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illustration
“Does My Ash Look All Right?”
One Ash Wednesday a decade ago, when I was new to Anglicanism, I knelt at a rail as Fr. Thomas, my priest, smeared a black cross on each forehead. “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall ret... -
illustration
Covering the Bald Spots
Every year at the end of November, my husband, Ike, and I load the kids in the car and drive to the nearest Christmas tree lot. We are committed “real tree” people—not to be confused with “fake tree” ... -
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Just as every natural event is the manifestation at a particular place and moment of Nature's total character, so every particular Christian miracle manifests at a particular place and moment the ... -
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The Almighty appeared on earth as a helpless human baby, needing to be fed and changed and taught to talk like any other child. The more you think about it, the more staggering it gets. Nothing in fic... -
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“It seems, then,” said Tirian, smiling himself, “that the Stable seen from within and the Stable seen from without are two different places.” “Yes,” said the Lord Digory. “Its inside is bigger than it... -
illustration
The Nobodies of Nazareth
The world has always despised people from the wrong places and with the wrong credentials. We are always trying to justify ourselves. We need desperately to feel superior to others. And everything abo... -
liturgy
Almighty God, you have surprised us
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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What Drives Success?
In his book, Scary Close , Donald Miller acknowledges that over time he developed a mask, or a persona that kept even those closest to him from experiencing with him. As he began to peel back layers ... -
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The shepherds show us that we don’t prepare to receive the king of heaven the same way we prepare to meet the celebrities of our day, through earthly displays of showiness. In fact, receiving our King... -
liturgy
Dear Lord, We come to you this evening
Dear Lord, We come to you this evening with great expectations. Expectations that your Son Jesus has been born, and that his life is a light for us and all people. We come with expectations that He c... -
liturgy
In the midst of frenzied shopping and
In the midst of frenzied shopping and end-of-year weariness, we spread out a purple cloth,(a purple cloth is spread over the communion table) read again the ancient stories,(a Bible is placed on th... -
liturgy
The Advent Collect
Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great... -
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Judgment is at hand, promise of judgment and threat of judgment.... It is the same sort of ambivalence which Christians have been taught to recognize in the season of Advent. -
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Faith is a voluntary anticipation. -
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Identifying Christians
On the whole, though, Catholics (and Protestants) aren’t identifiable at first glance. Yet, on Ash Wednesday I’m always surprised by the number of people I see on the streets and in the subways sporti... -
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Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and eve... -
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The Time Between the Time
In a very real sense, the Christian community lives in Advent all the time. It can well be called the Time Between, because the people of God live in the time between the first coming of Christ, incog... -
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Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see; hail the incarnate Deity Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel -
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Christmas is fast approaching. And now that Christ has aroused our seasonal expectations, he’ll soon fulfill them all! -
liturgy
Palm Sunday Call to Worship
The story of Palm Sunday tells of how people removed their cloaks and spread them out in front of Jesus as he entered Jerusalem. The cloak we wear every day to face the world is both the persona we wi... -
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John The Baptist: Advent in Character
The premier personage of Advent is John the Baptist. When he appears on the banks of the Jordan, the cover-ups come to their appointed end. Two thousand years before all the Watergates, Irangates, a... -
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Remember finally, that the ashes that were on your forehead are created from the burnt palms of last Palm Sunday. New beginnings invariably come from old false things that are allowed to die. -
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Christ came to earth in the past, but Christ comes to us now in prayer and sacrament and human need, and he will come again at the end of the world. -
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.” ... -
illustration
So he took the paint brush and went out
So he took the paint brush and went out back. She forgot about it until sometime later when there was another knock at the door. It was him. He obviously had been painting because there was paint spla... -
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Running The (Wrong) Race
We want everyone around us to believe we have it all together—and we don’t. We fear everyone else is living the lives they post and we are the only imposters. And so, the race is on. The race to perfe... -
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A Christmas Surprise
There was a woman who was baking her Christmas cookies and she heard a knock at the door. She opened the door to find a man who was dressed in pretty tattered clothes, and he was obviously poor. And h... -
liturgy
Come to the Table
In the midst of all you are facing Your burdens Your responsibilities Your hustle Hear the invitation “Come to the Table” In the midst of all you are facing Your longing Your ambition Your distractio... -
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The dogma of the Incarnation is the most dramatic thing about Christianity, and indeed, the most dramatic thing that ever entered the mind of man; but if you tell people so, they stare at you in bewil... -
illustration
What it Means to Be "Childlike"
In his book of sermons titled The Magnificent Defeat, Frederick Buechner mentions two qualities of childlikeness. First, children have no fixed preconceptions of reality. If someone tells them that ...
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Top Level Categories by Topic
A
- A Fresh Start
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- Abba
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- Adam
- Adam and Eve
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- Ash Wednesday
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- Attention
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- Awe
- The Ancient World
- The Ascension of Christ
B
- Babies
- Bad Habits
- Banquets
- Baptism
- Baptism into Death
- Baptism of Jesus
- Bearing Fruit
- Beauty
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- Being A Child Of God
- Being Chosen
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- Beliefs
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- Bells
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- Bethlehem
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C
- Caesar
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- Cars
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- Children
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- Commandments
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- Comparison
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- Complaints
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- Conflict
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- Criticism
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- Crucifixion
- Crucifixion Of Jesus
- Cruelty
- The Christian Faith
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D
- Dancing
- Dangers of Success
- Darkness
- Deacons
- Dead In Christ
- Deafness
- Death
- Death and Dying
- Death Has No Power
- Death of a Loved One
- Death of Christ
- Debt of Sin
- Decision-Fatigue
- Decision-Making
- Decisions
- Dedication
- Depression
- Descent
- Desert
- Desire
- Desire for God
- Despair
- Destiny
- Destruction
- Destructive Behavior
- Direction
- Discipline
- Discouragement
- Disease
- Dishonesty
- Disobedience
- Distraction
- Distress
- Diversity
- Divine Love
- Divine Revelation
- Divinity of Jesus
- Division
- Doubt
- Doubts
- Drawing Near to God
- Dreams
- Drifting
- Dust
- Dwelling Place
- Dying to Self
- Dynamism
- The Dawn
- The Dying
E
- Easter
- Easter Bunny
- Eden
- Education
- Elders
- Elizabeth
- Embrace
- Emotions
- Empathy
- Empowerment
- Emptiness
- Empty Tomb
- Emptying Ourselves
- Encounter
- Endurance
- Enemies
- Energy
- Energy Drain
- Enlightenment
- Envy
- Epiphanies
- Eschatology (End Times)
- Eternal
- Eternal Life
- Eternity of God
- Evangelism
- Evening Prayer
- Evil
- Exaltation
- Example
- Exclusion
- Exhaustion
- Exile
- Expectations
- Eyes
- The Early Church
- The Earth
- The Epiphany
- The Exodus
F
- Face of God
- Failure
- Faith
- Faith and Prayer
- Faith in Christ
- Faith in the Dark
- Faith of the Church
- Faithfulness
- Fall of Humanity
- Falling Short
- Family Dysfunction
- Family of God
- Fasting
- Fatherhood of God
- Favor of God
- Fear
- Fear of Death
- Feasts
- Fellowship
- Fellowship of the Saints
- Filled with the Spirit
- Flourishing
- Following Jesus
- Foolishness
- Fools for Christ
- Football (American)
- Football (Soccer)
- Footwashing
- Forgiveness
- Forgiveness of Jesus
- Forgiveness of Sin
- Forsakenness
- Foundations
- Four Gospels
- Freedom
- Freedom from Sin
- Friend of God
- Friends
- Friendship
- Fruit
- Fruit of the Spirit
- Fruitfulness
- Frustration
- Fulfillment
- Funerals
- The Fear of God
G
- Garden of Eden
- Gathering
- Generations
- Generosity
- Gentiles
- Gifts
- Giving
- Giving God the Glory
- Global Church
- Glorifying God
- Glory
- Goals
- God
- God Cares For You
- God the Creator
- God the Father
- God with Us
- God-man
- God's Absence
- God's Anger
- God's Character
- God's Creation
- God's Faithfulness
- God's Forgiveness
- God's Gifts
- God's Goodness
- God's Greatness
- God's Guidance
- God's Hands
- God's Help
- God's Judgment
- God's Justice
- God's Kindness
- God's Law
- God's Love
- God's Majesty
- God's Name
- God's Nearness
- God's Omnipresence
- God's Power (Omnipotence)
- God's Presence
- God’s Presence
- God's Promises
- God's Protection
- God's Provision
- God's Pursuit
- God's Reign
- God's Righteousness
- God's Sovereignty
- God's Strength
- God's Throne
- God's Truth
- God's Unfailing Love
- God's Voice
- God's Will
- God's Word
- God's Work
- God's Works
- God's Wrath
- Going Out into the World
- Going to Church
- Good Friday
- Good Intentions
- Good Life
- Good News
- Goodness
- Goodness of God
- Gospel
- Gossip
- Government
- Grace
- Grandparents
- Gratitude
- Great Books blog series
- Great Exchange
- Greatness
- Greatness of God
- Greed
- Grief
- Growth
- Guidance
- Guilt
- The Glory of God
- The Good Shepherd
H
- Habits
- Half-Heartedness
- Halloween
- Hard-Heartedness
- Hatred
- Having it All-Together
- Healing
- Healing Wounds
- Healthcare
- Hearing God
- Hearing our Prayers
- Heart
- Heart Change
- Hearts
- Heaven
- Hell
- Helping Others
- Helping our Neighbors
- Helping the Poor
- Heroes
- Hiding Place
- History
- HIV/AIDS
- Holidays
- Holiness
- Holy Fire
- Holy Saturday
- Holy Thursday
- Holy Week
- Home
- Home Ownership
- Homelessness
- Honor
- Hope
- Hopelessness
- Hosanna
- Hospitality
- Host
- Humanity
- Humble Circumstances
- Humble Leadership
- Humble Living
- Humble Prayer
- Humble Service
- Humility
- Humor
- Hunger
- Hurry
- The Holy Spirit
I
- Identity
- Idolatry
- Ignorance
- Ignoring God
- Illness
- Immanuel
- Immortality
- Impatience
- Imperfection
- In Christ
- In, But Not Of, the World
- Inclusion
- Indifference
- Indwelling of the Holy Spirit
- Infants
- Infertility
- Inheritance
- Injury
- Inner Peace
- Inspiration
- Institutions
- Intentions
- Intercession
- Intergenerational Ministry
- Intergenerational Worship
- Intimacy
- Invitation
- Invocation
- Israel-Palestine Conflict
- The Incarnation
J
- Jealousy
- Jerusalem
- Jesus
- Jesus Christ the Center
- Jesus Defeat of Death
- Jesus the High Priest
- Jesus the Way
- Jesus' Birth
- Jesus' Death
- Jesus' Descent into Hell
- Jesus' Divinity
- Jesus' Earthly Ministry
- Jesus' Example
- Jesus' Humanity
- Jesus' Love
- Jesus' Presence
- Jesus' Return
- Jesus' Sacrifice
- Jesus' Second Coming
- Jesus' Suffering
- Jesus' Teaching
- Jesus' Victory over Death
- Jobs
- John the Baptist
- Joseph (Jesus' Father)
- Joy
- Joy of our Salvation
- Judaism
- Justice
- Justice System
- Justification
K
L
- Lack of Faith
- Lack of Forgiveness
- Lack of Trust
- Landscape
- Language
- Law (Torah)
- Laying Down Your Life
- Leaders
- Leading Others Astray
- Legacy
- Lent
- Lies
- Life
- Life after Death
- Life and Death
- Life of Purpose
- Life to the Full
- Light
- Light and Darkness
- Light Bulb Moment
- Light of Christ
- Light of the World
- Limitations
- Listening
- Little
- Liturgy
- Living Humbly
- Living Life
- Living the Resurrection
- Living Water
- Loneliness
- Loneliness of Pain
- Longing
- Lord and Savior
- Lord of Lords
- Losing Yourself
- Loss
- Love
- Love of God and Neighbor
- Loving Kindness
- Loving Other Christians
- Loving your Neighbor
- The Lamb of God
- The Last Supper
- The Logos
- The Lord's Supper
- The Lordship of Christ
M
- Magnificat
- Majesty
- Man of Sorrows
- Manger
- Manna
- Marginalized
- Margins
- Marital Problems
- Marriage
- Martyrdom
- Mary of Bethany
- Mary the Mother of Jesus
- Masks
- Materialism
- Maundy Thursday
- Meals
- Meaning
- Mediation
- Meditation
- Meekness
- Memorial Day
- Memories
- Memory
- Mental Illness
- Mercy
- Millenials
- Ministry
- Miracles
- Missionaries
- Missions
- Mistaken Identity
- Misunderstanding
- Mortality
- Moses
- Mother's Day
- Motivations
- Motives
- Mountains
- Mourning
- Moving
- Mystery
- Mystery of God
- The Magi
- The Meaning of Life
- The Messiah
- The Mind of Christ
- The Morning
N
O
P
- Pain
- Pain and Growth
- Palm Sunday
- Paradox
- Parents
- Partiality
- Partisanship
- Passion of Christ
- Passover
- Past, Present and Future
- Pastor Responsibilities
- Pastors
- Paths
- Patience
- Patriarchs
- Peace
- Peacemaking
- Penitential Psalms
- Pentecost
- People
- Peoples
- Perfection
- Persecution
- Perseverance
- Peter
- Pilgrimage
- Planning
- Pleasing God
- Pleasure
- Political Leaders
- Politicians
- Pollution
- Poor
- Poor in Spirit
- Possessions
- Pouring Ourselves out
- Poverty
- Power
- Power and Weakness
- Power of Love
- Power of Prayer
- Power of Sin
- Praise
- Prayer
- Prayers for Funerals
- Preaching
- Prejudice
- Preparation
- Prepared
- Preparing the Way
- Presence
- Presidents
- Pressure
- Pride
- Priorities
- Prison
- Prisoners
- Private Faith
- Proclamation Of God’s Word
- Procrastination
- Promises
- Prosperity
- Protestantism
- Proud
- Public Faith
- Public Witness
- Punishment for Sin
- Purification
- Purity
- Purity Of Heart
- Purpose
- The Pit
- The Power of the Holy Spirit
- The Prince of Peace
- The Prophets
Q
R
- Race (Running)
- Racial Reconciliation
- Racism
- Rain
- Reality
- Rebellion
- Receiving
- Receiving Christ
- Receiving Forgiveness
- Receiving Gifts
- Receiving God
- Receiving Love
- Receiving Thanks
- Receiving the Gospel
- Recognition
- Reconciliation
- Redeemer
- Redemption
- Refiner's Fire
- Reflection
- Reformation Sunday
- Refuge
- Rejecting God
- Relationships
- Religion and Public Life
- Religious People
- Remembering
- Renewal
- Renting
- Repentance
- Repetition
- Rescue
- Resistance
- Resistance to God
- Resolution
- Responsibility
- Restoration
- Resurrection
- Resurrection from Sin
- Resurrection Life
- Resurrection of the Dead
- Resurrection to New Life
- Retreat
- Returning to God
- Revelation
- Reverence
- Revival
- Riches
- Righteousness
- Risks
- Roman World
- Routines
- Royalty
- Running from God
- The Reliability of Scripture
- The Resurrection and the Life
- The Rich
- The Risen Lord
- The Roman Empire
S
- Sacrifice
- Sacrificial Living
- Sacrificial Love
- Sadness
- Safety
- Saint Nicholas
- Salt and Light
- Salt of the Earth
- Salvation
- Salvation History
- Sanctification
- Sanctity
- Santa Claus
- Sarah
- Satan
- Savior
- School
- Scripture
- Sea
- Searching
- Seasons
- Second Chances
- Seeking God
- Seeking the Kingdom
- Self-Centeredness
- Self-Control
- Self-Denial
- Self-Destruction
- Self-Examination
- Self-Glory
- Self-Righteousness
- Self-Sacrifice
- Selfishness
- Sermons
- Servant Leadership
- Servanthood
- Service
- Serving God
- Serving Jesus
- Serving your Neighbor
- Shadow
- Shalom
- Shame
- Sheep
- Shepherd
- Shepherds
- Shortcomings
- Sickness
- Silence
- Silence (Spiritual Discipline)
- Sin
- Sin Avoidance
- Sinfulness
- Singing
- Sinners
- Sins
- Sins of Omission
- Sins of the Church
- Slavery
- Sleep
- Snow
- Social Media
- Social Status
- Son of God
- Sorrow
- Space and Time
- Speaking in Tongues
- Speaking Truth to Power
- Speech
- Spending Time with God
- Spiritual Battles
- Spiritual Death
- Spiritual Health
- Spiritual Practices
- Sports
- Spring (Season)
- Stable
- Stars
- Status
- Staying Humble
- Steadfast Love
- Stewardship
- Stillness
- Storms
- Straying from God
- Strength
- Stress
- Stubbornness
- Stuff
- Success
- Suffering
- Sun
- Sunday
- Superheroes
- Surgery
- Surprise
- Sustainer
- Sweetness
- Symbols
- The Sacraments
- The Saints
- The Second Coming Of Christ
- The Soul
- The Spiritual Life
- The Star of Bethlehem
T
- Taking Up the Cross
- Teachers
- Temptation
- Terrorism
- Testimonies
- Thankfulness
- The Temple
- The Trinity
- The Twelve Disciples
- Theology
- Thirst
- Time
- Today
- Tomb
- Tongue
- Tower of Babel
- Tradition
- Transcendent
- Transformation
- Transgressions
- Treasure
- Tree of Life
- Trees
- Trinity Sunday
- Triumph
- Triumphal Entry
- Trouble
- True Worship
- Trust in God's Word
- Truth
- Turning a Blind Eye
U
V
W
- The Way
- The Will
- The Work of the Holy Spirit
- Wages of Sin
- Waiting
- Waiting on God
- Walking
- Wandering
- War
- Ways
- Weakness
- Weakness of Will
- Wealth
- Weariness
- Weddings
- Wickedness
- Wilderness
- Winter
- Wisdom
- Wisdom of God
- Witnesses
- Womb
- Wonder
- Work
- World
- World Communion Sunday
- World Leaders
- World Peace
- Worldliness
- Worldly Power
- Worship
- Worship Services
Top_level_categories by Reference
Genesis
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Nehemiah
Psalm
- Ps 1 (2)
- Ps 4 (1)
- Ps 8 (3)
- Ps 16 (7)
- Ps 19 (2)
- Ps 22 (4)
- Ps 23 (6)
- Ps 24 (3)
- Ps 25 (6)
- Ps 27 (6)
- Ps 28 (2)
- Ps 29 (1)
- Ps 30 (2)
- Ps 31 (1)
- Ps 32 (4)
- Ps 33 (1)
- Ps 34 (7)
- Ps 36 (1)
- Ps 37 (1)
- Ps 38 (2)
- Ps 40 (1)
- Ps 46 (9)
- Ps 47 (1)
- Ps 51 (21)
- Ps 57 (1)
- Ps 65 (1)
- Ps 70 (1)
- Ps 72 (3)
- Ps 84 (1)
- Ps 86 (2)
- Ps 89 (1)
- Ps 90 (5)
- Ps 91 (1)
- Ps 95 (2)
- Ps 96 (5)
- Ps 98 (2)
- Ps 100 (2)
- Ps 103 (8)
- Ps 104 (1)
- Ps 107 (1)
- Ps 110 (1)
- Ps 111 (2)
- Ps 113 (1)
- Ps 116 (1)
- Ps 118 (13)
- Ps 119 (2)
- Ps 121 (1)
- Ps 122 (1)
- Ps 124 (2)
- Ps 130 (2)
- Ps 131 (1)
- Ps 133 (1)
- Ps 136 (2)
- Ps 139 (9)
- Ps 145 (2)
- Ps 147 (2)
- Ps 148 (2)
- Ps 150 (1)