Posted March 16, 2020 | Judith Ingram
Scripture
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 NLT
Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.
Consider
On the day God redeems us, he redeems the whole package. From that day forward, every bit of us belongs to him: our spirit, our body, our soul, and even our relationships. His great desire is to make us holy and fully conformed to the beautiful nature of Jesus.
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Posted March 9, 2020 | Judith Ingram
Scripture
Psalm 103:2 NLT
Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me.
Consider
How often do we overlook the good things in our lives because we are always looking for something better? God showers us with blessings, yet so many of them go unnoticed. He gives us beautiful sunsets, magnificent starry skies, and the reassuring rhythm of night following day and season following season. He gives us bodies that can enjoy tasty foods and sexual pleasure, and hearts and lungs that work ceaselessly for our benefit. Yet we overlook these gifts.
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Posted March 2, 2020 | Judith Ingram
Scripture
Matthew 16:13-18 NRSV
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
Consider
Names are important. How we label ourselves reflects who we think we are and where we belong in the world. In his hometown Jesus was known as the carpenter’s son. He called himself by the enigmatic name, the Son of Man, and when he asked his disciples what the people called him, they gave him the rumors. When pressed further, Simon Peter declared that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, the long-awaited son of David.
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Posted February 17, 2020 | Judith Ingram
Scripture
Proverbs 17:9 NLT
Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.
Consider
Webster’s dictionary describes “dwelling” as living or remaining in one place. To dwell is to linger long enough for the place to become familiar and comfortable. Likewise, to dwell on someone’s fault is to linger on that fault until we know it well. We hold it close, memorize it, and rehearse how we will share it with others. When we’ve been personally offended, our thoughts may naturally slide into this temporary residence and refuse to leave it.
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Posted February 10, 2020 | Judith Ingram
Scripture
Luke 6:37 NLT
Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.
Consider
Judgment is a tricky subject for Christians. On the one hand, we are told to be wise to the ways of evil and mindful of how our hearts can be influenced by false teachings and cultural values that lead us away from God. On the other hand, we are not to put ourselves in the place of God and judge one another.
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