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He Did Indeed
And Noah did all that God commanded him—he did indeed. Genesis 6:22, NET The earth was ruined. Not by global warming, massive flooding, or earthquakes. But by human hearts. The heart has that mighty, terrible power. Every inclination of the thoughts of their minds was only evil all the time (v.5). God’s heart was wounded, and He was highly offended by the ones He had created. Yet there was one who brought God comfort. His name was Noah, and he walked with God. Noah was a godly man; he was blameless among his contemporaries. He walked with God (v.9). We humans are not the only ones who find comfort and hope in a friend willing to walk with us when our hearts are broken. God… Read More
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When Jesus Sends Us Into Storms
[caption id="attachment_3985" align="aligncenter" width="805"] This image is copyright owned by David Padfield 2015 and used with his kind permission, with additional images copyrighted by the LUMO project or public domain from WikiMedia Commons and StateofIsrael.[/caption] Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake (Mark 6:45-48). Jesus sends us into storms. This may sound contrary to what you’ve… Read More
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The Value of Small Beginnings
What will you begin in 2019? @audreycfrank Alert and ready to leap out of bed at any given second, I lay in the dark and listened. The sound of a rat running back and forth on the bedpost inches from my head had me frozen in place, afraid if I breathed he might make a detour and jump on my head. What on earth is he carrying in his mouth with such dedication? I wondered to myself. Back and forth, back and forth. Scratch, scramble, swoosh, slip, patter-patter-patter over my head. Again. And again. He was one busy rat. All of my senses were completely trained upon his every move. I was trying very hard not to scream. It did not help that my husband slept… Read More
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Are You Faithful Regarding the Devoted Things?
But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. -Joshua 7:1, NIV Sometimes opening the Bible, beholding it, is like staring into a burning book. The words lick with flames like a ravenous fire, determined to burn away the perishable in my heart and soul. Right now is like that. I am revising and editing my manuscript, and the chapter lying next to my focal text is searing, its flames rising ever higher, burning my gaze and drawing me in. Joshua 7 is the passage today. The story of Achan’s sin. Achan acted unfaithfully in regard to the devoted things. He took… Read More