Tag

choice

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Out from the Bunker

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When something bad happens to other people, I’ve noticed an internal knee-jerk reaction: I try to assure myself that what’s happening to them can’t happen to me. He’s older and eats worse than I do. My marriage is stronger than that. My kids know not to talk to strangers. There aren’t volcanoes/sharks/warlords/super villains in my neighborhood. Whatever the thought (and notice, some may in fact...

Collision

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We’re not too comfortable, it seems, with being real—particularly about the most painful, or sinful, or out-of-control parts of our lives. What if we were?

Spark

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The internal struggle against sin is itself reason to hope. It’s evidence of the Master’s work in your heart, a spark of goodness within that wants to grow. But for many who struggle, however hard they try, the spark of good remains just a spark, seemingly ineffective amidst the familiar dark waters of temptation. Can you relate? You want to stop yelling at your kids, but you lost your temper...

How to Keep Relief from Ruining You

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We live in a culture addicted to relief. Whether aspirin, TV, workaholism, gossip, food, or porn, we run to relief at every turn. Why not? If we can experience relief now, why would we not take it?   Because it’s ruining us. Why? Because individually and collectively we’ve elevated relief over restoration. Relief is a lessening or removal of suffering. Restoration is when something is brought...

Jesus Isn’t Scared

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Anxiety is a breeding ground for sin. So when an area of sin in your life or in a loved one’s creates anxiety in you, it doesn’t help. In fact, it can make things worse. Have you experienced this? In stark and beautiful contrast, Jesus is not anxious: He talks alone with a scandalously sinful woman as though she were his next-door neighbor (John 4:5 – 26). He invites himself to lunch at a corrupt...

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