Articles Tagged 'Pa' (Page 4)

Called to Holiness, Not Passing Judgment

by Demetrius Collins & Phil Ware · Romans 14:4 · Judging

Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to call us to recognize God's greatness and to living a life of holiness that refuses to judge others in Christ over non-essential practices.

Can we really pursue obedience and have a deep passion for holiness and still welcome people who practice their faith differently than we do?

Beyond the Reach of Corruption and Decay

by Phil Ware · Matthew 6 · Reward

Phil Ware writes out of a quiet time study of Matthew 6 and the memory of the crass motivation often behind our behaviors, even our most religious behaviors.

Are humans that predictable? Are people really so selfish? Do we nearly always pursue some payoff or reward in every situation?

Here, Near, and Far

by Demetrius Collins & Phil Ware · Acts 1:9 · Great Commission

Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to call us to recognize God's call to mission for us as we seek to be God with Skin On to people here, near, and far.

God loves all the people of the world (John 3:16) and wants us to demonstrate his love for them so they will turn from their destructive ways and be saved (2 Peter 3:9).

A Time to Weep

by Philip Gulley · Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 · Parenting · Parenting Parents

Philip Gulley talks about his dad's heart surgery and his directions for his funeral service in case he didn't survive and the lasting impact this has had on Phillip's life.

What time is it in your relationship with your older friends and family? What time is it in your own life? Are you ready for closing time?

Knowing God and Meeting Immanuel

by Phil Ware · Genesis 4:1 · Immanuel

Phil Ware shares insights about intimately knowing God and Immanuel being real to us in our daily lives as we seek to be Jesus' disciples.

Let's not settle for religion, going to church, or fast-food spirituality when God longs to fill that hole in our soul !

Before the Red Sea Parts

by Melissa Troyer · Joshua 24:5-7

Melissa Troyes writes with beauty about God’s touches of grace on a trip to New England with her family as she wrestles with the grief over an aunt who is gone too soon and the uncertainty of the future of her family and where they will live.

Life is as full of beauty as it is uncertainty if we open our eyes to see the divine fingerprints of grace.

Disoriented to Be Recalibrated

by Ron Rose · Micah 7:3-7 · Reconcile · Recalibrating

Ron Rose is back at the coffee shop to visit and pray and observe and be with God and discovers a dynamic new concept, sometimes God confuses to have us do a soft reboot and recalibrate our compasses!

His hands were fiddling with his watch the whole time. He had taken it off and seemed to be trying to get it to wake up, to get it unstuck.

The Good News of Jesus Begins with a Servant

by Phil Ware · Mark 1:1-8,2:1-12 · Joy · John the Baptizer

Phil Ware continues his reflections on his gospel studies and shares how we can become JesuShaped by becoming servants like John the Baptizer and four friends.

Jesus emphasized that the greatest in the Kingdom of God is a servant, and then defined his personal mission as serving those who are lost.

An Overlooked Gem?

by Phil Ware · Luke 8:1-3

Phil Ware continues his reflections on his daily reading in the gospels, this time focused on Luke 8:1-3 and how this forgotten gem opens our eyes to the importance that women played in Jesus' ministry.

This seemingly innocuous transitional passage in the gospel of Luke is one of those hidden gems we often overlook!

No Cheap Grace

by Demetrius Collins & Phil Ware · Matthew 22:29

Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to remind us of all that we have received from God through grace and how we must say no to sin because we have been so blessed!

Rather than taking God's lavish grace for granted, we choose to offer ourselves to God and walk away from sin.

Made for This!

by Melissa Troyer · Psalm 139:13-16 · Denial · Delight

Melissa Troyer writes about the challenging realities of the roles we have to play and have to fill and then wonders, and embraces, that maybe these are exactly the roles God has made to embrace and fill.

All too often we cringe at the role we find ourselves filling, and filling beautifully, when in fact this is the role God made us to fill!

Warts and All

by Philip Gulley · Luke 17:9-11 · Kindness

Philip Gulley uses his homespun charm to pay tribute to a hero, tell a self-effacing story about childhood warts and crushes, and weaves it together to remind us of God's love and how we should love others.

When I recall how Mr. Ellis brought me back into the human fold, I remember that Jesus once took ten lepers in hand and did the same.

Izuba Talibbili

by Roy & Kathi Merritt · Mark 1:40-45 · Compassion

Roy and Kathi Merritt share a beautiful story of love and conversion from Zambia and a servant of God named Botiyasi.

Botiyasi just stood there a moment, speechless. He choked, then cleared his throat. Kneeling beside his friend, he spoke the request the old man coveted.

Three Easy Ways To Help Service Members in Your Community

by Rhonda Underhill · Romans 12:13 · Help

Rhonda Underhill shares simple ways to help active service members and veterans with their adjustments to civilian life and provides many good links to services and resources that are helpful.

Living in a civilian world after being in service can be a tough transition, but with support from their community and friends like you, a service member's life can be much easier to navigate.

The Lord Is Near!

by Phil Ware · Philippians 4 · Presence

Phil Ware reminds us that the Lord is close and we have a right to long to know his presence is real and is near.

We are not alone in our longing to know that the presence of the Lord is with us!

Where to Reach

by Melissa Troyer · James 1:19-20 · Holy Spirit

Melissa Troyer reminds us of those mistakes made by our little ones when they are in their early exploration modes and how our job is not to load them down with rules but to show them where to reach.

I knew the picture looked different zoomed out.

The Andrew Effect: Jesus Promises His Presence

by Phil Ware · Matthew 28:18-20

Phil Ware invites into the "Andrew Effect" and reminds us that Jesus promised to be present with us as we live out the four moves of Phil calls the Andrew Effect

Can we really expect to meet Jesus? The sad reality is that many folks give up on meeting and experiencing Jesus, personally.

Inheritance Day

by Philip Gulley · 2 Timothy 2:1-2 · Inheritance

Philip Gulley talks about inheriting things from his grandfather and what it means for inheritance day to come.

Melancholy or anticipation? We are part of a great cycle of inheriting from our grandparents and parents as well as passing on to our children and grandchildren

Jesus Longs to Be Real to Us!

by Demetrius Collins & Phil Ware · Matthew 1:23

Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to remind us that Jesus is Immanuel and not only draws near to us, but is in us and with us.

God — as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — is with us and has made his home in each of us and wants to reveal himself to each of us!

Family in the Fire

by Phil Ware · Mark 3 · Cross

Phil Ware continues his reflections and convictions on becoming a JesuShaped disciple, this time focusing on the dangers and difficulties the Lord faced from his religious adversaries.

Jesus is among the familiar trappings of his heritage of faith and immediate family, both of whom are dangerously toxic to him and his ministry at this point in his journey.

Who Pilots My Life?

by Demetrius Collins & Phil Ware · Proverbs 3:5-6 · Guidance

Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to open our hearts to ask God to guide us and lead us in all our ways so that our paths are the ones he would have us choose.

We must seek God's way, follow God's will, and trust him if our paths are going to lead us where we need to go.

Daily Altar of Grace

by Phil Ware · Matthew 5:23-24 · Forgiveness

Phil Ware takes the two love commands of Jesus, the Greatest Commands, and applies them to all of life for a follower of the Lord.

God isn't going to accept anything we offer him — our hearts, our Sunday worship, our offerings, our praise, our hopes, our private prayers, our dreams — if we knowingly remain at odds with a brother or sister in Christ.

What Is Our Blindspot?

by · John 9 · Prejudice

Jordan Reese shares a poignant piece of writing by her dad as she thinks through our blindspots and calls us to seek first Jesus' Kingdom and that righteousness, not our own biases.

Since it's a blind spot, no matter how hard you try you can't see what you should be seeing.

Blessed Gracious Servant

by Phil Ware · John 13 · Servant

Phil Ware takes a moment to remind us of the importance of serving those who are caregivers and holding them up as heroes and recognizing that these people are considered precious in God's Kingdom.

Sometimes we look God's greatest blessings in the face and miss them!

Living the ultimate Romance

by Ann Voskamp · John 3:16 · Passion

Ann Voskamp writes about how much she loves her husband and why their passion still is as deep as it ever was.