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The Daily Memo | April 1, 2021 | A Subtle Erosion
There are few things more crucial to us than our own lives. And there are few things we are less clear about. This journey we are taking is hardly down the yellow brick road. Then again, that's not a bad analogy at all. We may set out in the light, with hope and joy, but eventually, our path always seems to lead us through dark woods, shrouded with a low-lying mist. Where is this abundant life that Christ supposedly promised? Where is God when we need him most? What is…
Categories: The Daily Memo, Restored in Him, The Hope of Healing, The Reality of Our Present World, Spiritual Warfare | Authored by: sparrowwebsites | Posted: 04/01/2021
The Daily Memo | March 31, 2021 | A Strong Heart
In his book Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, co-authored with Philip Yancey, Dr. Paul Brand observed, “A hummingbird heart weighs a fraction of an ounce and beats eight hundred times a minute; a blue whale’s heart weighs half a ton, beats only ten times per minute, and can be heard two miles away. In contrast to either, the human heart seems dully functional, yet it does its job, beating 100,000 times a day [65–70 times a minute] with no time off for rest,…
Categories: The Daily Memo, Understanding Love, Restored in Him | Authored by: sparrowwebsites | Posted: 03/31/2021
The Daily Memo | March 30, 2021 | Life
The word I choose to describe Jesus is life. Pure, lush, exuberant Life. Life that proves to be unquenchable, unstoppable, indestructible. As John summarized the whole affair, “In him was life, and that light was the light of men” (1:4). It sure was. Let’s turn back to nature one more time. It is such a liberating force from the religious fog, because it is God’s and it speaks volumes about his true—pardon the pun— nature. What does…
Categories: The Daily Memo, Understanding Love, Restored in Him, The Reality of Our Present World | Authored by: sparrowwebsites | Posted: 03/30/2021
The Daily Memo | March 29, 2021 | A Passionate Demonstration
When the Lord overturned tables in the temple court (Matt. 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-18), He drove out moneychangers along with people buying and selling goods. By all accounts, this was a passionate demonstration. Jesus purposefully expressed His convictions and took action. Remembering this is helpful as we think about attachment and detachment—it highlights that being passionate about something can be totally different from a passion that draws us away from God. Imagine…
Categories: The Daily Memo, Identity Security, Understanding Love, Safe People & Safe Community, Knowing & Being Known | Authored by: sparrowwebsites | Posted: 03/29/2021
The Daily Memo | March 26, 2021 | Out of Poverty
Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates made history when they launched the Giving Pledge, promising to donate half of their money. As of 2018, this meant giving away 92 billion dollars. The pledge made psychologist Paul Piff curious to study giving patterns. Through a research test, he discovered that the poor were inclined to give 44 percent more of what they had than wealthy people. Those who’ve felt their own poverty are often moved to greater generosity. Jesus…
Categories: Walking With God, The Daily Memo, Identity Security, Understanding Love | Authored by: sparrowwebsites | Posted: 03/26/2021
The Daily Memo | March 25, 2021 | Our Calling In Troubled Times
We’ve been living in difficult times lately, and the more tumultuous life becomes, the easier it is to be self-centered. Even though the future is uncertain, we can’t afford to let ourselves be consumed with fear and anxiety regarding how we might be affected. God wants us to get our mind off ourselves and onto Him because He is our rock and refuge in trouble. When we rely on our own limited perspective, confusion and hopelessness are the likely outcome.,…
Categories: The Daily Memo, Understanding Love, The Reality of Our Present World, Safe People & Safe Community | Authored by: sparrowwebsites | Posted: 03/25/2021
The Daily Memo | March 24, 2021 | Always in His Presence
In today’s reading, David asked, “Where can I go from Your Spirit?” (Psalm 139:7). The more he pondered the possibilities, the more he realized the answer is “nowhere.” God is present everywhere and at all times. This reality causes people to react in one of two ways—some find it a great comfort while others are filled with dread. People who don’t know the Lord may think that He’s always judging their every move. But for those…
Categories: Walking With God, The Daily Memo, Practicing His Presence | Authored by: sparrowwebsites | Posted: 03/24/2021
The Daily Memo | March 23, 2021 | It Changes Everything
Jesus will return. Swiftly, unexpectedly. Any moment. His return will usher in the renewal of all things. That includes the execution of justice, rewards, the feast, your “estates,” your appointed role in his great kingdom—along with the restoration of everything you love. This has some pretty staggering implications. For one thing, it ought to radically transform our attitude toward death. Losing someone you love is an earthquake; it is traumatic. Because…
Categories: The Daily Memo, Restored in Him, Return to the Garden | Authored by: sparrowwebsites | Posted: 03/23/2021
35. The 10-Stop Transformational Journey Part 2 Podcast
In this second of a two-part podcast, we delve deeper into our journey of wholeness through Christ. Colleen provides her take in explaining Barna's research in the 10 Stop Transformational process. Six years after beginning what he assumed would be a relatively typical research process that sought to better understand how God transforms people’s lives, researcher George Barna discovered that he had tackled a deeply challenging and amazingly revealing journey. The…
Authored by: sparrowwebsites | Posted: 03/22/2021
The Daily Memo | March 22, 2021 | Winning the War in Your Mind
Because, like you, every day I feel like I have more than I can handle, I rely on God to renew my mind. His truth is my battle plan. I continue to create new trenches of truth to replace my old ruts so they will give me thought pathways leading to life and peace. Where do you need Jesus today, right now? Where are your thoughts falling short of His life-giving truth? Are you stuck in a negative, hurtful, and poisonous rut? What will you do? You will use the four tools God…
Categories: What We Were Created For, Walking With God, The Daily Memo, Identity Security, Restored in Him, The Hope of Healing, Knowing & Being Known | Authored by: sparrowwebsites | Posted: 03/22/2021