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Noah’s Obedience When It Defied Logic and Social Norms
Noah’s Obedience When It Defied Logic and Social Norms Biblical Context: Genesis 6:9–22 describes Noah as a “righteous man, blameless in his generation,” who “walked with God.” This stands in direct contrast to the rest of society, which had become “corrupt” and “filled with violence” (Genesis 6:11). Into this setting, God gives Noah a radically…
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Finding God in the Texas Floods: Nature, Blame, and the Wisdom of Christ
Posted on July 8, 2025 In July 2025, central Texas was struck by a devastating flood that claimed over 100 lives, including more than two dozen children at Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp. The Guadalupe River, swollen by heavy rains from the remnants of Tropical Storm Barry, surged from 1 foot to 36 feet…
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A Faithful, Fair, and Lawful Approach to Immigration Policy
Introduction The immigration debate in the United States remains one of the most complex moral and policy challenges of our time. It touches on national security, economic stability, human dignity, and the very identity of our nation. This paper seeks to integrate several vital frameworks—rule of law, compassion, fairness, and Christian moral teachings—into a coherent…
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Redemption 2025
There was a time I didn’t know how far I had wandered. At first, it was just a few small steps—away from peace, away from purpose, away from the heart of the Shepherd. I didn’t call it rebellion. I called it survival. The terrain of life had grown rough, filled with disappointments and losses too…
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The Day I Returned Again
Personal Prayer: The Day I Returned Again June 7, 2025 God, I come to You today not as the man who got it all right— but as the man who didn’t walk away. I come not with clean hands, but with open ones. You know where I’ve failed. You’ve seen the moments I stayed silent…
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Autobiography of John E. Hargrove, P.E.
A Life of Purpose: Faith, Engineering, and the Quiet Work That Lasts I was born in Kirbyville, Texas, in 1958, and raised in the small town of Buna—a place that grounded me in the values of family, faith, and responsibility. My father, Robert Hargrove, was a Korean War veteran and a man of quiet integrity.…
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“To Love Without Holding On” – A Reflection on Agape
Devotional Essay: “To Love Without Holding On” – A Reflection on Agape Agape is not the kind of love we see most often in the world. It is not transactional. It does not demand to be noticed, rewarded, or returned. It is the kind of love that gives, and keeps giving—not because it gets something…
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Discernment
Sometimes when people talk about “hearing from God,” it can feel a little overwhelming—especially if you’re not sure what that’s supposed to sound like. In our Bible study, Finding God’s Will, Session 3 focuses on how we hear God not just by ourselves, but together—in community, through conversation, prayer, and trusted relationships. That’s actually something…
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I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how we talk about God’s will—like it’s some hidden map we have to solve. But what if it’s more like a daily walk with someone who loves us and wants us to trust Him? Over the past few weeks at FMC Buna, we’ve been in a Bible study…
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You Are Part of God’s Will for the Church
You Are Part of God’s Will for the Church Too often we think of “God’s will” in private terms. My calling. My direction. My purpose. But Scripture paints a broader picture. God’s will is also about us—His people. His Church. Ephesians 2:10 says we were created “for good works, which God prepared in advance for…