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Articles by James Nored
"ADVENT brings us HOPE: A Better and Brighter Story" — Heartlight®
We all need to discover that Jesus is not just alive and interceding for us at the right hand of God, but he is also present with us now as our resurrected Lord, Savior, and friend.
"ADVENT brings us TRUTH: Word Become Flesh" — Heartlight®
The enduring legacy we want to leave at Christmas is our lasting trust in God to deliver us from darkness and to lead us into the grace of his goodness by being present with us in Jesus!
"ADVENT brings us LOVE" — Heartlight®
ADVENT displays God's searching and seeking love for us in unmistakable terms. God loves us so much that he wasn't content to stay in heaven without us. God chose to come to us, suffer at our hands, and sacrifice himself so we could know the depth of God's redeeming love for us. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
"ADVENT brings us GOD" — Heartlight®
ADVENT declares the unspeakable: God chose to become one of us in Jesus. He gave up his claim on the power and protection of heaven to be mortal for us and with us. This did not make Jesus less than God but made God more accessible for us as humans as we await sharing with the Lord Jesus in his glory (Philippians 2:6-11; Colossians 4:1-3).
"ADVENT brings us KINGDOM" — Heartlight®
ADVENT is the celebration of Jesus' first coming to earth. Over the next month, we will pause each Sunday, the Lord's Day, and share a few Scriptures declaring the blessings of Jesus' first coming and enjoying a video from James Nored that helps us dig deeper into the significance of our Lord's incarnation in human flesh as God among us, Immanuel.
"ADVENT brings us HOPE" — Heartlight®
ADVENT is the celebration of Jesus' first coming to earth. Over the next month, we will pause each Sunday, the Lord's Day, and share a few Scriptures declaring the blessings of Jesus' first coming and enjoying a video from James Nored that helps us dig deeper into the significance of our Lord's incarnation in human flesh as God among us, Immanuel. ,In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.
"Advent brings us Joy: The Birth of Jesus" — Heartlight®
And there I began hunting out places of worship through tears of joy in pain. In Everything Give Thanks... in EVERYTHING!
"The Way of Jesus #7: Which Way Will I Run?" — Heartlight®
Special Note: Journey with us as we follow "The Way of Jesus" through the cross to his resurrection. Over the next nine days, we will have seven special video posts highlighting what many call "Holy Week" — the last week of Jesus' earthly ministry in Jerusalem. This week appeared to end with Jesus' crucifixion. However, the power after his resurrection changed everything! In Mark 10:46-52, we meet a man named Bartimaeus who was blind.
"The Way of Jesus #6: Buried" — Heartlight®
Special Note: Journey with us as we follow "The Way of Jesus" through the cross to his resurrection. Over the next nine days, we will have seven special video posts highlighting what many call "Holy Week" — the last week of Jesus' earthly ministry in Jerusalem. This week appeared to end with Jesus' crucifixion. However, the power after his resurrection changed everything! In Mark 10:46-52, we meet a man named Bartimaeus who was blind.
"The Way of Jesus #5: Because of Love" — Heartlight®
Special Note: Journey with us as we follow "The Way of Jesus" through the cross to his resurrection. Over the next nine days, we will have seven special video posts highlighting what many call "Holy Week" — the last week of Jesus' earthly ministry in Jerusalem. This week appeared to end with Jesus' crucifixion. However, the power after his resurrection changed everything! In Mark 10:46-52, we meet a man named Bartimaeus who was blind.
"The Way of Jesus #4: Who Do I Say Jesus Is?" — Heartlight®
Special Note: Journey with us as we follow "The Way of Jesus" through the cross to his resurrection. Over the next nine days, we will have seven special video posts highlighting what many call "Holy Week" — the last week of Jesus' earthly ministry in Jerusalem. This week appeared to end with Jesus' crucifixion. However, the power after his resurrection changed everything! In Mark 10:46-52, we meet a man named Bartimaeus who was blind.
"The Way of Jesus #3: Unless a Seed" — Heartlight®
Special Note: Journey with us as we follow "The Way of Jesus" through the cross to his resurrection. Over the next nine days, we will have seven special video posts highlighting what many call "Holy Week" — the last week of Jesus' earthly ministry in Jerusalem. This week appeared to end with Jesus' crucifixion. However, the power after his resurrection changed everything! In Mark 10:46-52, we meet a man named Bartimaeus who was blind.
"The Way of Jesus #2: Unsettling the Religious Status Quo" — Heartlight®
Special Note: Journey with us as we follow "The Way of Jesus" through the cross to his resurrection. Over the next nine days, we will have seven special video posts highlighting what many call "Holy Week" — the last week of Jesus' earthly ministry in Jerusalem. This week appeared to end with Jesus' crucifixion. However, the power after his resurrection changed everything! In Mark 10:46-52, we meet a man named Bartimaeus who was blind.
"The Way of Jesus #1: Truly See the Coming King" — Heartlight®
Special Note: Journey with us as we follow "The Way of Jesus" through the cross to his resurrection. Over the next nine days, we will have seven special video posts highlighting what many call "Holy Week" — the last week of Jesus' earthly ministry in Jerusalem. This week appeared to end with Jesus' crucifixion. However, the power after his resurrection changed everything! In Mark 10:46-52, we meet a man named Bartimaeus who was blind.
"Overcoming the Greater Pandemic: From Guilt to Forgiveness" — Heartlight®
Paul tucked away a special gem of grace in a letter where he was having to defend his ministry from critics. People had forgotten that the way the Messiah was the way of the cross. Paul emphasized that they couldn't determine an authentic apostle of Christ by his pedigree, education, reputation, nor anything else except his service and sacrifice. A genuine disciple, and especially an apostle, follows the path of Jesus who gave up his life to seek, serve, and save the lost (Mark 10:45).
"Overcoming the Greater Pandemic: From Hopeless to Living Hope" — Heartlight®
Peter wrote to churches faced with growing persecution. This time of evil darkness had begun and was growing. Followers of Jesus throughout the world were already suffering because of their faith. Peter warned them that this persecution was intensifying.
"Finder and Mender" — Heartlight®
Have you ever thought about what Jesus' job title on a job application might have been if he were not the Son of God? Based on Jesus' ministry and mission, we might opt for a description like, "Finder of the Lost, Mender the Broken." After all, in the story of Zacchaeus, Jesus described his mission this way: "For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost" (Lk 19:10 NRSV).
"Overcoming the Greater Pandemic: Have You Been to the Mountaintop?" — Heartlight®
We know the mountaintop imagery. We long to have a mountaintop experience. So when Dr. Martin Luther King used that image in his famous speech to sanitation workers in Memphis, we "got" what he meant when he said he had been to the mountaintop: Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place.
"Overcoming the Greater Pandemic: From Lonely to Connected" — Heartlight®
I entered my mom's apartment for the first time in six months. Social distancing laws regulating people in special memory care facilities had limited us to phone calls — most are unable to negotiate video calls. We were allowed in to see her, in her apartment, only because my stepfather, and her husband for nearly thirty years, had died. We helped her pack and then left on a trip out of town for the funeral.
"To Win Your Heart!" — Heartlight®
Are the birth stories of Jesus real, or are they just another myth layered on top of our Christmas traditions? For true followers of Jesus, this is an essential question to answer. More than stories about shepherds, angels, wise foreigners from the East, a celestial event, King Herod's jealousy, and Joseph and Mary's escape to Egypt, the birth of Jesus is about the incarnation — God entered our world as Immanuel, God with us, God in human skin. God's presence wasn't virtual or merely spiritual.
"Until We Find Our Dream" — Heartlight®
The actual story of Jesus often gets lost at Christmastime in the maudlin and schmaltzy stories associated with Jesus' birth. While we don't want to traumatize our children or scandalize the birth of Christ, the biblical birth stories of Jesus reflect the gritty reality of our often harsh world.
"Our Intersection with Joy" — Heartlight®
I (Phil) first experience with an Asian traffic jam occurred thirty years ago at 11:45 p.m. in Bangkok, Thailand. We had just landed from a very long flight, gone through baggage claim (there were 8 missing bags for our group of 13), immigration, visa and passport checks, and a mad rush to the restrooms. We were bone-weary. As we headed to the hotel in a red taxi truck, we entered into a sea of vehicles and were soon engulfed in an awful, ninety-minute traffic jam at a traffic light.
"More than God's Whisper Inviting Us Out of Flatland" — Heartlight®
Special Note: We apologize to you and to James for the problems we caused the last two weeks with his videos. We have found and corrected the errors. You can go back and revisit those articles and enjoy the videos in their proper contexts: Unlikely Heroes Who Sacrifice — November 20, 2020. Finding Our Path to God — November 27, 2020. How are we to understand God? After all, God is the great mystery, the vast unknown, and the great debate of modern human existence.
"Finding Our Path to God" — Heartlight®
Jesus came for all people so that they could know the love of God. He chose to be born in humble circumstances to common people, in an out of the way place in Bethlehem. Regardless of who we are, God wanted all of us to find salvation in Jesus. The birth of Jesus emphasizes this desire of God for all people to find hope in Jesus. Magi, called wise men from the East, came from far away as representatives of another religion to welcome Jesus as King of the Jews.
"Unlikely Heroes Who Sacrifice" — Heartlight®
Peter confessed Jesus as the Messiah; then, he rebuked the Lord for not being the right kind of Messiah: [Jesus]then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him (Mark 8:31-32).
"Can We Trust the Scriptures?" — Heartlight®
The New Testament documents claim that Jesus is the "Word of God," God's greatest and clearest message about himself to his human children (John 1:1-18; Hebrews 1:1-3). Christians — Jesus' disciples — trust and follow Jesus as both Messiah and Lord (Acts 2:33-41). They recognize that he was shown to be the Son of God in power through his resurrection from the dead (Romans 1:3-4).
"Purpose that Brings Meaning to Life" — Heartlight®
"The lesson one could learn from Auschwitz, and in other concentration camps, in the final analysis, was, those who were oriented toward a meaning — toward a meaning to be fulfilled by them in the future — were most likely to survive" [beyond the dehumanizing suffering and brutal senselessness of the holocaust]. — Viktor Frankl The apostle Paul said it this way: I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us (Romans 8:18).
"To the Ends of the Earth" — Heartlight®
Jesus had a plan to change the world with his message of the good news of the Kingdom of God. Most of us would have scoffed. Jesus' plan depended upon the eleven apostles who had failed to stand by him in his Passion. How could such a small number of seemingly powerless men, along with a handful of faithful women, make such a massive difference in the world? Jesus shared his plan to reach the world with his grace through his disciples.
"God's Mission Through Jesus' People" — Heartlight®
Jesus lived his life on a mission from God. The Father sent him to us because of his Father's love. The most famous verse in the New Testament makes clear why the Lord came to earth as a mortal: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him(John 3:16-17).
"Sharing Life with Christ" — Heartlight®
[Jesus told his disciples,] "A disciple is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully qualified will be like the teacher" (Luke 6:40 NRSV). The goal of every Christian is to be like Jesus. We want the life of Christ to come alive in us (2 Corinthians 4:10-11). We want Jesus to be as real in our lives as the clothes we wear (Romans 13:14; Galatians 3:26-27). Transforming us to Christ is the goal of the Holy Spirit for us (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).
"Life to Our Mortal Bodies" — Heartlight®
On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them." By this, he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time, the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified (John 7:37-39).
"Which Way Will I Run?" — Heartlight®
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord... (Romans 1:1-5).
"Buried" - Heartlight®
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures... (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
"We All Need Jesus!" — Heartlight®
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in [Christ Jesus], and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.
"Who Do I Say that Jesus Is?" — Heartlight®
"But what about you?" [Jesus] asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Messiah" (Mark 8:29). The last three chapters of Matthew, Mark, and Luke and the last four chapters of John tell the story of Jesus' arrest, the disciples abandoning him, Judas betraying him, and Peter denying that he knew Jesus. They also recount the illegal trials of Jesus before Pilate, Herod, and the Jewish religious leaders.
"Unless a Seed" - Heartlight®
[Jesus said,] "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor. "Now my soul is troubled.
"Beyond Religious Places, Practices, and Rituals" — Heartlight®
Imagine how you would feel if someone new on the religious scene began to attack what you considered to be precious! This new teacher started criticizing spiritual practices that you, and generations before you, had been taught were sacred. Not only that but he also directly challenged what occurred in the places that you considered holy. He directly confronted people with what they believed and those who had taught those things to you.
"Truly See the Coming King" — Heartlight®
Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind" (John 9:39). Jesus was the Upside-Down Messiah. He refused to let the crowd force him into a role that fit the expectations of a mighty deliverer and a military conqueror.
"The Upside-Down Messiah" — Heartlight®
What kind of Savior, Lord, and Messiah talks about dying instead of ruling? On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus' shared three prophecies with his closest disciples. These prophecies focus on his being rejected, crucified, and raised from the dead (Mark 8:31; 9:30-32; 10:33-34). The Lord's words mystified his disciples. These men who were supposed to know him best were confused and upset with Jesus' statements about rejection and crucifixion.
"Who Do You Say I Am?" — Heartlight®
People have all sorts of notions about the identity of Jesus of Nazareth. These concepts can be reduced down to four real options: LIAR: Jesus was an ordinary guy who made extraordinary claims for himself, but they weren't true, and he knew it. Sometimes, this is re-couched as Jesus was a good guy whose followers exaggerated or lied about his identity. They then created a bunch of stories to support his importance.
"To the Least of These, Like Jesus" — Heartlight®
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these" (Matthew 19:14). In Jesus' day, children were powerless. They were sometimes resources utilized to provide for the family. Many of these children were loved by their parents. Far too often, however, many were not. In the days when Jesus came, children were valued if they were wanted.
"Through Every Storm!" — Heartlight®
Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" Jesus responded, "Why are you [panicked with fear]? You have so little faith!" Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm. The disciples were amazed. "Who is this man?" they asked.
"A New Heart" - Heartlight®
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me (Psalm 51:10 NRSV). Little by little, blow by blow, daily grind after daily grind, we let our circumstances rub the shine off of our lives. Too quickly, we become impatient, angry, and cynical. We harden our hearts to protect us from pain and end up isolating ourselves from people and emotions that should touch us and move us to risk loving others with compassion.
"In His Steps to Share His Light" — Heartlight®
Jesus taught his followers that their goal was to be like their teacher (Luke 6:40): he called them to live a Jesus-styled life. The apostle Paul held up this Jesus-styled life as the only way for them to live (Philippians 2:5-11). He encouraged those he taught to follow his example of living as he followed the Jesus way (1 Corinthians 11:1; Philippians 3:17; 4:9). But how do we know how to live that life? We have two clear ways as believers to follow Jesus' way of life.
"One Defining Note" — Heartlight®
In the movie, Amadeus, Mozart is anxious to hear how Emperor Joseph II liked his music. The Emperor's stunning response has been proven wrong over the centuries. What was his response? "Too many notes!"[VIDEO] For many, much of Mozart's music was like listening to the sounds of heaven. For most things in life today, however, the Emperor's critique fits all too perfectly.
"Desert of Trial" - Heartlight®
Most likely, you have been there. You find yourself trapped in a mess, a trial, a temptation, a torturous time that felt unbearable. You somehow knew some unseen unfairness, some malevolent force, some crushingly inescapable evil, had chosen to target you. No matter what you call these suffocating confrontations — temptations, trials, testings — is not relevant. What is essential, however, is surviving and escaping this time.
"In the Footsteps of Jesus" — Heartlight®
Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:7-8). Every good leader should call us to become more like Jesus. A true disciple will become like her or his teacher (Luke 6:40), and our ultimate teacher is Jesus. We want to become more and more like Jesus. He should be our goal.
"U-Turn to Walk in God's Will" — Heartlight®
As little boys, we loved superheroes. Conquering evil by being powerful and good was super cool! To top it off, Batman had the cool Batmobile that could do all sorts of superhero tricks while escaping or tracking down the bad guys. And the Batmobile could execute the "bat turn" — an almost instantaneous change of directions by 180 degrees. Yes, the special effects seem hokey and lame today.
"Jesus Came to Be One of Us! (SOR 4.1)" — Heartlight®
How can he feel the burdens we bear? Yes, we believe that God knows all things, but how can God experientially know just how hard life can sometimes be for us? After all, he's God, and so the future isn't in doubt for him like it feels for us. He knows all things and can do all things, so how can he struggle with the frustration, helplessness, and uncertainty we feel in times of grief, loss, and tragedy? We are limited. We are mortal.
"This Is Our Story, Too! (SOR 4.0)" — Heartlight®
What do you know about your family story? I know a little about mine. I've even sent away to have my DNA tested to see if the things I have heard about my family are as real in my DNA record as it is in the stories my family has told over the years! On closer examination, my DNA's story matches some of the stories my brother has told me about our ancestors. We have some outstanding people in our family story: good men, great leaders, strong women, and a lot of people very committed to Jesus.
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