Encouragements

Posts in Reflection
Hope in Brokenness

These are all imprints of the sin-cursed creation. If we allow it, this dark truth will consume our thoughts and minds. But we as those who are born again (John 3), those who are the Bride of Christ, have been created to think differently about this reality. We have been called to walk and proclaim hope in the brokenness. 

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Refuge of Light

This contrast between light and darkness is a reality for followers of Christ. We know it well…Darkness is the world that we once walked (Isaiah 9). Because of the darkness in the world, the Father sent his son Jesus to be the light of the world (John 1). Light is a picture of the salvation the Lord Jesus accomplished in His death and resurrection (John 8:12). Light is also a picture of the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God (Psalm 119:105). Continually, we are reminded of the home found in the light and our pursuit and proclamation of it. 

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Knit Together

How can this be? How can two groups of people with very different ancestral backgrounds have a love for one another? The answer is simple yet heartfelt. The love and peace of their community were only possible because of the unifying work of Christ in His life, death, and resurrection. When we are born again (regenerated), we become a new creation in Christ (1 Cor. 5:17). This new work doesn’t just describe a transformation on an individual basis. It describes a renewed community in one body, the Church (Eph. 3:6). In Christ, both Jew and Gentile, become one in Christ. We are knit together in the love of Christ. We are united!

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Prayer: Love in Action

It begins with prayer.  As we commit to pray for one another, our actions will follow.  We will start inviting others into our homes and reaching out to friends who attend different churches to ask how we can pray for them.  We will find ourselves wanting to send a note of encouragement to a pastor of a Calvary church that we have never met.  We will end up on our knees, praying for churches around the world that we may never see on this side of eternity.  We will become a church that is known for its love.

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Unforgiveness

“Unforgiveness will destroy everything it touches. It does long-lasting damage to our relationships and our health. It begins to shape our worldview as we bury it deeper and deeper. Unforgiveness is deception to us because it is so easily justified. This is what makes it so damaging. It affects the way we love and the way we trust. If left ignored, it will also impact our love for the church and His people. It will affect our prayer life and our communion with the Lord Jesus. It is sin.  Plain and simple.  It is a sin that will slowly erode you over time. “

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Set Apart

The answer to these questions is simple, yet challenging. The reason the ways of the world enamor us is because of the ease of the path. We have been deceived into believing that we know what is best for our lives. In this deception, the world consumes us. John Piper writes, “If you love the world, it will pass away and take you with it.” This consumption is one of a slow fade from truth. Slowly we buy into the lies of the enemy. Gradually we compromise truth to pursue our best life. Leisurely we justify our lives in the fractured shadow of our pursuit of happiness.

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This is the Way

This path of righteousness is a worthy journey. It will require the Lord’s providential hand to go before us and guide us on the path, but, it also requires our discipline and delight in the Word of God. The Word of God is the foundational source in which we learn to walk, live, and love as Jesus. It is how we know our Lord. It is how we recognize the attacks from the enemy. It is the way we yield fruit. It is the truth in which we are sanctified. Delight in it!

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Sweet Surrender

“What if, instead of our goals being about ourselves, they were focused on serving the Lord?  What if our goals were to grow closer to Him, spend more time in His word, and develop a consistent time of prayer each day? What if we did make goals for exercising and eating healthier, but at the heart of those goals is a desire to have more energy to serve others? What if our goals for organizing our home and creating better systems were not just for ourselves but to make it easier to invite church members over to share a meal and build relationships?  How can we serve Him daily in 2024? “

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