Author |
Message |
Topic: That's Not Stage Blood |
pdavelee
Replies: 0
Views: 10645
|
Forum: Day 24: A Living Sacrifice Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 1:00 am Subject: That's Not Stage Blood |
Because real bloodshed is so uncommon in our society, I think that the sight or the mention of blood does not have many points of contact in our actual experience. We read of the suffering and shed bl ... |
Topic: The Rod of God |
pdavelee
Replies: 0
Views: 10674
|
Forum: Day 23: The Rod Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 12:50 am Subject: The Rod of God |
Everyday for the past nearly two weeks, I have driven past a building with the words "Rod of God Ministries" emblazoned across its front. I considered it a distastefully unfriendly name for ... |
Topic: You Don't Have to Be Popular |
pdavelee
Replies: 0
Views: 10678
|
Forum: Day 21: Dogs Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 12:20 am Subject: You Don't Have to Be Popular |
It's amazing to me that a dog will give up its life to protect sheep. It's not always appropriate to ascribe human traits to animals, but I can't help seeing a noble sense of duty and selflessness in ... |
Topic: No Substitute for Being There |
pdavelee
Replies: 0
Views: 11404
|
Forum: Day 20: Gatekeepers Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 4:28 pm Subject: No Substitute for Being There |
The line in this devotion that struck me most was, "A good shepherd has to be shrewd, but he also has to be there." In the last 5 years I have become increasingly involved in ministries outs ... |
Topic: Don't Go There |
pdavelee
Replies: 0
Views: 10694
|
Forum: Day 18: Facing the Lions Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 12:54 am Subject: Don't Go There |
What really jumped out at me during this devotion was the citation of David’s testimony in 1 Samuel 17:34-35. “When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went af ... |
Topic: A Reason to Stay Up All Night |
pdavelee
Replies: 0
Views: 11178
|
Forum: Day 17: Recognizing the Wolves Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 12:37 am Subject: A Reason to Stay Up All Night |
As I read this devotion, I was struck by how relentless the pitched battle is between shepherds and wolves. Every night vigilance matters because the wolves don't take any breaks.
"On a good ... |
Topic: Keeping watch |
pdavelee
Replies: 0
Views: 11042
|
Forum: Day 16: While Shepherds Watch Their Flocks Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 1:55 am Subject: Keeping watch |
Whenever I ask the man in a couple how things are going, he usually forms his response by checking whether his partner happens to be angry with him or not. If she’s mad at him that day, things ... |
Topic: Shepherds can't be wimps |
pdavelee
Replies: 0
Views: 10841
|
Forum: Day 15: PROTECTION Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 1:41 am Subject: Shepherds can't be wimps |
I remember a time in college when a bunch of my friends and I were hanging out and someone commented, "This whole college thing would be so great if it weren't for the classes." I laughed at ... |
Topic: There's knowing, then there's "knowing" |
pdavelee
Replies: 0
Views: 10795
|
Forum: Day 14: Named and Known Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 1:29 am Subject: There's knowing, then there's "knowing" |
As I read this devotion I found myself wondering how it is possible for a shepherd to know every sheep and goat in his flock by name and appearance. All sheep and goats look the same to me. Sure, I mi ... |
Topic: How effective is our staff |
pdavelee
Replies: 0
Views: 11017
|
Forum: Day 13: The Staff Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 1:16 am Subject: How effective is our staff |
When I hear the word "staff" I immediately think of it in the sense of the employees of the church. Our church currently has a staff of 9, and this devotion made me wonder if our staff plays ... |
Topic: Huddled together |
pdavelee
Replies: 0
Views: 11231
|
Forum: Day 12: Satisfaction and Restoration Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 1:05 am Subject: Huddled together |
It was not the words of this devotion that struck me first - it was that photograph. Looking at the picture of three sheep huddled on the ground next to one another, for all the world looking like the ... |
Topic: Homecoming |
pdavelee
Replies: 0
Views: 10846
|
Forum: Day 11: Gathering the Scattered Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 12:57 am Subject: Homecoming |
As I read this devotion, I was greatly encouraged by a thought. For years we’ve observed that new believers represent a very small percentage of our numeric growth. The vast majority of people ... |
Topic: The ones that got away |
pdavelee
Replies: 0
Views: 11253
|
Forum: Day 10: Lost and Found Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 12:56 am Subject: The ones that got away |
Over the course of my years at Harvest, many parishioners have left the church. Because we are a young congregation made primarily of professionals, the group tends to be highly mobile and transient. ... |
Topic: How do the newborns fare? |
pdavelee
Replies: 0
Views: 11201
|
Forum: Day 9: Midwives and Nurses Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 12:36 am Subject: How do the newborns fare? |
I’ll remember Gladys (not her real name) for as long as I live. When we were still a very young church plant, she was among the first to respond to an altar call and receive Jesus as her Savior ... |
Topic: Hands-on shepherding |
pdavelee
Replies: 0
Views: 11404
|
Forum: Day 8: The Shepherd Healer Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:29 pm Subject: Hands-on shepherding |
The longer I pastor and the more I learn about sheep, the more I marvel at what an apt analogy that was for God to use to describe his people. My congregation members seem to have an inexhaustible lis ... |
|