Category Archives: Uncategorized

Lay Down Your Weakness: the fuller version

Posted on March 5, 2012 by Carl Simmons

So, let’s get back to our weakness. Most of us are well aware of how we fail to measure up to our own standards, let alone God’s. But again, Jesus knows this, too. And again, His concern is not with … Continue reading →

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Lay Down Your Boundaries

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Carl Simmons

We now turn from the things we desire to do, to the things we don’t desire to do—and thus, from the question “Lord, why won’t You help me do this?” to “Lord, why (and how) do You expect me to … Continue reading →

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Remembering Our True Example

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Carl Simmons

To be fair, I went into this expecting something more like a far more orthodox The Last Temptation of Christ—i.e., something that really focused on Christ’s humanness rather than His divinity. And the introductory material—especially the opening salvo “Did Jesus … Continue reading →

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Lay Down Your Ambition: the fuller version

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Carl Simmons

Last week we explored how we build ourselves up by the things we do. This week is more about the “triggers” that lure us into that kind of thinking. Our circumstances are one set of triggers. Our own passions, and … Continue reading →

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Lay Down Your Circumstances

Posted on February 27, 2012 by Carl Simmons

I have to admit: I’ve always been perplexed by people who talk about the “comfort” of the Christian life, especially in terms of it being the primary reason for believing in Christ. To be sure, there’s “comfort and joy” to … Continue reading →

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Lay Down Your Kingdom: a small-group session

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Carl Simmons

To work through this session, it may help read through the devotionals that go with this study, especially the “Lay It Town Today” pieces. You can find them in bits and pieces under the following names: Lay Down Your Independence … Continue reading →

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One Small Step for Man… but a step, nonetheless

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Carl Simmons

We have a new member on the blogroll… and in turn, they have a new contributor. David Showers, whose book Ten Steps to a Closer Walk With God I reviewed recently, has just relaunched his online magazine Extant. And as … Continue reading →

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Lay Down Your Relationships, Part 2

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Carl Simmons

The good news is that loving Jesus above all doesn’t obliterate our love for those here on earth; it transforms it. Remember, “laying it down” is really laying our selves down. If we’re honest, we’ll probably admit that much of … Continue reading →

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Lay Down Your Relationships, part 1

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Carl Simmons

Let’s pick up where we left off yesterday, at the end of Matthew 19: “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold … Continue reading →

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Lay Down Your Possessions

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Carl Simmons

Now the rubber starts hitting the road even more violently. Not that it’s easy at all to deal with all the internal stuff we’re been addressing for most of these previous devotionals, but let’s face it: At some point, all … Continue reading →

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