Author Archives: sdgale

• The Sisyphus Psalm

  Posted on August 5, 2013 by sdgale in 'CHOP Talk' Blog.

    We might call Psalm 126 “The Sisyphus Psalm.”  Sisyphus was a figure in Greek mythology who was eternally destined to push a heavy rock up a hill, only to have it roll back down before he could get it over the crest.  He’d have to start all over—for eternity. Life can seem like that, […]

  Post Tagged with brokenness, Community Houses of Prayer, prayer, Psalm, Psalm 126, restore, Sisyphus, Stanley Gale
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• The Gospel in Kid-Speak

  Posted on July 29, 2013 by sdgale in 'CHOP Talk' Blog.

    My church just finished a week-long Vacation Bible School (the hottest week of the year, I might add).  Kids ages three through nine roamed the grounds of the church for two hours each day. At the start of each session I had the privilege of opening in prayer and telling a story.  I’m not very […]

  Post Tagged with Community Houses of Prayer, gospel, kids, prayer, Stanley Gale, symbols, Vacation Bible School, VBS
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• A Pastor’s First Concern

  Posted on July 22, 2013 by sdgale in 'CHOP Talk' Blog.

    I heard someone once quip that it was wrong for Christian sports fans to say that they were #1.  God is first.  Neighbor is second.  The best they could be was #3.  Somehow, I don’t think there will be a big market for foam fingers with three fingers raised and imprinted with “We’re #3.” […]

  Post Tagged with church, Community Houses of Prayer, elder, instrument, pastor, prayer, Stanley Gale
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• Is “accepting Jesus” acceptable?

  Posted on July 15, 2013 by sdgale in 'CHOP Talk' Blog.

    I have no problem with people saying they have “accepted Jesus as Savior or Lord” or praying that others might do the same. True, Jesus is Lord whether acknowledged by us or not. The only significant acknowledgement is that of the Father, and Jesus does carry that imprimatur.  Peter makes this clear in his […]

  Post Tagged with accepting Jesus, Community Houses of Prayer, evangelism, faith, repentance, Stanley Gale
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• Born That Way – Reborn Another

  Posted on July 9, 2013 by sdgale in 'CHOP Talk' Blog.

    A COMMON CONDITION God tells us we are sinners—each and every one of us.  We are all born that way.  Each descendant of Adam belongs to a race characterized as the walking dead.  The Bible identifies our lineage and describes that walk: And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you […]

  Post Tagged with born again, common grace, Ephesians, evangelism, good news, gospel, regeneration, special grace
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• Pastor versus Chaplain

  Posted on July 3, 2013 by sdgale in 'CHOP Talk' Blog.

    For several years, first as a volunteer then for pay, I had the joy of serving as a hospital chaplain.  I remember spending time with parents who had lost a child.  The pain was palpable for them, but I was able to sit by their side to listen and to pray.   I remember being […]

  Post Tagged with chaplain, church militant, Community Houses of Prayer, pastor, Stanley Gale
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• The Hypothesis of Prayer

  Posted on June 24, 2013 by sdgale in 'CHOP Talk' Blog.

    I always cringe a bit when I see secular media touting evidence for prayer.  The validity of prayer does not stand or fall on scientific verification.  Rather, prayer gains its validity from the mouth of God in the pages of His Word. That said, I did put prayer to the test. My approach didn’t […]

  Post Tagged with Community Houses of Prayer, equipping, evangelism, evangelistic prayer, prayer, resource, Stanley Gale
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• Call to Corporate Prayer

  Posted on June 17, 2013 by sdgale in 'CHOP Talk' Blog.

    A friend of mine made this observation. “When Jesus gave the disciples the Lord’s Prayer, He said – ‘When you pray, pray like this…’ (Luke 11:2). The pronoun ‘you’ is plural. Jesus expected His disciples to pray together. When Jesus ascended to the Father, 120 disciples remained together in prayer. When Peter was arrested, […]

  Post Tagged with Community Houses of Prayer, corporate prayer, prayer, prayer meeting, Stanley Gale
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• The Question of Holiness

  Posted on June 10, 2013 by sdgale in 'CHOP Talk' Blog.

    Among the articles on my USA Today iPad app, one took me aback.  It posed the question, “Can a Christian watch ‘Game of Thrones’?” Not having read the books or seen the show, I’m not in a position to answer the question one way or the other.  But what struck me was that the […]

  Post Tagged with Community Houses of Prayer, evangelism, grace, holiness, law, sanctification, Stanley Gale, USA Today, witness, works
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• Connecting the Dots

  Posted on June 3, 2013 by sdgale in 'CHOP Talk' Blog.

    It’s easy for us to miss unless someone points it out.  How many times have we rejoiced over good news and forgotten that was something we had prayed about? Or perhaps God has worked something in our lives and we have not recognized it as relating to our plea to Him, perhaps a job […]

  Post Tagged with 2 Samuel, answers to prayer, Community Houses of Prayer, David, prayer, Stanley Gale
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