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God Speaks

And Samuel said [to the Lord], “Speak, for your servant hears.”  (I Sam 3:10) I want to hear from you, Lord.  I don’t want a life in which you are far off.  I want your presence, your voice, your direction, your will for my life.  God still speaks. Some people want to deny the voice of God today, but He speaks nonetheless.  He has spoken to me concerning my career, education, wife, children, faith, parents, and friends.  He has given me direction concerning my entertainment and health, concerning how to spend my time and His money.  He has spoken to…

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Fishing and Writing

At the end of the book of John, Jesus’ disciples are back in Galilee, and Simon Peter decides to go fishing.  A cohort of others joins him, including John, the son of Zebedee.  While they are still on the water, after catching nothing all night, Jesus shows up on the shore and calls to them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat.  They do so and wind up catching so many fish that they can’t pull the net into the boat. After everyone gets to the shore, Jesus has a fire going with fish and bread…

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On Denying Self

If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and come follow me. (Luke 9:23) Christian maturity comes through Christ.  When Jesus gets inside you, He changes you to be more like Him.  He went to the Cross.  When He gets inside you, He will take you to the Cross too. He will call you to deny yourself.  He will ask you to die.  And you won’t like it.  And because you won’t like it, you will fight it.  Blessed is the one who yields his life when it is hard. But when you…

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Suffering and Growing

“Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.” (Heb 5:8) Father, I don’t want suffering.  But I do want more of You.  And if suffering helps me know You better, bring what is necessary to bring me near to You. Jesus learned obedience through what He suffered.  When we look at that Scripture, we often focus on the question of how the eternal Son of God needed to learn anything, but that question doesn’t trouble me.  The eternal Son of God became a man; and as a man, He had to learn all sorts of things. …

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The Kingdom and Suffering

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (II Tim 3:12) Jesus, thank you that you have gone through suffering we will never understand and promise to be with us always in the midst of ours.  Hallelujah! Leanne and I had dinner with another couple a few days ago, and we got to talking about the church in America.  The wife of the other couple made the observation that the American church is full of Christians who have stagnated in their spiritual growth.  They go to church.  They read their Bible.  They may…

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