The Christian Calendar on Good Life

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Christians have no business thinking that the good life consists mainly in not doing bad things. We have no business thinking that to do evil in this world you have to be a Bengal tiger, when, in fact...

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Decision Fatigue

Author

Ashley Hales

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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...

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After Easter: Take it a Day at a Time

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Dan Baumgartner

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Recovering from Holy Week Whew. I’m dragging just a little. It’s a few days after Easter. The season has been full of richness, but I’m a bit tired. I’ve written daily Lenten devotionals, newsletter...

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A Social Media Fast

Author

Marlena Graves

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Scripture

Isaiah 30:15

So in the last three years, in order to reorient myself and head back onto the narrow way, I’ve given up social media and/or the internet for Lent. At first it’s agonizing. I’m like a caffeine or nico...

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Author

Fulton J. Sheen

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Lenten practices of giving up pleasures are good reminders that the purpose of life is not pleasure. The purpose of life is to attain to perfect life, all truth and undying ecstatic love – which is th...

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Luke 2:14, “Glory to God in the highest"

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Scripture

Luke 2:14

“Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.” May his life and light shine upon you this day and forevermore. Amen . Inclusive Version “Glory to God in the highest, on ear...

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Sin clings to us as if we were its most

Author

Jacob Traeger

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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

Ernest Hemingway

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Every man's life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another.

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Writing Like Shakespeare, Living Like Jesus

Author

John R. W. Stott

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Scripture

1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Romans 8:11, Galatians 5:16-18, Ephesians 3:16-19, 1 John 4:13, John 7:37-39, John 16:13-14

In describing whether it is possible for us to live like Jesus, pastor John Stott shares an illustration from William Temple: It is no good giving me a play like Hamlet or King Lear, and telling me ...

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To you. O God, glory to you! Heavenly

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Scripture

1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Acts 9:1-19, Matthew 3:16-17, Ephesians 3:16-17, Romans 8:11, Psalm 139:7-10, John 14:16-17

To you. O God, glory to you! Heavenly Ruler, Comforter, Spirit of truth, Come and dwell within us. You who are everywhere and who fills all things. Treasury of all good and giver of life, Come,...

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Hasten, O God, to save me

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

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Scripture

Genesis 18:1-33, Psalm 70:1, 4, Hebrews 4:16, John 15:13

Leader: Hasten, O God, to save me; People: come quickly, Lord, to help me. Psalm 70:1 Leader: may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; People: may those who long...

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New Year's Day

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

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Scripture

Revelation 21:1-6a, 2 Corinthians 5:17

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...

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Almighty God, in raising Jesus from the

Author

Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church

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Almighty God, in raising Jesus from the grave, You shattered the power of sin and death. We celebrate Him! But we confess we remain captive to doubt and fear, bound by ways that lead to death. We come...

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Almighty God, send your Holy Spirit

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Scripture

John 11:25-26, 1 John 5:11, Acts 6:8-15, 2 Thessalonians 3:5, John 14:26

Almighty God, send your Holy Spirit into our hearts, that he may govern and guide us according to your will, comfort us in all our temptations and afflictions, defend us from all error, and lead us in...

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Between the Poles of Human Experience (Between Good Friday & Easter)

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 22:null

Some time back I had the thought that life, the Christian life, can be looked at through the two poles of Good Friday and Easter. While, of course, we would prefer to always be living an "Easter&...

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"Good" Friday

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

1 Peter 2:24

Do you remember the first time someone explained to you the concept of “Good Friday?” I remember my own mother explaining how it was possible that Jesus’ death was “good,” not because torture and suff...

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A Life Re-Defined by The Spirit of God

Author

Mark Labberton

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Scripture

Acts 8:36-38, Acts 8:29-31, Acts 10:44-46, Acts 10:3-6, Acts 10:1-48, Acts 9:17-18, Acts 9:3-6

In his excellent book on worship, The Dangerous Act of Worship , pastor and president of Fuller Seminary Mark Labberton shares a story of the transformation of one of his former congregants: Ben ...

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Author

O.P. Kretzmann

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Scripture

Luke 2:6-7, Philippians 2:6-8, Isaiah 53:2-3, Micah 5:2, Exodus 2:1-10, 2 Corinthians 8:9, Revelation 21:3-4

One of our troubles, is that we have romanticized and sentimentalized the stable and the manger…We see them through the warm glow of our comfortable homes, our candles and our well-fed bodies....Perha...

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Beloved of God, we give thanks for the gift

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

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Scripture

John 11:1-27

Pastor: Beloved of God, we give thanks for the gift of eternal life that is ours through Christ Jesus. Because He died in our place and rose again, we rejoice to be numbered with the saints. In con...

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Lord of Hope and God of all that’s new—Father

Author

Richard Herman

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Scripture

Romans 12:12, Colossians 3:14, 1 Peter 3:8, Ephesians 4:2-3, Psalm 136:1

Lord of Hope and God of all that’s new—Father, Son and Holy Spirit: We’re filled with wonder, gratitude, and joy inspired by the gifts of new life You freely give us. There’s the joy and wonder of eve...

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The Value of Lent (Part I)

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Lent

Scripture

2 Corinthians 5:17

To Lent or Not to Lent As someone who grew up Catholic but who "crossed the Tiber north" in middle school (to Presbyterian land), I've experienced some very different perspectives on wh...

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“But I Don’t Want to Die”

Author

Mark D. Roberts

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Scripture

Genesis 3:19, Romans 6:23

My friend Tim is a manager of a small company. Because he often hires people for their first full-time job, he gets to tell new employees about their benefits. One time, Tim was trying to explain to a...

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Celebrating the Lord's Resurrection Joyfully

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

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Scripture

Hosea 13:14, Isaiah 25:8, Romans 6:4-5, 1 Corinthians 15:55-57, Psalm 16:9-11

Pastor: Having been sent through our Baptism by the risen Christ to proclaim good news to the world, let us pray for the whole Church and for all people. Almighty God the Father, through Your onl...

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Father: Thank You for always being

Author

Richard Herman

Scripture

Psalm 34:14, Luke 15:20, Hebrews 4:14, Romans 6:4, Acts 1:8, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Psalm 25:4-5, Matthew 11:28-30, Isaiah 41:10, John 14:13, James 1:5, 2 Corinthians 9:8, Habakkuk 3:2, Isaiah 6:8, Matthew 28:19-20

Father: Thank You for always being ready to welcome us and listen to us. Thank You for sending Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Savior: born like us, experiencing all that we experience yet sinless, who d...

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Jesus – You rose before we did today.

Author

Richard Herman

Keywords

Scripture

1 Peter 1:3, Luke 24:1-12, Mark 16:1-8, Matthew 28:1-10, John 11:25-26, John 20:1-18, 1 Corinthians 15:3-8

Jesus – You rose before we did today. You met us at the door to lift burdens, sins and hurts from our shoulders and replace them with Your strength, forgiveness and healing. The word seems so small c...

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The Lord calls us to examine the wounds

The Lord calls us to examine the wounds of the Risen One and to see there the depth of his love for us. Let us therefore approach the throne of God in confidence as we pray for the people of God in Ch...

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Gracious, Heavenly Father, we are

Author

Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church

Keywords

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...

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Pastor: Let us pray for the whole Church of God

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Pastor: Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs. Lord God, eternal Father and Giver of every good gift, we commit to Your mercy and for...

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As we continue the season of Advent

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Advent

Scripture

Isaiah 9:2, John 1:1-14, Luke 2:1-11, John 14:27

Leader: As we continue the season of Advent, we celebrate that Jesus has come, and that He promises to come again! Jesus came to bring light and hope, People: but our hearts are often shrouded by d...

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A New Experience of Advent: Thoughts from the Founder's Desk

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Advent

Scripture

Romans 8:28, Philippians 1:6

As I was trying to think of something to write for this weekly email, I began to wonder if living in this season of life actually prepares us to better experience the Advent season. We live in a time...

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