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The book of Joel in the Bible is about Judah’s experience with a severe locust plague. It is so brutal that Joel 1:4 tells us, “What the locust swarm has left the great locusts have eaten. What the great locusts have left the young locusts have eaten. What the young locusts have left other locusts
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Every sport with a ball has a goal, even if it isn’t called a “goal”, and is used to score points. Football has goal posts. Basketball has a goal. So does soccer. Each player works to achieve victory by placing their ball strategically into the goal. A player suits up, steps onto the playing field,
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The headlights on my Jeep had become cloudy, and I couldn’t see very well at night anymore. The bulbs still worked, but the lenses wouldn’t allow all of the light to pass through them. Probably 50% of the light was blocked. Over thirteen years, the plastic surface of the lenses had oxidized and lost its
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Sometimes we are in a hurry, but God isn’t. That requires patience. Galatians 5:22 says patience is a fruit of the Spirit, meaning all believers should possess it. Patience is more than waiting. It is waiting with Christlike character. If you are moody, negative, and inconsiderate, you are not waiting patiently. Here’s the deal: you are going to have to wait anyway
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I’m working on a new 9-week devotional on Colossians (1-2 verses a day). Hopefully out in December 2025 ready for New Year devotionals. Here’s a sample. Strengthened and Qualified “Being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified
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This morning, while running in downtown Hot Springs (on our church’s pastor retreat), I came across this building, which used to be First Presbyterian Church. Now it’s an event center or perhaps a bed and breakfast. I’m pleased to know the church it used to contain moved across the street. So many church buildings have
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Tuesday, at our church’s All Staff meeting, something incredible happened that reminded me of Jesus’ power over sin, evil, and the devil. We present the staff member of the month with a gift card along with the golden rock. Last month, one of the pastors at Summit Bentonville received it. When I was there last
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Think with me a moment about the Rich Young Ruler (Matthew 19:16-30). He had it all (it seems). His description tells us everything. Money. Youth. Power. But he was lacking. He knew it. He needed help. He needed to fill a void those weren’t and never could. He even approaches Jesus with “Teacher”, it seems
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As a pastor at a funeral, my goal is to be near a family as they view their loved one’s body. As people pass by, I’m standing near the casket. I try to carefully judge just how close to stand by the casket and by those who grieve, ready to step closer to pray, put
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I once helped a friend make a cross for Good Friday and Easter services. We used 6” beams that weighed about 75 pounds each. When finished, that cross weighed over 200 pounds. It reminded me, as it was intended to do, of the cross Jesus carried to Calvary. I sat in silence for about thirty
stephen R Harrison 