When are we most pious, quiet, and clearly aware of God’s presence? For many, it is during the Communion service, sometimes called the Lord’s Table or Eucharist. That one event seems to stand out as a special time of contemplation and experiencing God’s presence.
Some even believe that the very presence of God dwells there with the elements of the Eucharist. Others believe that the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Christ. Thus we show the utmost honor and respect for the presence of God.
Now, the Bible clearly states that the Holy Spirit of God literally dwells in our bodies (1 Cor 6:19).
Really? That means wherever I am present, God is present. I must show respect and honor for God’s presence wherever I am present.
There is significance in the Eucharist and all the other sacraments of the church. We are to value every gathering of God’s people. But I don’t believe there should be a hierarchy of honoring God’s presence during a particular event. He is with his people all the time. Honor him now.
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It seems odd that most of the “messengers” in the Bible were broken people in some area of their lives. This pattern seems to be unique and maybe even a bit suspicious.
The postal service (remember those?) or some form of electronic messaging system like email just deliver words. And they do a pretty good job at that.
But God prefers to use messengers who live out the message. People who experience various levels of brokenness are often used by God to express his love, mercy, and kindness. They’re able to communicate the message with passion, reality, and genuineness.
It’s ok. Don’t try to look perfect, act perfect or present such an image of yourself. First of all, we all know it’s not true. Second, it’s important to know that God speaks best through our brokenness. Be real. Be honest. Allow God’s message of love to flow through your brokenness to others.
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In a society where women and children were not valued, God took a step and showed concern. In such communities, their needs for rest and care would be ignored.
But God weaved into their religious system the necessary care and rest for women and children. In Leviticus 12, the text deals with purification after childbirth. They had seven days of being unclean, then 33 days (for a boy child) and 60 days (for a girl child) of purification.
These days of “purification” were a form of maternity leave for them. Even today in Israel there’s 14 weeks of paid maternity leave.
Without these ceremonial and religious laws, ancient women may be required to return to work quickly after childbirth. This was God’s provision for care and rest.
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Really? Jesus wasn’t. He came to his own, and they rejected him. He came to free them from the bondage they got themselves into. You would think they would be delighted that someone came with such love for them. But no. They rejected him.
When Jesus sent his disciples out to the villages and towns of their nation, he told them to expect opposition. But why opposition? Their mission was to heal the sick, cleanse lepers, raise the dead, and to tell people the good news of God’s kingdom.
But why such opposition? Because the patterns of this world stand in direct opposition to God’s plan of redemption. So don’t be surprised when you are rejected.
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Misinformation becomes assumptions. Since the information is false, the assumptions are false as well. But eventually, these assumptions are so widely accepted that they become realities they’re fake realities.
In 1997 when I first came to India, I noticed that all the vehicles used the old nylon tires. When I asked at several tire shops about getting radial tires, they all replied: “Oh, they won’t hold up to the kind of rough roads we have here.”
Now, more than twenty years later, the roads have improved only a little, but Radial tires are all you see here. The misinformation had become a fake reality.
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Get back to the basics. What are the few basic things we must do? Keep doing those few things consistently, and strive to do them well.
It’s easier to look for options. Other possibilities begin to look attractive to us. We doubt our current plan and wonder how we ever got started on this. But this kind of thinking can get you jumping from one project to the next, never really accomplishing anything productive.
So what happens when you get back to the basics? You begin to focus your time, energy, and money on just a few things that matter the most. These are foundational aspects to what you’re engaged in.
You may still experience losses, but those losses are in areas that are not foundational to what you’re accomplishing. Some fallout is to be expected.
No need to fear the dry times. God will use those times as seasons for strengthening your foundations.
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As we sat together in the cafe, the tears continually filled his eyes. We talked of different people whose lives were dramatically changed by the power of God.
The tears showed the genuineness and the passion for reaching out to the broken in our society. But if leaders lack this passion, their passions are elsewhere. For many, it’s a passion for their church organization, their position, or other organizational goals.
But I’m convinced you can’t replace passion for souls. Jesus was clear in his statement that he came to save the lost.
Lord, send more crying leaders!
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Praying for healing can be a great challenge. It brings fear and doubt within us. We wonder if we will see the results immediately. But it doesn’t have to be like this.
When we understand that God’s presence automatically brings his power, things change. We’ll have more confidence in our prayer. We can also expect more results because of our increased dependence on God’s power that is present in the room to heal the sick.
Don’t separate God’s presence and power – they are inseparable. If they are inseparable, what’s the problem?  The problem is a lack of confidence in us and a lack of reliance on God. Thus we’ll end up with shallow prayers that are focused on ourselves rather on the Great Healer.
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Nobody. Except God. But why? Why can’t I live my life my way? Why does there have to be some kind of “Law” book to guide my actions?
You see, this problem started in the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve bit into that fruit, they bit into something more than the fruit. They “bit” into Satan’s deception. His deception was that we could somehow attain independence from our creator.
The flaw in this logic is clear when we understand that life cannot be lived apart from our creator. Here are just a few examples from Scripture:
“I am the vine you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5)
“…nor is he served by human hands, as if he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything” (Acts 17:25)
“For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God… (Lev 11:45).
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