Bible and Theology on Release

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Tears & The Kingdom of God

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Scripture

Psalm 51:7, 2 Corinthians 7:10, Matthew 5:4, Luke 6:21, James 4:8-10

Traditional Eastern Orthodox theology asserts that tears cleanse, renew and make way for the kingdom. When sin and the brokenness of the world give rise to godly sorrow, our hearts soften toward God a...

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Released or Sent?

Author

Sam Metcalf

Keywords

Scripture

Acts 16:6-10, Acts 15:1-35, Acts 13:14, Acts 9:1-19, Acts 13:4

”Paul and his band were “released,” not sent. Let’s get the exegesis right. First, the operative agent here is the Holy Spirit, not the local church or any other human entity. Second, what those aroun...

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PRESS RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 1, 1993

Author

Neal Chase

Keywords

We didn’t make a mistake when we wrote in our previous releases that New York would be destroyed on September 4 and October 14, 1993. We didn’t make a mistake, not even a teeny eeny one! PRESS RELEAS...

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Catch & Release

Author

Mike Herman

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I’ve been going to professional baseball games and trying to get a souvenir baseball as far back as I can remember. A foul ball, a home run ball or even a batting practice ball—anything would do. I w...

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Long-awaited Messiah

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 1:null

Based on the prayers of Mary and Zechariah found in Luke 1 Long-awaited Messiah Lord of Hope Have mercy Long-awaited Messiah Defender of Compassion Have mercy Long-awaited Messiah Provider, Protect...

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For All Prisoners

Author

Peter Marshall

Keywords

Lord Jesus, who came to liberate the captives, remember the prisoners, we pray, those locked up in jails. …Release from the prisons of their own making all those who struggle with habits that bind t...

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Sin clings to us as if we were its most

Author

Jacob Traeger

Keywords

Sin clings to us as if we were its most precious possession. But just as death's grip on Jesus was broken on that first morning, so God will release us from the grasp of sin. On this first day of...

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Author

Kent Annan

Keywords

Confession produces freedom and restores right relationships, which releases the river of God’s justice to roll down. Yes, that river is sometimes fed by streams of tears. Confession includes lament, ...

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Whatever You Do…

Author

Mark Batterson

Keywords

Scripture

Colossians 3:23

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart,” said the apostle Paul, “as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” (Colossians 3:23) ...[H]ow you do anything is how you’ll do everything. Dr. ...

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Grace is the Secret to Self-Forgiveness

Author

John R. Claypool

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 1:18, Hebrews 4:15-16, Psalm 130:3-4, 1 John 1:7, Isaiah 43:25

We all have shadows and skeletons in our backgrounds. But listen, there is something bigger in this world than we are, and that something bigger is full of grace and mercy, patience and ingenuity. The...

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Third Sunday of Easter

Author

Paul Koptak

Keywords

Scripture

1 Peter 1:17-23, Isaiah 40:6-8

(Scripture quotations below are from ESV unless noted otherwise.) Liturgical Context On this Third Sunday of Easter, the Revised Common Lectionary texts harmonize with the epistle’s praise of Jesus...

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Eternal God, hope of all who trust in You, in Christ

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Scripture

Revelation 7:10, 15-17, John 11:1-44

Pastor: Eternal God, hope of all who trust in You, in Christ You weep with those who mourn even as You cry out in triumph over the grave. Unbind us from sin, release us from captivity, and with Laza...

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You Summon and Send Us

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Scripture

Mark 6:1-13, Luke 9:1-13, Matthew 10:1-42

This prayer can be voiced by a single speaker or responsively by a single speaker (light print) and group (bold). Jesus, you summon and send us You give us authority over all that is unholy and de...

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God of all nations, Savior of the

Author

Richard Herman

Keywords

Scripture

Romans 12:12, Revelation 7:9, James 5:16, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Isaiah 2:4, 1 Timothy 2:1-2

God of all nations, Savior of the Church and Lord of our hearts: We come to You, at this time, with our hands empty and our souls crying out: “Lord, help us!” “Do what only You can do!” Change the cou...

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Holy and Gracious God: Father, Son and

Author

Richard Herman

Keywords

Holy and Gracious God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We give you thanks for the gift of life, for the gift of Jesus our Savior, for the gift of the Holy Spirit, and for the gift of this sacrament that ...

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Adapted from Isaiah 52:1-3

Author

Bud Thoreen

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 52:1-3

Leader: "Awake, awake! Put on your strength, Zion. Put on your beautiful garments, Jerusalem, the holy city: for from now on the uncircumcised and the unclean will no more come into you." P...

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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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Prayer of ConfessionGod, there are

Author

Jacob Traeger

Keywords

Scripture

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Prayer of Confession God, there are times when we are impatient. We are impatient with you. We want to know all the answers. We get frustrated when we don’t see your justice. Your plans and your way...

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Gracious God of love–Father, Son and

Author

Richard Herman

Keywords

Scripture

Acts 16:25-34, Genesis 45:1-15, Mark 2:1-12, Psalm 46:9, Isaiah 61:1

Gracious God of love–Father, Son and Holy Spirit: We are grateful that You’ve revealed yourself to us, telling us that each of us are loved by You as children, each precious in Your sight, each a refl...

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Jesus: You gave us Your love at a high

Author

Richard Herman

Scripture

1 Timothy 2:1-4, 2 Corinthians 5:18-20, Hebrews 13:20-21, Philippians 4:13, 2 Corinthians 5:20

Jesus: You gave us Your love at a high price – Your own death on the cross in our place! By Your grace you give us eternal life and entrust to us Your creation. Thank You, Lord! We come today as Y...

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Lord—There’s nothing You call us to do

Author

Richard Herman

Keywords

Scripture

John 14:27, Matthew 11:28-30, Romans 12:15, James 5:14-15, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Psalm 23:1-3

Lord—There’s nothing You call us to do that you don’t equip us to do. You ask us to release those we care about to You–then You furnish the faith to give them to You who have the love and power to mak...

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Opening Prayer based on Isaiah 9:6

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 9:6

Wonderful Counselor, open our ears So we may hear your song God is with us, God is near Mighty God, open our eyes So we may see you at work For goodness, truth, and justice Everlasting Father, open ...

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Prayer for Prisons and Correctional Institutions

Keywords

Lord Jesus, for our sake you were condemned as a criminal: Visit our jails and prisons with your pity and judgment. Remember all prisoners, and bring the guilty to repentance and amendment of life acc...

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Only the Penitent Man Shall Pass

Author

The Pastor's Workshop

Keywords

Scripture

1 Peter 5:6, Luke 18:13-14, James 4:10, Acts 3:19, Matthew 3:8

With the recent release of a new installment in the Indiana Jones movie series, our family decided to re-watch the original trilogy (I like to act as though Kingdom of the Crystal Skull never existe...

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Words Create Worlds: Thoughts from the Founder's Desk

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Have you ever heard the expression, "words create worlds?" It's been attributed to various people, but what's most important is just how true it is. I think I first grasped this in c...

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Truth We Can Touch By Tim Chester Book Review

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

April 2020 is an interesting time to write a book review on the sacraments (or anything, for that matter). As Tim Chester, author of the book, Truth We Can Touch , points out, You can read you...

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Practicing in Prison

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Liu Chi Kung, who placed second to Van Cliburn in the 1948 Tchaikovsky competition, was imprisoned a year later during the Cultural Revolution in China. During the entire seven years he was held, he w...

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Author

Francis MacNutt

Keywords

Too many Christians are broken in a destructive way—so badly broken that they cannot carry out the great commandment of loving God and neighbor. Their inner turmoil prevents them from carrying out God...

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Author

Dorothy C. Bass

Keywords

For all Christians, baptism embodies release from yesterday’s sin and receipt of tomorrow’s promise: going under the water, the old self is buried in the death of Christ; rising from the water the sel...

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“The Psalms Found Expression in His

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 1:1-6, Psalm 91:1-16, Psalm 37:1-40, Psalm 150:1-6, Psalm 46:1-11, Isaiah 40:8

In 1977, at the height of the Cold War, Anatoly Shcharansky, a brilliant young mathematician and chess player, was arrested by the KGB for his repeated attempts to emigrate to Israel. He spent thirtee...

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