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Come, Lord Jesus: An Advent Devotional

Jonathan Linebaugh
4 Dec 2014
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The Advent season focuses on expectation and serves as an anticipation of Christ’s birth in the season leading up to Christmas. As you look forward to Christmas day, take a few moments to meditate on this Advent Devotional. Advent Week 1—Know Thyself “Know thyself.” This Socratic call is the fountainhead of the Western philosophic tradition. But it is a call without a compass. How, in other words, do we come to know ourselves? Socrates’ answer is contained in his other famous maxim: “The unexamined life is not worth living.” But again, how do you examine your life and, more urgently, […]

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Reaching the Other Side of the Island

Howard Scott
1 Dec 2014
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When you mention the Caribbean, Jamaica, Bonaire or any other resort destination, most people think of sun, sea and sand.They visualize relaxing on soft sandy beaches, swimming in the crystal clear sea and bathing in the sensual soothing sun, an experience one will remember for years to come. This may be true, but on the other side of the island, life isn’t glamorous at all. In fact, a large number of natives struggle to obtain bare necessities: clean drinking water, wholesome food, clothing and in many cases a safe place to call home. Tourists rarely get to see the depression, devastation […]

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other side of the island

The Cradle and the Cross

Jeremy McKeen
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How do you know that God really loves you? What makes you so sure of it? The first thought may be to count up all the blessings in your life, to consider all the good things that are happening around you. However, if that were the only basis for an assurance of God’s love, then people would doubt his love every time something was lost or seemed to go wrong. God’s love would be called into question every time a job was lost, a loved one died or a terminally ill disease was discovered. So how do you live with […]

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A Thankful Heart in Difficult Times

Paula Masters
2 Nov 2014
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  Thanksgiving is drawing near and for many finding reasons to be thankful can be a bit challenging. In fact, trying to come up with just one noteworthy circumstance or event can even be a chore. It doesn’t help that many of us are feeling a loss of the initial heart and zeal that once shaped our spiritual lives. How do we manage when the passion that was constant and fervent becomes fleeting and flat…let alone be thankful? I’m not referring to the normal ebb and flow that is a natural part of the Christian walk but rather the darkened […]

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Remembering Seniors with a Crown of Splendor

Melissa Presser
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Our elderly population, which often goes completely unnoticed, is among the least and lost of our society for which Christ teaches us to care. The Agency for Healthcare Administration in Florida reports there are 300 long-term care centers in Broward County with 13,000 residents. These senior citizens often spend their days isolated from the outside world and longing for fellowship. They are left to spend the finality of their years without family, friends or the love of a church. The sad truth reported by the National Care Planning Council is that out of 100 residents in nursing homes, one third […]

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The Struggle With Sin

Jeremy McKeen
1 Nov 2014
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What do you say to the person who comes to you and tells you, “I believe in Jesus; I know I’m a Christian, but I still find myself struggling with sin. There are times when I see progress, but there are also times when I still make the same mistakes. It can be very discouraging. What do I do? How should I handle this?” When it comes to the Christian life, these are common feelings and common questions. But what are the biblical answers? How can Christians understand the ongoing struggle with sin? And how should they respond to it? […]

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The Successful Christian Life

Jeremy McKeen
9 Oct 2014
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How do you live a successful Christian life? What does that even mean? One of the most common metaphors for the Christian life is running a race. This metaphor is an important reminder that true Christianity is not an easy stroll free of any difficulties; it’s a hard race filled with many obstacles. This metaphor is also a useful tool in identifying what success looks like by asking two simple questions: What hinders you in the race? And what helps you in the race? What hinders you in the race? Isolation — One of the things that can hinder Christians […]

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Loving The Local Church

Jeremy McKeen
18 Sep 2014
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What’s so great about the local church? Why should you bother to go into the four walls of a church and risk being hurt or misunderstood? What would compel you to “strive to excel in building up the church” (1 Corinthians 14:12)? Here are five reasons to love the local church and be an integral part in it. They’re not exhaustive, but they’re a start. The church is the picture of God’s ultimate plan. Wouldn’t it be nice to know where the world is heading? You can. God’s ultimate plan is to unite all things under the rule and reign […]

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Clean in Spite of Dirt

Dr. Tommy Boland
10 Sep 2014
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In an old Dennis the Menace cartoon, Dennis is holding a handful of beautiful flowers and he asks Mr. Wilson, “How can something so pretty and clean come out of the dirt?” When you think about it, that question applies to every Christian. I have a word of encouragement for you taken from these magnificent words from John, the beloved apostle: “. . . the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7 NLV). Cleansed Notice that John did not say that Jesus’ blood “will cleanse us from all sin” or “shall cleanse us from […]

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