The Culture of Hope Founded on Faith

He Knows My Name

Dan celebrates his birthday today. After two cancer diagnoses, 2006 and 2017, the subsequent and devastating treatments for both, and a near fatal accident last summer he is celebrating more than just a birthday. He is celebrating the blessing of God’s healing, protection, and longevity. We keep reminding ourselves that God has spared us for a reason and that He is not done with us on earth yet.

But today reminds me also of family anecdotes,…..

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Training By Testing

When “bad” things happen to Christians, we frequently wonder what they have done in the past to deserve it. The Bible is clear that tribulation and suffering are not necessarily deserved or earned. Reasons for trials in a Christian’s life include God’s training by testing, God’s glory, the spread of the gospel, Satan’s sieve, or the consequences of unconfessed sin. Training by testing is the topic of this week’s devotional.

I took a trip down memory lane…..

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To The Glory of God

When “bad” things happen to Christians, we frequently wonder what they have done in the past to deserve it. The Bible is clear that tribulation and suffering are not necessarily deserved or earned. Reasons for trials in a Christian’s life include God’s training by testing, God’s glory, the spread of the gospel, Satan’s sieve, or the consequences of unconfessed sin. The glory of God is the topic of this week’s devotional.

While humans fear adversity,…..

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For the Spread of the Gospel

When “bad” things happen to Christians, we frequently wonder what they have done in the past to deserve it. The Bible is clear that tribulation and suffering are not necessarily deserved or earned. Reasons for trials in a Christian’s life include God’s training by testing, God’s glory, the spread of the gospel, Satan’s sieve, or the consequences of unconfessed sin. The spread of the gospel is the topic of this week’s devotional.

Paul is…..

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It Started With a Broken Arm

When “bad” things happen to Christians, we frequently wonder what they have done in the past to deserve it. The Bible is clear that tribulation and suffering are not necessarily deserved or earned. Reasons for trials in a Christian’s life include God’s training by testing, God’s glory, the spread of the gospel, Satan’s sieve, or the consequences of unconfessed sin. Satan’s Sieve is the topic of this week’s devotional.

For Dan and me, it…..

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{BE SURE TO PRAYERFULLY VOTE ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6}

To Live Within the Culture Of Hope

One of my prayer partners and I were talking the other day about why “bad” things happen to Christians. The reasons include God’s training by testing, God’s glory, the spread of the gospel, Satan’s sieve, or the consequences of unconfessed sin. I addressed this in my book The Culture of Hope Founded on Faith and so I decided to incorporate part of chapter 8…..

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We Love Him Because He First Loved Us

Bible Scholars generally agree that there are four different Greek words, with their varying tenses and usages, that are translated “love” in English. Only three of the four are found in the New Testament.

Eros (eh-rahs) is romantic, physical love involved in sex and passion. Eros does not appear in the New Testament.

Phileo (fi-lay-oh) is friendship love, the affection and emotional connection between friends. While the word…..

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The Marital Metaphor

This summer we had a number of workmen coming and going in our house to make renovations and to prepare the house for sale. One day one of them overheard me thank my husband for doing the repair he had just completed. The workman guffawed (yes, there is such a thing, defined as a “loud, unrestrained burst of laughter”) and said, “I don’t believe it. A wife saying thank you to her husband for something he fixed!”

…..

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Christians and the Vote

Today I need to sidetrack for a time-sensitive issue. In just three and a half weeks we have the opportunity to participate in a very important aspect of our American citizenship. The upcoming elections gives each of us our say regarding laws and representatives in the legislative and executive branches of federal and state government. I have heard too many American citizens say they don’t vote because what difference does one vote make anyway? In Lassen…..

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Charity Applied

The New Testament talks a lot about love. In the series on 1 John I explored that topic a little bit. Simply put, in 1 John love of one another is shown to be a key outcome of our salvation. If we know God, we live love because of the love of God in us. Without God’s love in us, we would not love others as we ought and therefore we cannot prove that we are saved or…..

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