http://gatewaycommunity.net/blog a team blog by the pastors of gateway community church of alhambra Fri, 12 Feb 2010 14:07:18 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en We've decided to shut down the blog. You can still find us live and in person. _ _ _ _ ______________________ http://gatewaycommunity.net/blog/?p=433 God's blessings at times come to us through our labors and at times without our labors, but never because of our labors; for God always gives them because of His undeserved mercy. – Martin Luther, Exposition on Deuteronomy 8:17-18 http://gatewaycommunity.net/blog/?p=432 How did Christianity spread so rapidly in the first couple of centuries A.D.? Michael Green gives this answer. [Ordinary Christians, not primarily the apostles,] went everywhere spreading the good news which had brought joy, release and a new life to themselves. This must often have not been formal preaching, but the ... http://gatewaycommunity.net/blog/?p=431 It was not a silent night There was blood on the ground You could hear a woman cry In the alleyways that night On the streets of David's town And the stable was not clean And the cobblestones were cold And little Mary full of grace With the tears upon her face Had no mother's hand to hold It was ... http://gatewaycommunity.net/blog/?p=430 Back in May, Pablo had posted a clip of Pastor Matt Chandler giving a powerful illustration entitled, "Jesus Wants The Rose." On November 26, Matt Chandler had a seizure and passed out. He has been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Doctors have removed as much of the tumor as ... http://gatewaycommunity.net/blog/?p=429 We live in a world under the curse of Genesis 3. We, even as Christians, are not excluded from that curse, as long as we are in this world. In Romans 8:18-24, we are told: 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will ... http://gatewaycommunity.net/blog/?p=428 There is a lie from hell that claims to be true Christianity. Though it is known by many names, I'll call it the health and wealth gospel. It contradicts the Bible as a whole, but is supported by prooftexting, and sounds quite convincing. That should be no surprise -- Satan ... http://gatewaycommunity.net/blog/?p=424 Do you have a friend or loved one living in sin, yet professing to be a Christian? Or are you becoming hopeless about the sin in your own life? Then think of God's relentless grace, and patiently trust in him. Human sin is stubborn, but not so stubborn as the grace ... http://gatewaycommunity.net/blog/?p=423 I don't know all that Jesus would say (or is saying, or will say) to Tiger. But C.J. Mahaney gives us some powerful and helpful thoughts about what we should and should not be saying, thinking, and doing regarding Tiger. For example, he says we should not hunt Tiger (to shoot ... http://gatewaycommunity.net/blog/?p=422 Modern prophecy teachers have traditionally looked to current events for signs of the end, to stir end-time enthusiasm among Christians. While the goal may be worthy, the methodology runs counter to Jesus' own teaching. After listing many of the signs (usually hardships) that characterized the end among contemporary Jewish thinkers ... http://gatewaycommunity.net/blog/?p=421