Contributed by Mark Eberly on Jan 8, 2009
"TRUDGE"
The word "trudge" gives us a definite picture. We trudge through snow. It is laborious walk. It is tiring. It takes work. It seems to me to be rather unmotivated. Sometimes doing what is right seems like trudging. Sometimes doing what we need to do is not glamorous and exciting. Sometimes
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Contributed by Mark Eberly on Jan 8, 2009
I don’t know what will happen this year. I know that a lot of us are struggling in many ways especially financially. Food prices are going up. A loaf of bread at Wal-mart used to be around 80 cents a couple of years ago. Now it is over a dollar. 10 pounds of potatoes used to be 2 dollars or less.
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Contributed by Mark Eberly on Dec 22, 2008
The Gospel According to… Charlie Brown. Charlie Brown cannot catch a break. He is the stereotypical American loser. Whenever he tries to kick the football that Lucy is holding, every time she pulls it away at the last second and he misses it, flying through the air to land flat on his back. His
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Contributed by Mark Eberly on Dec 22, 2008
A film made in 2002, The Magdalene Sisters, told the sad story of the "maggies" of Ireland. They got that nickname from Mary Magdalene, from whom Jesus had driven seven demons. Tradition says that Mary Magdalene was the prostitute who washed Jesus’ feet with her hair. Hence when a strict order of
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Contributed by Mark Eberly on Dec 15, 2008
In our study group, it was mentioned that if someone broke in and stole all the Christmas gifts not to mention the decorations and Christmas ham, then most of us would have a pretty miserable Christmas. Very few of us would get up and see the empty house and walk outside and start singing the
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Contributed by Mark Eberly on Dec 15, 2008
HAPPINESS VS. JOY
There is a pretty common belief that differentiates between happiness and joy. This is one that I believe. Happiness is based on circumstances. Expensive gifts and good food and parties and celebrations and Christmas lights can bring happiness. But they are only temporary. They
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Contributed by Mark Eberly on Dec 15, 2008
What is Christmas is really about? I would say it is not about simply being filled with joy and singing and family and relationships as the Whos seem to think Christmas is about. In fact Christmas is about a person: Jesus. It is about the one who was born as an outcast. His mother and father
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Contributed by Mark Eberly on Dec 15, 2008
"SEEKER"
In recent years, there has been a movement of calling people who are not Christians "seekers." It was a way to classify people who come into the church looking for God without labeling them offensively as "sinners." It was a way to try to keep church accessible to anyone and everyone. Has
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Contributed by Mark Eberly on Dec 15, 2008
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Many don’t want to serve except to serve themselves. But we all serve something. Some serve the idols of money and materialism. Some serve the idols of addictions. Some serve the idols of entertainment. Some serve gods made in their own image. We are called to remind people that God has created
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Contributed by Mark Eberly on Dec 15, 2008
Prince Caspian is about a crucial theme of the gospel of God’s kingdom—reconciliation. It is about the reconciliation between High King Peter and Prince Caspian. [view clip] It is the reconciliation that Prince Caspian has with his hatred and anger from his past. But most of all it about the
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Contributed by Mark Eberly on Dec 3, 2008
But in God's scheme of things, a person's a person no matter how small. In fact in God's scheme, the least are the most important. The poor and marginalized and abuse and downtrodden are given God's favor over the important, or wealthy, or famous.
Chris Tomlin wrote a worship song that I love
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Contributed by Mark Eberly on Nov 26, 2008
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Attitude of Gratitude
God loves a cheerful giver. God will make you rich if you are generous in every occasion. Somehow I think that God sees this richness in more than just money and material possessions. Don't you? And generosity results in a thankful attitude and even a cheerful attitude.
You've
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Contributed by Mark Eberly on Nov 26, 2008
If we are truly full of thanks for what God has done for us and we are truly grateful for the things that God has done which we could not have done for ourselves, then the result is a love for others and a desire to serve others. If our attitude is truly changed, then giving to others and meeting
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Contributed by Mark Eberly on Nov 26, 2008
THANKSLIVING
Last week I shared with you a story about a young man with bipolar disorder that died while I was a chaplain. For those of you who were with us, do you remember that? How the parents stayed with him and were there for him even though he put them through so much hell. They were there
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Contributed by Mark Eberly on Nov 18, 2008
As I mentioned, ancients held the belief that blood was significant. It was powerful. The Hebrews would hold animal sacrifices. The blood would be used to symbolically cover up the sin of the people. Hebrews 9:22 says that forgiveness does not come without the shedding of blood. The Hebrews had to
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Contributed by Mark Eberly on Nov 18, 2008
In fact, pagan rituals often drank the blood of animals that were sacrificed because they superstitiously believed that the life force became a part of them. It could extend their own life. Conquering leaders sometimes drank the blood of the defeated kings because they believed that their power and
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Contributed by Mark Eberly on Nov 18, 2008
Several years ago I worked during the summer as a chaplain in a large hospital in Dayton. Part of my responsibilities was to be “on call” every other weekend for a 24 hour period. We had to remain at the hospital but be available if and when a need arose for a chaplain. Many times the need was
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Contributed by Mark Eberly on Nov 11, 2008
SUPPORT YOUR LEADERSHIP
Doing what is right means that we give our leaders support. This does not mean we have to agree with them all the time. In our governmental structure, it also does not mean that we should not criticize their decisions if they are bad ones. We are allowed that freedom.
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