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FAMOUS LAST WORDS

By Lindsey A. Frederick Leave a Comment

Photo Credit: Liz Grace @ Flickr (CC)

Photo Credit: Liz Grace @ Flickr (CC)

I buried my ninety-seven-year-old grandmother this week. I didn’t get to say goodbye while she was still living. As she lay in her casket, the struggle finally out of her body, I placed my hand on hers and told her, one last time, I loved her. Her last words to me, to her family, to friends, were read in her testimony and favorite poem at her funeral service. The gist of her message was simple yet profound, and it characterized her life: love Jesus, love others, and teach them to do the same.

Last words hold weight. The power of a loved one’s goodbye causes us to clutch and preserve their words. Jesus knew this when he saved his most important instruction as his farewell message to his followers before he departed for heaven. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me,” he said. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:18-19, emphasis mine).

So what importance streams under these words? If you’re already a Christian, you presumably understand about loving Jesus. But even if you aren’t, you understand love isn’t enough if it doesn’t compel you to do something for another: to devote yourself, to pledge loyalty, to make a promise, a vow, commit. And you probably also know commitment doesn’t mean much if you never make it known. In John 14:15, Jesus told his followers, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” And in his final words, one way Jesus teaches—actually commands—his followers to highlight their love and devotion to him, is through baptism. Whether you’re new to faith, a faith veteran, or standing on the fringe of contemplation, this topic raises numerous questions. What does it mean? Is baptism necessary to my salvation? and Why should I do it?

What Is Baptism?

Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.—Romans 6:3

The word baptism means “to immerse,” or “to dip in water.” And this is literally what transpires: a person is dipped under a pool or body of water and raised to the surface. Seem simple? It is. But its symbolism drips with meaning and color and life. ClarifyingChristianity.com paints a vivid picture: “. . . ‘baptize’ is a transliteration of the original Greek word (baptizo) . . . [which] comes from the root word (bapto), a term used in the first century for immersing a garment first into bleach and then into dye, both cleansing and changing the color of the cloth.”

Like the washing and dying of the cloth, baptism depicts a person’s sin-cleansing, life-coloring choice to turn away from sin and turn to Jesus. Although the cloth is fundamentally the same, it is now also fundamentally changed. A closer look at the picture reveals even more: water immersion is a symbol of Jesus’s death and burial for our sins. As one breaks through the water’s surface, he reveals the final stroke of God’s masterwork: the reality of a God so powerful even death cannot defeat him. Eugene Peterson describes this picture in The Message translation of Romans 6:3b-6,

When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace—a new life in a new land! When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus. Each of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Father so that we can see where we’re going in our new grace-sovereign country. Could it be any clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the Cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life—no longer at sin’s every beck and call!

If I Don’t Get Baptized, Does that Mean I’m Not Saved?

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.—Ephesians 2:8

The short answer is, “No.” Baptism cannot and does not make you a Christian. Only Jesus can do that. Kondo Simfuke, pastor of Mission Point Community Church in Warsaw, Indiana, parallels the symbolism of baptism to a wedding certificate or a diploma. He illustrates that both are symbols of what you’ve already accomplished. Just as a wedding certificate doesn’t make you married and a diploma doesn’t make you educated, baptism does not make you forgiven of your sin and rescued from death. Your forgiveness and salvation were made possible when Jesus died on the cross.

However, the long answer is a little more complicated. First century Christians might have had a hard time imagining a person being “Christian” apart from baptism, as it was intricately entwined in the conversion process. Jesus said to “make disciples and baptize them,” which followers took literally as a packaged instruction. To risk equating it in simple, modern terms, it might be like turning on a lamp without a light bulb: it doesn’t make much sense. Additionally, a majority of Christians may view baptism as more than symbolic. Many hold it as a literal initiation into the body of Christ; a spiritual soul-dye. We’ll uncover more of the “long answer” in the following sections.

If I Don’t Need to Get Baptized to be Saved, Why Should I Do It?

Some of us are Jews, and others are Gentiles. Some of us are slaves, and others are free. But God’s Spirit baptized each of us and made us part of the body of Christ. —1 Corinthians 12:13a, CEV

I met Jesus on my backyard swing set when I was three, but I wrestled through 23 years of questions before I was baptized. I knew I was forgiven and free, and I knew my salvation wasn’t dependent on baptism. I used this and my aversion to public attention to rationalize away the need for ceremony. But it was as if I had fallen in love with a man I promised to spend the rest of my life with, and never arranged the public marriage ceremony. I never invited witnesses to stand beside me and promise to hold me accountable in my relationship. I’d never welcomed anyone to my after-party celebration. I was in a serious relationship with Jesus, but I’d never actually committed to take on his name, which identified me as a part of his family.

Following Jesus can be tough. Profile the lives of the men and women in the Bible and discover their common bond: trouble, pain, questions. You’ll also discover the common thread of a God who is always present and always makes good on his promises. Part of the support he provides is through our Christian communities. We need people to buoy us through turbulent waters by praying for us, reminding us of what God has done in our past, and pointing us toward grace and truth. Likewise, what good is joy and progress if it isn’t shared? We need people to help us throw a really good party, and according to Luke 15:10, baptism is a reason for even the angels to party: “There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Most importantly, we should be baptized because God commands it.

Can I be Baptized More than Once?

Baptism is traditionally a one-time event. Discussion surrounding second baptisms is highly debated, as one’s position on the matter can have serious theological implications. Some denominations outwardly reject second baptisms because they may question the validity of the first baptism. For instance, if one was baptized into the Baptist church and later in the Catholic Church, the rebaptism may suggest that the first wasn’t legitimate. Others take issue with infant baptism versus adult baptism, claiming an infant’s inability to make a conscious choice to follow and obey God delegitimizes the rite. And these are just a few of the disputes. Regardless, there are still many reasons—from rededication to symbolism to meaning-seeking—that people choose to double dip.

Infant Baptism

Some denominations practice infant baptism, or “christening.” This is a much-debated topic in the Christian community, because the Bible doesn’t specifically chronicle a case of infant baptism, nor does it explicitly ban its practice. If you were baptized as an infant, how you interpret what the Bible details about baptism might determine whether you feel re-baptism is appropriate.

Erica was baptized as an infant. Now in her twenties, she says she doesn’t feel the need to be re-baptized. “Infant baptism is symbolic of the fact that we are completely helpless, and yet still receive grace.” Ruth feels similarly, “Once baptized, always baptized,” she says. “Just because I do not remember it, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. I was sealed as God’s own. I can always claim my baptism and rededicate my life to God without another baptism.”

Melanie flips Ruth’s scenario, describing her own infant baptism as more of a “baby dedication” and her high school baptism as “a physical symbol of my affirmation of faith; a symbol that my sins were buried with Christ and I was raised to walk in newness of life.”

Many great men and women of faith stand on both sides of this debate and are still used effectively by God.

Symbolism and Rededication

Many people choose re-baptism when they more fully comprehend the symbolism behind baptism and/or when they become more intentional about their commitment to God.

Patrick was baptized as an infant, but chose re-baptism later in life as his faith matured and he felt the dramatic impact of a God-surrendered heart. “When I really gave myself to following Christ (as a young man),” says Patrick, “I decided to be baptized anew.”

Jeff, baptized at age 3, chose re-baptism this summer, years after what he considers his official conversion at age 20. “This was the first time I was submerged. The first time I understood the symbolism behind the act. The first time I understood what being a follower of Christ meant. And the first time it was in front of a church family who cheered me on when I came up [out of the water]. . . . The first two times, in my mind, might as well have never happened.”

Anna was baptized when she was 8-years-old. Now 27, she says she would consider another baptism to reaffirm her covenant with God, “I think it’s a neat symbol to share with brothers and sisters.”

Amber was also baptized at a young age and didn’t feel the need to have a new ceremony, but later changed her mind. “I. . . swore I would never get baptized again,” she said at her recent adult baptism service. In her painful, but beautiful testimony of abuse and abandon, she told the congregation, “I’m in love with Jesus and I want to serve him and share him with others.”

Meaning

Others, like Sharon, might seek a more meaningful experience. Sharon was baptized as a teenager, but she says, “I had always wanted to be baptized in the open water as Jesus did. I was baptized a second time, in the open water, at a revival.”

In our desire for symbolism and meaning, it’s important to not romanticize our expectations of what our experience should feel like. While there is nothing magical about being baptized, many believe God’s grace is, in a sense, bodily passed on to us through the act. Some people report feeling “new” and “clean” or even “tingly and excited” after the act, while others say they felt “normal.” After my baptism, I felt like the same old me, only soggier, colder, and humbled. However, I had peace knowing I had taken a huge step of obedience toward God.

Sharon claims her experience as a rededication and adds a very important point about our motivation behind baptism, “God knows our hearts,” she says. If you’re considering re-baptism, reflect on why you were baptized in the first place. Was it out of your obedience and a desire to please God, or did someone—your parents, your friends, your church—pressure you into it? Obedience should be driven by love, not obligation. And remember, as much as baptism seems like it is about you, ultimately it’s about what God did for you. Focusing on this phenomenon can turn what feels like a public dunk tank into something very powerful and meaningful. Pure motivations honor God more than our methods.

I’m a New Christian, When Should I Get Baptized?

Philip told him the Good News about Jesus. As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?” He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. —Acts 8:35b-38, NLT

Jesus’s teachings marry salvation with baptism. A quick flip through the book of Acts, which is an account of the first Christians and the rapid expansion of the church, displays numerous accounts of salvation followed immediately by baptism. One of the most striking illustrations is of the Ethiopian eunuch:

After Jesus rose to heaven, he sent his spirit to help his followers carry out his final instructions (Acts 2:1-4). The spirit guided them—sometimes giving specific instructions—as they told others about Jesus. In Acts 8, the spirit instructs Philip, one of Jesus’s 12 disciples to “Go south, down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza” (26). There he meets a powerful eunuch, the treasurer of Ethiopia, who is returning from a trip to Jerusalem.

As the eunuch travels in his carriage, Philip hears him read aloud a prophecy from the book of Isaiah, which describes the death of Jesus. Philip asks the eunuch, “Do you understand what you are reading?” (30). The eunuch asks, “Was Isaiah talking about himself or someone else?” (34b). Philip explains the passage to him and shares God’s message of forgiveness and redemption. As they continue down the road, the eunuch spots some water and asks, “Why can’t I be baptized?” and they go down to the water where Philip baptizes him on the spot (26-38).

The eunuch never saw Philip after that because he was whisked away by the Holy Spirit to share God’s message in other places. But I imagine Philip’s lasts words to him echoed Jesus’s and my grandmother’s: Love God, love others, and teach them to do the same.

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Filed Under: Grow, Growth & Maturity Tagged With: Issue 18

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New Identity | Exploring Faith
We're happy to announce that the Fall/Winter 2020 We're happy to announce that the Fall/Winter 2020 Issue is out today! There are some great articles inside that we hope you'll love! Enjoy! 🤗 #linkinbio⁠
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Prayer isn’t about making the things we selfishl Prayer isn’t about making the things we selfishly want happen; it’s about making us want what God wants.⁠
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✍🏽: @sarahjoysly in "Prayer - The Alignment of Our Souls With God"  Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
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“The world is indeed full of peril, and in it th “The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.” – Haldir⁠
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In Lothlorien, Haldir is encouraging a downcast Fellowship with a glimpse of the larger story in which they find themselves. His words reflect the apostle Paul’s encouragement to the church, that we “do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope” (1 Thess. 4:13). For there is a form of grief from which there is no recovery – one in which there is no resurrection of the dead. If death is the final word, then we must suffer grief without hope, grief that diminishes our love for life because of the crushing weight of the loss we’ve experienced. But Tolkien believed that death was not the end; therefore, we may experience the beautiful juxtaposition in our own lives of deep sorrow mixed with rivers of joy. Instead of crippling us, our grief may actually help to cultivate in our character the virtues of faith, hope, and love that are necessary to continue to carry our heaviest burdens. ⁠
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✍🏽: @slimkeman in "Memorable Middle Earth"  Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
#faithhopelove #lotr #thefellowshipofthering #thelordoftherings #middleearth
The Bible stresses that despite our differences we The Bible stresses that despite our differences we are called to love each other above our political positions. “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (Colossians 3:12-14). You may feel like how politics and religion intersect in the public sphere communicate the exact opposite of this, and you’d be right. Media outlets report drama and conflict. Gracious and loving political opponents are not newsworthy.⁠
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✍🏽: Matthew Hamilton in "Our Identity In Christ Is Always Greater"  Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
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#politics #voting #love #loveyourneighbor #loveyourneighbornotmattertheirpolitics
The trees, with their bark, the skin of the forest The trees, with their bark, the skin of the forest, with its scars and wrinkles, lean toward me, and brush me with their limbs. The leaves beg me to examine their veins. “Have you seen this?” Each different, but each spectacular. The infinite busy creatures. The carpet of green, the dome of blue.⁠
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A few moments later, I feel like an amazing creature in a world amazingly made. I feel the astounding power of God, where the smallest thing around me, a leaf, an ant, is more complicated, and alive and amazing than anything humanity has ever thought of.⁠
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Really, there is nothing like it. The author C.S. Lewis noted that the best place to take a non-believing scientist or a real thinker is nature.  Eventually the noise of God in nature is deafening.⁠
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Once you’re in that place, just a few minutes into your walk, your mouth will hardly be able to keep from pouring out praise to God. It becomes so easy. Connecting to God like that, in praise, as a consequence of observing nature, is so freeing and so empowering that you will return to your office balanced and ready, clear headed and encouraged.⁠
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The prayer that most blesses God, most blesses the one who prays it. And there is almost no easier way than from within the sanctuary of nature, which itself raises up its branches to him in prayer with every sunrise.⁠
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✍🏽: Tom Koel in "Muting The Noise of the World - Deconstructing The Prayer Hike for City Dwellers"  Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
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#prayerhike #prayerworks #prayandpraise #prayerwalk #timewithgod #prayerchangesthings #heispraiseworthy #faithjourney
Each person comes to a Bible passage with his own Each person comes to a Bible passage with his own culture, language, and historical understanding. Sometimes we use these to interpret the Bible, but the hard work of bible study requires that you get rid of those things and interpret the passage by allowing it to speak for itself in its own language, cultural context, and historical background. In other words, interpretation is hard work because you are trying to to discover what the passage meant to its (original) audience 2000 years ago (even though we are reading it today). ⁠
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✍🏽: @the_christopherscott in "How Anyone Can Study The Bible"  Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
#biblestudy #biblestudytools #growingingod #godsword #spendingtimewithgod #biblejournaling #holybible #christianliving #biblescriptures #dailybiblereading
Everything we do should be done for the ultimate e Everything we do should be done for the ultimate enjoyment of God. For instance, our enjoyment of a loving relationship with our spouse is a reflection of our relationship with God, and is therefore something God uses in order for us to better understand his love and how we can love him better.⁠
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This entails that God has given us the Bible as a means to an end. The point of reading the Bible is to come to enjoy God better and more fully. It might seem odd, or even a little sacrilege to think of the Bible as a means to an end. This is because we rightly think of the Bible as holy or sacred. But, it is not God. It is holy and sacred insofar as it is the word of God, given to us so we can better understand who God is. ⁠
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By reading Scripture we learn more about God, his work in the world, his plan for us, and his expectations for us. This is one of the means God has provided for us to enjoy him more. In fact, St. Augustine of Hippo believed that if a Christian could hypothetically enjoy God perfectly in this life, that they would no longer need to read the Bible. Of course because we will not come to love God perfectly in this life, reading, meditating on, and yes, memorizing scripture, will regularly be a source of knowledge that help us to love God more. However, Augustine wants his readers to remember, that knowledge is not the goal for reading the Bible.⁠
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✍🏽: Jeffery Porter in "How A Roman Bishop Changed The Way I Read The Bible"  Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
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#biblereading #heartknowledge #
People with unbelieving hearts only seek after wha People with unbelieving hearts only seek after what prospers them. Apart from Jesus, we set in motion lives filled with harm, with no hope and no future. A person can only have hope and a future when life is lived out for Christ. We get light through reading the Bible, prayer, and fellowship with other Christians. This light of life can be obtained through an open line of communication with the one who gives it—Jesus. Apart from him, life can appear meaningless. Our purpose in life is to glorify God with who we are and what we have. –Steven Butwell⁠
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"No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others." –Psalm 25:3 NLT⁠
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✍🏽: Steven Butwell in "The Light Christ"  Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
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#hopeinchrist #hope #faith #godsplan #godisgood #hopeinthelord #bethelight #godislove #livinghop #thegospel #godislove #godisfaithful #christianliving #bethelightinthedarkness
What’s your favorite article in the new issue? F What’s your favorite article in the new issue? Follow the link in our bio to read it online or download it free to your tablet. ⁠
Even as God demonstrated love by sending Jesus to Even as God demonstrated love by sending Jesus to die on the cross to take punishment for our sins, God reminded people of the importance of fearing him. God is not only our savior, comforter, and friend who promises to be with us always (Hebrews 13:5; Matthew 28:20), but also the most powerful being in the universe. There is a place for the right kind of fear—the reverential awe and respect—in our lives.⁠
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✍🏽: Délice Williams in "Fear The Lord?" Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
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Like the Psalmist, John describes Jesus as God’s Like the Psalmist, John describes Jesus as God’s Word who brings light and life to the darkness. Jesus is God’s Word that comes to us, to those who are dwelling in darkness. In fact, this is exactly what Jesus declares his mission to be in John 12:46: “I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” This Light and Darkness imagery pervades the gospel of John. People love darkness because they don’t want their actions, thoughts, motives to be exposed by the light. But the truth is that deep down we need (and want) to be seen. We want to be loved despite our dirtiest deeds and foulest feelings. We need to restore the relationship that Adam and Eve once had with God–complete openness, and deep love–but we can’t do it on our own. Only God can (and did through Jesus) bring that relationship back.⁠
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✍🏽: Brandon Hurlbert in "The Light of God's Love"  Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
📷: Photo by Emre Kuzu from Pexels⁠
In John 15:1 Jesus says that God is the gardener a In John 15:1 Jesus says that God is the gardener and he prunes every branch that does not produce fruit. A person stuck in his or her ways of sin is like a prickly shrub growing a lot of branches with no fruit. These branches must be removed so good fruit can grow. In the same way as a bush is unable to prune itself, a person who is living in sin is unable to remove all the unfruitful branches in life. Paul described this condition in chapter seven of Romans when he called himself a wretched man and realized only Jesus can change him.⁠
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Jesus provides the essential elements for growth; he gives us his Word (the Bible) for fertilizer, other believers for sunshine, and the Holy Spirit for water. When our roots begin to receive this new water, sunshine, and fertilizer, new branches begin to grow. This time the branches are not prickly bushes, but beautiful new branches adorned with the fruit of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self control,” (Galatians 5:22). Our old acquaintances will marvel at who we have become. When we allow God to be the gardener, he will shape us into his design.⁠
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✍🏽: Delbert Teachout in "God The Gardener"  Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
📷: Photo by Timothy Grindall from Pexels
As new creations, those who have been forgiven by As new creations, those who have been forgiven by and reconciled to Jesus, we now have the task of being reconciled to each other. As Christians, we are not just called to forgive others in our hearts but keep them at an arm’s length away. No, we are called to be of one heart and one mind (Acts 4:32) with our brothers and sisters—we are called to be reconciled.⁠
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✍🏽: Brandon Hurlbert in "Repairing Broken Bridges"  Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
We are faced with a challenge: to make God the cen We are faced with a challenge: to make God the center and purpose of our lives in a world of demands. God asks us to listen for his voice, and it’s no wonder why he chose to speak to Elijah in a “still, small voice” in 1 Kings 19:12-13. He doesn’t always shout at us because he wants us to choose to listen, to put other things aside so that all of our focus is towards discerning his will in the specifics of our lives. We have his will for us in general, as communicated in the Bible, which is to make disciples of all nations, to glorify the one true God, to serve no other gods, to love our neighbors as ourselves, etc., but sometimes we need to figure out how those general plans fit the specifics of our lives. Hearing God’s voice is part of how we relate to him, but in those moments of uncertainty, quieting ourselves becomes even more important.⁠
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✍🏽: @sarahjoysly in "Listening For A Whisper"  Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
📷: Photo by Jara from Pexels⁠
Imagine if every Christian started praying to God Imagine if every Christian started praying to God and asking for him to bless us with gifts of encouragement for the sake of the world around us. The Church would make an immediate impact on the lives of people.⁠
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✍🏽: @lukegeraty in "The Gift of Encouragement from the Great Encourager"  Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
📷: Photo by Lum3n from Pexels⁠
Everything sad will come untrue because we are not Everything sad will come untrue because we are not doomed to be forever parted with those we love, nor will our souls simply turn to dust and fade with the memory of those we leave behind.⁠
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✍🏽: @slimkeman in "Memorable Middle Earth - Why I'm Always Tolkien In Movie Quotes"  Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
📷: Photo by Dirk Förster from Flickr
"Remembering God's promises and his faithfulness a "Remembering God's promises and his faithfulness as a community will help us to endure our sorrows for the night, for joy comes in the morning." @slimkeman from his article The Beauty of Community & The Beast of Isolation 🌤 Can you name some of God's promises that keep you encouraged and grounded? We'd love to hear in the comments below - and just maybe it might be the hope someone else is needing right now! 🤗⁠
“Every night I lie in bed, the brightest colors “Every night I lie in bed, the brightest colors fill my head. A million dreams are keepin’ me awake. I think of what the world could be, a vision of the one I see. A million dreams is all it’s gonna take. A million dreams for the world we’re gonna make.” ⁠
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As P.T. Barnum sings these words to Charity in the beautiful montage of their young lives, we are captivated by the hope that they share, the possibilities of their bright future, and the chance of their love overcoming the wall between privilege and poverty that keeps them apart. The Greatest Showman asks us to wrestle with the quest for the holy grail of our modern world: success and happiness. ⁠
What is the good life? If a million of our wildest dreams came true, would we truly be happy?⁠
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In Jesus, we find a man who invites us into his presence with these words: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). He is the only one who can fill “the infinite abyss” of desire in our souls. When you have fully devoted yourself and your dreams to your Creator, you will discover that “everything you ever want” and “everything you ever need” is “right here in front of you” in Christ Jesus.⁠
{Steve Limekman}⁠
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✍🏼: by @slimkeman in “The Greatest Showman”  Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com by clicking on the link in our bio ⁠
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📸: from newidentitymagazine
Every day in sub-Saharan Africa, one child in ten Every day in sub-Saharan Africa, one child in ten under the age of five dies of a preventable cause, and nearly every day in America eight in ten adults consume coffee. What do these numbers have to do with each other? A lot, according to the One Cup Project, which is using America’s love for coffee to reduce the number of children dying in Africa by converting coffee profits into life-saving aid.⁠
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The One Cup Project started in 2010, when Christian Kar, the founder of an award-winning Seattle-based coffee company, partnered with the Christian humanitarian aid organization, World Vision.Remarkably, every dollar spent on One Cup Coffee generates a dollar of aid for Africa.⁠
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Buy some coffee, put up a post on your Facebook page, ask your church, local café, or workplace to change their coffee, or run a One Cup Fundraiser. In doing so, you just may help hurting people find healing, hope, and life. Change the world for the better, one cup at a time.⁠
{Thame Fuller}⁠
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✍🏼: @thamefuller in “One Cup Project”  Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com by clicking on the link in our bio or click on this link to take you directly to the One Cup website: https://onecup.org/our-story/⁠
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📸: by @AftaPuta from Pexels
When someone accepts Jesus, they leave their old p When someone accepts Jesus, they leave their old priorities behind and make Jesus the center of their life. Jesus calls each of us to share the good news with the world. He came to give living water to a thirsty world, and we have the honor and privilege of sharing his message by the power of the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39).⁠
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The most important thing you can do is enter each conversation with a posture of prayer. Pray for the person you’re sharing with, that God would open their heart to accept him. Pray that God would give you the words to say. And a loving way to say them.⁠
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Expect God to work in your relationship and use you to share Jesus through your friendship in his own timing. No matter how long you have been a believer, you can share Jesus with the confidence that he is with you and that he will use you for his glory.⁠
{Eric Gulley}⁠
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✍🏼: Eric Gulley in “Sharing Your Faith”  Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com by clicking on the link in our bio ⁠
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📸: by @OliverSjostrom from Pexels
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