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Grace for Glory
Read: Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand,” (Isaiah 41:10). This is God’s promise to His chosen ones, Israel. But could this promise be for us as well,…
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Present Glimpses of the Glorious Hope
Read: 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 Here’s a question: can we, right now, right here in this world, in this life, in these fragile bodies of ours, can we even now identify with the victory that Christ attained through His resurrection? Or is this glorification something that is only for the future, particularly during the rapture or…
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The Perspective Changing Power of the Resurrection
Read: Philippians 3:7-11 It’s forty degrees below freezing point, but with the wind chill factor, it feels a lot colder. The fingertips of the guitarist are numb, and the snow makes it harder to walk for everyone. But the night is not getting any younger and the people are getting ready for bed. The team…
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Perish to Proliferate
Read: John 12:23-35 One of my chores as a child was to watch over large thin spreads of rice grains as they dry on the side of the street or plaza. After harvest, the grains need to be completely moisture free before being put away for either consumption or for next season’s seedlings. The sweltering…
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Fools With And For Christ
Read: 1 Corinthians 1:18-30 No one wants to be called, or even thought of as a fool. I think to make it hit harder, let me use the word idiot, forgive my language. No one wants to be called, or even perceived as stupid. To be made fun of or to be condescended upon is…
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Freedom Isn’t Free
Read: John 8:31-36 I grew up on the eastern foothills of Mount Tirad, a 1,154 meter high mountain near the city of Candon, Ilocos Sur, Philippines. The mountain is significant to Philippine history because it was the site of the 1899 Battle of Tirad Pass, where a Philippine hero, the young General Gregorio del Pilar,…
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The Death That Did Away With Death
Read: 1 Peter 3:18 As a child I had, thanatophobia, an extreme fear of death, probably due to the trauma of my father’s passing when I was five. Anything connected to death absolutely terrified me – cemeteries, crosses, coffins, and even the colors white and purple, because those were the colors of crepe papers people…
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The Rewards of Righteous Suffering
Read: Revelation 22:10-13 Parents have an effective trick up their sleeves to get their children to do something, which, by the way, could be quite a challenge. This is the age-old giving of rewards. And it almost always works. Rewards are effective incentives to get people to do something, even if it means that they…
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Mining the Meaning
Read: Romans 8:28-39 There is nothing more powerful than a period of great suffering that incites reflection and contemplation. C.S. Lewis said, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains.” In our suffering, we need to lean in, listen closely, and learn what lesson might be gained…
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Been There But Never Done That
Read: Hebrews 4:14-16 Waking up for school, doing chores, completing homework, and getting off the screen are common points of contention in many households, including mine. Pastors’ families are truly just like any other family. And pastor parents are just like any other parent. We also get upset and frustrated when our kids act up…
