Today's Devotions

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Showcase: Assorted Treats

  • Why We Need the Puritans by JI Packer +

    1 Horse Racing is said to be the sport of kings. The sport of slinging mud has, however, a wider Read More
  • May 9 Devotional: Valley of Vision (Puritans) +

    Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly, Read More
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philip-yancey"Why are you looking up into the sky?" This question by an angel to the discombobulated disciples is the introduction for Philip Yancey's discussion of the amazing love God has for us, and his overview of the three act play known as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

http://www.podcast-directory.co.uk/episodes/4-philip-yancey-why-did-jesus-trust-us-15339753.html

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be uninformed.  You know that when you were heathen, you were led astray to dumb idols, however you may have been moved. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says "Jesus be cursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit.  Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;  and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God who inspires them all in every one.  To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,  to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,  to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.  All these are inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--Jews or Greeks, slaves or free--and all were made to drink of one Spirit.  For the body does not consist of one member but of many.  If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body.  And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing?

If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?  But as it is, God arranged the organs in the body, each one of them, as he chose.  If all were a single organ, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.  The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you," nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."  On the contrary, the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are indispensable,  and those parts of the body which we think less honorable we invest with the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty,  which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior part, that there may be no discord in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.

If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.  Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.  And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues.  Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?  Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?  But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. 1 Corinthians 12

Reflections to Consider

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Publications

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Music

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Audio & Video

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Favorites

  • Process +

      The finished diamond is one of the most beautiful and desirable gems. Read More
  • Not a Conscientious Objector +

    As we abide in him and he abides in us, we are receiving his life rather than creating our own Read More
  • Falling in Love With God +

    “falling in love with God,” as Boa’s subtitle for the facet explains. In this approach we attempt to enter into Read More
  • God's Dimension +

    We experience a great sense of the wonder, boldness, and overwhelming awe of God through our relationship with the Holy Read More
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Hidden Blessings

  • Praise as Warfare by Sylvia Gunter +

    Praise is adoration of God for who He is, His person, His character, His names. It is loving God because Read More
  • Followers First by Steve Tamayo, Chatham Community Church +

    What does it mean to be a Christian? Read More
  • Dallas Willard on Spiritual Formation +

    What does it mean to be a disciple, to follow the disciplines necessary to serve Jesus with our whole heart? Read More
  • Cultivating joy to proclaim the gospel +

    And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Mark 16:15 Read More
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