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Christian Doubt? What to Do, Part II
The author explains that experiencing doubt about faith is common, even among biblical figures. The core message is that God’s love is profound and unchanging, as illustrated in Zephaniah 3:17, where God is depicted as rejoicing over his people with singing. Accepting this love helps overcome spiritual doubts.
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Christian Doubt? What to Do, Part I
In the throes of doubt, even the devout like John the Baptist and Jesus' disciples experienced uncertainty. Emphasizing that such doubts are commonplace among believers, the narrator offers reassurance that feeling this way is not unusual—even those closest to Jesus doubted. Consequently, he suggests looking to Jesus' reactions of grace and a promised continuous presence as a reminder to persevere in faith amidst skepticism. The author teases a forthcoming part that will address sustaining faith in challenging times.
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The Books You Read and the People You Meet?
A man recalls how meeting Charlie "Tremendous" Jones and a surprise gift of books altered his life, sparking a journey into publishing and spiritual growth. Skeptical at first, he later embraced the lesson that personal transformation hinges on the books we read and our relationships, particularly with Jesus Christ, whose indwelling power fosters profound change. Charlie's aphorism framed the man's path of continued spiritual formation, underscoring the transformative encounter with the divine through scriptural engagement.
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Superhero Gets 4-Star Review!
John M. Murray reviews Stephen K. Moore's self-help book "Superhero," which uses a plane's near-crash allegory to advise on mental health and personal betterment. Blending faith with science, it offers steps for self-improvement and social cohesion, tackling diverse issues. Though Christianity-based, it's inclusive to all faiths and ends with a practical workbook.
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White, Wheat, or Jesus?
So, these folks get fed by Jesus one afternoon with food miraculously expanded by our Savior. He took the meal of a young boy and fed more than 5,000 people. Some of these people evidently didn’t get it. There was a big message in what Jesus did–and they totally missed the point. The very next day (This story is found in John 6:22 and following) some of these folks showed up again seeking Jesus. Well, not really, they were seeking food. These hungry folks even use Scripture to try to manipulate Jesus into performing yet another miracle to fill their bellies. He does not fall for it, but rather ends…
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The God Who Speaks to the Lost (And Found), Part I
Just finished up a week on the Big Island of Hawai’i. It was rough duty. Discovered something though. Our wild and amazing God was up to his usual predictably unpredictable ways-especially back in the day when the famed King Kamehameha and his son were in power. This story is faith-building and inspiring-and for someone who grew up in a heavily cessationists church environment. If you are not familiar with this concept, let me just say that I was strongly trained when I was very young that once the Bible was fully inspired and pulled together-God stopped talking to people. Or more accurately-God stopped talking other than through Scripture. In the…
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The Search for Perfect Church
Church-hopping or even becoming a “non-attender” has become common. I hear many who do this defending their decision by criticizing the imperfections of the church or churches they have tried out. Perhaps the worship is too dull and unenthusiastic. Or it is too spirited and alarming. Are there hypocrites, cliques, or politics going on? What about sexual sin? We find a lot of reasons to be critical of church—and there is perhaps an unexamined assumption in our quest for what we might term the “perfect church.” Let’s see what the Word has to say about all of that. Worst. Church. Ever. The church at Corinth was located in the epicenter…
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Rejoice Always, Really?
So the Apostle Paul is problematic. He says things like “Pray without ceasing” and “give thanks in all circumstances.” (I Thes. 5:17) As I said in an earlier article about the “pray without ceasing” admonishment from the same text—this one is a bit difficult. Okay, it’s a whole lot difficult. Life gets really tough—there is sorrow, suffering, loss, anxiety, and loads of stress for just about everyone. It seems in certain seasons of life all of these just mount up all at once and life gets grueling. Paul tells us to “rejoice always?” Really? God Wants You to Be Happy? I’ve heard a lot of folks say (especially doing the…
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Pray Without Ceasing? Really?
So. yeah, the Bible says to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). For the longest time I thought that was sort of metaphorical. What Paul the Apostle really meant was “pray regularly” or “pray a lot.” Not any more. Paul was on to something vital to our spiritual formation—something profound and…beautiful. We can and should “pray without ceasing,” but the reason why I thought is was metaphorical is because of some basic misunderstandings about some really important realities. The Nervous Pray-er I learned what I initially learned about prayer mainly from watching men at church lead public prayer. Way back in the 90s’ I had a group of young friends…
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The Need for a Spiritual Reset, Part II
In Part I, we discussed how sometimes when things aren’t going well in just about any area of life, we could benefit from a reset. This is especially true in spiritual matters. While many have identified problems amongst the people of God, the suggested solutions are often unbiblical and not helpful in advancing the kingdom of God. I left our discussion last time with a tease about what the Spirit informed me when I was asked to preach on the topic of “Does the Church Need to Change?” His answer was, “Yes.” What needed to change? What did the guy who taught others how to initiate and sustain conversations, to…
