The Strait Gate

Author: TheStraitGate

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Faith at Work Devotional

Made for Community, Part Four

“Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.” – Acts 2:46-47

We live in a culture that increasingly fragmented. People who live next door to you, people who work with you, people who go to school with you are feeling increasingly isolated. And yet God created us for community. Our hearts yearn to know and be known, love and be loved, serve and be served.

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Inspirational

The Fern and the Bamboo

One day I decided to quit…I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality…. I wanted to quit my life. I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.

“God”, I said. “Can you give me one good reason not to quit?”

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Faith at Work Devotional

Made for Community, Part Three

“All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.” – Acts 2:44-46

Focusing on Jesus, devoting ourselves to a growing intimacy with the Lord produces in us a focus on the needs of others. That is the critical balance of healthy spiritual community.

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Inspirational

Real Friend Test

A simple friend, when visiting, acts like a guest. A real friend opens your refrigerator and helps himself and doesn’t feel even the least bit weird shutting your ‘beer/Pepsi drawer’ with her foot!)

A simple friend has never seen you cry. A real friend has shoulders soggy from your tears..

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Inspirational

The Old Fisherman

Our house was directly across the street from the clinic entrance to Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. We lived downstairs and rented the upstairs rooms to out patients at the clinic.

One summer evening as I was fixing supper, there was a knock at the door. I opened it to see a truly awful looking man.

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Inspirational

Deck of Cards

After heavy fighting, a soldier returned to camp. With the next day being a Sunday, the Chaplain had set up church service. The men were asked to take out their Bibles or Prayer Books.

The Chaplain noticed one soldier looking at a deck of cards. After service, he was taken by the Chaplain to see the Major. The Chaplain explained to the Major what he had seen.

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Faith at Work Devotional

Made for Community, Part Two

True spiritual community is not something we create. It is the work of the Holy Spirit. By grace we are one in Christ. By grace we are family, sisters and brothers beloved by our common Father. This is a gift. It is an objective reality. The challenge is living out this reality and making it a part of our experience.