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The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father" (Romans 8: 15). As a father, sometimes the family language in the Bible can be a bit tricky for me. Relationships with our families, especially fathers, can often be messy. When Paul bri...
Keep ReadingThis resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?" God's Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what's coming to usan unbelievable inheritance! We g...
Keep Reading"For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirshei...
Keep ReadingFor you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear (Romans 8:15). Last week, my husband and 16-month old granddaughter were lying together on the grass. As a ladybug walked on his arm, Scott showed Emma the insect. Far from being intrigued, she moved quickly away in fear. Scott brushed off the ladybug and rescued the panicked Emma. Up off the ground and...
Keep ReadingFor those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption [into God's family]. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father," the Spirit himself testifying withour spirit that we are God's children (Romans 8:14-16). Welcome to a new w...
Keep ReadingSome men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on" (Mark 2:3,4). My father-in-law is a retired manager of a national wildlife refuge, and while there it wasn't uncommon for hiker...
Keep ReadingSome men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, "Son, your sins are forgiven" (Mark 2:3-5). My kids used to play with...
Keep ReadingMark 2:1-11 I'm fortunate to be in a small Bible study group led by retired pastor and devotional writer/editor Brian Emmet. Brian is never content to let our discussion stay surface level. He continually probes, forcing us to look deeper into scripture and into ourselves. His favorite phrase during our study is what else? And he will ask it over and over until we have pl...
Keep ReadingThey gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. Wh...
Keep ReadingA few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home So he said to the man,"I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home" (Mark 2:1-11). Hope you're still enjoying good memories and swapping good stories from yesterday's Chatham Serves! As we continue thinking, praying and living our way into our Made on Purpose for a Purpose seri...
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