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liturgy
Lord of Hope and God of all that’s new—Father
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... -
liturgy
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... -
liturgy
Father: Thank You for always being
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... -
Quote
Some people feel guilty about their anxieties and regard them as a defect of faith but they are afflictions, not sins. Like all afflictions, they are, if we can so take them, our share in the passion ... -
liturgy
Adapted from “The Precious Blood” in The Valley of Vision
Leader: Blessed Lord Jesus, before your cross I kneel and see the heinousness of my sin, my iniquity that caused you to be made a curse, the evil that provokes divine wrath. All: Show me the enormit... -
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” ... -
liturgy
Pastor: Let us pray for the whole Church of God
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... -
blog
Good Friday | Psalm 22 | Forsaken and Alone
Reflection The television series Alone follows ten individuals who are left to fend for themselves and by themselves in the wilderness. Now, these aren’t everyday individuals plucked from Main St... -
blog
Feeling our Mortality During Lent
In the past week, I (Stu) have experienced some rather wild circumstances. The most significant was waking up last Thursday with incredible stomach pain in the middle of the night. After trying to &qu... -
liturgy
Adapted from “Weaknesses” in The Valley of Vision
Pastor: O Spirit of God, help my infirmities. When I am pressed down because of my sin, perplexed and not knowing what to do, help me. All: When you see that I desire evil things, delighting in sinf... -
liturgy
Adapted from Isaiah 53:2-7
Pastor: For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised ... -
liturgy
Isaiah 53:2-5
For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised... -
Quote
On Holy Saturday Jesus entered into the kind of forsakenness and abandonment beyond anything any person could experience. He was not content to deal with our sin problem; his love extended into the wo... -
liturgy
Descend upon our hearts, Spirit of God,
Descend upon our hearts, Spirit of God, For our wills are weak, and we need your power. Our spirits are dry, and we need your refreshment. Our minds cannot comprehend, and we need your enlightenment.... -
Quote
We want to avoid suffering, death, sin, ashes. But we live in a world crushed and broken and torn, a world God Himself visited to redeem. We receive his poured-out life, and being allowed the high pri... -
illustration
Burnout and A Loss of Meaning
Burnout is the disease of our age. Time magazine had an editorial way back in the 1980s about “the burnout of just about everybody.” I concluded that the metaphor of burnout was not quite right, parti... -
liturgy
He was wounded for our transgressions
Pastor: He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; People: upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His stripes we are healed. Pasto... -
Quote
Into this world, this demented inn in which there is absolutely no room for him at all, Christ comes uninvited. -
Quote
Suffering is nothing by itself. But suffering shared with the passion of Christ is a wonderful gift, the most beautiful gift, a token of love. -
Quote
Something strange is happening—there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. God has died in the flesh and hell trem... -
Quote
..a guilty suffering spirit is more open to grace than an apathetic or smug soul. Therefore, an age without a sense of sin, in which people are not even sorry for not being sorry for their sins, is in... -
liturgy
Adapted from Psalm 51 (BOCP)
Leader: Have mercy on me, O God, according to your loving-kindness; in your great compassion blot out my offenses. People: Wash me through and through from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin. F... -
Quote
In the history of the Christian church, the tendency has been to evade being identified with the sufferings of Jesus Christ; [people] have sought to procure the carrying out of God’s order by a shortc... -
liturgy
He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed
Pastor: He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; People: upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His stripes we are healed. Isaia... -
liturgy
God, we come with hesitant steps and
God, we come with hesitant steps and uncertain motives to sweep out the corners where sin has accumulated, and uncover the ways we have strayed from Your truth. Expose the empty and barren places wher... -
liturgy
Gracious God, we confess that we think
Gracious God, we confess that we think of Easter as the springtime holiday rather than the mystery holiday, the hope-time holiday, the now-its-up-to-us holiday. We’re more at home with bulbs and bunni... -
liturgy
In this season of Lent, O God, unsettle
In this season of Lent, O God, unsettle us. Increase in us that sense of gnawing that arises from the incongruity between our lives and the life to which you call us, and transform us in newness. Amen... -
Quote
‘A cold coming we had of it, Just the worst time of the year For a journey, and such a long journey: The ways deep and the weather sharp, The very dead of winter… …All this was a long time ago, I reme... -
illustration
Longing for Eden
In a letter to his son, J. R. R. Tolkien famously wrote, “We all long for [Eden], and we are constantly glimpsing it: our whole nature at its best and least corrupted, its gentlest and most humane, is... -
blog
On Aging, Ash Wednesday, and Death
Do you remember the first time you started to feel your mortality? Or perhaps, the first time you realized their was something wrong with your body? Your mind? At some point (for me it was my twenties...
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Top Level Categories by Topic
A
- A Fresh Start
- Abandonment
- Abba
- Abiding in Christ
- Ability
- Abraham
- Abundant Life
- Abyss
- Achievement
- Adam
- Adam and Eve
- Addiction
- Adoption
- Adoration
- Advent
- Affliction
- Afraid of the Dark
- Aging
- Aim
- Alienation
- All Saints' Day
- Alone
- Alpha And Omega
- Ambassadors
- Ambition
- Ambivalence
- Anchors
- Angels
- Anger
- Anointing
- Answered Prayers
- Anticipation
- Anxiety
- Apathy
- Apostles
- Appearances
- Apprehension
- Arguments
- Armor of God
- Arrogance
- Ash Wednesday
- Ashes
- Assyria
- Atonement
- Attention
- Attitude
- Authenticity
- Awareness of Sin
- Awe
- The Ancient World
- The Ascension of Christ
B
- Babies
- Bad Habits
- Banquets
- Baptism
- Baptism into Death
- Baptism of Jesus
- Bearing Fruit
- Beauty
- Beginnings
- Being A Child Of God
- Being Chosen
- Being Enslaved To Sin
- Being Humbled
- Being Lost
- Being Nice
- Being Tired
- Beliefs
- Believing in God
- Believing in Jesus
- Bells
- Belonging to God
- Bethlehem
- Betrayal
- Beyond Understanding
- Birth
- Blame
- Blessing
- Blessings
- Blinded by Sin
- Blindness
- Bodily Resurrection
- Book Reviews
- Born Again
- Boxes
- Bread
- Breath
- Brevity of Life
- Broken Families
- Brokenhearted
- Brokenness
- Brokenness of the World
- Burdens
- Burning Bush
- Burnout
- Business
- Busyness
- Busyness of Christmas
- The Blood Of Christ
- The Body of Christ
C
- Caesar
- Called by God
- Calling
- Calvary
- Cancer
- Captives
- Captivity
- Career
- Caregivers
- Carrying our Cross
- Cars
- Causing Someone to Stumble
- Celebrations
- Cemeteries
- Challenges
- Change
- Change of Seasons
- Changing Habits
- Changing Hearts
- Changing World
- Chaos
- Childbirth
- Childlikeness
- Children
- Children of God
- Children's Imagination
- Choices
- Christ the King
- Christ The King Sunday
- Christ's Death
- Christ's Finished Work
- Christ's Healing
- Christ's Love
- Christ's Presence
- Christ's Resurrection
- Christ's Suffering
- Christian Calendar
- Christian Culture
- Christian Love
- Christian Service
- Christian Tradition
- Christianity
- Christians
- Christmas
- Christmas Carols
- Christmas Decorations
- Christmas Eve
- Christmas Gift-Giving
- Christmas Joy
- Christmas Love
- Christmas Materialism
- Christmas Morning
- Christmas Shopping
- Church Conflict
- Church Culture
- Church History
- Church Leaders
- Church Programs
- Church Size
- Church Tradition
- Church Unity
- Church Year
- Citizens (secular)
- Civil Religion
- Clean Slate
- Cleansing
- Climbing the Ladder of Success
- Coldness of Heart
- Comfort
- Comforter
- Coming of the Kingdom
- Commandments
- Communion
- Communion of Saints
- Community
- Comparison
- Compassion
- Competition
- Complacency
- Complaining
- Complaints
- Concerns
- Condemnation
- Confession of Sin
- Conflict
- Conquering Death
- Conscience
- Consumer Christianity
- Consumer Culture
- Consumerism
- Contempt
- Corruption
- Counselor
- Courage
- Courts
- Covenant
- Creation
- Creation (Human)
- Creation Care/The Environment
- Creation of Humanity
- Criticism
- Crowds
- Crown
- Crown of Thorns
- Crucifixion
- Crucifixion Of Jesus
- Cruelty
- The Christian Faith
- The City
- The Cross
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)