Contributed by Vic Folkert on Apr 5, 2007
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Robert Schuller tells of a time early in his ministy when he was experiencing great opposition. He was unable to sleep, panic-stricken, and the thought came to him, "Schuller, you’re cracking up." He desperately prayed, "Jesus Christ, are you dead or alive? I’ve been preaching it every Easter. But
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Denomination:
Presbyterian/Reformed
a father told his son when he reached his l2th birthday that from now on he would only shake hands with him. Some years later the son, now grown, said to his father, "Dad, can I hug you?"
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Denomination:
Presbyterian/Reformed
It started off as a simple request. The kind of thing you might hear if you’re in a crowded restaurant, sitting at a table with an empty chair. Someone at the next table is one chair short, and they approach you. “May I borrow this chair?”
“Sure,” you say. No skin off your teeth. You have no need
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Denomination:
Presbyterian/Reformed
Let down the nets? Give me a break!
But then...Luke says, “When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.” Not the kind of break Peter had in mind. Not the kind of outcome he had in mind either. Have you ever reached to lift something -- a milk jug,
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Denomination:
Presbyterian/Reformed
You’ve heard of self-defining moments, I’m sure. A self-defining moment occurs when something happens that determines your identity from that instant forward. Because of some event or incident, whatever it may be, you will never be the same again.
I had such a moment each time my children were
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Denomination:
Presbyterian/Reformed
God is also like an obsessed lover. Let me tell you what I mean by that. I have known people so captivated by romance that they have had the name of their beloved tattooed on their body. I knew one man who did that, and the woman he loved eventually broke it off with him. Her name was Marie, and --
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Denomination:
Presbyterian/Reformed
When I was very young, my grandfather worked for a time as a night watchman. His assignment was a textile plant that manufactured carpet. I never got to see him at work, but I sometimes got to see him before he left for the job and sometimes when he came home. He wore a badge and what I would call
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Denomination:
Presbyterian/Reformed
Contributed by Terry Barnhill on Jan 21, 2007
Isaac Watts was a well known minister and writer of songs in the 1700’s. Among his better known songs are, “Joy to the World,” “Oh God, Our Help in Ages Past,” and “I’ll Praise My Maker While I’ve Breath.” The theme of this last hymn reflects Isaac’s great interest in the afterlife with Christ.
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Denomination:
Presbyterian/Reformed
Contributed by Randall Bergsma on Dec 26, 2006
Don’t miss this: not even good, humanitarian performance fills up the soul! Bob Geldof was a British rock musician who decided to do something about the famine in Ethiopia during the early 1980’s. He put his own career on the back-burner and spent an entire year of his life organizing fund-raising
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Denomination:
Presbyterian/Reformed
Contributed by Randall Bergsma on Dec 19, 2006
Lets be honest, there are things we face in our lives, and times when we are afraid.
Your newly married and your thinking “What did I get myself into? I don’t know what I’m doing.
”You have a friend in trouble and you think “I don’t know what to say!”
You’re in your job and you think, “Why did
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Denomination:
Presbyterian/Reformed
Contributed by Randall Bergsma on Dec 19, 2006
Life is difficult. You and I know it to be true. Christmas can be difficult. Even life in which a person strives diligently to be kind, helpful, and close to God includes difficulty. For example,
God walked and talked with Adam and Eve. After sin came in their hearts, God was still God, but
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Denomination:
Presbyterian/Reformed
Contributed by Randall Bergsma on Dec 19, 2006
The message of Jubilee was that when you live with God your failures couldn’t ruin you for good. A fresh start was always coming. God is a god who flips things around to remake them.
Isaiah even points at it with a word play. Verse 3: a crown (phe-er) instead of ashes (epher, ). Ashes were the
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Denomination:
Presbyterian/Reformed
Contributed by Randall Bergsma on Dec 19, 2006
I think that one of the reasons It’s A Wonderful Life has been a Christmas classic film is because it captures a characteristic of the Christ of Christmas even if unwittingly so. The story is all about fresh starts and second chances. Reflect with me if you’ve seen the film:
When they were just
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Denomination:
Presbyterian/Reformed
Contributed by Gaither Bailey on Dec 8, 2006
based on 1 rating
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Michaelangelo Buonoarti was one of the world’s most talented sculptor. Many have enjoyed his work in pictures or photos. Others of us have seen the real thing. There is a set of 4 sculptures Michaelangelo done around 1453 that some claim were never finished. The were commissioned for the tomb
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Denomination:
Presbyterian/Reformed
God thought about my future before I even had a present!
Let me explain. I know that some of you are already saving money for sending your kids to future education. And you don’t even have kids yet! You are pre-planning! That’s awesome. That’s the love of a parent, getting ready to give that
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Denomination:
Presbyterian/Reformed
In the movie "It’s A Wonderful Life", George shares with Mary all his wishes and plans. After throwing a rock at the old house he explains how he knows what he will do today, tomorrow, and the next day. How he’s going to see the world, and go to college, and build things.
You can tell that
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Denomination:
Presbyterian/Reformed
Contributed by Vic Folkert on Dec 1, 2006
In Spain in the 11th century, the following hymn, Adon Olam [Lord of the World], was sung in Jewish synagogues:
Lord of the world-he reigned alone
While yet the universe was naught,
When by his will all things were wrought,
Then first his sovereign Name was known.
And, when the all shall cease to
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Denomination:
Presbyterian/Reformed
Contributed by Vic Folkert on Dec 1, 2006
To know your spouse, you need to know all you can about their history: their life before they met you. It’s the same with God: We want to know all we can about his history of
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Denomination:
Presbyterian/Reformed
It is said that if you want to know what is important to a person, take a look at his or her checkbook (or spending habits, if you don’t have a check book). Money marks the importance of a particular thing to us. The New Testament reflects this, particularly in the teaching of Paul. He intimates
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Denomination:
Presbyterian/Reformed
We all know the story of the Little Drummer Boy. I love the line in that carol that goes “…I played my best for him, Berump, pah, pah, pum Berump, pah, pah, pumBerump, pah, pah, pum Me and my drum.” I remember that as a child, I used to envision the little drummer boy, face pinched in
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Denomination:
Presbyterian/Reformed