Completely Filled

“We are completely filled with GOD as Christ’s fullness overflows within us.” Colossians 2:10 I am in Christ and Christ is in me. We are tethered together. Bonded. Fused. Inseparably intertwined. I am a novice when it comes to appreciating the magnitude of this truth.  This I get: Because I am in Christ and Christ…

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Overcoming Evil with GOOD

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21 (NIV) Good is all about adding VALUE. Evil is all about de-VALUING. There’s a ton of evil out there. The world is full of people who excel at demeaning, dehumanizing, and destroying. It’s tempting to lower ourselves to that same level. Our…

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Welcoming Christ’s Presence in Your Daily Life

I remember as a kid hearing the story of Zacchaeus and singing the song about him in Sunday School. Recently I was reading the story again and was struck by Zacchaeus’s exuberance in welcoming Jesus.  Zacchaeus was a tax collector who was quite wealthy living in Jericho. He had heard much about Jesus, so when…

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The Top 10 Rules for a Fair Church Fight

Seems like church hurt is at an all-time high. As representatives of Jesus, we’ve got to get a better grip on what we say and how we say it.  Our words to one another should “always be full of grace and seasoned with salt.” – Colossians 4:6 So here are The Top 10 Rules for…

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Unity Is a Big Deal to Jesus

 I’ve been thinking about unity a lot lately.  One day before Jesus would be crucified, He knelt in the Garden of Gethsemane and prayed that we would be one, just as Jesus and the Father are one. Jesus prayed that we would be brought into perfect unity (John 17:20-23). Wow. It’s staggering to me that…

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Messaging the Kingdom

Jesus’ first sermon (Mark 1:15) had three points:  The time is fulfilled The Kingdom is near Repent and believe  Jesus was obsessed with the Kingdom. He talked about it more than anything else. He told his followers, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for that is why I was…

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Listen for the Blessing

Most of us talk too much! As an extrovert, that seems to be my life story. Sigh! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve asked God to set a guard over my mouth! Peter, a disciple of Jesus, had this problem as well. Gotta love Peter, right? He was constantly putting his foot in…

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Praising God in Advance Restores Your Faith and Brings Peace

I remember that night so well. Swatting unwelcome mosquitoes, I knelt and prayed in the African hospital next to my 18-month-old daughter’s crib. Bethany was sick, very sick. The doctors at the hospital felt baffled and unsure of what to do next. I felt panicked and uncertain that prayer would help. Steve felt anxious and…

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Not a Likable Guy

He was not a very likable guy. He’d been lame for 38 years, but when Jesus asked him if he wanted to be healed, the lame man didn’t say “Yes, please!” or even “Can you help me?” Instead, he griped about not having any friends to put him in the pool when the angel stirred…

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Steve’s Top 10 Big Leadership Learnings

Who you are is who you are ‘in Christ.’ The most important thing about you is that you are in Christ and Christ is in you.  As a leader, it’s’ tempting to put your sense of identity and worth in what you do for God or in how well you do it. Big mistake. You…

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