God

Navy SEAL Chad Williams Shares the Encounter That Changed His Life

Bob Woods
2 Oct 2015
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Chad Williams is an evangelist and former U.S. Navy SEAL who has written a book, “SEAL of God,” about the dramatic events that led to his decision to become a SEAL and subsequently to enlist as a soldier in the Army of God. In a recent interview, Chad shared his personal testimony about why he joined the SEAL program and eventually became an evangelist, sharing Christ on the beaches of California, in public high schools and in churches nationwide. Chad will be speaking in West Palm Beach on Thursday, October 22, at the Kravis Center, Cohen Pavilion, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., […]

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When Your Faith is Tested

Jeremy McKeen
3 Sep 2015
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  Suffering and trials are a normal part of life in a fallen world, and it’s during these times that a person’s faith in God will be tested. It’s not a question of if your faith will be tested, but when. So, what should you know and do as you handle these tests of faith? How do you prepare for the difficulties of life before they come so that you can face them with confidence and peace? In the famous story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego facing the fiery furnace, there are at least five lessons that are meant to […]

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When Your Faith is Tested

Nationwide Initiative Draws People Back to Church

Bob Woods
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Back To Church Sunday

  Almost 30,000 churches nationwide as well as over 1,400 churches internationally are participating in a strategic program in September to intentionally draw unchurched and dechurched people in and to help them to make lasting connections in the local church. What is the distinction between unchurched and dechurched people, you may ask? Simply, the unchurched are the ones that have not grown up in a Christian environment, have not been raised in Sunday school, and may have only a superficial understanding of the gospel and how it relates to their life, their relationship with God, and their eternal destiny.  Dechurched […]

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Rescue for the Bitter Heart

Paula Masters
2 Sep 2015
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  Here is the scenario: a person who has been wounded in heart seeks counsel on how to handle bitterness. As an antidote the counselor offers the Scripture Proverbs 10:12: “Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.” The already emotionally weighed down counselee sets out to perform this spiritual directive. But, now he or she is not simply weighed down with bitterness; guilt and pressure to “love” has been added to the load. The result…fake smiles, fake acts of kindness with a heart still blackened with bitterness. Eventually, the counselee explodes both internally and externally. This comes […]

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Bitter Heart

A Light in the Darkness

Chrissie Ferguson
1 Sep 2015
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Austin and Perry

  When news spread that two Tequesta teens – Austin Stephanos and Perry Cohen, 14-year-old friends, did not return from a fishing trip off the Jupiter inlet after a storm on July 24th – a darkness enveloped the hearts of many. Yet in the midst of this darkness, something great was stirring. Almost instantly, a community came together in faith, hope and love, shining a light – the light of Christ – for the world to see.   Many prayed. Some prayed because they were part of the family. Others prayed because they were family friends. Still others, in Florida […]

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Transitioning Through the Seasons of Life

John Hawkins, Sr
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    Schools are starting back up after the summer and the fall season is upon us. Fall is one of my favorite seasons. Most people have a favorite season and one that they don’t look forward to. One thing for sure regardless of how we feel about any season they will constantly come around. This is also a reality of life. We live life in seasons of constant change. Just as we can’t stop the seasons of the calendar, we can’t stop the seasons of life. Every season brings a new change we must learn how to deal with. […]

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Seasons of Life

Unshaken In the Midst of the Storm

Anitra Parmele
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When the emails to confirm the interview details are full of things like summer camp schedules, you realize Naghmeh Abedini is not just a tireless advocate for her imprisoned husband, Saeed, but she is functioning as a single mother trying to simultaneously balance the challenges of their two young children, Jacob and Rebekka, and the challenges of every-day life. Naghmeh explains, “I really have so much compassion for single mothers, military wives or people who are handling their life and kids alone. When Saeed was taken in Iran, I realized how much of life I processed with him– how much […]

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Rescue Upstream Battles Against Human Trafficking

Maritza Cosano
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  Human trafficking of women and girls for sexual exploitation is an illegal, underground business that’s become a global problem difficult to extrapolate a solution. Or is there? How do you combat sexual exploitation in all its forms, especially prostitution and trafficking of women and children, in particular girls, when many victims don’t come forward for fear of retribution? How do you fight against this evil when the definition of “trafficking” has been muddied, even made controversial amongst governments, and the international research done on various cases cannot be distinguished between illegal migration and people smuggling and trafficking a person […]

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Rescue Upstream

Student-led First Priority Clubs Bring the Gospel to School

Shelly Pond
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    Despite government limitations on prayer and Bible reading in public schools, the Gospel is still found on campus today through student led clubs supported by First Priority. By connecting the church with students to reach the campus for Christ, First Priority supported more than 5,000 students in 165 schools throughout Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast last year. At these Great Commission Clubs, which meet weekly, students are equipped to share the love of Jesus Christ with their peers who do not know Him. The results are stunning. A reported 3,496 students made professions of faith […]

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An Emotionally Healthy Lifestyle

marissat
12 Aug 2015
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Emotions are an important part of being human. The question is how should you understand the emotions and handle them appropriately? You don’t want to play on the emotions or downplay the emotions. You don’t want to make the emotions all-important, but you don’t want to make them unimportant either. So, how do you legitimize your emotions without being emotionally led? How do you live an emotionally healthy life? In Psalm 13, David models two critical aspects of emotional health: emotional honesty and emotional stability. Honesty and stability There are some people who think, “If I’m going to be emotionally […]

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