#43 – Something Better, 2

ASSEMBLING, EXHORTING Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” (Hebrews ten twenty-five, kjv) Does God’s Word here assume that exhorting is a natural part of assembling? Exhortation* implies active, interpersonal engagement in helping each…

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#42 – Something Better, 1

SOMETHING BETTER – 1Picking up from MISNOMERS #2 on March 5 – – viewing ourselves as “the temple of the living God” totally redefines how we go about being His people. It gives us a wonderful new sense of identity and purpose which altogether reshape our relationship with Him and with others. We function so…

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#41 – Renovation, Part 3

RENOVATION – 3 BUILDINGWe build and expand our deluxe church facilities, often rationalizing that such are needed to win the lost. The fact is, we need them to sustain our religion more than to extend the Gospel. Renovated hearts that are surrendered to the rule of Jesus as we take up our cross daily to…

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#40 – Renovation, Part 2

RENOVATION, Part 2 of 3 BLESSEDAmerica was blessed with unprecedented opportunity when God entrusted boundless resources to us in the context of American freedom and an economic system that fostered their development. They were given to enable us to fulfill the Great Commission but we are consuming them upon ourselves. We measure success in life…

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#39 – Renovation, Part 1

RENOVATION – 1 of 3 We’ll pick up on the MISNOMER theme soon, but first, three on RENOVATION. To renovate, is to tear out the old and replace it with the new. It is typically resisted by those who find security in things as they are but met with enthusiasm by those who envision something…

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#38 – Misnomers – 2

THIS IS BIGSaints, this is Life-altering. The truth that God’s Presence literally moved from a tabernacle or a temple, to being inside of us, changes everything about everything. EVERYthing. Yes, the “Jesus” who walked on this earth – – the Son of God who spoke Truth, healed the sick, raised the dead, and loved us…

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#37 – Misnomers – 1

MISNOMERS – #1 I happened upon Nehemiah ten recently and noticed that “the house of the Lord,” or “the house of our God,” was used nine times there. (nasb) It was a familiar term that got me to thinking. Really now, don’t we often think of our church building as being “God’s house,” or “the…

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#36 – Getting Ready

GETTING READY In case you wondered, God has quieted me for a while. I am to seek Him and invite Him to go deeper into my own soul before I continue posting on social media for others. It was like He bolted the door. It has been a humbling time of heart-searching, reading, learning about…

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#35 – House Churches – 3

HOUSE CHURCHES – 3 I feel compelled to advance the house church concept for three reasons. First, because of observations I shared in the Jan. 24 post “The Time is NOW,” and secondly because it was the model of the early Church. The Church was not an institution as we know it for the first…

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#34 – A Lesson from Africa

A LESSON FROM AFRICA In 1997 I was the manager of a missionary aviation program in Africa, with aircraft also based in a neighboring country where a rebellion was taking place. (Welcome to Africa!) Our missionaries and aircraft were at risk. The rebels were advancing toward our mission base and airstrip, so our people decided…

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