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The Wake-Up Call
For most of us, it’s a personal experience of poverty that helps us transcend our often narrow experience of the world. In this excerpt from theologian Marva J. Dawn, the former Regent College profess... -
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Donne, Undone
While movies and novels often present stories of a budding love interest willing to give up everything for “true love” (Romeo and Juliet, for example), the renowned poet, and later clergyman, John Don... -
Quote
The road to character often involves moments of moral crisis, confrontation, and recovery. When they were in a crucible moment, they suddenly had a greater ability to see their own nature. The everyda... -
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The Warning Light
Imagine you’ve just purchased a brand-new car—it’s no ordinary car, it’s a luxury vehicle, with the highest trim levels, equipped with all the latest technology. Among its many upgrades is a voice ale... -
blog
Surprising Peace in Times of Crisis: Sermon Illustration Tuesday
In his book, Running Scared , Pychologist Edward Welch illustrates how the fear of an event is often worse than the event itself. To demonstrate this, he provides two examples of people whose lives... -
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Crises Reveal God & Us
God uses our identity crises to reveal who we are and who he is. Sometimes these crises come out of nowhere. Something devastating happens. Someone close to us dies. We are diagnosed, or someone we kn... -
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Crisis Intensifies our Search for Wisdom
A life-threatening crisis came to my home when I was only 25. My wife suffered a near-fatal stroke and was rushed to the hospital, where doctors scrambled to keep her alive. Within hours, we were maki... -
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The Good News or the Bad News
I read in a book recently about a young pastor who was fired from his church over a theological controversy. When he went to share the news with his wife, he said, “I’ve got good news and bad news, wh... -
Quote
I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day. -
Quote
A time of crisis is not just a time of anxiety and worry. It gives a chance, an opportunity, to choose well or to choose badly. -
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Looking for Recognition
Speedy Morris is the basketball coach for LaSalle University. He was shaving when his wife told him he was wanted on the phone by Sports Illustrated. He got so excited over the prospect of national re... -
Quote
Often we become apathetic in our lives until we face a severe storm. Whether loss of a job, health crisis, loss of a loved one, or financial struggle; God often brings storms into our lives to change ... -
liturgy
Leader: The word of the Lord to the
Leader: The word of the Lord to the prophet Isaiah says: You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. For this people's heart has grown dull, and with the... -
liturgy
Call to Confession: The prophet asks
Call to Confession: The prophet asks the Lord’s people, “But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap.” ... -
liturgy
God who hears our cries and is moved by
God who hears our cries and is moved by our suffering, Speak to us a word of comfort, challenge, co-mission. Capture our attention and call us out of our routines, That we might catch a vision of your... -
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Sometimes Serving the Poor Can Be…Messy
Kevin Blue has spent much of his ministry career serving the poor in inner-city Los Angeles. In this excerpt he describes working with a war vet named Clarence: Richard, Tim, Caroline and Ellen move... -
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One Step Away from Disaster
I was teaching an English class in a high-rise apartment complex full of low-income families in Minneapolis—mostly immigrant and refugees from East Africa. The tenants’ association paid for me to come... -
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Crisis & Peace: An Unexpected Connection
Like many of you, I have been praying for those affected by Hurricane Ian along the Eastern shore of the United States. I've also continued to pray for Ukraine and for Russia, that peace would com... -
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I slept and dreamt that life was joy; I woke and saw that life was service; I acted, and behold, service was joy. -
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The Power of Invitations
Invitations are powerful. Like tides, they ebb and flow, shaping the contours of our existence. Some invitations we desperately want but never get—“Will you marry me?” or “Would you consider a promoti... -
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How We Get our Calling Wrong
First, we get our calling wrong when we imagine that God needs us, to be the hero of our own story, rather than Christ. Second, we routinely misdiagnose the problem of our world, underestimating estim... -
liturgy
Inspired by Ezekiel 37:1-14 (1)
Lifeless are our prayers. Dry and brittle are our spirits. Like Ezekiel’s valley of dry bones, we are a people without the sinews of goodness, the flesh of holiness, and the breath of righteousness. W... -
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“I Know Why You’re Here”
One summer, Johnny was ministering among the poor on a six-week urban project with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in Los Angeles. Part of his assignment was to spend time in a convalescent home in ... -
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The Messy Middle
The Messy Middle In his classic work Transitions, author and professor William Bridges shares an excellent anecdote about life in crisis: it can happen at any time and in a myriad of ways. It also de... -
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Ash Wednesday - Turning to God in Crisis
A World in Chaos At the risk of sounding dramatic, both the U.S. and the world seem to be reaching a level of chaos unmatched since 9/11. The confusion and shifting loyalties, not to mention the 26,0... -
blog
The Anatomy of a Crisis: Sermon Illustration Thursday
All crises are judgments of history that call into question an existing state of affairs. They sift and sort the character and condition of a nation and its capacity to respond. The deeper the crisis,... -
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Crises serve to remind us that we are fundamentally not in control. -
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Arguments are Everywhere
We argue with our alarm clock, which insists we wake up. We argue with our clothes that wear out or stop fitting. We argue with our bodies, we argue with our pets, we argue with bumps in the sidewalk ... -
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Not Heeding the Call
Just the other day, I was out on a bike ride for some exercise. Because I work for a high-end cycling company, I had the opportunity to test ride one the bikes we make – a bike that comes with a price... -
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The Blind Leading the Blind (In a Good Way)
A student who had recently lost his sight was sent to the Seeing Eye Institute for the Blind in Morristown, New Jersey, for specialized training. Upon arrival, he was greeted by another young ma...
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A
- A Meaningful Life
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B
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C
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D
- Daily Life
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- Death
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- Division
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E
- Economics
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- Elders
- Election Day
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- Embrace
- Emotions
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- Enemies
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- Ethics
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- Everyday Life
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- Expressing Emotions
- Eyes
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F
- Face of God
- Facing your Fears
- Failure
- Fairness
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- Fame
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- Fears
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- Food
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- Friend of Sinners
- Friendship
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- Fruit
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G
- Gardening
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- Generations
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- Getting What You Want
- Gifts
- Giving
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- Giving to the Poor
- Global Church
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- God
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- God's Plans
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- Going to Church
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- Greed
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- The Glory of God
- The Good Shepherd
- The Great Commission
H
- Habits
- Half-Truths
- Hands
- Happiness
- Hard Work
- Hard-Heartedness
- Harvest
- Hatred
- Having A Wake-Up Call
- Healing
- Healing Blindness
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- Health
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- Heart
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- Helping Others
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- Heroes
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- Humility
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- Hypocrisy
- The Holy Land
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I
- Identity
- Idolatry
- Idols
- Ignorance
- Ignoring God
- Illness
- Image Bearers
- Immanuel
- Immigrants
- Immigration
- Immortality
- Impact
- Impatience
- In, But Not Of, the World
- Inaction
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- Independence Day
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- Inequality
- Information
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- Injury
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- Inspiration
- Institutions
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- Insults
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- Invitation
- Isolation
- Israel
- Israel-Palestine Conflict
- The Image of God
- The Incarnation
- The Internet
J
K
L
- Labor Day
- Lament
- Language
- Law (Torah)
- Laws
- Leadership
- Learning
- Legacy
- Lent
- Liberation
- Lies
- Life
- Life and Death
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- Life Satisfaction
- Life Story
- Light
- Light and Darkness
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- Limitations
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- Living Life
- Living Sacrifice
- Living Water
- Loneliness
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- Love
- Love of God and Neighbor
- Loving Kindness
- Loving Other Christians
- Loving your Neighbor
- The Lamb of God
- The Lord's Supper
M
- Magnificat
- Making a Difference
- Man of Sorrows
- Manipulation
- Manna
- Marginalized
- Marital Problems
- Marriage
- Martyrdom
- Mary the Mother of Jesus
- Masks
- Materialism
- Maundy Thursday
- Meaning
- Media
- Meditation
- Meekness
- Memorial Day
- Mental Health
- Mental Illness
- Mercy
- Military Service
- Mind
- Mind and Body
- Ministry
- Minorities
- Miracles
- Mission
- Mission of the Church
- Missionaries
- Missions
- Mistaken Identity
- Mistakes
- Modern Life
- Modern Religion
- Modern Religious Life
- Modern-Day Slavery
- Modernity
- Money
- Moral Choices
- Moral Silence
- Morality
- Moses
- Motivations
- Mourning
- Multi-Ethnic Church
- Multiculturalism
- Music
- Mystery
- Mystery of Life
- The Meaning of Life
- The Messiah
- The Military
- The Mind of Christ
- The Missional Church
N
O
P
- Pace
- Pain
- Pain and Joy
- Parenting
- Parents
- Partisanship
- Passion
- Pastors
- Paths
- Patience
- Patriotism
- Peace
- Peacemaking
- Pentecost
- People
- Peoples
- Perfection
- Persecuted Church
- Persecution
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- Persistence
- Personal
- Personal Agendas
- Perspective
- Phobias
- Place
- Plagiarism
- Political Freedom
- Political Leaders
- Politicians
- Politics
- Pollution
- Poor
- Poor in Spirit
- Possessions
- Possibility
- Postmodernism
- Poverty
- Power
- Power of Love
- Powerlessness
- Praise
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- Preaching
- Prejudice
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- Presence
- President
- Presidential Elections
- Price
- Pride
- Priorities
- Prison
- Prisoners
- Private Faith
- Privilege
- Problems
- Productivity
- Progress
- Promises
- Prosperity
- Protection
- Proud
- Provision
- Public Faith
- Purity
- Purity Of Heart
- Purpose
- The Passing of Time
- The People of God
- The Prince of Peace
- The Prophets
R
- Race
- Race and Reconciliation
- Racial Reconciliation
- Racism
- Raising Children
- Real Estate
- Reality
- Rebellion
- Receiving
- Receiving Forgiveness
- Receiving Gifts
- Receiving God
- Receiving Love
- Receiving the Gospel
- Receiving the Word
- Reconciliation
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- Redeemer
- Redemption
- Reform
- Reformation Sunday
- Refuge
- Refugees
- Regret
- Relationships
- Relevance
- Religion
- Religion and Politics
- Religion and Public Life
- Religions
- Religious Conflict
- Religious Liberty
- Religious Pluralism
- Reminders
- Renewal
- Renewing our Minds
- Repentance
- Reputation
- Rescue
- Resentment
- Resilience
- Resistance
- Responsibility
- Rest
- Restoration
- Restoring Sight
- Resurrection
- Resurrection Life
- Resurrection of the Dead
- Resurrection to New Life
- Revelation
- Revival
- Rewards
- Rich and Poor
- Riches
- Right Relationships
- Righteousness
- Risks
- Romantic Relationships
- Rootedness
- Routines
- Rule of Life
- Running to God
- The Rich
- The Risen Lord
- The Rock
- The Roman Empire
S
- Sabbath
- Sacrifice
- Sacrificial Giving
- Sacrificial Living
- Sacrificial Love
- Safety
- Salt and Light
- Salt of the Earth
- Salvation
- Sanctification
- Savior
- Scapegoats
- School
- Science
- Science and Religion
- Screens
- Scripture
- Secularism
- Seeds
- Seeking God
- Seeking Happiness
- Seeking the Truth
- Segregation
- Self-Achievement
- Self-Awareness
- Self-Centeredness
- Self-Control
- Self-Deception
- Self-Discipline
- Self-Image
- Self-Improvement
- Self-Interest
- Self-Love
- Self-Reliance
- Self-Renunciation
- Self-Righteousness
- Self-Sacrifice
- Selfishness
- Selflessness
- Servant Leadership
- Servanthood
- Service
- Settling
- Sexism
- Shalom
- Shame
- Sharing
- Sheep
- Shelter
- Shepherd
- Shepherds
- Sickness
- Sight
- Silence
- Sin
- Sinfulness
- Singing
- Single Parents
- Sins of Omission
- Skepticism
- Slavery
- Smart Phones
- Social Justice
- Social Media
- Soil
- Soldiers
- Solutions
- Solving Poverty
- Sorrow
- Speaking Out
- Speaking Truth to Power
- Speech
- Speed
- Spending Time
- Spiritual Disciplines
- Spiritual Hunger
- Spiritual Problems
- Spiritual Thirst
- Sports
- Spring (Season)
- Staying Positive
- Steadfast Love
- Stealing
- Step-parents
- Stereotypes
- Stewardship
- Stillness
- Storms
- Storytelling
- Stranger
- Strength
- Strength of Character
- Stress
- Struggles
- Submission
- Success
- Suffering
- Suicide
- Sun
- Superiority
- Surgery
- Surprise
- Surrender
- Sustainability
- Sustainer
- The Sacraments
- The Saints
- The Sick
- The Soul
T
- Taking Up the Cross
- Talking
- Teachers
- Team
- Teamwork
- Tears
- Technological Progress
- Technology
- Temptation
- Tension
- Terrorism
- Thankfulness
- Thanksgiving (General)
- Thanksgiving (Holiday)
- The Temple
- The Trinity
- The Twelve Disciples
- Therapy
- Third Third of Life
- Thirst
- Thoughts
- Time
- TIme Management
- Tired
- Tolerance
- Tongue
- Town
- Tragedy
- Transformation
- Transgressions
- Transitions
- Trauma
- Travel
- Trees
- Trouble
- True Self
- Trust
- Truth
- Turning a Blind Eye
U
W
Top_level_categories by Reference
Genesis
Exodus
Deuteronomy
Ruth
1 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Esther
Job
Psalm
- Ps 1 (11)
- Ps 2 (2)
- Ps 4 (2)
- Ps 6 (2)
- Ps 8 (7)
- Ps 9 (3)
- Ps 10 (3)
- Ps 11 (1)
- Ps 12 (2)
- Ps 14 (1)
- Ps 15 (3)
- Ps 16 (4)
- Ps 18 (1)
- Ps 19 (8)
- Ps 20 (2)
- Ps 22 (2)
- Ps 23 (16)
- Ps 24 (5)
- Ps 25 (3)
- Ps 27 (5)
- Ps 29 (2)
- Ps 30 (6)
- Ps 31 (1)
- Ps 32 (3)
- Ps 33 (7)
- Ps 34 (40)
- Ps 37 (9)
- Ps 39 (2)
- Ps 41 (1)
- Ps 42 (7)
- Ps 46 (26)
- Ps 49 (1)
- Ps 50 (2)
- Ps 51 (23)
- Ps 52 (2)
- Ps 55 (1)
- Ps 56 (1)
- Ps 62 (1)
- Ps 63 (3)
- Ps 66 (2)
- Ps 68 (1)
- Ps 71 (2)
- Ps 72 (6)
- Ps 73 (3)
- Ps 77 (2)
- Ps 78 (4)
- Ps 80 (1)
- Ps 82 (16)
- Ps 85 (4)
- Ps 86 (1)
- Ps 89 (3)
- Ps 90 (13)
- Ps 91 (2)
- Ps 92 (2)
- Ps 96 (4)
- Ps 98 (2)
- Ps 99 (1)
- Ps 100 (4)
- Ps 101 (1)
- Ps 103 (13)
- Ps 104 (3)
- Ps 106 (1)
- Ps 111 (1)
- Ps 112 (1)
- Ps 113 (2)
- Ps 115 (1)
- Ps 116 (2)
- Ps 117 (1)
- Ps 118 (4)
- Ps 119 (22)
- Ps 121 (3)
- Ps 122 (1)
- Ps 124 (1)
- Ps 127 (5)
- Ps 128 (2)
- Ps 130 (4)
- Ps 131 (2)
- Ps 133 (4)
- Ps 136 (2)
- Ps 139 (14)
- Ps 141 (3)
- Ps 143 (1)
- Ps 145 (4)
- Ps 146 (5)
- Ps 147 (5)
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
- Isa 1 (38)
- Isa 2 (3)
- Isa 5 (5)
- Isa 6 (15)
- Isa 7 (1)
- Isa 9 (10)
- Isa 11 (1)
- Isa 25 (2)
- Isa 26 (3)
- Isa 28 (4)
- Isa 30 (4)
- Isa 32 (2)
- Isa 33 (2)
- Isa 40 (26)
- Isa 41 (17)
- Isa 42 (2)
- Isa 43 (12)
- Isa 44 (3)
- Isa 45 (2)
- Isa 47 (1)
- Isa 49 (1)
- Isa 50 (1)
- Isa 51 (1)
- Isa 52 (1)
- Isa 53 (20)
- Isa 55 (19)
- Isa 56 (2)
- Isa 57 (1)
- Isa 58 (23)
- Isa 59 (3)
- Isa 60 (3)
- Isa 61 (23)
- Isa 65 (1)
- Isa 66 (1)