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December 24 |
Pondering the Imponderable
Text:
“Mary kept all of these things to herself, holding them dear,
deep within herself.”
(Luke 2:19, The Message) |
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December 19 |
Christmas Blessings Bestowed Upon...
Shepherds: The Blessing of Unrestrained Joy
Text:
“The shepherds returned and let loose, glorifying and praising
God for everything they had heard and seen.”
(Luke 2:20, The Message) |
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December 5 |
Christmas Blessings Bestowed Upon...
Mary: The Blessing of Complete Trust
Text:
“Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it
be with me according to your word.’”
(Luke 1:38) |
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November 21 |
Gratitude Beats All
Text:
“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which you
were indeed called in the one body. And be thankful.”
(Colossians 3:15) |
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November 14 |
Blessed be the Tithes
Text:
“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse… and thus put me to
the test, says the Lord of hosts: see if I will not open the
windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing
blessing.”
(Malachi 3:10) |
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November 7 |
A Passion for the Possible
Text: “[God} by the power at work within us is able
to accomplish abundantly far more than we can ask or
imagine…”
(Ephesians 3:20) |
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October 31 |
Questions you may have asked; #8: Should my faith guide my
vote?
Text: “[Jesus] said to them, ‘Why are you putting me
to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me see it.’ And they
brought one. Then he said to them, ‘Whose head is this, and
whose title?’ They answered, ‘The emperor’s.’ Jesus said to
them, ‘Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s,
and to God the things that are God’s.’ And they were utterly
amazed at him.”
(Mark 12:15-17) |
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October 24 |
Questions you may have asked; #7:
In what sense was Jesus divine?
Text: “Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you all
this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has
seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the
Father?” The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own;
but the Father who dwells in me does his works.’”
(John 14:9-10) |
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October 17 |
Questions you may have asked; #6:
Does God really intend life as joy?
Text:
“I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you,
and that your joy may be complete.”
(John 15:11) |
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October 3 |
Questions you may have asked; #5:
Why Should I Receive Communion?
Text: “For I received from the Lord what I also
handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when He was
betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when He had given thanks,
He broke it and said, ‘This is my body that is for you. Do
this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way he took the cup
also, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in
my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of
me.’”
(I Corinthians 11:23-25) |
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September
26 |
Questions you may have asked; #4:
Did that water really become wine?
Text: “When the servant tasted the water that had
become wine, and did not know where it came from… [The]
steward called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone
serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after
the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine
until now.’”
(John 2:9-10) |
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September
19 |
Questions you may have asked; #3: What is this "New Birth" all
about?
Text: “Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can anyone be born
after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the
mother’s womb and be born?’”
(John 3:4) |
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September
12 |
Questions you may have asked; #2: Is there a connection
between faith and healing?
Text:
“They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases;
and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured.
And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came
out from him and healed all of them.”
(Luke 6:18-19) |
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September 5 |
Questions you may have asked; #1: Does anyone really know what
time it is?
Text: “But about that day and hour no one knows,
neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the
Father.”
(Matthew 24:36) |
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August 8 |
Tales of the Sea; #4:
A Fishing Expedition
Text: “When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon,
‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a
catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we have worked all night long
but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down
the nets.’ When they had done this, they caught so many fish
that their nets were beginning to break.”
(Luke 5:4-6) |
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August 1 |
Tales of the Sea; #3:
Hard Water |
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Text:
“Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come
to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the
boat, started walking on the water, and came toward
Jesus.”
(Matthew 14:28-29) |
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July 25 |
Tales of the Sea: #2:
Extraordinary Calm |
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Text: “He
woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be
still!’ Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead
calm.”
(Mark 4:39) |
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July 11 |
Tales of the Sea; #1: The First and the Final Call |
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Text: “As
Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his
brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were
fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make
you fish for people.’ And immediately they left their nets and
followed him.”
(Mark 1:16-18) |
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July 4 |
Are We One Nation Under God? |
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Text:
“Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord…”
(Psalm 33:12) |
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June 6 |
The Unchanging Call |
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Text:
“Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you
were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many
were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the
world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world
to shame the strong…”
(I Corinthians 26-27) |
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May 23 |
Why
I Remain a United Methodist |
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Text:
“Jesus said, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the
kingdom of God without being born of water and spirit.’”
(John 3:5) |
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May 16 |
A Future and a Hope |
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Text:
: “Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were
appointed to go up to Jerusalem to discuss this question with
apostles and the elders. So they were sent on their way by the
church…”
(Acts 15:2-3) |
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May 9 |
Water Washed, Spirit Born |
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Text:
“Jesus said, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the
kingdom of God without being born of water and spirit.’”
(John 3:5) |
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April 25 |
Holy Conferencing |
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Text:
: “Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were
appointed to go up to Jerusalem to discuss this question with
apostles and the elders. So they were sent on their way by the
church…”
(Acts 15:2-3) |
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April 11 |
Taking Time To Remember. 5: Our Living
Hope |
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Text:
: “’Remember how he told you, while he was still in
Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners,
and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’ Then they
remembered his words…”
(Luke 24:6-8) |
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April 4 |
Taking Time To Remember. 4: The Power of
Forgiveness |
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Text:
:"Do not remember the sins of my youth or my
transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me,
for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!”
(Psalm 25:7) |
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March 21 |
Taking Time To Remember. 3: The Great
Tradition |
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Text:
: “I will call to mind the deeds of the Lord; I will remember
your wonders of old. I will meditate on all your work, and
muse on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy. What god
is so great as our God?”
(Psalm 77:11-13) |
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March 14 |
Taking Time To Remember. 2: The Rules of
Engagement |
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Text:
“Remember the teaching of my servant Moses, the statutes and
ordinances that I commanded him at Horeb for all
Israel.”
(Malachi 4:4) |
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March 7 |
Taking Time To Remember
1. ...The Power of Worship |
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Text:
“These things I remember, as I pour out my soul; how I went
with the throng, and led them in procession to the house of
God, with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving, a multitude
keeping festival.”
(Psalm 42:4) |
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February 29 |
Music Alone Shall Live |
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Text: “How
lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts… Happy are
those who live in Your house, ever singing Your
praise.”
(Psalm 104:1, 4) |
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February 1 |
Heirloom Seeds |
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Text: “They
are like trees planted by streams of water which yield their
fruit in its season, and their leaves do not
wither.”
(Psalm 1:3) |
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January 4 |
Will
You Make God Smile in '04? |
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Text:
“Jesus said to them, ‘The light is with you for a little
longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness
may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not
know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in
the light, so that you may become children of light.’”
John
12:35-36) |
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