Paul has shown us so far that two of the bedrocks of Christian friendship are thanksgiving and prayer. It is difficult if not impossible to have “fellowship” with someone that we are not thankful for. Fellowship is far more than agreement, unity or even friendship. Fellowship, as it is defined in Scripture is partnership, it...
Author: City of Refuge
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Mark 14:27-31 “Arguments”
Two weeks ago I wrote in my journal “Why are we having an argument instead of a conversation?” I was referring to everything that is going on around us and everything that our current circumstances want to cause within us. Arguments are the language of division. They are not the difference of opinions, different experiences...
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Avery Covington: “The Reach of God”
This past Sunday we had the privilege of having Avery Covington share the Word of God with us. Avery combined Psalm 23:1-2 and Luke 7:11-17 to share with us about God’s character. He leads us, He guides us, He is moved with compassion for us and in all situations and at all times, whether we...
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Joshua 5:13-15 “Are you for us . . .?”
Joshua is one of my favorite biblical characters. I love the character that he lived with, how he was always willing to serve, that his leadership was birthed by following Moses into God’s presence and that he didn’t let frustration, disappointment, a lack of experience or even the unwillingness of those that he was leading...
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Philippians 1:5-8 “Fellowship, Confidence and the Gospel”
Paul began this letter to his friends in Philippi by telling them that every time he remembers them he does two things, he thanks God for them and he prays for them joyfully. Tonight we are going to begin to see why Paul feels so strongly for this group of people, what it is about...
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I Chronicles 13:1-14 “Uzzah’s Life Mattered”
What does it mean to be a shepherd? In the literal it’s to tend sheep. A shepherd leads, protects and provides for the flock that is left in his care. He fights off enemies, he leads to safety, he sets boundaries that keep each sheep and all the sheep within his sight and he teaches...
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Philippians 1:2-5 “Grace, Peace and Fellowship”
The last time we were together we basically studied two words from Philippians 1:1, bondservants and saints. Paul begins the letter by setting himself and Timothy in position as the servants of Christ and then addresses the entire church, every single person within the community as saints in Christ. The focus of the entire letter...
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II Corinthians 5:14-21 “For Our Sake, Again”
Three and a half months ago we started studying this passage with the same verse that we will end with today, “For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” Everything that has ever been done for mankind, from our...
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Hannah’s Story: The Power of Toil
We’ve all been told that we appreciate and enjoy things more when we have had to work for them rather than just having them handed to us. We are also familiar with the saying “Good things come to those who wait”. My question today is that, if working and waiting produce good things then why...
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II Corinthians 5:14-21 “The Compassion of Reconciliation”
In the last weeks we have talked about God’s pursuit, we have talked about God’s pleading, we have talked about the ministry of reconciliation and we have talked about the heart that is required to rightly deliver the message of reconciliation, today we will talk about the message itself. In Luke 6:45 Jesus said “The...