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Is Your Life a Solo or a Symphony?

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     Have you ever felt like you’re living two different lives—one on Sunday morning and another on Monday afternoon? It is a common struggle to compartmentalize our faith, keeping Jesus in the "religious" section of our hearts while we handle our careers, families, and hobbies on our own terms .       But imagine a symphony where the woodwinds decide to play their own melody, ignoring the conductor . The percussionist are randomly banging away at the drums. The trumpets are all playing their scales. What you hear is not music it's noise. What you hear is not beauty but chaos.  No matter how talented the individual musicians are, the result is noise, not music .       In the same way, if we want our lives to "sing," every section of our existence must follow the Conductor, Jesus Christ . We cannot continue to compartmentalize our lives into religious and non-religious. We cannot continue to have a Sunday version of us and then...
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Building a Kingdom, Not a Club

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  When you think about your church, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Is it the style of the music, the quality of the coffee, the programs for your kids, or perhaps the social circle you’ve built there?     I must confess when I was in basic training for the army I looked for a church that served the best junk food or had the longest service. I did that so I could get away from the drill sergeants for just a little bit and eat a donut or two without my drill sergeant noticing.        In our modern world, churches can easily become "lifestyle hubs." We look for a place that fits our schedule, matches our political leanings, or provides the best "performance" on a Sunday morning.      However, there is a subtle danger in this: we can become so focused on the features of the church that we forget the Foundation .      Historical data suggests this isn't just a "feeling." According to a 2024 study by the...
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Location: Ashmore, IL 61912, USA
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The vital step in the process of Following Christ

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      Have you ever tried to put together one of those "Some assembly required" and you got it all together but something was a bit off. It did not look like the picture on the box. After sometime going over the directions you realized you had missed a vital step in the process.       In the Christian life, we often focus on looking like a Christian. We try to change our habits, adjust our language, and show up at the right events. But there is a single characteristic that is absolutely vital; without it, everything else we do as believers is useless. That trait is Love .      In the first century, the church in Colossae was busy making changes. They had a list of "dos and don'ts" and were working hard to be acceptable to God.       However, because their motive was fear and obligation rather than love, the result was pride in those who succeeded and a sense of being devalued in those who struggled. The church was st...
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Location: Ashmore, IL 61912, USA
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The Proof is in the Presence

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    Have you ever made some changes in your life only to realize that you weren't really making any progress? Perhaps you spent hours studying for a upcoming test only to realize that it was an open book test. Perhaps you started to exercise more and yet make no progress because you failed to change your diet. There are times we can make a lot of changes but fail to see any real change.      This is exactly what was happening to the Christians in Colossae. They were making "amazing" changes—dressing differently, acting differently, and following strict rules about what to eat or drink .       The problem? These were changes God never demanded . They were acting out of obligation and fear to gain God’s favor, rather than out of a genuine relationship. It did not matter how many changes that they made, they were not getting any closer to God.       Paul’s message to them is a wake-up call for us: Christianity isn't a list o...
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Location: Ashmore, IL 61912, USA
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