Dread, and her ugly sisters, Guilt and Shame, have kept me up at night, sometimes made me the phoniest person in the room, have destroyed intimate relationships, and have taught me to play the part of a self-righteous Pharisee. And they have caused me to smile a sham smile, hide my tears and sadness, and stifle my laughter lest I seem shallow and silly.
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But did you ever think that sensing the presence of God happens when you laugh at a good joke or cry at a great loss? What if that is the place where we hear the “soft sound of sandaled feet” more than at church? When we “get” the amazing message of God’s identification with us by creating us in his image, it becomes a game-changer. When we go through periods ...
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So, you there - You people who are being asked by God to do the hardest things To watch your dreams die,To live contrary to your strong desires,To speak when you’d rather not,To wait when you’d rather solve,To trust when you don’t understand,To wake up every day to a life different than the one you anticipated
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I’m not talking about a little screw-up. I’m talking about a catastrophic disaster. I’m talking about something that was so bad that when your name was mentioned, everybody remembered the bad you did instead of the good. You may have had to spend time in jail because of your choices, suffered a divorce, lost your church and were disqualified to lead, and your children may not even speak to you ...
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For some, grace is like an injection of God’s power to be administered by trained professionals only. For others, it’s an entirely subjective transaction – a feeling I get as a customer at God’s eternal storehouse. Some imagine grace as a kind of eternal fire insurance. For others still, it’s a vague energy like the Force in Star Wars or a system of justice like the Hindus’ karma.
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Radical grace is…radical. So often people’s response to it is shock and disbelief.
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Whatever happened to our childlike wonder and joy at the good news of Jesus Christ?
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You may have heard the story about the preacher who had just finished preaching at a large church in New York.
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Steve tried to control his way to being better – it didn't work. And it doesn't work for us either when we try to control ourselves, our work, others, or even God. But when we give up control, something amazing happens.
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What’s the best way to live? What’s the purpose of God’s law? If you’re simply tired of constantly trying to make it on your own, I’ve got some really good news for you from God himself.
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