Today's Devotions

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Showcase: Assorted Treats

  • More than the Flavor of the Moment +

    If God is not first in your thoughts and efforts in the morning, he will be in the last place Read More
  • Transformation +

    Do we really want to be transformed by God? In the passage (below) from Isaiah, not only a person is Read More
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Audio & Video

Cultivating the Soul Amidst Rocks & Thorns: Dave Ward sermon

dandelionrock1Dave Ward, minister for community life at the Chapel Hill Bible Church, presented a thought-provoking sermon on the parable of the sower, from the fourth chapter of  the gospel of Mark. A link to the audio of the sermon is at the end of the passage.

The Parable of the Sower

Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land.  And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them:  "Listen! A sower went out to sow.  And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.

Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain.  And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold."  And he said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

Read more: Cultivating the Soul Amidst Rocks & Thorns: Dave Ward sermon

Instructions on How to Love

What does it look like to live in Christ, and love as he loves? What does it look like to be kind to someone who is suffering? The movie, Lars and the Real Girl, provides a breath-taking glimpse at what happens when people focus on the needs of of someone else. I strongly encourage you to see this movie; think of it as instructions on how to love in a community.

Read more: Instructions on How to Love

Let Justice Roll Down Like Waters

sunsetred1But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Amos 5:24

The PBS American Experience episode on the 1961 Freedom Riders is a painful example of humankind's stiff-necked,unrepentant hearts, as evidenced by the eager, lust-filled violence perpetrated on innocent men and women. Below is a clip from the episode.

Read more: Let Justice Roll Down Like Waters

How Do We Act Out God's Justice?

How do we act out justice--God's justice? The video below is from a 2006 session by the Gospel Coalition featuring Timothy Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC. This is  hopefully a disturbing video--disturbing all of us to seek God's face about how we can live out who he has called us to be.

Read more: How Do We Act Out God's Justice?

Reflections to Consider

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Publications

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Music

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Audio & Video

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Favorites

  • Praise Adonai by Paul Baloche +

    Who is like Him The Lion and the Lamb Seated on the throne Mountains bow down Every ocean roars To the Lord of hosts  Read More
  • An Interview with Paul Washer by Tim Challies +

    You probably know Paul Washer as the man who preached the infamous "Shocking Youth Message," a sermon that has tallied Read More
  • Glorious by Paul Baloche +

    Look inside the mysterySee the empty crossSee the risen SaviorVictorious and strong Read More
  • Paul's Prayers +

    How do we pray? What should we pray for? Yes, there is the Lord's prayer--Jesus teaching his disciples, and us, Read More
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Hidden Blessings

  • Praying to the Trinity: Our Heavenly Father +

    The following is a modified version of a prayer by John Stott, an Anglican theologian from the 20th century. Read More
  • Praying to the Trinity: Jesus +

    The following is a modified version of a prayer by John Stott, Read More
  • Praying to the Trinity: The Holy Spirit +

    The following is a modified version of a prayer by John Stott, Read More
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