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Needy: A Prayer for Desperate Times
We are all needy in one or another aspect of our lives. Being needy carries a certain stigma with it, but God in His Word says much on the topic. This prayer exercise comes in four parts to help fill those black holes and empty spaces in our hearts and lives. Whether you are needy financially, emotionally, or physically, this exercise addresses all the steps to moving from being empty to full. Taking the destitute widow who came to Elisha for help as our example, let us move from being have-nots to being full of the Holy Spirit and God’s abundant provision. One of the emotions that prevent us from…
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Of Hurricanes, Houston, and Loss: Reflections on a Rough Week
I live just outside Houston. I moved here eight months ago and fell in love with my neighborhood in Katy, and with the big city itself. Houston is where sophistication wears cowboy boots, and food snobs drive around in big trucks. And now Houston is the focus of national attention for all the wrong reasons. Hurricane Harvey left his water calling card, and now thousands are homeless. My home is untouched. A little water down the fireplace and a lot of tree branches is the extent of our damage. One mile away, across the swollen creek, homes are standing in three feet of water, and neighbors gather to watch the…
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3 Instructions on How to Touch the Hem of His Garment
Today is the day to come to Jesus and touch the hem of His garment. Isolation, from others or from God, due to negative emotions such as shame or grief, often leave us enduring a kind of perpetual anxiety. We need contact with God and with others in order to feel safe and loved. The story of the woman with the issue of blood is a case in point. She was ‘unclean’ due to the physical issue she suffered. Ritual impurity is not something we identify with in our society, but the aspect of shame and isolation is. Our negative emotions flow from us, defiling others. In those days, no…