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Think Before You Speak
RG AUDIO 041818 1 Samuel 25:1-13 The name Nabal means “fool” in Hebrew. Whether that was the given name of the rich man or was a later addition to the story, we soon find out that it certainly was a...
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Peacemaking Is Humbling
RG AUDIO 041918 1 Samuel 25:14-27 Whenever we encounter a person who views life differently than us, there is the opportunity for conflict. The fact that no two people in the world view life exactly...
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Peacemaking Brings Glory To God
RG AUDIO 042018 1 Samuel 25:28-35 Whether we realize it or not, conflict costs us dearly. Whatever it is—money, time, relationships, our emotional well being, or future opportunities—conflict will...
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Mediators Are in God’s Will
RG AUDIO 042118 1 Samuel 25:36-44 The task of the mediator is to help both sides determine an acceptable alternative so everyone can move forward. The mediator, however, cannot make either side...
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Christ Is the Ultimate Mediator
RG AUDIO 042218 Hebrews 9:1-15 Most often mediators stand in the middle of conflict. This is not in order to keep the conflicting sides apart, but to reconcile and bring them together. No greater...
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God Provides—Yahweh Yireh
RG AUDIO 042318 1 Kings 17:1-16 Twenty-three years ago I had the privilege of marching in a top-tier Drum and Bugle Corps that toured the country all summer. In the midst of long days of rehearsals...
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The Dark of Despair
RG AUDIO 042418 1 Kings 17:17-24 Sometimes life is a roller coaster. Sometimes it seems like circumstances go from bad to worse, just when things were beginning to look up. In those moments of...
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Faith Is Commitment and Community
RG AUDIO 042518 Ruth 1:6-18 Ruth 1 is about the transforming power of community. Naomi, a foreigner in the land of Moab, found herself widowed and her sons dead. She was literally left with nothing-...
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Trust and Believe
RG AUDIO 042618 Luke 8:40-56 My wisdom teeth had to come out. The surgeon used a general anesthesia, knocking me out so I would not even be awake when he sorted it all out. I remember the moment they...
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Be Encouragers
RG AUDIO 042718 1 Thessalonians 2:17—3:7 First Thessalonians 2 again reminds us of the importance of Christian community. We are given a glimpse into the pastoral heart of the Apostle Paul, who was...
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Be Mindful of Others
RG AUDIO 042818 Philippians 4:10-23 I’ve read many times when a ship is sinking, the passengers or crew reach a point when someone says, “Every man for himself!” Regardless of how they might have...
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We Are a Community
RG AUDIO 042918 Colossians 3:15—4:1 I teach a percussion group at a local high school. One of the really neat things about this group is it’s diversity. These students might not normally hang out...
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Peace after Forgiveness
RG AUDIO 043018 Luke 7:36-50 A story in Luke 7 is about a woman “of the town” who has not lived a very peaceful life. Her sins, which were many, caused the Pharisee in whose house Jesus was eating to...
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Speak of Forgiveness
RG AUDIO 050118 Acts 26:9-18 “Been there. Done that. Have the t-shirt.” This little slang phrase is helpful sometimes. It means someone has experienced something to the extent that it’s as if they...
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Forgiving Others Keeps Satan Away
RG AUDIO 050218 2 Corinthians 2:1-11 In 2 Corinthians 2, the Apostle Paul addressed how the congregation should deal with a particular person who had caused division in the church at Corinth. Paul...
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Follow Christ’s Example – Forgive
RG AUDIO 050318 Colossians 3:1-14 Let’s face it: forgiveness is downright hard sometimes. It’s hard to genuinely forgive someone and count their transgressions against them no more. Colossians 3...
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Confession Comes Before Forgiveness
RG AUDIO 050418 1 John 1:1-10 When I was a teenager, I had a set of drums in my room. Several times over the years I got up in the middle of the night for a drink of water and promptly tripped over...
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Praise God For His Love And Compassion
RG AUDIO 050518 Psalm 103:1-22 Psalm 103 is jam-packed with descriptions of God’s grace. Look at just the verbs—the action words—from verses 3 through 6. God is the One who forgives, heals, redeems,...
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Forgiveness Brings Service
RG AUDIO 050618 Psalm 130:1-8 One of my professors at Seminary said, “God has one plan for the redemption of the world: The Body Plan. And there is no ‘Plan B.’” We were talking about the role of...
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While Waiting – Remember
RG AUDIO 050718 Luke 2:8-21 As a child I loved the game called “Memory.” I would set all the square cards down in rows. Then I would flip them over one-by-one, attempting to find matching pairs of...
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