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Our prayers go out to those who have been hurt or lost family members or friends in church attacks. May God's grace heal the wounds of these loses.

In 2016, violent deaths were more frequent at faith-based organizations than at schools. In comparing 2016 to the most recent 10 years, it was second in the number of violent crimes with deadly potential (with 246 deadly force incidents, following 2015 at 248).

In 2016, from those 246 deadly force incidents there were 65 violent deaths—defined as homicides, suicides, and aggressors killed in action—all taking place at churches or ministries.

Do you associate only with people who share your beliefs? It is human nature to seek out those who are like you, and left to themselves people will sort themselves out by income level, education, political preferences, interests, and many more. Does your faith become another dimension of separation from others, or does it help break down existing barriers? Even in a culture supposedly free of class boundaries, yours is quite stratified and internally divided. Don’t let your faith make it worse. Does your faith teach you of a common humanity, at least insofar as all are created by me in my image? Follow this idea to its conclusion.

Daily Blog

I invited my followers to come to me and take my yoke upon them and find rest for their souls. What does rest mean to you? Is it the absence of effort, or the absence of care? You can enter into rest even while you are doing productive things by recognizing that the responsibility for all the world’s troubles does not rest on your shoulders. In comparison the yoke that I give you is very light, but how many people act as if they were responsible for everything? Martha was overburdened with care about many things, but how many people care about everything? If you pick up and carry the burdens I give you then you have chosen the good part for yourself. 

Daily Blog

Do you think you have enough resources to carry out my plan for your life? Do you need more? Could you have too much? Consider my story of the vine and the branches. It teaches you to abide in the vine to bear fruit. It also teaches you that every branch that does bear fruit is pruned in order that it may bear more fruit. Pruning involves the cutting away of a living part. Does this seem like a bad alternative between being cut off and being trimmed? Obviously the first is worst. This doesn’t have to be a dilemma. How much do you value fruit? Are there things in your life you could part with to bear more? 

I use any worship or soaking music that “speaks” to me.  I need to “like” it.  I don’t think it matters what a person uses as long as they like it  and it worships the King rather than your wounds and problems.  Some worship music seems to be more geared to issues people face rather than the Lord and I avoid them because they weigh me down. If I don’t like it when the volume is up, my spirit doesn’t seem to like it in the subliminal volume (barely audible) either and I get agitated. I have downloaded tunes I like on my iPod for when I am out.  I have also used tunes off of YouTube. I avoid tunes that sing about the wounds we get as I do not want to worship my wounds but worship the King.  I like stuff like the Elevation worship links.

Daily Blog

Which matters more to you, people or ideals? If this is a difficult question for you, consider this: ideals are by definition unattainable abstractions of perfection, whereas people are real and feel pain. Does this make the decision easier? You can argue about which policies would result in the greatest good for the greatest number, and human government may require such considerations, but remember that the number are people. Didn’t I say regarding the Sabbath that it was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath? Did I even support harmful policies for their own sake? Never lose sight of the fact that if it isn’t good for people, it isn’t good. 

I am forwarding this to you from "The Christ Revealed Team:" 

When we first set out to make a documentary series about Jesus Christ, we knew the road wouldn’t be easy. The world is in more need than ever before. They need the hope in this message, and at the same time it seems that people are more resistant than ever before to listening to it. That’s why we need your help...

Daily Blog

Have you ever seen children playing a game and heard someone declare a ‘do-over’? This is common in disputed situations with no officials. There are even situations in serious contests between adults where such a ruling takes place. Do you ever wish there were do-over possibilities in your life? You know such a thing isn’t possible, but it isn’t necessary either. What I offer you is redemption. Do you think that this is limited to the forgiveness of your sins? I can apply my redemptive purpose to the dark things and bad choices from your past, even as Joseph said to his brothers, what you meant for evil God meant for good. Just give these things to me. 

If you are a missionary and have on your wish list something from the store on the Communion With God Ministries website, or an electronic course from the School of the Spirit website, please post a comment below in the comment section. Our readers can respond by purchasing a Christmas gift for you, as their way of sowing into your life and your ministry.

Daily Blog

Have you ever heard of sin described as ugly? This is true. Conversely, have you ever heard of love, generosity, and other virtues described as beautiful? This is also true. You live in a culture where beauty is understood to be a powerful influence, but you still have a distorted understanding of what it means, thinking it is outward surface appearance only, and so narrowly defined that it is awkward to remark about it except toward the opposite sex. Are you prepared to enlarge your understanding of beauty? The Psalmist desired to see the beauty of the Lord. Are you prepared to see me as the author of all beauty?