Darkened Glass Reflections
Living today with an eye on eternity
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Guarding Your Heart
“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23, ESV). John Wesley wrote that heart means “thy thoughts, will and affections.” It sums up our inner life. What do I choose to think about? What do I want or try to do? What spurs my emotions? Define these,…
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Self-Sufficiency or Gratitude
Perhaps the greatest lie of all is self-sufficiency, and God’s Word warns His people against it frequently in His Word. A false belief that “I accomplished something great and do not need God’s help” is the entry point onto the shortcut to idolatry.
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Confession: Resisting the Lies of the Enemy
1 John 1:8–10 hints at two closely related lies that many Christians fall for: “We have no sin” and “We have not sinned.” The first implies that one has achieved a state of moral perfection; the other claims that either we were always in that state of moral perfection or that some people really have…
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Modern-Day Elijahs XI: A Nature Like Ours
A modern-day Elijah will expect God to act in response to our prayers, or to accomplish whatever He said He would do. The faith of an Elijah recognizes God as a living, active, all-powerful Sovereign over all creation, not as an abstract concept confined within the covers of a book.
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Modern-Day Elijahs X: Elijah, John the Baptist, and You and Me
How did John the Baptist manifest the Elijah spirit? More specifically, how can we, like John, manifest that spirit?
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Modern-Day Elijahs IX: Fathers and Families
Elijah ascended into heaven, but his legacy remains. Few biblical prophets share his prominence. Although he did not write any of the books of the Bible, he is considered one of the greatest prophets in Judaism. Only Moses holds higher esteem. When Jesus was transfigured, Moses and Elijah appeared with Him (Matthew 17:1–8).
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Modern-Day Elijahs VIII: No Turning Back
The relationship between Elijah and Elisha offers numerous lessons. For a few years, Elisha followed his mentor, learning how to be a prophet. Most importantly though, he learned the character of a man of God. He learned to remain faithful, to refuse to give in to discouragement; to ask, watch, persist, and believe that God…
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Modern-Day Elijahs VII: The Call to Follow
Will we cling to the past and present—to our comfortable existence—or will we sacrifice them to God? Will we surrender our future to Him? God may not call us out of our present physical circumstances. He may call us to serve Him while we continue in the ordinary occupation in which He found us. However,…
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Modern-Day Elijahs VI: You’re Not Alone
There is a reason why Jesus chose to assemble a team of apostles. He knew that people will give in to defeat and discouragement if they try to do God’s work alone. We are not made to serve Him as soloists. If you are facing discouragement in your walk with God, make sure you have…
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Shining the Light—John 9:1–5
Whenever disaster or tragedy strikes, the instinctive response for people of faith is to ask, “Where is God in all of this?” Unfortunately, many approach the question from the wrong angle. We may view the world through the eyes of justice and judgment instead of mercy and grace.
Darkened Glass Reflections 