgoing in witness—is supernatural; only the Spirit can initiate and sustain it.

liturgy

Living by God's Word Daily

Author

Laura B. Murray

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 139:7-10, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, John 14:26, Psalm 51:1-2 , Galatians 5:25, Romans 10:17, Revelation 3:20

Our gracious God, you come to us in the everyday. You give us your Word and your Spirit so that we can hear your voice and follow your ways. We confess that we have neglected your Word and the Sp...

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The Enemy is Us

Author

The Pastor's Workshop

Keywords

Scripture

Galatians 5:17, 1 John 1:8, Proverbs 4:23, Romans 7:18-19, Mark 7:21-23, James 1:14-15

In a famous Earth Day 1971 Pogo comic strip by Walt Kelly, the titular Pogo and his companion Porkypine are enjoying nature when they come upon a clearing filled with trash. Pogo says the iconic line,...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide Ephesians 3:14-21

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 3:14-21, 2 Samuel 11:1-15, Psalm 14:, Ephesians 2:19-22, John 6:1-21, Colossians 1:16, Luke 11:2, Psalm 95:6, Galatians 5:

Questions for Consideration What does a prayer reveal about a person? What do you most often pray for/about and what might that reveal about you? A Beautiful and Compelling Gospel Prayer The...

Quote

Author

Kevin DeYoung

Keywords

Scripture

Colossians 1:10, 1 John 3:18, Titus 3:8, John 15:5, Galatians 5:6

Faith and good works are both necessary. But one is the root and the other the fruit.

liturgy

Holy Spirit, Holy One

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Scripture

John 3:1-17, Ephesians 1:13-14, Acts 8:26-40, Galatians 5:22-23, Romans 8:14-16

ONE: People of God, Rejoice! Our Eternal and Beautiful God is near The One who gives us new birth by water and Spirit The One who names us beloved The One who delights in our very existence Come and w...

Quote

Author

Howard Thurman

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 28:18-20, Luke 4:18-19, Luke 15:3-7, Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 25:35-40, Galatians 5:13, Matthew 5:9, John 13:34-35, Philippians 4:4-7, Matthew 5:14-16

When the song of the angels is stilled, when the star in the sky is gone, when the kings and princes are home, when the shepherds are back with the flocks, then the work of Christmas begins: to find t...

liturgy

Gracious God, we come before you with

Author

Laura B. Murray

Keywords

Scripture

2 Timothy 1:7, 1 John 4:18, Matthew 5:44, Ephesians 4:31-32, 1 Corinthians 16:14, Galatians 5:22-23, Colossians 3:12-14

Gracious God, we come before you with humility, recognizing that doubt has led our decisions. We have allowed fear to lead, rather than love. Because of this, we have been unkind to our families, our ...

liturgy

Go in peace to love and serve the

Keywords

Scripture

Acts 13:28, John 13:12-17, Micah 6:8, Matthew 28:19-20, Galatians 5:13, Philippians 4:7

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. All: Thanks be to God.

liturgy

Triune and Loving God: on this

Author

Richard Herman

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 3:16-19, Matthew 3:16-17, Acts 4:32-35, Galatians 5:22-23, John 14:26-27, Romans 15:13, Acts 2:1-4

Triune and Loving God: on this Pentecost Sunday, we ask for the gift of Your Holy Spirit to help us pray as we ought today and always. Come, Holy Spirit: Help Us. We ask for Your Spirit’s energy an...

Quote

Author

Andrew Murray

Keywords

Scripture

1 John 3:18, Ruth 1:16, Acts 2:42-47, James 2:14-17, Galatians 5:14, John 13:34-35, 1 John 4:20-21

Our love to God is measured by our everyday fellowship with others and the love it displays.

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How we praise and thank You for the

Keywords

Scripture

Romans 8:14, Galatians 5:25, Luke 24:13-32, Acts 8:26-40, Psalm 119:18, John 16:13, Colossians 2:3

How we praise and thank You for the holy Scriptures which You have caused to be written for our learning. Thank You for Your written Word, which reveals to us the living Word of God, in the Person of ...

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Less Choices Means More Freedom

Author

Ashley Hales

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 11:28-30, Galatians 5:1, Deuteronomy 30:19-20, 1 Corinthians 10:23, John 10:10

When every option is available to us, we don’t actually have freedom; we tend to shut down. I experienced what sociologists call choice overload (or paralysis) and decision fatigue. If you’ve ever tri...

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Sarah Smith of Golder's Green

Author

Eunice McGarrahan

Keywords

Scripture

1 John 3:18, Mark 10:43-45, Colossians 3:12-14, 1 Peter 4:10, Galatians 5:13

One of the most powerful expressions of humble, servant-like caring for others is found in C.S. Lewis’ The Great Divorce , in the character of Sarah Smith of Golders Green. Her quiet life of love tra...

liturgy

Beloved of God, go now in peace to love and serve

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Scripture

Acts 8:26-40, John 4:4-42, Luke 10:1-12, 2 Corinthians 13:14, Matthew 28:19-20, Galatians 5:13, Mark 12:30-31

Beloved of God, go now in peace to love and to serve, with the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

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Sin and Trees

Author

John Stott

Keywords

Scripture

Ezekiel 36:26, Romans 6:6, Galatians 5:16-17, Psalm 51:10, Jeremiah 17:9, John 8:34

Sin not only alienates; it enslaves. It separates us from God and it also brings us into captivity. We need now to consider the ‘inwardness’ of sin. It is more than the wrong things we do; it is a dee...

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An Invitation

Author

Dallas Willard

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 11:28-30, Psalm 62:1, Isaiah 30:15, Romans 12:2, Galatians 5:1, John 15:4, Hebrews 4:9-10

He invites us to leave our burdensome ways of heavy labor—especially the “religious” ones—and step into the yoke of training with him. This is a way of gentleness and lowliness, a way of soul rest. It...

liturgy

Go in the love and peace of Christ,

Author

C. Hassell Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 2:14-16, Mark 5:1-20, Galatians 5:1, John 20:19-21, John 14:27

Go in the love and peace of Christ, claiming your freedom to live victoriously in Christ’s love, and in harmony with our brothers and sisters who have been reconciled by Christ’s grace. Amen.

Quote

Author

Peter J. Leithart

Keywords

The Holy Spirit

Scripture

Ephesians 5:18, Ephesians 4:1-6, 2 Corinthians 3:17, Galatians 5:22, John 14:17

Follow the Spirit. Walk in the rhythm of the Spirit. Sing in the Spirit. Pray with the Spirit. Be filled with the Spirit. Sow to the Spirit. Reap from the Spirit. Preserve the unity of the Spirit. Be ...

Quote

Author

Mother Teresa

Keywords

Christmas

Scripture

Matthew 22:37-39, Luke 10:25-37, 1 John 3:18, John 13:1-17, Matthew 25:31-46, 1 John 4:7-12, Acts 2:44-45, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Mark 6:30-44, Galatians 5:22-23

It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you.

john on Creation Care/The Environment

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