Newlife Sermon Podcast
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Two Big Threats to Love, and How to Overcome Them
Seven parts of Ephesians open with the expression: ‘Walk...’ We look at the fifth, ‘Walk in love’ which is immediately followed by the two biggest threats to a loving community. Thankfully there is a way they can be overcome.
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You can Choose!
How do I live this new life? Not only does Paul explain the power, but he also lays out some very clear examples of this power in action in our daily activities.
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The Ephesians Sermon you Almost Never hear Preached
This passage speaks of a radical transformation of the church, from childhood to maturity, some time in the future.
It certainly hasn’t happened yet, so is it going to? and if so, when and how?
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Jesus’ Gifts to the Church and the Tragedy of Misunderstanding them
Misinterpretation of this passage has led to a top-down hierarchical church structure
Most people just sat in their seats and did no more than give their money
Every single part is needed for growth
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Aug 27, 2023 see slides watch video Pleasure and Delight in God
Enjoying and delighting in God is a core part of the Christian life.
We all want more of it, but how do we get there?
How can we have more?
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Replacing your Inner Bully with the Gentle Voice of Jesus
Most of us have an inner voice that is constantly telling us that we should be doing better.
This has been called “the inner bully”.
There is an answer in Matthew 11
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Jesus’ Defeat of the Powers of Darkness
All of us suffer from the accusing inner voices of self-condemnation.
The powers of darkness are constantly speaking lies into us.
But victory from these voices is available and we can all experience the freedom that Jesus wants us to have.
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Why be Part of a Church?
What is church? We look at a heaven’s eye view, a lower level view, and a ground-level view of what church actually is,
and what it is not,
and what the implications are for you and me.
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Deepening our Relationship with Father, Son & Spirit
We can really deepen our relationship with God when we think of him as three persons.
Knowing how each relates to us slightly differently can give us a richer experience of closeness.
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By This We Know Love
What Jesus did is the ultimate demonstration of love.
The Scripture passage shows us four things that define real love, not just in a marriage, but in any relationship.
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God-like Behavior in Seven Steps
As Paul launches into the second half of Ephesians, he injects an extraordinarily compelling motivation,
showing us how to copy and bring delight to our God.
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A Prayer we would All Love to Receive
Of all the prayers prayed over people in the Bible, this must be the pinnacle.
This is such a good prayer to pray over one another!
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The Secret: Hidden through the Ages and Now Revealed
Paul’s concern that they might get discouraged by his own suffering leads him into an extraordinarily uplifting and motivating encouragement.
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The Sum is Greater than the Parts
Once again the poetry is so beautiful, and right at the center is a jewel — the song of peace.
This centerpiece changes everything and turns hostile division into growth that defies our imagination.
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A New Identity Card from Ephesians 2
Living out of this new identity will transform your life!
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God Joined with Us, in a Love Stronger than Death
The goal for this message is that you should fall in love with the way this story is told, which if you trust Jesus, is your story
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Paul’s Easter Prayer — For Us!
If someone says ‘please pray for me’ —they would not expect you to pray this kind of prayer!
Yet once you understand it, it really is a remarkably powerful prayer for each one of us.
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The Epic Poem that Opens Ephesians
Ephesians opens with a single sentence, 12 verses long—an epic poem.
We explore the art, beauty and thoughts that build our joy.
We see the big picture which builds our interest.
The hint of mystery motivates us to read on and find out where this is going!
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An Overwhelming Experience of Joy and Peace
There are Scriptures that speak of transcendent experiences of Jesus in the life of a believer.
What are these? and is there anything we can do in order to have them?
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The Power of Finding our Identity in Scripture
As humans we live our of our identity—our concept of who we are shapes our behaviour, decisions, attitudes and goals.
Here is a selection from the New Testament that have the power to change us deeply if we make them ours.
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Joined to Jesus—A Truth that can have a Massive Impact if we get it
The story of the man of God, Hudson Taylor is that although he was living an extraordinary life of service, he had a deep feeling of his own sin and failure.
When the Spirit opened his eyes to the Scriptures about being united with Jesus, in an instant he received a joy which lasted the rest of his life.
What was this truth?
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The Truth behind Sabbath—Rarely Taught, but Transformational
Few truths will bring more peace and joy in this life than the connection between Jesus and the Sabbath.
This is essential teaching for all Christians, and is the gospel for unbelievers.
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Signs: Unusual Events/Coincidences
We conclude our series by looking at the role of unusual events or coincidences in guidance.
These are sometimes called signs and can be useful but are highly dangerous if misused.
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Extraordinary/Supernatural Direction
When and how does God gives us supernatural direction, and how do we avoid some major pitfalls?
Lots of stories from Scripture and from people today.
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The Three Steps for Finding God’s Will
The goal of this message is to look at how Jesus and the apostles made decisions together with New Testament teachings,
and come up with a clear framework for how to find guidance in our lives.
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Guidance Part 2: Does God direct us, and if so, how?
Some fundamental principles of guidance,
with some examples from the Bible and recent times
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Guidance Part 1: How NOT to find a wife, and other stories
How NOT to find a wife (George Whitefield),
‘Fleeces’ the good, the bad & the ugly,
and three things we can mean by ‘God’s will’.
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New Year’s Resolutions – What does the Bible say?
There are a couple of basic reasons why your New Year’s resolutions are probably going to fail.
But the answer is that we have the wrong person making the resolutions.
Here’s a resolution that can’t possibly fail!
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The Unseemly Birth Circumstances of the Messiah
This story does have some very odd parts to it when you think about it,
but Paul’s call for our response (in Philippians) makes perfect sense and is very motivational.
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The Christmas Story in the Four Gospels
The 4 Gospels all report Jesus’s birth story very differently, yet they fit together perfectly.
Seeing this increases our faith that it is real history, not myth.
But underneath that there is a deeper challenge waiting for us.
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John’s version of the Christmas Story (which is usually missed)
So why no story of Jesus’ birth in the Gospel of John?
Actually the story is there, with a message that echoes through the whole book, and speaks deeply to us even today!
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God Takes a Human Body
We can lose sight of the extraordinary step that God took in the incarnation of Jesus.
To truly grasp the truth of what happened in history and why he did this for us is a deep blessing!
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Prophecies and Preparations for Jesus’s Coming
It is good to take some time to explore the huge number of prophecies which were fulfilled in the coming of Jesus.
The timing could not have been more perfect historically
and the richness of the “servant songs” in Isaiah are a deep blessing to the soul.
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What does it mean to Walk in the Spirit?
Do you ever say to yourself ‘why am I such a failure as a Christian?’
or, ‘I wish I was more filled with the Spirit!’
Gal 5 tells us how we can ‘Walk in the Spirit’ and have victory
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A Different Way of Reading the Parable of the Lost Son
We usually read this parable as a story of forgiveness, but that is not it’s primary meaning.
It is about how someone covered in shame can have it taken away by being honored.
The reason that this is so important is that we very often come to God, feeling shame at our constant failure.
This story is to teach us how he wants to take away this shame with a gift of honor, and to receive us with joy.
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Victory over Condemnation
Almost all of us experience inner voices of self-condemnation that can lead to shame or hopelessness.
It is vital that we know their source, and live lives of victory in Christ, through the victory he has won.
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God’s Joy over You (Luke 15 and the Lost Sheep)
It can be very hard for us to accept that we bring joy to God,
but this is clearly taught by Jesus in the two parables—the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin.
Can you truly believe what Jesus said to be true about yourself?
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‘Your Kingdom Come’ – What are we to do?
Jesus taught us to pray ‘Your Kingdom Come’.
What are we actually praying for?
How and when will this happen?
and what is our part?
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The Kingdom of Heaven
After centuries of waiting. the King burst on the scene and announced the kingdom.
But it wan nothing like people were expecting, and right from the start Jesus was very challenging.
If we really listen to Jesus then we will be deeply challenged as well – every one of us!
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Having a Passion for the Kingdom
The Kingdom message of Jesus was deeply challenging.
He told the story of a man who saw a priceless pearl and sold every he had to buy it.
Does that describe your passion for the Kingdom? and what would life look like if it did?
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Three Parables that Challenge our Beliefs about Prayer
In Luke 11 & 18, Jesus gives us several strong motivations to pray, including an example, a parable and some very clear teaching that challenges our core beliefs about prayer.
Listen to Jesus and be motivated by him today!
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Aug 28, 2022 see slides watch video Fitting Together the Old Testament Stories
If we can see how it all fits together, not only does it make more sense, but it speaks to us in a new way.
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How we Grow—A Surprising Answer from Colossians
Virtually all of us recognize there are areas where we need to grow and mature.
But how does this happen?
I was surprised when I first looked at Colossians because to start with the answer didn’t seem to make sense.
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From Feeling Stressed to Peace & Confidence
All of us sometimes feel stressed, feel alone or vulnerable.
Let’s examine the process David went through in Psalm 27 so that we can learn how to go from feeling stressed to peace and confidence.
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Is the Last Supper Missing in John? —How and Why
These strange sounding words can be, for you, a deep source of life.
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July 17, 2022 see slides watch video How Passover became Breaking Bread, and how to Celebrate it
Passover was the central memorial feast of the Old Covenant,
and while celebrating it with his disciples, Jesus replaced it with a new feast,
saying ‘this is the New covenant in my blood, do this in remembrance of me!’
We explore 7 ways in which it connects with us.
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July 10, 2022 see slides watch video The New Covenant brings a New Commandment — Love
While simple on the surface, some interesting and important questions come up, like
‘What about this is actually new?’ and
‘If it is part of our new nature, why should it require effort?’
together with asking what it might look like in our lives.
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July 3, 2022 see slides watch video Elijah is Suicidal—God’s Response and the New Covenant pt.3
In this extraordinary story, God replaced his old way of speaking with a new way, through Jesus.
It is imperative that you learn to hear this voice.
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June 19, 2022 see slides watch video Living in the Freedom of the New Covenant Pt. 2 (Jeremiah 31 & Heb 8)
When you really understand the New Covenant, it will transform your life, bring you into a new freedom, and enrich your relationship with God.
Sadly it is rarely explained, and most Christians are not entirely free from the Old.
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June 12, 2022 see slides watch video Living in the Freedom of the New Covenant
When you really understand the New Covenant, it will transform your life, bring you into a new freedom, and enrich your relationship with God.
Sadly it is rarely explained, and most Christians are not entirely free from the Old.
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June 5, 2022 see slides watch video Understanding O.T. Prophecies of the Future (Prophets pt.4)
The goal is to help us notice themes when we are reading the O.T. prophets, and capture the hope and excitement of their vision of the future.
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May 29, 2022 see slides watch video Problems with Prophecies Against Other Nations, and some Good Answers (Prophets pt.3)
On the surface these prophecies against other nations can seem like unrelenting destruction,
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May 22, 2022 see slides watch video Read & Understand the Prophets pt.2 (Isaiah 5)
Learning a few basic ideas about how to read the Prophets can make a huge difference in how well we can understand and connect with the message.
Many people today think the Old Testament God is harsh and angry, but a correct reading of Isaiah 5 paints an entirely different picture.
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May 15, 2022 see slides watch video When God doesn’t seem to keep his promises (pt.2)
Sometimes we can feel God was leading us, but end up in a bad place.
How should we understand this if this happens?
and guard against it happening to us?
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May 8, 2022 see slides watch video When God doesn’t seem to keep his promises (pt.1)
How is it that the events of our lives don’t always seem to match up with the promises of God?
It turns out that this is not just a personal struggle for a few, but one of the central themes of the Bible.
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I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:13)
This is such an encouraging verse, but it seems to big. What does ‘all things’ include?
Learn what it means and how to access this power.
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The Truth of the Resurrection: Part 2: Jesus is Risen! and what that means for you and me
We will do some digging and strengthen the roots of our faith in resurrection,
Here are three roots and three fruits
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The Truth of the Resurrection: Part 1: Convincing Evidence for the Truth above all other Truths
The truth of the resurrection is at the foundation of everything we believe.
When we see how strongly supported this evidence is, it can be a great encouragement to our faith, our joy and our hope.
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Mar 27, 2022 see slides watch video The God who Carries us — Isaiah 46
God says, “Even when you have grey hair, I will carry you.
Do you believe this, or are you investing everything in the idols of this age which will not be there for you in the end?
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A Living Sacrifice — Gaining a clear understanding of one of the key texts in Romans
In two beautifully compact verses, Paul gives us a new “rule of life” for living under the New Covenant and lays a foundation to everything that follows about the gifts of the Spirit.
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Mar 13, 2022 see slides watch video Three Men and an Arrogant Emperor - Daniel 3 and its relevance for us today
Let’s take this distant story in a distant land at a distant time under a hot sun
and connect it to us right here and now in Toronto
so that it means something very directly and specifically to us.
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Mar 6, 2022 see slides watch video The God Who Offers Secure Attachment
A core teaching of the Bible that is often missed, and that is deeply encouraging.
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Feb 27, 2022 see slides watch video Why the Story of Naaman is so Disruptive and Challenging
As we dive deeper into this account, we see more and more of the challenges, conceptual reversals and artistry in the narrative composition, with an exciting conclusion.
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Feb 20, 2022 see slides watch video Stories of God Responding to Prayer
Seven suggestions about the kinds of prayers that God responds to, based on stories found in the Bible.
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Feb 13, 2022 see slides watch video The Psalm with No Hope: Psalm 44 - when God doesn’t even seem to be listening
The Psalm does not directly provide an answer, but there is an answer which is beyond our dreams.
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Feb 6, 2022 see slides watch video A New Beginning - Directions for this New Season of our Lives from Joshua 4 & 5
This story of a new beginning for Israel has a compelling message for our own lives as we move forward into a new season, with precise New Covenant parallels to the Old Covenant symbols.
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Jan 30, 2022 see slides watch video Circumcision — A topic you rarely hear explained
Circumcision: Meaning, Significance and Practical Insights
When we see how neatly the Old and New Testaments connect together on this issue, it brings such clarity, not only to understanding the Bible, but also our own identity.
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Jan 23, 2022 see slides watch video Be Strong and Very Courageous
This is an incredible promise, but can we take it personally?
If we understand the context, the meaning, and our part in it, the answer is yes!
What an encouragement!
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Jan 2, 2022 see slides watch video A Story in 5 acts, of Attack and Discouragement turning into Joy
Life can bring discouragements, and Satan loves to pull us away from God.
In this extraordinary story from the book of Ezra that is exactly what happened.
But what is so encouraging for us is the surprising way that God turned defeat into victory.
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Dec 26, 2021 see slides watch video The Golden Thread - The Story of the Dragon’s Attacks from Genesis to Revelation
There is a golden thread that runs through the Bible from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation.
It is the story of the battle between the Serpent and the line of the promised Saviour, full of drama and climaxes in total victory.
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Important things to know about the Birth of Jesus
With all the sentimental caricatures of the birth of Jesus, it’s good to focus on what really happened and why.
Even most Christians don’t truly understand why he had to be a human.
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Dec 5, 2021 see slides watch video Jesus’ shocking words about the O.T. —The Camel & Eternal Life
When you see what Jesus is really claiming here, it is both shocking and motivating.
An incredible parable that is often misunderstood.
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Nov 21, 2021 see slides watch video Profiting from the Prophets
This message aims to help us get more out of reading the Prophetic books in the O.T.
by understanding what they are about
and how they can speak to us.
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Nov 14, 2021 see slides watch video Psalm 20 — Poetry with Power
We cam understand Psalm 20 at three levels:
the Artistry,
the Truth it expresses,
and the Powerful Message that speaks to our hearts.
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Nov 7, 2021 see slides watch video The Beauty and Power of Old Testament Poetry
When we see how Hebrew Poetry works, we are better able to take in its beauty and power, so as to be filled with joy in our amazing God.
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Oct 31, 2021 see slides watch video Stories of God’s Creativity and Love of Beauty
Sometimes we think of God as being too serious to be interested in beauty.
But creating beauty is core to his very nature, and when we do the same, we are being God-like.
Yet there in an extra dimension of beauty that comes by the Spirit.
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Oct 24, 2021 see slides watch video Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it
God has so much for you, and longs to satisfy you with the very best
So what is stopping him?
The same thing as in Psalm 81 where he longed to bless Israel, but they did not “shema” .
This word is the key that will open all the blessings.
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Oct 17, 2021 see slides watch video The Presence of God, Then and Now
Part 1 is the unfolding story of the presence of God with humanity, from the beginnig of Genesis through the Bible.
Then the second part in about experiencing him right now, using Psalm 16 as a guide.
Come on this journey with us now!
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Oct 3, 2021 see slides watch video Trusting God in Hard Times - Reading the O.T. in a way that lets it speak truly into our lives: Is. 55
Have you had times of darkness in your life?
We work through how we should read Old Testament passages so that they speak accurately into our situation./n-God says, “just hold on to me and I will never forsake you”
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Sept 12, 2021 see slides watch video Stories of Endurance and the Motivations that Got People Through
From Abraham and Moses to the Stanford Marshmallow Experiment, endurance is a common human experience.
The Bible gives us three ways that not only help us endure, but turn it from a negative to a positive experience.
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Sept 5, 2021 see slides watch video Can God be Trusted in the Darkest Situation? (Isaiah 37)
Have you ever been in a situation when it looks like something really bad could happen? We take an example of how to relate Old Testament stories to our own lives in a way that is faithful to the context, and also immensely encouraging!
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Aug 29, 2021 see slides watch video Hints of the Trinity and Jesus in the Old Testament
Why did God not tell us everything about himself right at the start?
Because it is only in the context of an unfolding relationship that we can begin grasp the richness of who he is.
Join us in this exciting journey!
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Trusting Jesus in the Storms
Are you going through a storm?
This is one of the most encouraging stories I have ever read.
Even with little faith you can survive the worst storms in your life.
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A Surprising Invitation to a Banquet
Do you want to be part of a supernatural kingdom, built in an impossible way?
You have to step up to God’s call!
Stop telling yourself you are nothing and can’t do anything
“I can do all things through him who strengthens me!”
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Aug 1, 2021 see slides watch video Reading the Old Testament in our Devotions
All the Bible is God’s Word, and is beneficial, but different parts have different purposes.
Some parts are more suitable for study than devotional reading and we can get discouraged if we make this mistake.
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The Silver Trumpets
What if we had a silver trumpet that we could blow at any time and God would come to our rescue?
Actually such trumpets really existed!
We have effectively the same thing if we can understand it.
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July 4, 2021 see slides watch video Jesus: our Sympathetic Priest
We can gain a deeper appreciation of what Jesus does for us by examining the description given to us of O.T. priests.
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June 20, 2021 see slides watch video Misunderstanding Holiness – Part 3: Tying it All Together
How does our new understanding of holiness fit with some N.T. passages that seem to be equating it with purity.
By making an extra step in our definition, we can tie everything together in a way that not only makes sense but is helpful and motivating,
and gives a very positive meaning to a word that is often seen as negative and discouraging.
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June 6, 2021 see slides watch video Holy — Answering Problems with Correctly Understanding this Word (pt.2)
Having presented a new understanding of this incredibly important word,
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Why I love Jesus
Let’s focus on why we love Jesus,
not just for what he has done for us,
but because he is the most fascinating, wonderful, awesome and lovely person that has ever existed.
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May 23, 2021 see slides watch video Holy — The most Misunderstood Word in the Bible
A word that is so rich, so precious, and so heart-warming has been tragically misunderstood in recent centuries.
God’s holiness is a positive quality very closely linked to his love, and it is so important that we connect with this.
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When God Speaks like a Mother
God sometimes uses the language of a mother to describe how he relates to us.
There are beautiful scriptures where he tells us how he sees us, hears our cry and deeply cares for us, using mother imagery.
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May 2, 2021 see slides watch video Roadblocks when Reading the Old Testament
Quite often, when people start reading the Old Testament, they hit roadblocks such as
obscure language,
stories that seem to condone violence or abuse,
and strange or problematic laws, for example regarding women.
All of these roadblocks can be shifted, and we do at least some shifting here.
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Apr 18, 2021 see slides watch video Stories of God’s Compassion & Grace
Understanding God’s compassion is vital for living an authentic Christian life.
It shines most brightly in the N.T. in Jesus, but there are some remarkable stories in the Old, demonstrating that God does not change.
Many of us have trouble receiving this compassion and grace, which makes it hard for us to show it to others, and to experience joy ourselves.
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Apr 11, 2021 see slides watch video Why are we told to fear God if love casts out fear?
Many people feel that the Old Testament God wanted to be feared but there’s a different God in the New who has banished fear.
The solution to this problem is very rarely understood, even by Christians, and extremely important.
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The Empty Tomb
When we see what a strong foundation our faith is built on, the joy of that truth will well up inside us
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Mar 28, 2021 see slides watch video The Rest of the Story of Israel—Past and Future
When we see how God’s promises and prophecies to Israel fit with the New Testament and beyond,
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Mar 14, 2021 see slides watch video The Story of Israel and the Heart of God
Seeing the big story of Israel allows us to get a glimpse into the heart of God that is deeply revealing and affecting.
Watch the 7-min animation at info.church.to/israel
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Mar 7, 2021 see slides watch video The Exodus theme through the Bible
Seeing this theme throught the Bible will help us to take encouragement from some very powerful words from God in the Old Testament.
We now see how they speak into our lives.
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Feb 28, 2021 see slides watch video Why Idolatry is such a big theme in the Old Testament
Behind idolatry is our fear, and a need to gain control when we are powerless.
Once we get how it worked in the Old Testament it is very easy to see how we fall into this trap ourselves on a daily basis.
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Feb 21, 2021 see slides watch video The Bible and Archeology
Archeology shows us that Bible history and world history are the same.
We don’t need evidence from archaeology to prove to us that God is real but it can be a great encouragement to see where things match up.
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Feb 14, 2021 see slides watch video New Creation (3) — How to live in the New Creation while still in the Old
All our problems as Christians, come down to the fact that although we are a New Creation, we are still living in the Old.
Answering this problem leads to true victory.
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Jan 31, 2021 see slides watch video New Creation (2) — How it started with a New Eden
When we see how the images of Eden in the Bible all hang together in a beautiful way, it bring us so much hope and leads us towards victory.
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Jan 24, 2021 see slides watch video New Creation (1) — The Big Story of the Bible
If we can grasp the big picture of God’s plan for humanity, it will not only help us understand the Bible, but hugely empower and energize us for the Christian life.
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Jan 17, 2021 see slides watch video Chesed — A kind of love we have no English word for
Through stories of how God relates to humans we learn of a different kind of love that is at the core of who God is.
Chesed is utterly faithful, loyal to the very end, a love that will never let you go.
When you understand it, there is no word that is more beautiful.
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Jan 3, 2021 see slides watch video “I will be with you!” – The Era from Abraham to Joseph
There’s a fresh start for humanity with Abraham and Sarah, a new Adam and Eve but with a very different requirement.
Instead of law, they are under faith, with the requirement of simply trusting that he will be with them.
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God’s gift of Everything
If God has given you his own beloved Son, Jesus, then will he withhold anything from you?
In Romans 8 Paul gives us some of the most encouraging words in the Bible
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Dec 20, 2020 see slides watch video Jesus, the Light of the World
Light is a key theme in Scripture, and as we put together references from the whole Bible, we see a beautifully unified theme what brings hope, and direction for living.
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Dec 6, 2020 see slides watch video Has Jesus done away with the Law? —Answering the problems that come up
If the Law was for the Jews, what about everyone else?
Does the Law have any value in the New Covenant under Jesus?
Plus other questions.
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Nov 29, 2020 see slides watch video The Covenants—the Backbone of the Old Testament
To understand the covenants is both the beginning and the end of the quest for truth.
For in them we can grasp how the Creator relates to humanity.
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Nov 22, 2020 see slides watch video Making Sense of the Flood
How we can make sense of the Flood account in Genesis,
see how it connects with Jesus,
and how it still speaks to us today.
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Nov 15, 2020 see slides watch video Old Testament Shadows and Types
Why did the disciples get so excited when Jesus opened up the meaning of the Old Testament to them?
Learn about types and shadows and you will see!
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Nov 1, 2020 see slides watch video The “Fall” and The Big Story
It is so important to grasp the Big Story of the Old Testament so as to make sense of the hundreds of small stories.
To watch just the 4 min animation, go to go.church.to/arc
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Oct 25, 2020 see slides watch video Creation
We read the creation account, and then look at how the rest of the Bible reflects on, and adds to, the event.
We end with the key question:
How are WE to respond to the creation?
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Oct 18, 2020 see slides watch video Why Study the Old Testament?
The purpose of this talk is to convince you of the value of exploring the Old Testament,
and to begin the journey.
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Celebrating Thanksgiving
We start with the origins of our Thanksgiving Day,
work through the kind of things Jesus gave thanks for,
and look briefly at modern discoveries of how thanksgiving changes your brain.
Then we do it!
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When Thanksgiving Leads to Victory
There is strong Biblical support for the power of weaving thanksgiving into the story of our lives.
In more than one place, victory and answer to prayer are linked to giving thanks.
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Giving Thanks Always and for Everything
The best remedy for Covid-19 depression is to increase our daily level of thankfulness by taking some practical steps.
Here are some suggestions of things you can do.
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What the David and Goliath story is really about
A different take on this well-known story—
You don’t have to be a David, and try to defeat Goliath!
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Meeting Jesus in the pages of John
John’s desire is that we should meet Jesus through his writing.
Even if we are Christians, we can meet him in a new and powerful way as we engage in these pages with the one who is both God and human.
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From Shame and Sin to Strength—How Jesus Restored Peter
This story helps us understand how Jesus deals with our failure.
Come to him and let him gently restore you and give you strength.
Just honestly tell him about it, and accept it is the same gentle Jesus that talked with Peter on the beach that morning.
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A Meal on the Beach with Jesus (where he revealed something new and extremely comforting)
People get fixated on the 153 fish, Peter’s clothes or odd behaviour, and miss the wondrous and life-changing point that this story is making.
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What we can learn from Mary Magdalene at the Empty Tomb
Life from the resurrected Jesus brought life to those around him.
You can experience more of that life, as Mary did.
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How Jesus’ Resurrection Directly Empowers Us
The resurrection of Jesus was not simply coming back to life, but the start of a new kind of humanity.
It gives us access to a new kind of life within us—empowered for victory.
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Jesus’ Burial, with some Insights from Archeology
We believe the Bible because it is God’s word, but nevertheless it is encouraging to our faith so see the strength of the evidence.
Plus it helps us to visualize and conceptualize what actually happened at a real place and date.
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Why John is so selective when telling the story of the Crucifixion
John is very selective, but this is because he is very focused in the unique way he wants us to relate to Jesus as he suffers and dies on the cross, a way that we miss if we don’t follow his references
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What we can learn about ourselves from Pilate
Pilate was faced with a choice that in some ways is very similar to ours, even if we are a Christian.
The challenge is to see what it is for you!
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Bread & Wine: the Body of Christ United
The simple celebration to remember Jesus is so often misunderstood.
If we get what was so terribly wrong with the way the Corinthian church was breaking bread,
then we have the key to bringing joy to the heart of Jesus.
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Betrayed, Arrested, Abandoned, Denied and Abused —John 18
Jesus was betrayed, arrested, abandoned, denied and abused.
Yet those were the very people he came to die for!
What manner of love is this?
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How We Should Bring our Complaints to God (Psalms 54, 142)
A third of the book of Psalms is devoted to bringing complaints to God.
But the form of these complaints is very specific.
By giving us so many pslams in this form, God is telling us that he wants to hear the honest cries of our heart,
but also teaching us how he wants us to bring these complaints to him.
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Our Destiny: to Receive and to Give Divine Love - John 17
We are a gift from the Father to Jesus: his beloved ones
He gives our love back to the Father as a gift:
This is the highest expression of the Christian faith you will ever hear.
More than that, it is the highest point of human existence
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The High Point in the whole of Jesus’ Teachings
Jesus highest teachings, given just to his disciples in John 14–17 come to a climax in his prayer at the end,
and now we reach the very pinnacle of the prayer
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Safe and Sent — Coming to Grips with the Challenge of Jesus in John 17
Jesus’ words move from comfort to challenge,
from ‘Safe’ to ‘Sent’
as this amazing prayer in John 17 moves towards it’s climax.
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John 17: The Greatest Prayer in the Bible
What would it have been like for the disciples to hear Jesus praying for them in a way that
was so loving and caring,
was so challenging in the mission he gave them,
and raised their identity and destiny so high?
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Do This… so that Your Joy may be Full
Jesus said, “In a little while… your sorrow will turn to joy.”
Do this, he says, and you will receive a joy that no-one can take from you.
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What does the Promise of the Spirit of Truth mean for us?
Do you wish you could have been there with Jesus, heard him teach and seen the miracles?
Jesus says you are actually better off with what you have now:
The very Spirit of God living inside you and empowering you.
How do we experience this?
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My peace I give to you… Do not let your hearts be troubled or be fearful
Our connection with Christ, the vine, grows as we hear his words, believe them, and do them.
In these troubled times, chose to believe these words of peace, and walk in them, rather than words of fear.
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The Flow of God’s Energy—Jesus Explains how to be Connected to the Vine
At the very centre of Christ’s last hours of teaching comes an idea that is striking and life transforming.
To enhance its vividness, and help it to stick, the thoughts are laid out in semi-poetic form.
They are like two beautiful flowers, with leaves around the outside, and vivid blooms in the middle.
If Jesus has chosen to express himself in this way, we need to give attention and listen!
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The Breathtaking Invitation by Jesus into a New Dimension of Connection to God
‘If you love me, you will obey my commandments’
Do we have to perform well enough at this love to get rewarded?
The answer is both surprising and extremely encouraging!
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Let not your Hearts be Troubled—Jesus Reveals Surprising Things about the Father
As he faces the most horrific death that any human faced, Jesus feelings are instead for his disciples, deeply caring for them.
But what is even more surprising is that in this act of selfless empathy, Jesus is revealing to us the heart of the Father.
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The God who will Love You to the End and Wash Your Feet
Peter misunderstood foot-washing and so do many Christians, but Jesus tells us how blessed we will be if we understand and receive it.
But most of all this chapter is about how Jesus loves his own “to the end”,
and never abandon us to the end of time.
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Jesus’ last days of teaching: Why so few really ‘got’ him. Can you?
Let’s walk with Jesus through his last days of teaching.
How come so very few really ‘got’ him?
Does his final challenge connect with you?
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How come Jesus weeps before raising Lazarus? —The Good Shepherd in Action
Just before Lazarus is raised, Jesus weeps along with Mary. Why not just tell her everything will soon be ok?
If this account was just about Jesus’ power to raise the dead it would be told in just 7 verses,
but the other 43 tell of a Shepherd who loves each of his sheep in a unique way.
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The deeper, fuller meaning of the parable of the Good Shepherd
It is easy to read through John 10 on a surface level and miss what is going on.
Here, at the final climax of Jesus’ public ministry he presents an image that will leave you enthralled with it’s beauty, and deeply moved by it’s implications.
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How the Man Born Blind challenges you and me
On the surface this is a simple healing story,
but John has beautifully put together a series of events and conversations that build up to a startling revelation from Jesus
that his light can actually lead people to become blind,
and we ourselves need to pay close attention.
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“The Lord is my Shepherd” brought to life with David’s Own Stories
This is David’s best loved Psalm, but how did he come to write it?
We piece together stories from throughout his life that could have provided inspiration for each part of the song.
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Immanuel: Experience empathy from Jesus who is truly With Us and understands our weakness
The stories from when Jesus walked this earth with us,
show a man who experienced a full range of emotions, and was deeply empathic with those around him.
Hebrews 4 encourages us to experience this deep compassion as we engage with him in prayer.
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Getting Free from the Lies that Drag us into Darkness
There is a voice inside you that is telling you lies!
Experience what it is like to have the truthful words of Jesus bringing freedom from this darkness.
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If Anyone is Thirsty
Are you feeling dry and thirsty? Jesus is offering cool refreshing water—abundant, life-giving and free. Come and drink!
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A deeper look at the strange words: ‘Eat my flesh and drink my blood’
These strange sounding words can be, for your, a deep source of life.
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What on earth does it mean to ‘feed on Jesus’? and why this is one of the most important things you can ever learn
After feeding the 5000 and walking on water, Jesus was asked to provide more food. The answer he gave was very strange, and resulted in many people walking away from him.
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New Life at the Pool - Healing followed by some radical claims
How might you be like the man at the pool?
Most of those who have studied this chapter see it as disorganized and repetetive,+but in fact there is a beautiful logic to Jesus’ reasoning.
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A Challenging Story about the Journey of Faith
Even if you are a Christian, there are some deep challenges in this story.
Jesus wants to keep moving you along the journey until you really know who he is, and act accordingly.
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The Woman at the Well - Jesus Sees your Deepest Need
There’s a lot more to this story than meets the eye, from why she misunderstood Jesus, to connections with several other well-encounters in the Bible, and finally all the talk about food at the end being a clue to what really satisfies us.
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God’s Love for Humanity
John 3:16 is probably the best known verse in the Bible, but it has a hidden depth and richness that makes it (and the rest of the passage) well worth studying.
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Born from Above
Jesus challenged Nicodemus to think outside his religious box.
In a similar way he challenges us, not to live ordinary lives limited by the expectations of this world,
but to embrace the amazing reality of the age to come, now in the present.
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Anger and Love in the Temple
What exactly made Jesus so angry?
Why did he gave such a strange answer to the Pharisees?
When we can truly resonate with Jesus’ anger and feel his love, we can get what this story is all about.
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A Different Take on turning Water into Wine
Why does Jesus answer Mary in such an odd way? It is almost rude and seems very out of character.
Yet it turns out that this answer is what unlocks the challenge to us in the story.
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Why the very first believers were so drawn to Jesus
Before Jesus even started doing miracles, John is very interested in the impact he had on people.
Some people didn’t care, but others were drawn to him powerfully.
We can engage with Jesus today like those those first followers did.
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The extraordinary poem hidden in the first 18 verses of John
Be impacted by the power and the beauty of this painting of Jesus at the beginning of John. My Jesus, God from all eternity, came down to earth as a human so that I might have new life.
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Jonah - More Than Just a Fish Story
Listen as Braden explains how Jonah is more than just a story about an Old Testament prophet
It’s a story that is in many ways about each one of us, and it is one that is both challenging and comforting.
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The Temple, from Eden to Revelation
There are amazing connections between Eden, the Temple, Jesus’ teaching, and the book of Revelation.
Our understanding of parts of the Bible will come into sharper focus if we get these themes and connections.
Grasping the power of the temple imagery throughout the Bible will impact our own lives and mission.
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A Psalm that will change your life
Psalm 90 starts out as one of the most depressing scriptures:
“You live 70 yrs and die. If you live to 80 it will just be pain, and so on…”
But by an extraordinary twist, which you need the handout to really see, everything is turned on its head.
Make sure you view the handout here: nlife.ca/…les/Psalm90-text.pdf
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