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Author: capital-admin

“Stop Leading a Life Half-Lived”

Written by capital-admin on . Posted in John.

Do you want to be made whole? What would it take for you to be freed of the painful deficiencies and barriers in your life? For some of us, it would take a miracle. But what if that miracle already happened, just not the way you expected? In John 10:10, Jesus says “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Jesus did not come to make you whole just so you could lead a life half-lived. What if you chose today to live the biggest, greatest life you can live in spite of your difficulties? What if you took your pain and longing and used them to be the inspiration and the...

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“Adventures in Missing the Point”

Written by capital-admin on . Posted in John, Psalms.

What happens to your faith when your heart is set on a prayer God hasn’t answered yet? What happens to your faith if God doesn’t give you exactly what you want when and how you’re praying for it? Have you built your life on a faith contingent on answered prayers? If you answer honestly, you may find you’re not praying for a messiah, you are probably just hoping for a genie. It is one thing to trust God to answer your prayers, it is another thing to trust God to answer your prayers however he thinks best. Don’t stop praying big prayers. But don’t forget to listen when God is nudging you in...

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“You’re Looking for Water. He’ll Give You a Well.”

Written by capital-admin on . Posted in John, Luke, Romans.

At Capital, our mission is to lead others to become Christ-centered disciples. The woman at the well in John 4 gives us an example of how we can be a catalyst for God’s love to those around us in our discipleship journey. The Samaritan woman came looking for water, had a life-transforming encounter with Jesus, and went home with the well. Then, through the woman’s testimony, living water sloshed onto many people around her. As you come to know Jesus personally, his spirit works within you to bring love, joy, and peace. How you live and how you love as you trust in Jesus has the potential...

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“Bothered”

Written by capital-admin on . Posted in Matthew, Philippians.

In Matthew 6:25, Jesus provides us with a simple yet seemingly impossible instruction: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life…” Yet most of us begin and end our days with worry. We worry we won’t have enough time, we won’t have enough energy, and we will never have enough money. But Jesus never promised we wouldn’t face troubles, in fact, he guarantees we will face trouble in John 16:33. But he also promises we will never face our troubles alone. We can choose peace over worry, and trust over anxiety. Because there is a God, and he cares, and he is with us.

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“Grace AND Jesus”

Written by capital-admin on . Posted in 1 John, Hebrews, John.

We have a phrase we often say around here: “Grace without truth isn’t love.” Many people are afraid of coming to God because they’re afraid of hearing the truth about themselves. But because of his grace, you don’t have to be afraid of the truth. Just like the Samaritan woman we meet in John 4, we need both grace and truth. If we truly open our hearts to the truth of God, there is nowhere to hide. He will leave no stone unturned. When we embrace his words and his ways, we can reckon with the truth about ourselves. For many of us that’s terrifying, but this truth is a liberating gift....

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“The Poison and The Antidote”

Written by capital-admin on . Posted in John, Luke, Numbers.

Have you ever carried the responsibility of looking after the well-being of a child or even a pet? When the creature you’re in charge of doesn’t listen when you say, “Walk next to me,” and instead takes a few steps to the right, off the curb and into the road, what do you do? First, you snatch them out of danger. Then you discipline them. You show them there are consequences for their actions. It is heartbreaking when those we care for step outside of the love, safety nets, resources, and guidelines we provide for them. The same is true for how our God feels when we decide to step...

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“What God Thinks About You”

Written by capital-admin on . Posted in Uncategorized.

The Bible uses many words to describe God. We see him called Holy, powerful, righteous and faithful… Are these the same words you would use to describe God? Maybe there’s a part of you that feels God is distant. Maybe there was a time in your life where you would have called him disinterested, demanding, even difficult to please. The truth is, the way we feel about God has an impact on our relationship with him. It is hard to lean on a God you haven’t learned to trust. If you find yourself struggling amidst chaos, doubt, and disbelief in your life, it can be hard to see the light and love...

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“Saving the World”

Written by capital-admin on . Posted in 1 Corinthians, Colossians, Luke, Mark, Matthew.

In today’s culture, we place a high value on being busy and working hard. To be sure, the bible calls us to glorify the Lord through our work by pouring our hearts into everything we do (Col. 3:23-24; 1 Corinth. 15:58). But too often, this is taken too far. As we try to “save the world” for everyone else, we disregard our own spiritual well-being in the process. You can’t save the world.Ironically, even the savior of the world demonstrated to us that we can’t save the world. Jesus frequently went away from his work to seek God the Father in solitude and prayer. In following Jesus’...

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“Psalm 62: Take Two”

Written by capital-admin on . Posted in Psalms.

Rest your soul. You’re not in control. Even for those of us that believe in the sovereignty and goodness of God, this can still be an unsettling idea. For the most part, we know much of life is out of our control. We often even rely on this truth when we don’t want to live up to the responsibility and consequences of our own actions. But, in Psalm 62, David shows us that not being in control doesn’t mean your life and the lives of those around you are out of control. Our lives are in the control of someone bigger, smarter, and far more trustworthy than we are. If we can truly believe...

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“What Do You Really Want?”

Written by capital-admin on . Posted in Luke, Mark, Psalms.

Have you ever had a difficult time asking for or receiving a blessing? Perhaps you felt like it came at a time when you least deserved it. Maybe you hesitated to tell a friend, family member or even God what you really wanted because you didn’t believe you had done enough to earn it. Or maybe you stopped praying for what you really wanted all together because you lost faith that God would ever deliver it to you. In Psalm 27, we see David’s ultimate trust in God as he declares “I remain confident” and “Wait for the Lord.” It is one thing to trust in the Lord, it is another thing to trust...

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“God’s Love Builds Up”

Written by capital-admin on . Posted in 1 John, 1 Thessalonians, Acts, Ephesians, John, Philippians.

“Love one another, just as I have loved you.” These were some of the final words Jesus shared with us before he met his fate on the cross. Among the truths Christ shared in this world, many revolve around how we should treat each other. In fact, to God, our relationships are far more important than any of our other accomplishments. No matter how successful we are in our other pursuits in this life, if we neglect and ignore our relationships, we lose. What effect are your actions and words having on those around you? Are you building people up, or are you tearing people down? ...

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“What God’s Actually Doing”

Written by capital-admin on . Posted in Luke, Romans.

What was the darkest season of your life? When we observe Easter today, it is a joyous celebration of the resurrection of Christ and our freedom from the trappings of sin. But on the first Easter the followers of Christ saw it quite differently. They had placed all their hopes and prayers on the belief that Christ would redeem Israel from suffering. When Jesus faced his death on the cross, they watched what they felt was the end of all their hope. They never imagined Christ would save them from their suffering through his own suffering. We often have our own ideas about how and when God...

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“Jesus Bothers Me, This I Know…”

Written by capital-admin on . Posted in John, Numbers, Psalms, Zecheriah.

Do you have preconceived notions about who you think the messiah should be? Does it ever bother you when Jesus doesn’t do or say exactly what you think he should? The Jesus you’ll find within the pages of John’s Gospel is a Messiah who embodies radical, life-changing love. And, just like the love of a good parent, spouse or friend, sometimes love steps up and tears down what is killing you and your relationship with him. The truth is, Jesus loves you so much he’s willing to get under your skin and bother you because he wants you to ask him: “Why are you doing this?” When you find yourself...

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“Unexpected Ways”

Written by capital-admin on . Posted in Genesis, Isaiah, John.

What is the least likely way you expect God to reveal himself to you this season? If you were to guess how God would to reveal the power and majesty of Jesus to the world, you might imagine something large and awe inspiring like moving mountains or parting seas. Yet the first miracle we see from Jesus comes in the form of creating wine from water at a wedding. How does Jesus helping newlyweds reveal his glory? When Jesus does what he does in Cana, it wouldn’t take people very long to connect the dots about his identity. This wedding gift in the form of a miracle fulfilled many Old Testament...

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“Don’t Seek Him Alone”

Written by capital-admin on . Posted in 1 Samuel, John, Philemon.

How do you feel about sharing your relationship with God with those around you? While there is a private and powerful nature to our faith, we are not meant to journey with him alone. In the Gospel of John, we see how the faith of one can plant and nurture the seed of faith in another. If you partner with people in Jesus, if you share your troubles and triumphs with fellow followers of Christ, you will inevitably gain a deepened understanding of every good thing we share in Jesus. The clear implication is if you don’t actively experience spiritual friendships, you’re missing out on...

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“God is Available to Us, All of Us, All of the Time”

Written by capital-admin on . Posted in 1 John, 1 Kings, 1 Samuel, Deuteronomy, James.

Do you wish God would speak more often or more loudly into your life? We live in a world filled with noise. Maybe it’s the T.V. we turn on when we get home, the radio in the car, the earbuds we put in as soon as we get to the gym, that playlist of nature sounds we listen to as we fall asleep… The more we surround ourselves with white noise, the harder it can be to hear the whisper of God’s voice. If prayer is the art of talking to and listening to God, then we need to learn to listen to God’s voice above the white noise. When was the last time you really took the time to be silent and...

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“Follow Him and You Will Know Him”

Written by capital-admin on . Posted in John, Matthew.

Would you consider yourself a Christian? What about a disciple of Christ? At the end of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus gives his followers a mission, saying, “Go into the world and make disciples.”, but you wouldn’t necessarily know that by looking at his churches. We reserve the label “disciple” for the hardcore, the upper tier, the diehards. What are you seeking in your pursuit of spiritual truth? Followers of Jesus have been promised an abundant life, but many of our lives don’t mirror the way he lived. What would you expect to experience if you were walking in the footsteps of Jesus right...

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“The Unwanted Savior”

Written by capital-admin on . Posted in 1 Corinthians, Ezekiel, Isaiah, John.

Have you ever prayed for something that seemed perfectly reasonable only to never see that particular hope come to life? You prayed your heart out and for whatever reason, God chose not to grant your request. When God’s people were praying to be freed from the Romans, they were likely expecting him to show up with an army, not a lamb. The people of Israel wanted God to take away the evil-doers. Instead, God set in motion a plan to take away evil itself. When Jesus met the cross, it devastated all those who followed him. This wasn’t what they prayed for and they never could have guessed...

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“The Massively Small God”

Written by capital-admin on . Posted in Isaiah, John, Luke.

Have you ever faced a problem in your life so big, so unsolvable, it made you question if even God was competent and compassionate enough to lift it from your shoulders? Mankind has always struggled to comprehend our mighty God. When we stumble, when we make mistakes, when we feel buried in the stress and strain of the world even the firmest believer can begin to wonder if God hears his prayers. Wouldn’t you love to have faith that could bring strength to weakness and joy from sorrow? The prophet Isaiah teaches us the one who is weak but rests in the care of the infinite and empathetic...

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“As You Are”

Written by capital-admin on . Posted in 1 Corinthians, 1 Peter, Colossians, Ephesians, Exodus, John, Titus.

As Christians, most of us will tell you the power of God’s grace has saved us. This truth alone is a beautiful gift, but it’s more than a one-time gift. It pursues us, strengthens, emboldens, and softens us. Can all of us say God’s grace has changed us? In our most honest moments, we know the ways we are broken. That brokenness can even make us afraid of coming to God, because we know when God gives us grace, he accompanies it with truth, and we would rather forget the shame we feel. We would rather bury and burn memories of seasons we regret than hear the truth about ourselves. ...

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