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Antonyms: keep, claim, continue, stick by, self-control, power through, achieve, defend, bear, hope, acquire, quick visit, adopt, continue along, adhere, remain, pursue, support, take up, keep up, reuse, advocate, stay, persevere, cherish, keep going, carry on

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376. A Prophecy Against Edom

Isaiah 21:11-12

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

21:11–12 After hearing the prophet’s vision in verses 1–10, the prophet’s hearers might immediately be struck by verse 11a as having a double reference. Dumah is an oasis near Babylon which, like Babylon, was subject to Assyrian attack in the eighth century and would itself be concerned about Babylon’s fate. The region also experienced Babylonian invasion and withdrawal in the sixth century, not long before Babylon fell. But oracles can be allusive and symbolic, and dumah is also a Hebrew word for silence ...

377. The Hedge

Matthew 5:21-37

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Those familiar with “hedge funds” know that the goal to creating this kind of fund is to use high risk methods to realize large capital gains. A pool of investors uses a wide array of “hedging” techniques to reduce portfolio volatility and protect investors from downturns in the market, usually by investing in fixed income assets.High risk tactics create low risk of failure due to low liquidity but can lock up investors’ money for a long period of time. They can’t withdraw their money from the pool until a ...

378. Hard Sale

Drama

Timothy W. Ayers

Topic: Biblical truth, cults Characters: Salesman, man, woman Scene: A kitchen table Salesman: OK, so what do you say? Which one will it be? He: We can't just make up our minds like that. We need more time ... She: More information ... He: More research ... She: More reasons ... Salesperson: Exactly what is it that you think that you need? I have explained everything that I can. She: We can't just make a decision as important as the church we attend or the faith that we believe in a few minutes. ...

379. First Sunday After Pentecost

Deuteronomy 4:32-40, 2 Corinthians 13:1-10, 2 Corinthians 13:11-14, Matthew 28:16-20

Bulletin Aid

First Lesson: Deuteronomy 4:32-40 Theme: Remember what God has done Call to Worship Pastor: God reveals himself to us, that we may know he is with us. People: God redeems us from sin, that we may know he loves us. Pastor: God calls us to respond with faith and obedience, that he may know we trust him. People: We remember many wonderful experiences God has given us. We give ourselves in sincere devotion to his will. Collect Father in heaven, who created us in your image, and who redeems that image in us ...

380. Easter 5

John 14:1-4

Sermon Aid

Liturgical Color: White Gospel: John 14:1-14 Theme: Jesus Christ - The Way, the Truth, and the Life. "If you have seen me, you have seen the Father." Pastoral Invitation to the Celebration One pastor began this way: "Welcome to the celebration of Christ's presence and power. If we've come for the right reasons today, welcome; if we've come for the wrong reasons today, welcome. And, now that we're here, how do we plan to use the time - nursing grudges, complaining silently, letting our minds wander, ...

381. Peace of Mind

Acts 2:1-13, Acts 2:14-41

Illustration

Duke University did a study on "peace of mind." Factors found to contribute greatly to emotional and mental stability are: The absence of suspicion and resentment. Nursing a grudge was a major factor in unhappiness. Not living in the past. An unwholesome preoccupation with old mistakes and failures leads to depression. Not wasting time and energy fighting conditions you cannot change. Cooperate with life, instead of trying to run away from it. Force yourself to stay involved with the living world. Resist ...

382. Grace in the Midst of the Crush of Time

2 Corinthians 6:3-13

Sermon

Glenn McDonald

In the year 2000 Forbes Magazine featured a special edition on a single topic that it called "the biggest issue of our age -- time." The editors wrote, "We've beaten, or at least stymied, most of humanity's monsters: disease, climate, geography, and memory. But time still defeats us. Lately its victories seem more complete than ever. Those timesaving inventions of the last half-century have somehow turned on us. We now hold cell phone meetings in traffic jams, and 24-7 has become the most terrifying phrase ...

383. Everyone Is Searching for You

Mark 1:29-39

Illustration

Staff

"Everyone is searching for you," the disciples tell Jesus. Jesus has been busily healing, teaching, and casting out their demons with an authority that had even the scoffers talking. Maybe you have been caught up in a time when your full attention was required by all those around you; maybe you know a little of how Jesus felt as he withdrew to pray. People will seek you out for what you can offer. "Everyone is searching for you," or maybe just "I need you." Every "care-giver" understands the need to be a " ...

384. Up Into the Mountain

Matthew 14:22-36

Illustration

St. Chrysostom

For what purpose doth He go up into the mountain? To teach us, that loneliness and retirement is good, when we are to pray to God. With this view, you see, He is continually withdrawing into the wilderness, and there often spends the whole night in prayer, teaching us earnestly to seek such quietness in our prayers, as the time and place may confer. For the wilderness is the mother of quiet; it is a calm and a harbor, delivering us from all turmoils.

385. The Logical Conclusion

Luke 24:44-53

Sermon

John Smylie

For several years, I had the privilege of serving a congregation in upstate New York. There were many wonderful, faithful people who were part of that congregation. Before I arrived, the membership had decided to build a columbarium. Unlike many churches that create niches inside the church for burial, this group decided to create a rather elaborate and visually attractive outdoor columbarium. The church was blessed with land. It was a fairly narrow plot that extended a great distance from Main Street down ...

386. The Master's Tools

1 Corinthians 12:12-31

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Imagine the Master Carpenter’s tools holding a conference: Brother Hammer presides, but several suggest he leave the meeting because he is too noisy. Brother Hammer replies, “If I have to leave this shop, Brother Screw must go also. You have to turn him around again and again to get him to accomplish anything.” Brother Screw then speaks up. “If you wish, I’ll leave. But Brother Plane must leave, too. All his work is on the surface. His efforts have no depth.” To this, Brother Plane responds, “Brother Rule ...

387. The People Rebel

Numbers 14:1-45

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Faithless as they are, the Israelites do not see through the contradictions but accept the faithless majority report. The next day, they are considering replacing Moses and Aaron with a leader who will take them back to Egypt. Joshua and Caleb make a final, passionate appeal, but the people respond by saying they should be stoned (14:1–10). Thus the people condemn themselves and seal their fate. The Lord wants to exterminate the Israelites and make Moses a great nation instead. Moses intercedes, as he has ...

388. Samuel Rebukes Saul

1 Samuel 13:1-15

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

After the victory over the Ammonites east of the Jordan, Saul turns his attention to the Philistines, Israel’s perennial enemy along the Mediterranean coast. Undoubtedly the Philistines were worried about Israel’s upstart king and likely wanted to attack him before he became too established and powerful. Since the initial conquest under Joshua, the cities that were most solidly under Israel’s control were located in the hill country, an area about two thousand feet above sea level that ran from north to ...

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