Sometimes our place in this world can seem very small. In the face of such massive problems facing our country and in our own lives, we can seem very insignificant. How can we make an impact on something so much bigger than us and seemingly out of our control? The bible gives some pretty counter-intuitive…
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Forgiveness is one of the cornerstones of the Christian faith. It is also one of the most difficult things to put into practice. What does it look like to truly forgive others and do we really have to do it? Jesus shows us that it’s not an optional part of the life of a disciple….
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Love- it seems like a simple enough concept. But it all depends on the definition you use. The biblical picture of love is a lot more than simple affection and affirmation. In the end, love is helping one another become more like Christ. What we see in Matthew 18 is that God has a structure in…
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Sin is not to be taken lightly. Jesus makes it clear that we need to take sin with the utmost seriousness. He certainly does. Some of Jesus’s strongest words in all of scripture are in relation to sin and those that lead others into it. That’s scary for us sinners. But thankfully he doesn’t stop…
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When Yoda attempts to train the prideful, impatient Luke Skywalker, Luke’s misconceptions about Yoda lead him to miss amazing things. Yoda warns him that you can’t judge things by their size. Jesus has similar instructions for his disciples. Can you heed the lesson of Jesus and let the small things become the things that teach…
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Peter’s confession marked him as a new man, but that was just a moment in time. What happens after that confession? How does it change us? For Peter, he still had a lot to learn. The road we walk when following Jesus is rarely comfortable and frequently far from what we’d expect. How do we…
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Who do you say I am? It’s the question we all have to answer. Just who is Jesus and what does it matter? Peter’s confession is a dramatic moment in Matthew’s gospel- a turning point. But the confession doesn’t just acknowledge who Jesus is- it marks Peter too. The confession forever changed Simon and marked…
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Have you ever trusted your GPS only to end up completely lost? Few things will get you lost faster than a GPS that is always recalculating. Yet so often, we chart our life’s course on a map that is always recalculating. Jesus knows how important it is that we choose our guides and our maps carefully….
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Religious rule followers can look like they’ve really got their act together. The problem is that it can often be just that… an act. Full obedience is about a lot more than following the rules and the two pictures in Matthew 15 highlight the difference. One the chosen nation of Israel, the other no more…
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Perhaps Jesus’s most well-known miracle is his ability to walk on water. When you study the story, the “WHAT” (walking on water) is amazing, but the WHY is where we can truly be comforted. God is always working in our lives, even when we don’t understand it or even know it. http://media.blubrry.com/provjeff/providencejeffcity.com/media/Like_He_Owns_The_Place.mp3Subscribe: Apple Podcasts |…
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The feeding of the 5000 is one of Jesus’s most famous miracles. What makes it so memorable and what kind of lessons should we learn from it? How will your react when you have nothing to offer and Jesus looks to you and says “You feed them”? What we see is that when we have…
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Jesus of Nazareth- That’s what they called him. Yet the people of Nazareth couldn’t believe that the Jesus they knew was anything more than just the kid from down the street. They assumed he was ordinary- and missed out on God in their midst. Have we made the same mistake today? Have missed on the…
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As Jesus gives us pictures of the Kingdom of Heaven, the idea of a treasure is enticing. What does that mean for you though? Taking hold of this kingdom takes everything we have. It will even change who you are. What kind of treasure can do that? http://media.blubrry.com/provjeff/providencejeffcity.com/media/The_Crown_Jewels.mp3Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
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Expectations can cause us to miss beautiful things when things don’t look quite like what we had pictured. Jesus alters our expectations when it comes to his kingdom. How will you respond when Jesus’s Kingdom isn’t quite what you dreamed it would be. How will you respond when a life following Jesus isn’t quite what…
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Sometimes our lives can leave us asking some hard questions. Sometimes it can be difficult to see God in the midst of pain, suffering, and the mess of life. The disciples knew that feeling well on the Saturday before the first Easter. But Easter Sunday changed everything for them. Doubt was erased when they came…
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Palm Sunday is often the Sunday we’re reminded that Easter is just a week away, but it’s more than that. Palm Sunday reminds us that Jesus was a man on a mission, determined to be obedient to his Father’s plan and purpose. As we follow Jesus step by step towards Good Friday we are invited…
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Some times it’s the stuff of every day life that can make the best illustrations. Jesus did this a lot- especially in his parables. In Matthew 13, Jesus looks to the farmer for some pictures of what it looks like to be part of his kingdom. Where are you in this picture? How do you…
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Ever feel like taking a day off? We all do. The Christian life doesn’t really allow for that though- because our enemy doesn’t take one off either. Neither passivity, nor neutrality are options in response to Jesus. In two seemingly unrelated texts, Jesus lays out the truths for us that our allegiance to him is moment-by-moment…
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“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” That may be the biggest lie children have ever been taught. The sentiment is nice, but we all know that words have power. Sometimes we can miss out on just how powerful they are. What do your words say about you? http://media.blubrry.com/provjeff/providencejeffcity.com/media/The_Power_of_Words.mp3Subscribe: Apple…
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When you read the Bible, there are many verses that stand out for a variety of reasons. There are a handful that get our attention because they are particularly terrifying. Perhaps none as terrifying as the idea that there might be a sin that is outside the reach of God’s forgiveness. Is there an unforgivable sin? If…
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