Sufficient: completed & equipped by the Scriptures

that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:17 ESV Though Paul does not use the word, sufficient well describes the message of verse 17. Once we know that all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for us, we are now ready to learn that it is sufficient …

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My Dog Never Catches Squirrels (and neither do I)

She tries every single morning without fail to get the squirrels chattering happily in the trees above the backyard. She's out there each day but hasn't even come close to catching one (and wouldn't know what to do with it even if she did). It's a worthless exercise, but one that she will urgently awaken me to …

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Healthy Church | Ephesians 4:1-16

Sermon | Week 5 SUGGESTED VERSES FOR MEMORIZATION & MEDITATION I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit …

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What Is the Mark of the Beast?

Revelation is a weird book. Filled with plagues, dragons, angels, beasts, and a lot of numbers, it is a difficult book to understand. But Revelation is also necessary. In the final chapter, we find this reminder: "And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book." …

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Birthdays & Death(days)

 So teach us to number our days   that we may get a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12 ESV I really hope death is like sleep. The Bible often uses sleep as a symbolic way of speaking about death, so I really hope that they more similar than we realize. Wouldn't it be nice to know that …

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All Scripture Is Profitable

All Scripture is… profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness 2 Timothy 3:16 ESV After informing us that all Scripture is inspired by God, Paul lists the second truth about Scripture: it is profitable. When it comes to owning a business, profit is great. Making profit is the only means …

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Community | 1 Peter 4:7-11

Sermon | Week 4 SUGGESTED VERSES FOR MEMORIZATION & MEDITATION The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a …

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What Is Biblical Inspiration?

All Scripture is breathed out by God… 2 Timothy 3:16 ESV Before we address what Paul means by Scripture being breathed out by God, we must first identify what we mean by the word Scripture. At its simplest, the word scripture means a writing, some form of written document. The Apostle Paul is using it …

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Books Read in January

I've decided to take the 2017 Christian Reading Challenge... kind of. My aim is for the 52 books of the Committed Reader path, but I'm not fully implementing the various categories this year, just reading a book a week. So in an effort to give greater accountability, I plan to provide a list of the …

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Teaching (Making Disciples: part six)

Too often, we think of discipleship and evangelism as two entirely distinct enterprises, but they are, in reality, two sides of the same coin.  Both are sharing, proclaiming, and teaching the gospel.  They only differ in their audience.  During evangelism, we share the gospel with non-Christians, and during discipleship, we share the gospel with Christians.  …

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