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Finish the Thing

The nails didn’t kill Jesus. Let me explain. It typically took victims of crucifixion anywhere from one to four days to die—even up to a week. But Jesus expired after just six hours—most unusual. To compare, the two crucified thieves were not even close to death after just six hours. For their deaths to be expedited in honor of the Sabbath, the soldiers had to break their legs. The centurion in charge of Jesus’ crucifixion was surprised at His early expiration. He listened to all seven of Jesus’ sayings on the cross, but His final saying especially caught him. He heard Jesus … READ MORE...

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The Power of Perspective

My friend Juliet Canha says that perspective is everything, and I find support for that idea in a certain story in the Bible. Moses sent twelve spies to search out the land of Canaan and then bring … READ MORE...

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Secrets of a Fruitful heart

The parable of the sower is Jesus’ most commanding parable. It towers above all the parables because it reveals, in a visually graphic way, how to be a disciple of Jesus. Three images in the … READ MORE...

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The Moon: Faithful Witness

When God placed the moon in our sky, He was sending a message. He was making a visual statement to everyone on our planet about His goodness and faithfulness. Psalm 89:37 calls the moon “the faithful witness in the sky.” It witnesses to God’s faithfulness. … READ MORE...

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When All You Can See is a Tomb

On the night of His betrayal—just hours before He would be crucified—Jesus endeavored to prepare His disciples for His excruciating death. He knew what was coming but they didn’t. To help them process what they were about to witness, Jesus used a … READ MORE...

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Tempted With Anxiety?

We’re in a global pandemic of anxiety right now. Between coronavirus, the war in Ukraine, and the economy, the whole world is trembling. Millions are anxious about their health, or finances, or relationships, or job, or world peace. What should Christians … READ MORE...

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There Are Two Sides to the Cross

I had unanswered questions about the cross until I came to see that there are two sides to the cross. Let me explain. I was schooled in what theologians sometimes call “the substitutionary atonement of the cross.” This doctrine points to the fact that Jesus … READ MORE...

The Word For 2022

The Lord gave me a word for 2022, and let me begin this post by sharing how I received this word from Him. I usually set aside a season of fasting and prayer right around the beginning of each New Year, to set my heart for the coming year. This year it … READ MORE...

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Let’s Come Together!

In our current season in which social distancing is practiced to some degree in some churches, I’ve been reminded about how intensely social and interactive the early church’s gatherings were. Their meetings involved activities that brought people closely … READ MORE...