Tag: purpose
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The Congregation in View: Reflecting on 1 Timothy 3 for Transitional Churches
We tend to stop after we read the qualifications for pastors and deacons. We stop directly after reading the qualifications because we are reading with the intent to judge others. Doubtless we want pastors and deacons whose character is reflected in 1 Timothy 3. We want pastors and deacons who sincerely love the congregation, are…
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The Law Given for Our Good- Exodus 20:22-26
God acknowledges that the people were able to see His manifestations and know that God is the one giving the commands. Moses is not manipulating them. God repeats His command for the people not to make idols and worship them. He even gives some interesting instruction concerning an altar for sacrifices. It is not to…
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The Insufficiency of the Law- Exodus 20:18-21
All the people perceive the signs of God, see the manifestation of God, from the bottom of the mountain—including the trumpet sounds. They are afraid. Surely to see any manifestation of the holy, almighty God is terrifying. Because they are afraid, they ask Moses to speak to them. They feel if God speaks to them,…
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Honor Your Mother and Father- Exodus 20:12
God instructs the Israelites to honor their fathers and mothers. This command does not always mean that parents must be agreed with or obeyed if what they are asking is immoral. It does mean they are to be heavy on the minds of their children, respected by them. Children are not to be entitled brats…
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The Sabbath Is For Man- Exodus 20:8-11
God instructs Israel to honor the Sabbath day by keeping it holy—setting it apart. The seventh day, Saturday, was to be a day of rest from labor. Toil was to be done in six days. On Saturday, the people were not to work themselves, anyone, or anything else. They were to rest. God rested on…
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Bad Religion
I remember being in high school. Believe it or not, high schoolers really are looking for meaning and trying to figure out what they believe, especially regarding who God is. I remember this one girl walking up to me before youth service one day, and saying, “God wanted me to tell you that you are…
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God’s Purpose or Ours?
Over the past two weeks, we have seen a common theme come up. Evangelism is necessary for those who wish to live as God’s image. This idea speaks boldly about the state of many churches in the modern world. Conflict is prominent in too many congregations. Churches are split. People cannot get over their disagreements.…
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Purpose and Righteousness in a Sinful World
After Adam and Eve rebelled against God because of their own self-interest, they had two sons. Because of jealousy (also self-interest), one son murdered the other. People multiplied on the earth. God saw that people had become evil. In fact, In Genesis 6:5, we read that God saw that every inclination in the heart of…
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People: set apart to be the holy image of God
There is an old lawn mower sitting in my garage that is unusable. When the grass begins to grow this summer, I am going to need a mower and the one I do have needs to be fixed. A useless lawn mower does not serve much of a purpose. In fact, a paperweight has…
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Desire and Purpose
C.S. Lewis once argued that “Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists.”[1] Peter Kreeft formatted the argument thusly:[2] Every natural or innate desire we experience has a corresponding real object that can satisfy the desire. We experience an innate desire which nothing in this world can satisfy. Therefore, there…