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Central Haywood Church of Christ

Serving God from the mountains of North Carolina

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A prayer for growth.

Eph. 3:14-19.

I am certain that you, like myself, are praying for the growth of the Lord’s church here and throughout the world. Regularly, I am praying for growth especially in the ways that the Lord wants us to grow but what is that. True growth is so much more than simply metrics like attendance numbers or contribution amounts. Real growth is growing in grace and knowledge (2 Peter 3:18). It is growing in our understanding of and imitation of Jesus (Eph. 4:15-16) in our daily lives.

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Introduction to 2 Peter.

Although it is often overlooked, 2 Peter is an important book and makes several significant contributions to the New Testament. It was written by the apostle Peter to a group of Christians who were facing increasing hardships for their faith. Interestingly, it was written as more of a farewell address (2 Peter 1:12-15) than a letter. It was as if Peter knew his time was ending and he wanted to take what time remained to reinforce the church. This letter follows a simple rhetorical style that itself is a great outline.

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When God feels distant.

We’ve all been there at some point in our journey. One day everything is great and the next, we find ourselves feeling lost and distant from God. There can be many reasons for feeling like this but most often, it is a result of some struggle we are facing in life. Sometimes it isn`t that God has moved away from us but that we’ve moved away from Him and sometimes it is simply a matter of how we’re feeling in the midst of the struggle. No matter the reason or if the distance is real we should all want to be closer to the Lord. Feeling closer to the Lord gives us comfort when life gets crazy, when we`re struggling with some sin in our life, or when we simply need more strength.

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The Need to be close to the Church.

Anytime a Christian creates distance, whether intentional or not, between themselves and the church, they are in danger. They are in danger of falling away from the church, the family of God, and eventually from the Lord Himself. Some prefer to keep their distance, not get too involved with the work of the church. Instead, they chose to be something between a member and a visitor. They come on Sundays to the worship services, which is good, but have little or no interactions with the church the rest of the week.

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An introduction to the letters to Timothy and Titus.

As far as New Testament letters go, first and second Timothy and Titus have probably dominated more of my time and study than any other books. To be perfectly honest, I’m not entirely certain why I’ve had such a fascination with these letters. Perhaps it’s because they were written to young preachers struggling to adapt to new towns, churches, and still faithfully deal with the struggles and challenges associated with ministry. To that I can relate. Not that I haven’t loved it with my whole life and heart, but it has been challenging to say the least.

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An introduction to the gospel of John.

An introduction to John’s Gospel.

There was a time when I didn’t appreciate the Gospel of John as much as say, Matthew, but that has changed. All the gospels are unique and that’s part of the beauty, but John just seemed, well, odd. John presents Jesus in beautifully articulate words and ideas that require more effort. The gospel of John soars to the highest peaks in the New Testament. From antiquity, it was known as “the spiritual gospel” because of its focus.

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A lesson on Easter

Easter is an important day for all Christians. It’s important because Jesus rose from the grave, victorious over death and sin, and promises the same to us. Numerous passages in Scripture equate that truth.

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An introduction to Mark.

This gospel account is the second book of the New Testament that was probably written by John Mark of Jerusalem sometime between 60-68 A.D. Tradition states that John Mark recorded the words of Peter, who recounted the teachings and events of Jesus Christ to Mark and then organized them into the second gospel account.

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Keeping it clear

I read a story about a young girl who loved playing skeet-ball at the local arcade. The story talks about how the little girl loved the arcade and an exciting trip to the arcade. Once they arrived, the little girl asked her dad for some money. Not having anything smaller, dad hands her a twenty-dollar bill with instructions to get change in the amount of two fives and a ten. It wasn’t long before dad went searching for her, and as you can imagine, found her playing the skeet-ball game and having the time of her life.

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Two Intercessors

I was recently studying the book of Romans and came across something extraordinary. As I prayed and reflected on Romans 8:26, 35, a completely new and encouraging truth came to my heart and mind.

We are never alone in this journey we call Christianity. We are surrounded by brothers and sisters, but sometimes that can seem distant and aloof. Occasionally, our struggles happen in the middle of the night when no one else is awake or available to help. Yet, we are never alone. We are never alone because we have two wonderfully loving, kind, and powerful intercessors.

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An introduction to Galatians.

The book of Galatians is a challenging and powerful book. Written by the apostle Paul early in his ministry (around 49-50 AD), it reveals one of the first serious doctrinal struggles in the church. The main issue at stake was legalism vs. grace. Continue reading “An introduction to Galatians.” →

An introduction to the book of Acts.

The book of Acts is a favorite of many in the church. It is perhaps the most widely taught and read book in the churches of Christ. Continue reading “An introduction to the book of Acts.” →

An introduction to John’s gospel.

For weeks, I have struggled to write this introduction. Most of my adult life, I did not really appreciate the gospel of John but with age and experience, things change. Continue reading “An introduction to John’s gospel.” →

I Desire Mercy and Not Sacrifice.

In Matthew 12:1-8, we have an interesting story of Jesus and his disciples walking through grain fields. As they walked through the field, the disciples were hungry and began to pick some grain to eat. Continue reading “I Desire Mercy and Not Sacrifice.” →

A Time to Rejoice.

Church, this time of year should be a time filled with joy. Our great God and Savior came to earth and was born. Continue reading “A Time to Rejoice.” →

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