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To Be God’s Child

By Alyssa Rickert Leave a Comment

Last night I was laying down with my two year old daughter as she fell asleep. Sometimes, this time of my evening tortuous. She’ll be fighting sleep, elbowing me in the face, begging for water, and I will want to pull all my hair out. But other times, like last night, true magic happens and […]

Filed Under: Connect, Featured, God Talk Tagged With: Issue 38

Worthy of Relationship

By Ashley High Leave a Comment

She was six years old when her mother abandoned her and took off for Florida. She was 22 the Valentine’s Day when her drug dealer boyfriend dumped her and their newborn son on the couch while he left to play basketball with friends. She was 26 when she moved into Room 4 at the local […]

Filed Under: Connect, Discovering God, Featured Tagged With: Issue 10

Bookshelf Parables

By Kevin C. Neece Leave a Comment

As the father of a one and a half year-old boy, I read a lot of children’s books. I read so many, in fact, that I have four Dr. Seuss books memorized and I’m working on my fifth. Some dads may dread reading the same books over and over, annoyed by the simplistic, repetitive text […]

Filed Under: Connect, God Talk Tagged With: Issue 10

Social Media: To Friend or Unfriend?

By Tom Koel Leave a Comment

When did the postal service really get started? When was it feasible for an average someone to send a letter across town or country? I’m told that in America it was no later than 1639. How fun it must have been when Aunt Phyllis’ nephew, after traveling for days across the state for his once-every-two-years […]

Filed Under: Connect, Featured, Life Together Tagged With: Issue 10

What is the Sabbath?

By Kelli Ward Leave a Comment

I once participated in a heated discussion with my friend of another denomination about the Christian Sabbath. She insisted that the seventh day, meaning Saturday, is the Sabbath. She even had me count out the days, and I could not disagree with her. Thinking her point proved correct, I felt ashamed that I couldn’t put […]

Filed Under: Community, Connect, Featured Tagged With: Issue 10

Calling Him “Father”

By Bethany Wagner Leave a Comment

Scripture reminds us time and time again that we are God’s children and he is our Father. Psalm 103:13 tells us, “Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.” In 2 Corinthians 6:18, God promises, “I will be a Father to you, and you […]

Filed Under: Community, Connect, Featured Tagged With: Issue 36

IDENTIFY: Advice On Life, Faith & Relationships

By Lindsey A. Frederick Leave a Comment

Dear Lindsey, I’ve been a Christian for a little while now, but I have to admit: I don’t really like to pray. It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just that I have a hard time staying focused. Some people say they can hear or feel God talk to them, but I don’t feel […]

Filed Under: Connect, Featured, Life Together Tagged With: Issue 37

WHY JOIN A CHURCH?

By Délice Williams Leave a Comment

Nowhere in the Bible does it say that Christians have to be church members. Hebrews 10:24-25, verses that are often quoted in discussions of church attendance, does specifically tell us not to “[give] up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing” (NIV). That is a clear direction to gather regularly with other […]

Filed Under: Community, Connect, Featured Tagged With: Issue 37

FROM THE CHURCH OF THE PAINFULLY IMPERFECT

By Jeffery Porter Leave a Comment

The word community was never disputed. When the church I was a part of was undergoing the process of changing their name, nearly every potential word or phrase was scrutinized and debated. There was even disagreement over whether the word church should be included in the new title. Yet, nobody ever questioned the inclusion of […]

Filed Under: Community, Connect, Featured Tagged With: community

THE BEAUTY OF COMMUNITY & THE BEAST OF ISOLATION

By Steve Limkeman Leave a Comment

Have you ever felt like you wanted so much more than your provincial life has to offer? We are all searching for happiness and for significance in life. The feeling of happiness alone is not ultimately satisfying, as we know that it will fade or flee amidst our ever-changing circumstances. And why would we spend […]

Filed Under: Connect, Featured, Life Together Tagged With: community

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newidentitymag

New Identity | Exploring Faith
When we think of the most influential people in th When we think of the most influential people in the Christian faith, we think of Martin Luther, John Wesley, and John Calvin. We think of Jonathan Edwards, George Whitfield, and the Great Awakening. For those of us who have a broader historical view, we think of Augustine and Tertullian and Athanasius, but in our minds they are still perceived as white males instead of Africans. This confirms the cultural imperialism inherent in our understanding of Christian history. Even when we think of people born and raised on the African continent we think of them as looking similar to Europeans.⁠
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✍🏽: Ramon Mayo in "The Multicolored Hall of Faith" | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
At the age of fifteen, I received a work permit an At the age of fifteen, I received a work permit and began applying for various part-time jobs in the small city where I lived. With every potential opportunity, I could taste freedom. There was one section, however, on each job application that seemed to mock me. “Are you available on weekends?” the form asked. Since I had grown up with a strong sense of commitment to church as a part of my Christian faith, I had a hard time reconciling a job that would schedule me to work on Sunday, the day I set aside to attend church with my family. Although I was flat out turned down from some opportunities for that reason alone, I made a decision that day to take the fourth commandment seriously and apply it to my life the best way I could.⁠
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✍🏽: ERICA MONGÉ-GREER in "The 4th Commandment" | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
I was told that Christian faith had to have some d I was told that Christian faith had to have some defining point in time of true conversion, the point at which baptism happens, yet this singularity did not exist in my own life.⁠
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✍🏽: @sclimk in "How To Change Your Mind" | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
I don’t know about you but all the English gramm I don’t know about you but all the English grammar that I learned in elementary school has leaked out of my brain. The English language is so complex. Some words in English can be verbs and nouns. Take for instance the word sleep. You can sleep the night away and someone can ask you if you have had a good sleep. It can be a verb, a word describing an action; or a noun, a word describing a person, place, thing, or idea. Another instance of a verb and a noun is the word study. You can study for a test and you can do it in the library or in your own personal study. One of the most important words in the Bible that functions as a verb and a noun is sin. Sin is both a verb and a noun; an action as well as a condition.⁠
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✍🏽: Ramon Mayo in "What Is Sin?" | Continue reading at newidentitymag.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
"Living in the will of God is the safest place on "Living in the will of God is the safest place on earth." –Kelli Ward⁠
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✍🏽: Kelli Ward in "What Does It Mean To Store Treasures In Heaven?" | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
Personally, I believe value is connected to identi Personally, I believe value is connected to identity. You need to know who you are. I really believe that you really don’t know who you are, until you know who Jesus is. Jesus said if you lose your life, you find it (Matt. 10). I never quite understood that growing up, but I have come to realize that if you lose yourself in Jesus and keep a clear perspective of who he is, you won’t ever forget who you are.⁠
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✍🏽: @israelledesma in "Grace Like An Avalanche" | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
“For the growing good of the world is partly dep “For the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs.” –George Eliot⁠
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It happens all the time. We’re going about our lives, our work, our play, our families and our friendships, and then it hits us. It’s a product of what we hear, what we see, and sometimes even what we do ourselves. It’s a feeling that something’s not quite right with the world, a feeling that makes us uncomfortable with what was done or what was said. And the urge to respond, to resist or to repair that bad thing that has happened, begins to rise up in us. What then do we do? Here we see a wide divergence of behavior: some choose to ignore the feeling because they’re too busy to deal with the situation, some choose to stuff it back down because they doubt their ability to be able to make a difference, even if they did choose to act, some are afraid of what the consequences might be to their resistance, and some are so accustomed to the broken state of the world they live in that their capacity to respond has withered dangerously close to the point of apathy. But there are also some who choose to act - and as author George Eliot suggests, we owe an immeasurable debt to their courage.⁠
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✍🏽: @slimkeman in "A Hidden Life" | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
As we enter springtime, let’s rejoice in and giv As we enter springtime, let’s rejoice in and give thanks for the glorious resurrection of which springtime reminds us. Jesus’ resurrection is not just ancient history; it is played out day by day in Creation and in our very lives. When we see cherry trees blossoming, crocuses and tulips sprouting from the ground, and birds beginning to sing again, we can choose to face the future with joy because we know these beautiful sights are just dim reflections of the renewed world to come.⁠
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✍🏽: Bethany Cummins @bethany_kathleen in "Choosing Spring" | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
Many Christians talk about being called. Whether i Many Christians talk about being called. Whether it’s to this ministry or to that particular church, many use the word “calling” to state their certainty in making decisions. In fact, it no longer is a decision when someone says they have been “called” to something. It means that something or someone external to them has summoned them to make a decision. In some ways it can be used to justify irrational and unwise choices. Some have stated they were called to be a missionary in another country when they haven’t lead anyone to know Christ in their home country. Others use their “calling” as a way to justify verbally assaulting and bullying others under the guise of their prophetic calling. After all, it can’t be wrong if God called you to it. But God never calls us to violate scripture, the wisdom of the community, and his character. Violating any one of those things should give us reason to pause and if we violate all of them we can be sure that it is not God. What does it mean to be called? Who is doing the calling? Is it an audible voice that is heard or is it an internal feeling?⁠
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✍🏽: Ramon Mayo in "What Does It Mean To Have A Calling?" | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
There’s a very popular book called "The 7 Mounta There’s a very popular book called "The 7 Mountains of Influence" by Bronwyn O’Brien. The message of the book is that in order to change the world, there are seven mountains of influence that God wants to permeate: Arts & Entertainment, Business, Education, Family, Government, Media, and Religion. The main idea here is that each one of us is called to a specific mountain, or several of these specific mountains, to bring influence. The idea I believe God wants us to get is that the passions we carry, even the one’s we’ve thought are worldly or not Godly, often times are Godly. If you have a passion to be a professional basketball player, a stay at home mom, or the world’s greatest plumber, these are all passions God has very likely placed within you to walk out. The things that bring you joy and bring life, even if they’re outside of the church, are many times the Lord’s doing. God hasn’t called everyone to serve in the church or stand behind a pulpit. God has called us all to be ministers in every sphere of influence for his glory and kingdom! Understand that you are called to a specific mountain of influence, so the question isn’t whether or not what you’re passionate about is of God; the question is, how can I use this passion I have for God?⁠
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✍🏽: Nicholas Sowell in "Mountains of Impact" | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
Happy Easter! We hope your day is filled with hope Happy Easter! We hope your day is filled with hope and sunshine!
📖⁠ But on the first day of the week, at early 📖⁠
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened. [Luke 24:1-12] For the full story on what happened the rest of the day, read in full Luke 24:1-53.⁠
💬⁠ Known as the “Great Sabbath,” Holy Sat 💬⁠
Known as the “Great Sabbath,” Holy Saturday is considered a day of silence that points to how Christ “rested” physically in the tomb. Churches that have services on Holy Saturday often keep their worship gatherings simple and bare, encouraging participants to rest in anticipation for Easter.⁠
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On Holy Saturday, taking a moment to pray and reflect on Jesus’ death is a practical way to remember God’s work. How does Jesus’ death affect you? What does his death mean for you, both personally and for the church? How might you respond to Jesus’ death? What areas of your life do you feel most affected by Jesus’ sacrificial death?⁠
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✍🏽: @lukegeraty from “Elevating Easter”⁠ | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
"Even though I was only in high school, I still th "Even though I was only in high school, I still thought about things like eternity. I thought about death. I thought about the meaning of life and all of this stuff. I just didn’t know where to put that or how to answer any of those questions. Walking into Young Life and hearing the gospel gave me a context for that and made a ton of sense."⁠
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✍🏽: Tyler Weaver as interviewed by Ben Helms in "No Cookie-Cutter Christian" | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
📖⁠ After this, Jesus, knowing that all was no 📖⁠
After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. [John 19:28-30 ESV] For the full story of what led up to the death of Jesus, read John 18:2-19:42.⁠
Judah was outraged when he heard ⁠ Tamar, the wi Judah was outraged when he heard ⁠
Tamar, the widow of his deceased son, had become pregnant because of prostitution. He demanded, “Bring her out, and let her be burned!” (Gen. 38:24, NLT). What a shame to their family name! What an embarrassment for her! But this story exposes Judah’s poor character, not Tamar’s. ⁠
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Judah’s firstborn son was Er who married Tamar, but Er died. So Judah had his second-born son, Onan, marry Tamar, as was customary to continue the family name and keep their land secure. But Onan died too (Gen. 38:3-10). Judah’s only living son was too young to marry Tamar, so Judah told Tamar to go live with her parents and remain a widow until his youngest son, Shelah, could marry Tamar. Although “Judah didn’t really intend to do this because he was afraid Shelah would also die, like his two brothers” (Gen. 38:11). ⁠
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✍🏽: @the_christopherscott in "Cultivating Good Character" | Continue reading at newidentitymag.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
📖⁠ Then Jesus went with them to a place calle 📖⁠
Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” [Matthew 26:36-46 ESV] For more of these eventful 24-hours for Jesus, read Matthew 26:17-46.⁠
The crux of the Christian faith is found in Easter The crux of the Christian faith is found in Easter. It is the story of a man called Jesus, who was killed by being hung on a cross, and then three days later rose from the dead. The Bible says in John 3:16 that because of this act of love, those who believe it will be given eternal life.⁠
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Easter is a holiday celebrated in many shops and restaurants as being all about colourful bunnies, chicks, eggs and lots of chocolate and candy. But for those who look a little deeper it is laden with symbolism that can help you focus on what Easter is really all about: thanking Jesus for changing our lives forever.⁠
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✍🏽: WENDY VAN EYCK in "9 Ways To Make Easter More Meaningful" | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
📖⁠ And every day he was teaching in the templ 📖⁠
And every day he was teaching in the temple, but at night he went out and lodged on the mount called Olivet. And early in the morning all the people came to him in the temple to hear him.⁠
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Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people.⁠
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Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd. [Luke 21:37-22:6 ESV]⁠
With our busy get-up-and-go lifestyles, it might s With our busy get-up-and-go lifestyles, it might seem more difficult than ever to find time for God or where we can fully make time for the essential aspects of the Christian life like prayer and Bible reading. Yes, like working out or eating healthy, it comes down to the priority and importance of those things in our lives and whether or not they’re important enough to us. At the end of the day we will make time for the things that are most important to us in our lives. Though God is not a “thing” to be fit into our schedules, I believe it’s more than possible to make a place and priority in our lives for connection with him.⁠
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✍🏽: Nicholas Sowell in "ENGAGING WITH GOD" | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
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