God

When a Stone is Better than Bread

Dr. Tommy Boland
1 Oct 2017
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stone

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?” (Matthew 7:9). In His Sermon on the Mount, the child in Jesus’ example asked his father for bread, which is something that is right, good and necessary. And we would expect a loving father to give what is right, good and necessary to his child. But I have a very important question to ask you right now: “When is getting a stone better than getting bread?” The answer of course is – when it is our Savior who is giving us the stone. Why? Because it […]

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Why The Church Can’t Be Colorblind

Rob Hoskins
31 Aug 2017
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“Perhaps the most powerful weapon we have, in having significance in our life and an impact on the world, is the love we have for each other.”- Rob Hoskins Discussing race, cultural diversity, and equality can be a harrowing ordeal because of all the differing perspectives and opinions on these topics. Especially on the heels of yet another racially charged attack, this time in Charlottesville, VA. Yet, regardless of the challenges to navigate, these are necessary conversations to have if we desire to see wrongs righted, hurts healed and a Church that reflects the heart of God. Don’t be colorblind […]

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church

The Hidden Benefit of the Local Church

Brian Burkholder
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Several years ago the leaders of our church decided to change its name to Hollywood Community Church (HCC). Although that name isn’t necessarily compelling or eye popping, it does perfectly demonstrate who we are and what God has called us to do. At HCC we have a tremendous passion for the Gospel to make a difference in our city. That passion drives us to look for ways to serve those who live in our surrounding neighborhoods. Quite frankly, we do not always do a good job, but our name reminds us every day of our purpose. Of course, every church […]

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Mack Truck

Stephan Tchividjian
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A Mudded Mind Like a Mack Truck The mind drifts when you are relaxed. I often wonder why we are designed to need a break from time to time. A day off, a long weekend, a vacation or sometimes just a rainy summer afternoon with a good book. The fact is we all need a break from time to time; we are made that way. I believe that changing your surroundings certainly helps. I remember, as a child, being mesmerized by the granite mountains called the Swiss Alps or a moss forest by a stream in North Carolina. Living in […]

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mack

Cosmic Compassion

Dr. Tommy Boland
8 Aug 2017
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cosmic

“Record my misery; list my tears on your scroll – are they not in your record?” (Psalm 56:8). How do you see God? Sadly, far too many of us see Him as some distant deity, a “blind watchmaker,” disengaged from His creation and uninterested in them individually. Yet this verse makes it crystal clear that nothing could be further from the truth. Several of the best Bible translations render the middle section of Psalm 56:8, “Put my tears in your bottle.” Now, how is that for cosmic compassion?! How blessed we are to have a God who is not like […]

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When God Shows Off

Stephan Tchividjian
3 Aug 2017
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The idea birthed from a conversation Lisa and I had about what we could do for our kids at Christmas. Our family continues to grow with two sons-in-law, one daughter-in-law, three grandchildren and the random foster child here or there. Lisa thought laser tag in the front yard would be great fun…seriously laser tag in the front yard? I then suggested something a little more primitive, something so not us, something that would scream, “out of my comfort zone, nobody loves me.” Camping!   Camping The family, ours that is, does not have any experience in camping, no equipment, no […]

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God

Interdependence is Better than Independence

Steve Davis
3 Jul 2017
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“Free,” she sang! The short soprano’s powerful voice firmly hit and held such a high note I actually looked up to see if the glass in the chandelier would shatter! We were standing in the outside lobby at the American Adventure pavilion in Epcot at Disney World Orlando. A group of eight professional singers were entertaining us. They were amazing! The presentation included several patriotic songs featuring the different singers one-by-one. The tall lady soprano had a strong lush tone perfect for her part. Next, a short thin man with an amazing high tenor voice rich with tone delighted the […]

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Control – The Grand Illusion

John Hawkins, Sr
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We want control; that is the human condition. Different personalities can express their desire for independence in various ways. Some will be overt and very aggressive in their words and actions. Others will act more compliant but be passive aggressive. The people pleaser will take years to build up enough resentment to rebel. However, the reality is control is an illusion. There is very little in life we have control over. We can’t control the weather, the economy, other nations, nature, time, people – even ourselves at times. This list could go on. So why do we fool ourselves into […]

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Elijah’s Call to Pure Worship

Dr. Susan Michael
27 Jun 2017
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  Mount Carmel is at the tip of a beautiful 24-mile long wooded mountain range nestled inbetween the Mediterranean Sea to the west and the Jezreel valley to the east. “Carmel” means “vineyard of God” or “garden of God” and the Bible describes it as a beautiful and fruitful region. Most Bible students, however, associate the area with the famous confrontation between the prophet Elijah and the prophets of the Canaanite fertility god, Ba’al, found in 1 Kings 18. While there are no archeological remains to verify the exact place of this event, the Stella Maris Monastery is said to […]

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Advent Church Members Impact Lives at Village of Hope in Haiti

The Good News
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  “People always ask me, ‘Are things getting any better in Haiti?’ My reply is always, “At the Village of Hope in Haiti things are getting better every day, grace a dieu (thanks to God),” said Pastor Andy Hagen, of Advent Church in Boca Raton, who is speaking from experience. He has been leading mission trips to Haiti since 2003 and has travelled there over 25 times. “The situation in Haiti was not good even before the earthquake of 2010 that took the lives of between 200,000 and 300,000 people. But the quake and cholera epidemic that followed made things […]

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