Contributed by Mark Eberly on Oct 29, 2007
based on 1 rating
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But loving is hard. The way is narrow. Not many really love the way Jesus does. Even in churches. We are more consumers than lovers. We are more takers than givers. I’ve poured into people and given and given as I know many of you have. I’ve poured into groups of people in this way. And they keep
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Denomination:
Church Of God
Contributed by Mark Eberly on Oct 29, 2007
It is a narrow way. It is a difficult road. We have to leave much behind: our wants, our needs, our baggage, and our misconceptions. One time when we were first married, Kendra and I planned a trip to Cedar Point. I like to save money so we stayed in a hotel about twenty minutes from the point. It
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Scripture:
Denomination:
Church Of God
Contributed by Mark Eberly on Nov 5, 2007
. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke prophetically calling America to right the wrongs of racial discrimination.
At one point after a defining court victory, Dr. King spoke with the president about enacting legislation to protect the civil rights of people of color. The president sided with Dr. King
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Denomination:
Church Of God
Contributed by Mark Eberly on Nov 5, 2007
God spoke to me recently through a homeless guy I know. This man is a full-blown practicing alcoholic. Does he live out the Shema of Jesus? No. Not even close. But he is pretty intelligent although not very wise (except he does exhibit occasional profound insight). When he is sober and cleaned up,
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Denomination:
Church Of God
Contributed by Mark Eberly on Nov 12, 2007
I want to give you the chance to receive a blessing. I have something for you to taste. It is fruit. You can receive it but do not take it. Hopefully you will find it good. I ask you to worship the Lord in this. Praise God for the goodness of fruit that nourishes us. Praise God for this symbol of
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Denomination:
Church Of God
Contributed by Mark Eberly on Nov 12, 2007
Early in the summer, we’ve gotten burned with corn on the cob. Inevitably some grocery in late May or early June have a huge sale on fresh corn on the cob. For several years we’ve tried it. I look forward to good corn on the cob. Yet, we have always gotten burned with this early corn. It is awful.
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Denomination:
Church Of God
Contributed by Mark Eberly on Nov 19, 2007
Powerful.”
Richard Selzer, MD, writes in his book Mortal Lessons,
I stand by the bed where a young woman lies, her face postoperative, her mouth twisted in palsy, clownish. A tiny twig of the facial nerve, the one to the muscles of her mouth, has been severed. She till be thus from now on. The
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Denomination:
Church Of God
Contributed by Mark Eberly on Nov 19, 2007
Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “He who is alone with his sins is utterly alone.” In fact he goes on to say, “The pious fellowship permits no one to be a sinner. So everyone must conceal his sin from himself and from their fellowship. We dare not be sinners. Many Christians are unthinkably horrified when
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Denomination:
Church Of God
Contributed by Mark Eberly on Nov 19, 2007
Brennan Manning urges us toward creative listening imagining God’s words to us as such (I invite you to close your eyes and imagine Jesus speaking these words to you now): “Has it crossed your mind that I am proud you accepted the gift of faith I offered you? Proud that you freely chose Me, after I
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Denomination:
Church Of God
Contributed by Mark Eberly on Nov 26, 2007
based on 4 ratings
| 1,951 views
When Jesus said these words later in Matthew (11:28-30), we see grace, “All you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” The
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Denomination:
Church Of God
Contributed by Mark Eberly on Dec 3, 2007
based on 1 rating
| 4,173 views
Advent is about the coming of Christ. Coming in to your life so you can begin again and again. In order to symbolize as an act of worship, I want you to take the beach glass that you received early. Feel it. Feel it’s hardness. Feel it’s roughness. Let this be a symbol of your past. Your sins. Your
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Denomination:
Church Of God
Contributed by Mark Eberly on Dec 3, 2007
Anne Lamont was addicted to coke and alcohol, involved in a messy affair that produced a child whom she had just aborted, and she watched her best friend die of cancer. Sometimes Anne would visit a small church nearby sitting in the back listening to the singing but always leaving before the
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Denomination:
Church Of God
Contributed by Mark Eberly on Dec 10, 2007
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| 785 views
Walking by a pet store to school, a young boy had stopped to stare at four black puppies that were playing together. He pleaded with his mom later that day to let him have one. “I’ll take care of it. I promise. I will even use the money from my allowance that I’ve saved to buy it.”
The mother
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Denomination:
Church Of God
Contributed by Mark Eberly on Dec 10, 2007
Eugene Peterson said, “When we sin and mess up our lives, we find that God doesn’t go off and leave us—he
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Denomination:
Church Of God
Contributed by Mark Eberly on Dec 17, 2007
based on 2 ratings
| 1,594 views
Margaret was in her forties and suffered from bouts of depression and despair resulting mainly from an extremely poor self-image. She just couldn’t see herself as a person of worth. Over the years of her adult life, this image steadily grew worse. Finally reaching out in desperation, she sought the
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Denomination:
Church Of God
Contributed by Mark Eberly on Dec 17, 2007
based on 2 ratings
| 1,323 views
John Stott said, “When the Christian loses himself, he finds himself, he
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Denomination:
Church Of God
Contributed by Mark Eberly on Dec 17, 2007
What God thinks of us is more important than what we think of ourselves or what others think of us.
Repeat that with me. What God thinks of us is more important than what we think of ourselves or what others think of us. Say it again. This might be something you need to repeat to yourself over
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Denomination:
Church Of God
Contributed by Mark Eberly on Dec 24, 2007
based on 5 ratings
| 968 views
John Mackie was the president of the Church of Scotland after WWII. He traveled to a remote parts of the Balkan Peninsula to check on missionaries that they supported. On one trip he was accompanied by two ministers from a severe and pietistic denomination that supported the same
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Denomination:
Church Of God
Contributed by Mark Eberly on Dec 24, 2007
Os Guinness said, “The truth is not that God is finding us a place for our gifts but that God has created us and our gifts for a place of his choosing—and
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Denomination:
Church Of God