The Parables of the Lost Sheep and Coin
If the core of Jesus' teachings on the gospel could be summed up in two stories, they would be the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin. Both stories illustrate one crucially important truth: God pursues us. Both clearly display God's heart for us in that he willingly and passionately com...
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The Parable of the Prodigal Son
There isn't a single passage of Scripture that better illustrates the heart of our heavenly Father than the parable of the prodigal son. So as to not miss any of the details of this life-changing passage, open your heart to the Spirit as you read it in its entirety.
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The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
The ministry of Jesus was one of life-giving transformation. His life, death, and resurrection ushered in a completely new way of relating to God: the way of grace. One of the best examples of Jesus shifting paradigms comes in his parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. Luke 18:10-14 says,...
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The Parable of the Lamp on a Stand
Reading Matthew 5:14-15 used to stress me out. Jesus says, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house." How can we with all our mistakes, misgivings, ...
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The Parable of the Mustard Seed
Jesus tells a beautiful parable of the kingdom of God in Matthew 13:31-32. He teaches, "The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tr...
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The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and Valuable Pearl
If you could only have one thing in life, what would it be? Take an honest look at your heart for a minute today. What do you love most? What would you give up everything else for?
Would you believe that your heavenly Father's answer to those questions is you? That the Creator of the universe ...
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The Parable of the Good Shepherd
Have you ever experienced a sense of grand perspective where you realize your smallness in comparison to the earth's grandeur? Have you ever contemplated your small stature in light of how colossal the universe is? Every now and then, when I get a sense of my smallness I am overcome by the fear o...
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The Desire to Live a Life of Significance
People often ask a common question when it looks like their time on earth is drawing to a close—"Did my life matter?" Have you ever wondered that? Have you ever taken a minute to look back on your life and wonder if all your efforts will mean a thing when you're gone?
We all dream of being a g...
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The Desire to be Passionate
Passionate devotion, love, and purpose captivate us. As a culture we cling to stories like Romeo and Juliet, Gone with the Wind, Don Quixote, The Count of Monte Cristo and Les Miserables for the passionate actions of the characters. These stories evoke within e...
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