Christian Living on Opportunities

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Loving and faithful God, You save and

Author

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Scripture

Isaiah 6:8, Acts 8:26-40, Matthew 28:18-20, John 4:1-42, 2 Timothy 1:7-8, 1 Peter 3:15

Loving and faithful God, You save and sustain us. What marvelous good news You give us through Jesus!Yet we are oblivious to opportunities to share Your grace and love. We fail to see, as Your Word sa...

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Author

Henry Drummond

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Scripture

Galatians 6:10, John 13:1-17, Luke 10:25-37, Colossians 3:14, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Philippians 2:3-4, 1 John 4:7-8

Is life not full of opportunities for learning love? Every man and woman every day has a thousand of them. The world is not a playground; it is a schoolroom. Life is not a holiday, but an education. A...

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We Cannot be Closed to Others and Open to God

Author

Mia Levetan

Keywords

Scripture

John 4:20-21, John 13:34-35, 1 John 3:17, Matthew 5:23-24, Hebrews 10:24-25

We cannot be closed off to one another and be open to God. That’s not how this works. Do you remember the commercial when the woman says “that’s not how this works, that's not how any of this work...

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Almighty God, you have surprised us

Author

Scott B. Bullock

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Scripture

Isaiah 55:8-9, Matthew 13:44, Lamentations 3:22-23, Psalm 139:7-10, 1 John 1:9, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Luke 2:1-20, John 4:7-26, John 21:1-14, Luke 24:13-35, Matthew 17:1-8, Luke 2:25-38, Luke 1:35-38, Hebrews 13:2, Isaiah 43:19

Almighty God, you have surprised us with your presence in unexpected ways. In the expectations of our routine, we have missed the treasure that you place before us. We come to worship you in community...

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This Place is Enough

Author

Jenny Odell

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Scripture

Hebrews 10:24-25, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, 1 John 4:11-12, Philippians 4:11-13, 1 Timothy 6:6-8

A simple refusal motivates my argument: refusal to believe that the present time and place, and the people who are here with us, are somehow not enough. Platforms such as Facebook and Instagram act li...

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Jesus did not wait for people to come

Author

Cody Sandahl

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Scripture

Acts 8:26-40, Matthew 28:19-20, Luke 19:1-10, John 4:1-26, Romans 10:14, Matthew 5:14-15

Jesus did not wait for people to come to him. He went out and delivered the grace of God. As we go out of this place today, may we deliver the grace of God wherever we go as well. Amen.

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Thank you Lord God for the opportunity

Author

John Birch

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 27:4, 1 Chronicles 16:29, Philippians 4:6-7, John 4:23-24, Matthew 11:28, Psalm 100:4, Hebrews 10:24-25

Thank you Lord God for the opportunity of worship, for the freedom to be amongst your family meeting together in your house, and in the warmth of your embrace Thank you that in worship we can put asid...

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Author

John Stott

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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.

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Author

Duane Elmer

Keywords

Scripture

Revelation 7:9-10, John 4:21-23, Ephesians 2:14, Romans 10:12, Isaiah 56:7, Colossians 3:11

God’s grace is present in all people and cultures. As we submit ourselves to learning from other cultures, we catch glimpses of God’s grace that would be unavailable in our own culture.

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Gracious God, we confess that we are

Author

Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church

Keywords

Scripture

John 4:1-26

Gracious God, we confess that we are often dissatisfied with our lives. We recognize the gap that exists between what we are and what we want to be. Lord, like the woman at the well, we know our failu...

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O God who will not let us go, we

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Scripture

John 4:1-42, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Acts 3:1-10, Romans 10:15, Luke 24:31, Deuteronomy 15:11, Psalm 51:10

O God who will not let us go, we confess that we have been so wrapped up in ourselves that have not loved You with our whole hearts, and we have not loved our neighbors as we love ourselves. By Your g...

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Author

Henri J. M. Nouwen

Keywords

Scripture

1 John 4:16, John 15:12-13, Romans 8:38-39, Ephesians 2:19-22, 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, John 17:21

The vision that Jesus gives us is this: That I am unconditionally loved, that I belong to God, and that I am a person who can really trust that. When I meet another person who also is rooted in the he...

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Author

Gerald G. May

Keywords

Love

Scripture

John 3:16, Romans 5:5, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, Ephesians 2:8-9, 1 John 4:10

The invitation of love is not a proposal for self-improvement or any other kind of achievement. Love is beyond success and failure, doing well or doing poorly.... Love is a gift.

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As We Are Called

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 34:1, Matthew 2:11, 1 Chronicles 16:29, Psalm 96:9, John 4:24

As we are called into worship today, it is sobering to remember that when God appeared on earth in the person of Jesus, most of the world did not recognize him and therefore did not worship him. Today...

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Based on John 4 (2)

Author

Ellen R. Dawson

Keywords

Scripture

John 4:null

Living God, our souls thirst for living water. Open our hearts and minds to your Word this day, so that, like the Samaritan woman, we may have a grace-filled encounter with you, the Living Water.

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As you go forth from this place, may

Author

Austin D. Hill

Keywords

Scripture

Micah 6:8, Joshua 1:9, John 4:14, Micah 6:8, Romans 8:38-39, 2 Corinthians 13:14, Isaiah 41:10

As you go forth from this place, may you have the courage to confront the dark places. May you trust in God’s goodness to lead you to the living water. May you act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly ...

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Author

Adele Ahlberg Calhoun

Keywords

Scripture

John 4:34

We should also note that while Jesus had the biggest work assignment in human history-he had been invited to "save the world"-he never spent weeks writing a vision statement with steps for s...

liturgy

The God we worship is steady and faithful

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Scripture

Lamentations 3:22-23, Isaiah 55:8-9, Jeremiah 1:5, 1 John 4:19, Psalm 139:7-10, Psalm 42:11, 2 Corinthians 12:9

Leader: The God we worship is steady and faithful; People: Yet He continues to surprise us. Leader: Before we ever knew about God. People: He knew us and loved us. Leader: Even if we are...

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Give us, Lord, a clear vision of the

Author

Caryl Mickelm

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 15:11-32, John 4:7-26, Acts 9:1-9, Matthew 14:28-31, 2 Kings 6:15-17

Give us, Lord, a clear vision of the truth, faith in your power, and confident assurance of your love.

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Author

Jean Pierre de Caussade

Keywords

Scripture

Mark 15:21-39, John 4:4-42, 2 Kings 5:1-14, 1 Samuel 16:1-13, Luke 2:1-7, John 9:1-3, 2 Corinthians 12:9

[God’s grace is] always hidden under the strangest appearances.

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Holy God, You call us to a passionate,

Author

Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church

Keywords

Scripture

Philippians 2:15, Deuteronomy 6:5, 1 John 4:9-10, Psalm 51:10, Romans 12:1-2, Revelation 3:15-16

Holy God, You call us to a passionate, all-consuming faith. Yet, so frequently, we give You half-hearted obedience or distracted, leftover moments of our time. You tell us that we are the salt of the ...

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Opening Our Eyes to Deception

Author

Jared C. Wilson

Keywords

Scripture

2 Corinthians 11:13-15, 1 John 4:1, Proverbs 14:15, John 8:32, Psalm 119:105

It’s important, then, to have our eyes open to this deception. How is it that so many modern promises sound true but in the end lead to our deception, or even our destruction? A long, long time ago, t...

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Author

Bob Goff

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 25:40, Genesis 1:27, James 2:8-9, 1 John 4:20, Galatians 6:2, Luke 10:25-37, Luke 19:1-10, John 13:12-15, Luke 17:11-19

What I’ve come to realize is if I really want to “meet Jesus,” then I have to get a lot closer to the people He created. All of them, not just some of them.

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Everyone: Holy God, we live our lives

Author

Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church

Keywords

Scripture

Romans 5:8, Luke 15:11-32, Luke 10:25-37, John 4:1-26, John 3:16, Ephesians 4:32, 2 Timothy 1:9

Everyone: Holy God, we live our lives struggling in our own burdens and failing to trust You with all the things that hold us down. Leader: Your Scripture says, "Come to Me all you who are wear...

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Author

John Oxenham

Keywords

Scripture

1 Peter 4:8, Luke 10:25-37, Ephesians 4:32, John 3:16, 1 John 4:7-8, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Love ever gives, Forgives, outlives, And ever stands with open hands, And while it lives it gives. For this is love’s prerogative, To give – and give – and give.

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Author

Elisabeth Elliot

Keywords

Scripture

2 Corinthians 11:23-28, Ruth 1:16, 1 John 4:18, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, John 15:12-13

To love means to open ourselves to suffering. Shall we shut our doors to love, then, and be “safe”?

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Author

Augustine of Hippo

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 103:8, 1 John 4:16, Proverbs 3:5-6, Lamentations 3:22-23, Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28

Trust the past to God’s mercy, the present to God’s love and the future to God’s providence.

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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

Lord God, refresh us with living water

Author

Jenny Child

Keywords

Scripture

John 4:13-14, Psalm 119:105, 1 Kings 19:11-13, Mark 4:35-41, Revelation 22:, Isaiah 58:10-11, John 10:27, Philippians 4:6-7

Lord God, refresh us with living water, Illuminate our path with your light, Speak to us with the still small voice And calm the storms of our lives with your peace.

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Love Motivates More Than Fear

Author

Paul Tillich

Keywords

Scripture

1 John 4:18, Romans 2:4, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Hosea 3:, Titus 3:4-5

One saint used to say that she was the type of woman who advances more rapidly when she is drawn by love than when driven by fear. She was perceptive enough to know that we are all that type of person...

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