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Another great sermon: What if love meant more than you thought?

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Here's another great sermon from Willow Creek (they're on a roll with this Sermon on the Mount series):  What If Love Meant More Than You Thought? A sermon like this is especially needed in this "outrage culture" where people spend their days looking for things to be angry about, for people to lash out at.  Ugh. But there's a better way.  It doesn't have to be like this.  We don't have to let the news and social media lure us into an ever-increasing spiral of hopelessness and discouragement, antagonizing us into hating life and everyone around us. If you've already spent enough time letting the online world break your heart and blood your boil, why not take a break and try something else, something relaxing and encouraging for a change?   L ike reading the book of John in the Bible, followed by the rest of the New Testament.  Or talking a walk and enjoying nature (start a collection of interesting things you find on your walks, or maybe take pictures o...

Only.me80 #3: All/world = Some

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In the previous post of this series, I noted that Only.me80 said  (as all Calvinists do)   that "in mercy God must choose to save some." Some?    Calvi-god predestines only some people to heaven because he wants to save only  some people.   Calvi-god draws only some people to him, allowing only  some people to hear, understand, respond to the Calvi-gospel.  Calvi-god has real love, grace, mercy for only  some people.  Calvi-Jesus died for only some people,  paying for only some people's sins. But let's see what the Bible says: John 1:29 :   “… 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the whole world .'” Luke 2:10:  "But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for  all people .'" John 3:16:  "For God so loved  the world  that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." ...

White horses and a cup of tea (part 2)

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(picking up where we left off in part 1 ...) And that brings us to this year.   This year I wasn't going to make any New Year's resolutions.  I was like "meh, who cares?" But then, two things grew naturally in my mind, goals for this year.  (The first one will take three posts, and then I'll share the second one after that.) (Plus, I think I'll keep trying the "talk less, listen more" resolution, too.   I could always use more of that.   And I think I'll add "try to stop speaking negative things."  That won't be easy.  I do far too much of that.): A Theme:   This is going to be my "white horse" year.   "What's a 'white horse'?" you ask.   Well, I'm glad you asked.  I'll tell you.   Here's the thing: I'm an overthinker.  A massive overthinker.  And it causes me lots of anxiety.  Of course, I have some very real things to be concerned about, but I also overthink little things and not-eve...