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FLAMES OF GLORY

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FLAMES OF GLORY

Of all the elements He could’ve used, why did God choose fire? It’s a polarizing thing, it can destroy as suddenly as it can bring life. It can scald as easily as it can bring soothing comfort. Much like the Savior who warned us that His coming would be divisive in the world, fire can be terrifying or a great source of peace. His fire refines and sanctifies, it tests and reveals the quality of anything placed in it. Fire only burns that which isn’t holy. Put something holy in the fire, and it will come out as gold.

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THORNS AND THRESHOLDS

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THORNS AND THRESHOLDS

In the middle of an intense moment of battle and desperation, God commanded Joshua to debilitate his armies. Why is it that God made them weak, instead of simply making them victorious? It serves us well to find the areas where we’re resisting being made meek and lowly—these are the exact areas God wants to put His glory on display in our lives.

ALLIES, ADVERSARIES, AND THE ADVOCATE

ALLIES, ADVERSARIES, AND THE ADVOCATE

Missional landscapes can vary dramatically from place to place. We want to be prepared to bear witness to our marvelous God no matter where in the world we find ourselves. One of our mandates as an organization is to resource those who have the gospel and to reach those who don’t. It’s to that end that this predominately Middle East focused ministry is writing an article about the LGBT+ community in America.

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THE CENTRALITY OF JERUSALEM IN THE ETERNAL PURPOSES OF GOD

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THE CENTRALITY OF JERUSALEM IN THE ETERNAL PURPOSES OF GOD

The glory of the Gentiles brought into obedience to Jesus is to not only receive the mercy of salvation to call upon the name of the God of Israel, but to cultivate the mature faith of the Canaanite mother and burden of the apostolic father, that it we could find ourselves in this same reflection: “Behold, Jesus Christ still weeping over Jerusalem through the eyes of Paul.”

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TO WASH A TRAITOR'S FEET

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TO WASH A TRAITOR'S FEET

It’s no accident that Jesus introduced the commandment ‘to love each other as He loved us’ in the same moment He felt the sting of betrayal and denial from two of His dearest friends. If He could get on the floor and wash their feet knowing how deeply they’d wound Him, we can certainly set aside our offenses and forgive each other—for the sake of our own health, for the growth of the church, for the needs of the lost, and for the glory of God.

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THE SINGULAR GOSPEL

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THE SINGULAR GOSPEL

There is one Gospel, and it is the Gospel of the Kingdom. We are prohibited from proclaiming anything else. The burden of the prophets and testimony of the apostles points us to the restoration of all things from the center of the covenantal commonwealth under the leadership of King Jesus.

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THE BRIDE OF CHRIST, THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH, AND DEATH OF TRIBAL PARTISANSHIP

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THE BRIDE OF CHRIST, THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH, AND DEATH OF TRIBAL PARTISANSHIP

One sure thing must happen to the bride before she can truly call for the Bridegroom: she must be absolutely united in purpose and pure in heart. All lesser agendas and allegiances must be given up. Beloved ones of God, do you see how we can hasten the Day of the Lord?

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THE FATHER'S JOY

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THE FATHER'S JOY

When watching catastrophic circumstances roll in like a storm, or getting news of impending doom, what is your first response? If the plan He gives involves humbling yourself, are you willing to let that be the solution? Would you be lowered on behalf of another, to be a conduit of His great mercy? Will we trust God’s promises to exalt the humble and lift up the lowly? There is someone whose story gives us a remarkable example of the unwavering confidence we can have in Him, and the powerful things He will do with our lives from that place.

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THE SONG STUCK IN JESUS' HEAD

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THE SONG STUCK IN JESUS' HEAD

He will see her again, and He is grieved until He does. But “heaven cannot restrain Him forever,” only until the time appointed by the Father to hand the scroll over to the Lion of Judah, lashed like a lamb, who has overcome and can be trusted to come on the clouds in power and glory. When He does, she’ll be singing the song He quoted as He wept over her… In return, He’ll sing over her the song stuck in His head for eternity…