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Panoramic Pic
September 27, 2015 • Chris Edmondson • Matthew 26:26–29, Jeremiah 31:31–34, Jeremiah 36:4–5, Malachi 3:1, John 1:29
64% of U.S. adults own a smartphone, and 46% of smartphone owners say their smartphone is something “They couldn’t live without.” Why? Of course, texting and calling play a big part. But an even bigger part is taking pictures. Do you remember when cameras weren’t attached to our phones? They could zoom and flash and focus. Cameras were great. And remember photographs? They used to be physical things. You put them in a book or in a frame or even carried them around in your wallet! Those were good times. Now we have smartphones. We’re taking more photos than ever, but what happens to them? We forget about the pictures we take so quickly that there are even apps that bring old photos to our attention. Many times, it’s easy for us to forget getting into God’s Word, because we don’t understand how it all fits together. Maybe it’s time for us to refocus our lens so we see the panorama of how God’s story all fits together within the 66 books we call the Bible.
TRU TXT
September 20, 2015 • Chris Edmondson • 2 Timothy 3:16–17, 2 Peter 1:16–21, Hebrews 4:12, 1 Corinthians 15:3–6
We have all been to High School or college where teachers and professors have dismantled our faith and discounted the Bible. They were smarter than you. Had more degrees than you. So you just left God and the church. Now when someone brings up the Bible? Or says, “You should read it!” You just ignore what they say, because you remember some claims that a professor made years ago that you never investigated. You think, “It’s full of errors. It’s full of contradictions. I haven’t read it. But Hey—that’s what people say.” But have you read the Bible for yourself? Don’t just take someone else’s word on the subject. Since the Bible plays a crucial role into growing relationship with Jesus Christ, the question “Is the Bible reliable?” is one we need to be willing to ask and prepared to answer. Because what you do with God, Jesus, and the Bible is too important just to listen to hearsay. Dig into it for yourself. Because your eternity may hang in the balance.
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September 13, 2015 • Chris Edmondson • Psalm 119:97–105
At the dinner table. During a church service. In the middle of a business meeting. It doesn’t matter where you are or what you’re doing, we cannot ignore a text message. So you’ll discretely try to pull out your phone and read it. Why? Because they are personal. They are relevant. They convey immediate information. They are from someone you know. We receive text messages on a daily basis. But are we reading the texts sent from God?
RYB
October 4, 2015 • Chris Edmondson • Mark 1:35, Psalm 1, Luke 22:39, Romans 8:1, Romans 6:14
For many people, the Bible sits on a shelf collecting dust in a lonely corner of their home library. Yet inside its pages, God speaks truths that not only inform our lives, but also transform our lives. So why not be pro-active and take some steps to RYB (Read Your Bible)? In doing so, you put yourself in a posture to listen. And who knows—more times than not, He may speak to you in a way that changes your life.