Nov 12
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preacherbilly added a text contribution Serving in the midst of CRAPPY situationsI love how Paul continually is using God's gifts in his life, no matter where he finds himself. Here in Acts 28, Paul is on his way to be tried in Rome for charges he should have been released for, and he is still concerned about the needs of others. I wonder how often we have missed opportunities to serve because we were too busy throwing ourselves a pity party. I know I have missed it! Read more » -
preacherbilly added a text contribution Making God's Name FamousWhat I love about this verse is this: Ezra was more concerned about God's name and reputation than even about their own safety. He said God was good, and God was with them, and now it was time to put his actions where his trust was. So, they sought God and God answered and was faithful. I wonder how many times we miss the opportunity to see God come through in HUGE ways because we say we trust, and yet don't act like it. We fail to put ourselves in situations where God MUST come th… Read more »
Jun 28
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preacherbilly added a text contribution Priests in the Real WorldHere Peter goes on to spell out what it looks like to be a priest in the real world. What it looks like be a priestly slave, a priestly citizen, a priestly wife, a priestly husband. This is a beautiful passage with wonderful application. Read more »
May 21
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preacherbilly added a text contribution sin in the campsin in the camp eqauls defeat for the people of God. dang it. Read more »
May 20
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preacherbilly added a text contribution Complete Trust=Past Tense in Present StruggleI love how Joshua is so confident of what God is about to do, that he speaks of it as if it has already happened. I wonder how different my life would be with that kind of trust?e Read more »
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preacherbilly added a text contribution Commander = Jesus?Just wondering if this commander might be a theophany of the Jesus. After all, Joshua bows in worship and is not rebuked, which suggests he is worshiping a member of the Godhead! Read more »
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preacherbilly added a text contribution Because of The LordI love how the enemies melt in fear, not because of the great army, the impressive weapons, the great leader, but because they saw God at work. I WANT THAT! Read more »
May 13
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preacherbilly added a link contribution UN BuildingThis verse is the inspiration for the statue on the UN Building in NYC. Can you imagine a world without war? What a world that will be. Read more »
Apr 16
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preacherbilly added a text contribution Greater than AbeIs He greater than Abraham? Dang! He is the one who CALLED Abraham. Read more »
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preacherbilly added a text contribution I'm never...as cool, smart, successful, (good-looking), amazing as I think I am. I so need to remember that! Read more »
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preacherbilly added a text contribution Defiling God's HouseI love God's commands here not to defile the place where He lives by letting murder and murderers run rampant. How often do I defile the place where God lives? How often do I become a murderer by hating my brother? Dang. Read more »
Apr 9
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preacherbilly added a text contribution Moses' Number One ConcernWow! God tells Moses he is about to die, and the only he can think about is whether or not the congregation has another leader. God, give me such a heart for my people. Read more »
Mar 16
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preacherbilly added a link contribution Gaps, Gaps and More GapsA Blog on "What do I still lack?" Read more »
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preacherbilly added a text contribution Children of WisdomWisdom is proved right by all of her children. I go to conferences and get advice. "Do ministry this way!" "Don't do it that way!" Jesus' words echo true- Wisdom will be proved right by what it produces. It is not right because a certain person said it. It is not proved right because it had a really catchy phrase that was easy to remember. Wisdom is proved when it works and produces offspring. Read more »
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preacherbilly added a text contribution Deserving?The Jews came to Jesus with the plea that He ought to help this man because he has deserving. (By the way, he was not deserving in their eyes because of who he was, but merely for what he had done for the Jews.) And yet this centurion sends word to Jesus saying that he is not deserving to have Jesus in his house. Humility is often easier when you are already viewed poorly by those around you. But what about when you are the hero? Read more »
Mar 2
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preacherbilly added a text contribution Stood in the GapWow...I love this description of Moses' leadership and care for the people of Israel. He was willing to stand in the breach to beg God to relent. What about me? Do I love those I lead? Or do i love being a Sr. Minister, or the act of preaching more? Do I honestly love those those I lead to the point I would block the lightning bolts myself? Read more »
Feb 28
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preacherbilly added a text contribution The greatest...Faith can be said to be that which looks back. We have faith in Jesus because of His life, death, and resurrection. Hope is, of course, a confident expectation about the future. We have something to look forward to. But neither of those aspects of following Christ deserve as much attention as love. Love is a present reality, or it doesn't exist. Doesn't matter of you once loved, but now don't. Doesn't matter if you might love someday if you don't right now. The gre… Read more »
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preacherbilly added a text contribution "You" and "Him"Ever notice in the Psalms how often the writer switches from talking directly to God ("God, you are very great") to talking about God ("He lays the beams..."). It is almost as if we learn from the Psalms that our praises serve two purposes at the same time: To put our praise before Him and to put it before others.May we never say "My worship is for God alone." Sometimes, our best evangelism happens when we are worshiping. Read more »
Feb 23
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preacherbilly added a text contribution HonestyOne of the things that I love about the Psalms is their honesty and authenticity. The writers are willing to express their doubts and pain and confusion. and even make them the songs of the nation. Most of our songs seem to be grown up "If you're happy and you know it" songs, which consistently teach us that 'real' Christians are always happy and joyful. Ha. We would be far better off if more followers of Jesus were real, authentic, and open about their fears and doubt… Read more »
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preacherbilly added a text contribution the best skillledGod told Moses to use the best people he had with the best skills! Do we 'do church' that way? Or do we continue with awful music to please our big givers? Do we continue with awful websites? Or do we put our best people in charge and allow them to do the job the best way possible? I have a feeling that most of us have underused 'skilled craftsmen in our midst! Read more »
Feb 21
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preacherbilly added a text contribution You heretic! You like Perry Noble?!?Sorry bout the title! But hey, I hear lots of fighting and bitterness flying because people like a certain preacher over another! Are you flippin' kidding me? Who do we follow? Whose disciple are we? Driscoll's? Noble's? Groeschel's? Hybels'? If so, you are missing it. I love and follow Jesus. (No matter how rockin' Noble and Driscoll are!) Read more »
Feb 17
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preacherbilly added a text contribution wtf- where's the faith?I believe one of the most raw and real statements Jesus ever uttered is in Luke 18:8 when He asks, "When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" We hear Jesus wondering out loud if there will be people living lives of faith when He breaks through the sky at the last day. This is as relevant and important a question today as it ever has been. And it is personal: Are we living lives of faith? Read more »
Feb 16
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preacherbilly added a text contribution Bronze Trash CansAnyone else find it a little strange that God wants his trash cans bronze? Maybe not so strange. When God is in something, even the ordinary details become extraordinary. Read more »
Feb 5
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preacherbilly added a text contribution A.D.H.D MarkMark seems to have, pardon the term, ADHD. He jumps from story to story, skipping dialogue and getting right to the action. If you look @ this book in a version with each verse on a new line, you will see 'and' and 'immediately' over and over again. While the others seemed more interested in what Jesus said, this gospel writer was most interested in what Jesus did. And he was excited about it. Are you? Read more »
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preacherbilly added a text contribution Baptism and Forgiveness?Quick question: did John's baptism of repentance accomplish forgiveness of sins? Wow...not sure what to do with that? Read more »