Tag: Paul

A Vantage Position

March 6, 2015

Devotionals

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For the past few months, in the middle of a career search, I have been working as a substitute teacher for several local Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) programs. These programs are all located within local schools in the area. Many of them have classrooms that are carved out of vacant classrooms in the school building. School districts that have deaf children who live within their districts will usually send the kids to the appropriate program. These programs are usually outside of the child’s home school district, so some of these kids will ride on buses for trips up to 30 minutes to reach a school where many of their peers don’t live by them.  → Read more...

Mortification

January 30, 2014

Calvary

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I hope you have been enjoying Pastor Ron’s CENTERED sermon series for the past few Sundays. I know I have been challenged by the truth he has been sharing from the book of Colossians. There is one truth that I have been especially grappling with these past few days, and it’s from Colossians 3:5, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” In his discussion of this passage, he called this process mortification, which is defined as “practicing ascetic discipline or self-denial of the body and its appetites.”  → Read more...

The Called

February 7, 2013

Calvary

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God calls people. That much the Bible makes very clear. He called Noah to make an ark. He called Abraham out of his home and sent him on a journey to create an entire nation of people that would bless the entire world. He called Moses to lead this nation out of their slavery and subjugation by Egypt. He called Joshua to lead the same nation into their inherited land. I could go on through the entire Bible, pointing out more people but I think you get my point: God calls people to do amazing, crazy and wonderful things, all in His name.  → Read more...

I, State Your Name

November 19, 2009

Calvary

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Imagine this: You get pulled over by the police. As soon as the officer arrives at your door, you suddenly realize you don’t have your wallet with you. You have no way of identifying yourself. As your heart sinks, you realize it doesn’t matter how well you know yourself and how certain you are who you say you are, the police officer can’t and won’t ascertain your identity by your verbal claims of who you are.  → Read more...

On the Road to Damascus

February 5, 2009

Calvary

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Imagine you were walking on a road. It’s a beautiful day outside, the temperature just perfect. The wind gently buffets you, bringing with it scents of nature and of the world around you. The sun is high in the sky–it’s almost noon, after all. It is a good day for walking, so you stride confidently on the road. Then all of a sudden, a blinding light shoots down from the sky, and along with it, a voice that demands to know what you’re doing.  → Read more...

Grace & Peace to You

January 10, 2008

Calvary

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Last weekend, my wife and I were up in Grand Rapids, Michigan for a funeral for a family cousin of hers. When we were there, we had the opportunity to join some friends in attending Mars Hill for their Sunday service. Mars Hill, if you’re not aware, is the church where Rob Bell preaches. Rob Bell is mostly known for his book Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith (you can read it in its entirety in the link I just pasted) and the short-film series NOOMA.  → Read more...

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