Got Potential?

Last week I wrote about why God would allow bad things to happen to people. Whether bad things were initiated by another person or by nature – like a tsunami or an earthquake. I also mentioned David Pawson’s book, Why Does God Allow Natural Disasters. The book came from a three hour TV series in [...]

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Last week we talked about how being born again into life requires dying first; crucifying the old man whose behavior leads us into death. We also figured out how we crucify the old man – we kill his deeds, the behavior that leads us to death instead of life.
Remember the old joke: “A man goes [...]

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“Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.” (Romans 8:5)
In my last letter I talked about how what I want to do, I don’t do; but the very [...]

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“‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘Tell me to come to you on the water.’ ‘Come,’ he said.” (Matthew 14:28-29)
You’ve got to admit, walking on water is a pretty neat trick. Only two people in history are reported to have done it and one of them was the Son of God. Peter, [...]

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“‘Would you discredit my justice?  Would you condemn me to justify yourself.’” (Job 40:8)
I received a sad comment this weekend. It was a response to a Purpose Weekly letter “Has God Forsaken You?” You can read the letter and the comment (feel free to comment yourself) at: http://www.gotpotential.org/gods-purpose/has-god-forsaken-you.
Here’s the comment from John:
Bull____. In one sentence [...]

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“Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” (Psalm 90:2)
I took advantage of the relative quiet over the last two weeks of holiday to finish pre-press edits for the North American edition of Unlocking the Bible by David Pawson. It’s a massive [...]

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“And the Scriptures also say, ‘He is the Stone that some will stumble over and the Rock that will make them fall.’ They will stumble because they will not listen to God’s word, nor obey it, and so this punishment must follow - that they will fall. But you are not like that, for you [...]

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Saturday morning came and Cora Lee’s chickens never entered my mind.  Christmas was just three days away and I had a hundred last minute chores still undone.  Sunday morning Ray asked the congregation to remember Cora Lee in prayer. She had slipped into a coma on Wednesday night.
When Ray mentioned Cora’s name Elaine and I [...]

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“And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain  poor widow putting in two mites. So He said, ‘Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all …’” (Luke 21: 1-3)
Terry Creek church is perched on a [...]

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“What good is It, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such a faith save him? (James 2:14)

“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
“‘I will not,’ he [...]

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“Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths;” (Psalm 25:4)
One of my favorite movie scenes comes from “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” It’s where Indy discovers the cave where the Holy Grail is supposed to be, but he’s separated from the chamber holding the Grail by impassable abyss. His guide book pictures [...]

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“For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” (I Corinthians 1:25)
Purpose Weekly is a success newsletter. I know it doesn’t always appear that way. Sometimes it’s kind of preachy - talking about spiritual stuff more than practical success.
Yeah, I know that sometimes it [...]

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“Jesus answered, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me.’” (Matthew 19:21)

Hmmm …
How about just being good? How much does that cost?
The passage at the top of this letter comes from a conversation Jesus had with a [...]

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“And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?” (Luke 18:7)
I visited a place called International House of Prayer in Kansas City last week. IHOP for short … yeah, like the pancake house, everybody gets the joke.
Here’s the interesting thing about IHOP [...]

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“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I [...]

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“You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written: ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.’ So then, each of us will [...]

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“Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Matthew 16:17-18)
Purpose Weekly

Vol. 2, Issue [...]

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Purpose

Vol. 2 Issue 21

May 27, 2008

The Weekly Newsletter of True Potential Publishing

“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”(Matthew 16:18)
Is “Church” a Dirty Word? Part II
Last week we started talking about “church.” We brought out our trusty [...]

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Purpose

Vol. 2 Issue 20
May 19, 2008
The Weekly Newsletter of True Potential Publishing

“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25)
Is “Church” a Dirty Word?
I’ve always felt a little [...]

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Purpose
Vol. 2 Issue 18
May 2, 2008
The Weekly Newsletter of True Potential Publishing

Courage Part 3
“In those days Israel had no king; every one did as he saw fit.” (Judges 17:6)
“We have met the enemy, and he is us” - Pogo
We’re going to hang with the Judges for one more week. From last week’s letter you could [...]

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