One of the things all the gurus of preaching say is a necessary trait for successful preaching is to be vulnerable, transparent – to show the people you’re preaching to that you share their struggles. Allow me to be transparent for a moment.
There is a good reason why this passage has become
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I remember during the first war against Iraq a number of books hit the shelves tying the events of the war to the prophecies of the Bible. Imminent theologians staked their reputations on works tying the Middle East conflict of 1991 to the beginning of the end. According to their complex
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Contributed by Vernon Murray on Mar 12, 2004
based on 4 ratings
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In Psalm 91:4, the poet describes the protection of God “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your SHIELD and rampart.” The truth of the promise contained in this verse was dramatically illustrated to me when God became a shield on
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Contributed by Vernon Murray on Mar 11, 2004
based on 9 ratings
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Some time back, my father-in-law told me of an experience he had in the wilderness of West Virginia. He was strolling through a field when he heard the joyous chirping of a robin. He enjoyed its melodious praise for a while before his eyes caught sight of the bird. It was perched high in a wild
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Contributed by Vernon Murray on Mar 4, 2004
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Another great man, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, said, “It is hard to lead, when you look over your shoulder and there isn’t anyone there.” Well, that is what happens to Jesus. He comes to his own home town, and he looks over his shoulder and there isn’t anyone there. Well, that isn’t exactly
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Contributed by Vernon Murray on Mar 4, 2004
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The Presbytery was engaged in a major debate over the approval of the budget. Those on one side said we ought to cut the budget because the funds were not available. The other side argued that we ought to solicit more funds from the people so the budget would not have to be cut. It seemed to me
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Contributed by Vernon Murray on Mar 4, 2004
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Starting in 1817 in England, Mr. Edward Elwell turned a gun factory into a tool factory. His tools were made of the best iron and forged in one of the finest foundries of its time. His tools were made strong and they were made to last. So confident that these tools
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Some of you will know the name of J.B. Phillips, an Anglican bishop who wrote a number of books. One of his most popular books was a paraphrase of the New Testament. One of his other books was entitled Your God Is Too Small. In that book, Phillips exposed the views of God that we all hold to
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I want to show you something. When John talks about brazen sin, perpetrated by obvious sinners, he doesn’t use the image of darkness. When he wants to show us bold-faced sinners, he uses a different image. In fact, he does it in the very next chapter, chapter 4, where he introduces us to the
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Some years ago, Richard Foster wrote a book in which he described what he thought were the three most likely forces at work in the lives of modern Americans. His list? Money, sex, and power. And, you know, it’s possible. These things may very well be the base metals we use for forging a belief
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We need not fear acknowledging the darkness within us. If you have read Dante’s Divine Comedy, you will remember that Dante described himself as being lost in the dark woods. After a while, he looked up and saw Paradise brilliantly crowning the crest of a nearby mountain. As you and I might have
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based on 3 ratings
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When I was a student at McCormick Seminary in Chicago, I took Carl Dudley’s course on culture. One day in class, he raised the issue of where people sit in church. It is so easy for us, when we’re young, to criticize those who, in our minds, get too possessive about the seat on which they stake
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Can you recall a time when you were close to God? So close, I mean, you could swear you heard the rustle of angels’ wings? Maybe there was an expansive feeling within, perhaps a tear at the corner of your eye?
I recall such a time. Believe it or not, I was in church. I was a student at Austin
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. The New York Times reported, “one sagging electrical line near Cleveland, Ohio, connected with a tree branch at 3:32 p.m. on August 14, 2003, beginning a chain of events which led to the largest blackout in American history.” And there were those who though it might be terrorism.
The paper
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Contributed by Tom Mccrossan on Feb 11, 2004
based on 44 ratings
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Martin Luther once spent three days in a black depression over something that had gone wrong. On the third day his wife came downstairs dressed in mourning clothes.
"Who’s dead?" he asked her.
"God," she replied.
Luther rebuked her, saying, "What do you mean, God is
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Contributed by Tom Mccrossan on Jan 22, 2004
based on 4 ratings
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Becky Pippert used to be the evangelism specialist for InterVarsity. One time she told a story that helped us really understand God’s grace in the light of the Sixth Commandment. She led a girl to Christ. After this girl became a Christian, she began to agonize, feel tremendous guilt about the fact
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Contributed by Tom Mccrossan on Jan 22, 2004
based on 7 ratings
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Dr. A. T. Pierson says that there has never been a revival in any country or locality that did not begin with united prayer. I have already described the First Great Awakening and how God responded to prayer. Let me now give you some more examples. By the middle of the 19th Century the country was
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Contributed by Tom Mccrossan on Jan 21, 2004
based on 17 ratings
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Dr. Frederic Loomis faced the most difficult decision a physician could ever make--whether to allow a deformed baby to live or die. He had only seconds to decide. Dr. Loomis had delivered hundreds of babies, but this one was different. The infant lay in a breech position, promising at best a
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