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Quote
Since failure is our unforgivable sin, we are willing to ignore all forms of deviance in people if they just achieve the success symbols which we worship. -
illustration
The Man in the Arena
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the ar... -
illustration
The Self-Destruction of Executives
In his highly insightful work, Inside Job , Stephen W. Smith shares the sobering truth of what happens to many leaders when they climb the “ladder of success”: The ground at the foot of the ladde... -
Quote
Pentecost offers a chance to confess our failure to live by the Spirit and to ask the Lord to fill us afresh with His power. -
liturgy
Litany of Penitence
The Celebrant and People together, all kneeling Most holy and merciful Father: We confess to you and to one another, and to the whole communion of saints in heaven and on earth, that we have sinne... -
illustration
We Are Dust
At the beginning of this season of Lent, on this Ash Wednesday, we are reminded that we are dust and to dust we will return. We are reminded of human fragility and failure. We are reminded that we are... -
blog
An Invitation to an Unhurried Lent
Finding Grace in Lent The practice of Lent has become a place of grace for me over the last number of years. While some feel that Lent is a failure to recognize that our salvation is rooted in gr... -
liturgy
On this holy night we come to worship and adore
Pastor: On this holy night we come to worship and adore the One we have been waiting for – Christ the Lord! As we prepare to hear once again the story of that first Christmas, let us come to the light... -
liturgy
Traditional Ash Wednesday Service
This is a traditional Ash Wednesday service focused on a penitent and reflective beginning of Lent. It features traditional collects, an invitation to a holy Lent, and a confession structured as a lit... -
liturgy
“It is finished.” With those words, You
“It is finished.” With those words, You declared victory. Sin, death, and evil lost their power. We are the church: Each of us recipients of Your victory. In Jesus, we have won! But often we deny Your... -
blog
Hard Holy Days and the Wondrous Mystery
Christmas is Over It’s Christmas morning, not yet light. I am ten years old, creeping down the stairs, and I am full of hope. My siblings and I were told there will be no Christmas. Our mother told u... -
lectionary
New Year's Day
Preaching Commentary A New Heaven and a New Earth In this well-known passage from Revelation, John receives a vision of the New Heavens and New Earth that will come with the return of Jesus (The Se... -
illustration
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 ... -
illustration
Decision Fatigue
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... -
illustration
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... -
illustration
Falling Upward
The other day I took a tumble. Fortunately, there were no witnesses. Now I’m walking with a limp. If ever there was a case of falling down it was Jesus. Some were saying He was the Son of God. They e... -
liturgy
Eternal God, whose covenant with us is
Eternal God, whose covenant with us is never broken, we confess that we fail to fulfill your will. Though you have bound yourself to us, we will not bind ourselves to you. In Jesus Christ you serve u... -
Quote
Remember Jesus of Nazareth, staggering on broken feet out of the tomb toward the Resurrection, bearing on his body the proud insignia of the defeat which is victory, the magnificent defeat of the huma... -
illustration
Hard, Hard Things
We suffer these things and they fade from memory. But daily, hourly, to give up our own possessions and especially to subordinate our own impulses and wishes to others—these are hard, hard things; and... -
Quote
Faith is a voluntary anticipation. -
Quote
Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility. -
liturgy
Good Father, we thank you for inviting
Good Father, we thank you for inviting us to your table. You invite us to your heavenly feast, but we don’t show up to the party. Rather, we ignore your invitation, we get distracted by other work we ... -
Quote
Anxiety is the handmaiden of contemporary ambition. -
Quote
It is a sprinting, squirting, shoving age. -
illustration
The Christmas Gift
A preaching professor at Harvard University tells the story of the year his 5-year-old son was working on an art project in his kindergarten class. It was made of plaster, resembled nothing in particu... -
Quote
Nothing, how little so ever it be, if it is suffered for God's sake, can pass without merit in the sight of God. -
liturgy
Prayer of Confession and Assurance of Pardon for Lent
Pastor: God’s plans are indeed faithful and sure. In this Lenten season we have been focusing on God’s promise to Abraham and Sarah to transform their barren and lifeless situation into one overflow... -
liturgy
Gracious, Heavenly Father, we are
Gracious, Heavenly Father, we are people who often live our lives in routine, but who rarely enter into the fullness of the abundant life. In Easter, You accomplished the impossible. You proved Your W... -
Quote
You cannot be proud and expect to be transformed away from your sins. You need to humble yourself and have a spirit of repentance within you. Then you will see real change. -
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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A
- A Fresh Start
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B
- Babies
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C
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- Crucifixion Of Jesus
- Cruelty
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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
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- Destructive Behavior
- Direction
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- Disease
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- 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
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- Grandparents
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- Great Books blog series
- Great Exchange
- Greatness
- Greatness of God
- Greed
- Grief
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- 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
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- 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
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- Meekness
- Memorial Day
- Memories
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- Mercy
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- 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)