February 4, 2013
by Matt Morgan
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Category:
Confused?
The apostle Paul had proclaimed the good news of Jesus during his second missionary journey in the influential city of Corinth. Initially there were people who responded to the good news by placing their faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord, so Paul planted a church there to continue the work of proclaiming the message of salvation through Jesus. But after Paul left it appe...
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January 21, 2013
by Matt Morgan
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Category:
Where to Next?
Most of the time we like to determine our own, personal goals. But there are times when others set personal goals for us. A doctor may tell his patient that his cholesterol is too high and that over the course of the next year, through diet and exercise, he needs to get his cholesterol down. A professor may begin a semester by handing out a syllabus to her students and ...
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January 14, 2013
by Matt Morgan
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Category:
Where to Next?
Like many individuals, most organizations have goals which they are working towards and striving to accomplish. Those goals aren't usually just made up out of thin air though. Most of the time those goals are a result of organizations taking an honest look at themselves, making honest assessments of their weaknesses and/or places that they need to grow, and then putting ...
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January 8, 2013
by Matt Morgan
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Category:
Where to Next?
God did some amazing things for and through Escalate Church in 2012. Last week we talked about the appropriate response to God's goodness, saying that it was both right and appropriate to celebrate Him and what He has done. But we also emphasized the fact that we can't allow our celebration of Him to take us off of the mission that He has called us to. So we strive to c...
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December 31, 2012
by Matt Morgan
Celebrating God's goodness to and through us is a right and appropriate response! And in 2012 God did some really great things for and through Escalate Church - things that we ought to look back on and praise God for! But celebrating God's victories and accomplishments must be done in the right context! God doesn't want us to forsake the mission that He has given to cel...
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December 26, 2012
by Matt Morgan
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Category:
Preparing for Christmas
Over the course of the last three weeks we have attempted to prepare our hearts for Christmas by remembering why the gift of Jesus was so incredibly significant. During that time we have been reminded of some important realities. The first week we remembered that Jesus was the fulfillment of the greatest promise ever made. The second week we remembered that Jesus was th...
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December 18, 2012
by Matt Morgan
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Category:
Preparing for Christmas
Tragedy struck our nation earlier this week - just days before we celebrate Christmas. Now many are wrestling with questions in what is normally a very joyful season. "How could someone do something like this days before Christmas?" "How could someone kill so many innocent little children?" "How can we have hope and joy this Christmas in the shadow of such a great trag...
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December 10, 2012
by Matt Morgan
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Category:
Preparing for Christmas
Those in advertising and marketing often seem to have a finger on the pulse of our culture. They make observations about the way we think and live and then use those observations to try to sell us new things. Recently I've noticed an increase in advertisements in which they are focusing on people standing in line, waiting for the next 'big' thing. But while they stand i...
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December 3, 2012
by Matt Morgan
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Category:
Preparing for Christmas
What are you doing to prepare yourself for Christmas? And how will you know when you are prepared? What are thinking about as Christmas day gets closer? When you'll get your decorating done; who to send Christmas cards to; what gifts you need to purchase; how to arrange your schedule to make the Christmas parties you really want to attend? If we can successfully juggle...
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November 27, 2012
by Matt Morgan
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Category:
In Need of a Greater Rescue
Judges 17 begins and Judges 21 ends with the same statement - "There was no king in Israel." And because there was no one to rule or reign the author and narrator tells us that that resulted in the people ruling and reigning over their own lives and choices. Everyone was doing was right in his or her own eyes. And when everyone did what was right in his own eyes it lead...
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