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Feb 13
2

THE HOLY SPIRIT AND LOVE

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The intensity of what happened after I prayed convinced me that something supernatural was taking place. My future changed in an instant. I was filled with the Holy Spirit. Talking To Others About Jesus The year was 1976. Ancient history for some but for me it feels like just yesterday. A Saturday afternoon and I was kneeling by my bed praying. It was me and God. Saturday afternoon prayer meetings were not usual for me but this was an unusual time in my life. I was living in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario where I had a job with Air Canada. God was prompting me to talk about Jesus with people who were closest to me. The thought of talking to…

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Feb 09
2

BACK FROM THE BRINK: AL DOWNEY

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In April of 1989, I came precariously close to ending my life. I was in the throes of a completely debilitating depression. Totally incapable of rational thought, very ill, and unable to help myself, I lived believing the tormenting devilish lies continuously being fed into my mind. They were condemnatory, malicious lies, without foundation, yet to me they seemed completely logical. They dominated every moment of conscious thought. Rev. Al Downey is the Pastoral Care Co-ordinator for the Alberta and Northwest Territories District of the PAOC. In the last year he and his wife, Yvonne, have made over 3,000 contacts in caring for ministers. Guilt And Pain Yes, I was a believer. Yes, I was a pastor. That only magnified…

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Feb 06
0

LOVE RESTORES SO GET PERKING

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When is coffee more than java? When its Kingdom Coffee. Jesse and Steph Singleton are Calgarian entrepreneurs with a cause that goes beyond caffeine. Because of their generosity the robust aroma from a bag of their fresh ground Nicaraguan medium roast is teasing my senses. The Singletons gave out free coffee at a pastors conference I attended. The story behind Kingdom Coffee coffee is richer than their roast. Our Story Four pastors went undercover and spent time with the homeless on the streets of Calgary. There they met a man named Jim. He was addicted to heroin, crack cocaine and alcohol. Jim was at the end of his rope, fighting addiction and contemplating suicide. The four pastors listened to Jim…

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Feb 03
5

SHEPHERDS BURNING OUT SHOULDERING BURDENS

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Shepherds are an endangered species in North America. The women and men who accepted a call to shepherd congregations through their valleys of the shadow of death have broad shoulders. But even the best are falling prey to deadly burdens. Burdens they often bear alone. Jim Howard, lead pastor of the Valencia campus of the more than 6,000 member Real Life Church in California fatally shot himself in the head at home on January 23rd, 2019. His associates didn’t hear his pain. This post is for Pastors. And their families. And the people they pastor and those who lead with them. Shepherds’ Struggles Pastor Ted Parker, 42, of Macon, Ga., died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the driveway of…

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Feb 03
0

THE BELICHICK WAY

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Its hard to argue with success but when it comes to Bill Belichick there are a foolish few who have been known to take on the task. Over his 44 year career, Belichick has the most playoff wins among all active professional football coaches. Additionally, he has a record five Super Bowl wins (and rings). He is the only NFL coach to win three of four Super Bowls in four years. He is widely considered as one of, if not the greatest coach in NFL history. #GOAT His insights can help any coach, leader or achiever think straight and position themselves for consistent success. The Power Of Leadership #1. Good players can’t overcome bad coaching. Team performance is leadership’s responsibility….

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Jan 30
0

GOLIATH MUST FALL

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David and Goliath are seen as the classic underdog story. The message take away from the account is that if we try hard enough we can overcome. Anything. Of any size. But that’s the wrong message. Giants That Make You Miserable Just as in David’s day, giant-sized threats will come against you to torment you and make you miserable. Giants like: Fear. Rejection. Anger. Addiction. Comfort. I get stuck on comfort. How could comfort be a giant? (Spoiler alert: Answer to follow.) Goliath Must Fall Louis Giglio in his book, Goliath Must Fall, identifies six giants and encourages you not to allow giants to have power in your life. And he points out that you are not David in the…

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Jan 27
0

EVERYBODY ALWAYS: LOVE ACCORDING TO BOB

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I’ve spent my life trying to make faith easy. The truth is, it’s not. What I am trying to do now is make my faith simple. Women and men with simple faith are rivers, not reservoirs. They receive love and give it away. All. Of. It. Nothing held in reserve for a dry day. Bob Goff, a recovering lawyer and philanthropist boiled simple faith down to two words: everybody, always. I had lunch with Bob a few years ago, learned about his first book, Love Does and read it through. Changed my life. He gave me a vision for what can happen in a person’s life when they say “yes” to God and become devoted to giving love away. I…

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Jan 23
2

PAINFUL MOMENTS AND MIRACLES: DANIELLE’S STORY

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There’s going to be very painful moments in your life that will change your entire world in a matter of minutes. These moments will change you. Cry. Scream if you have to. But let them make you stronger, smarter and kinder. And lean into faith for a miracle. Answered Prayer Danielle Martin understands how a moment can change a life. She was diagnosed with PCOD (polycycstic ovary disease) and was told it would be next to impossible to get pregnant without medical intervention. Her and her partner Chad Dopson’s first miracle was named Caitlyn. After holding on to hope, trying for 14 years to get pregnant a second time, and suffering a miscarriage, Danielle and Chad had their prayers answered….

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Jan 04
2

11 LIFELONG BENEFITS OF GENEROSITY

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Everything you have in your life is a gift from God. If God was not generous you would have nothing. Your heart would stop beating. Right now. God is a generous God. He gives you air, sunshine, a mind to think and everything else in your life. All are sheer gifts from God. Even the ability to earn is a gift from God. And God wants you to learn to be like Him. Key Words Do a study of the key words of the Bible. The word “believe” – we all know that’s important – is used 272 times in the Bible. Pray. That’s an important word.  “Pray” is used in the Bible 371 times. The word “love” is obviously…

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Jan 03
1

BIBLE READING PEACE PLAN JANUARY 2019

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This is the Bible reading plan for January 2019. Peace from putting God first. The daily passages address a perspective on putting God first in your life and trusting his provision for your life. The passages encourage generosity and humility. 1 Chronicles 29:11,12 – “…everything in heaven and on earth is yours…wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things.” 2 Corinthians 9:6 – “…whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” Proverbs 3:9 – “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits…” Proverbs 11:24,25 – “One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds it unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; who ever refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” Philippians…

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