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How early Christians stood against Rome, Part 2
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How early Christians stood against Rome, Part 2

By Russ Minary | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Editor’s note: Douglas County resident Russ Minary first wrote this devotional in 2013 and felt prompted to share it now, in a season when revival is stirring across communities. This is Part 2 of a two-part series. Read Part 1 here. Every spiritual movement takes place in a practical way, from person to person, in the real world. Miracles did take place, the faith spread, and the church grew, for a few reasons which I provide here. Please note that this is entirely conjecture, but I believe that it aligns with Scripture and historical fact, and the context of the times in which it took place.   Here are nine principles that were used by the early church to survive and thrive in a world that was openly hostile to th...
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Drawing Nearer to God, Part 2: Prayer—the discipline we resist but our soul needs most
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Drawing Nearer to God, Part 2: Prayer—the discipline we resist but our soul needs most

By Scott K. James | Commentary, ScottKJames.com This is Part Two of my seven-part Drawing Nearer to God series. I heard my pastor talk about “drawing nearer to God,” and I found myself wondering - how do I actually do that? So I did what I always do: I started digging, Googling, and writing. Now I’m sharing what I’ve discovered along the way. I’ll just say it up front: prayer is the discipline nobody really wants. I struggle with it – bigly! Sure, we want the results of prayer – comfort, peace, maybe even a miracle or two. But the act of prayer itself? Sitting down, bowing my head, and actually talking to the Creator of the universe? That part’s hard. I’ve been a Christian for almost 30 years, and I still wrestle with prayer. Some days it feels like I’m talking to the...
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The Sword of the Spirit: Defense in the Advance
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The Sword of the Spirit: Defense in the Advance

By Drake Hunter | Commentary, Elevating Life Church "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." ~ Psalm 119:11 ~ It’s football season in Colorado, and for us Broncos fans, there’s nothing like watching a defense stand tall. Sure, a flashy offense may steal the highlights, but every fan knows the truth: defense wins championships. Some of the most unforgettable Bronco victories weren’t just about touchdowns; they were about stops, interceptions, and holding the line when it mattered most. Now, imagine this: if truth represents the ball in play, the one thing that must cross the goal line to score points, then where does defense fit into the game of life for the Christian? Is a believer called to play defense, holding ground so the enemy can’t advance?...
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Drawing Nearer to God: An Average Joe’s 7-Part Journey of Faith
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Drawing Nearer to God: An Average Joe’s 7-Part Journey of Faith

By Scott K. James | Commentary, ScottKJames.com Drawing nearer to God sounds great – but how do ordinary believers actually do it? Join this 7-part Scott Sheet Sunday series to find out. Last Sunday, my pastor said something that’s stuck with me all week. He talked about “drawing nearer to God in times of trouble.” That sounds amazing, doesn’t it? Poetic. Comforting. Instagram-worthy. But here’s the question I couldn’t shake: how, exactly, do I do that? Because if you’re anything like me, you’ve heard these phrases in church for years. “Seek God.” “Pursue His presence.” “Draw near to Him.” They roll off the tongue like we all have a built-in GPS that beeps every time we’re taking a step closer to the Almighty. But let’s be honest: most of us are just Average Joes and Ja...
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The Shield of Faith: The Final Move – Who Do You Want to Be?
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The Shield of Faith: The Final Move – Who Do You Want to Be?

By Drake Hunter | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice “Who do you want to be today… who do you want to be?” – Devo If you knew me back in the 80s, or if you’ve read my devotions or heard me preach, you know I wasn’t grooving to synth-pop or rocking parachute pants. I was a hard rocker through and through. Zeppelin, Dio, Ozzy… those were my peeps. My soul leaned into guitar solos, not synthesizers. But recently, I caught myself humming a Devo tune—yeah, that Devo—the 1984 track “Who Do You Want to Be Today?” And it struck me: that quirky little lyric actually echoes something Jesus asked long before the ‘80s ever got weird. Jesus said it better, and with eternal weight: “Follow Me.” Devo asked a fun question; however, Jesus asked a life-altering one. “Who do you want to be today?” ...
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Faith over fear: How Christians can stand strong when the world unravels
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Faith over fear: How Christians can stand strong when the world unravels

By Drake Hunter | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. ~ Genesis 1:2–3 Long, long ago…God brought order to chaos—and He’s still doing it today. How? Through our acts of faith. While chaos bullies its way into our lives uninvited, faith rolls out the welcome mat for God's power to bring order, peace, and purpose (Luke 24:49). Let’s talk about chaos. Not just the kind playing out on the news, but the kind that shows up in your story, in childhood wounds, military mayhem, workplace drama, and ministry madness. For me, chaos wasn’t a stranger. It was a full-time roommate. I grew up with it, wore i...
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Devotional: The darkroom where truth becomes life
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Devotional: The darkroom where truth becomes life

By Pastor Drake Hunter | Commentary, Elevating Life Church There was something sacred about that small darkroom in my father’s house. During those custody visits with my dad, I recall slipping into a mysterious room filled with the faint scent of chemicals, the dim red glow, and the quiet hum of transformation. It wasn’t just a room — it was a portal where blurry, black-and-white film strips turned into full-color memories. My dad loved photography, and this was back in the ancient days before smartphones and digital everything. Back then, taking a picture wasn’t instant gratification; it was a process for sure. First, you got a negative, that is, a backward, inverted, and mysterious image, hidden in its own shadows. It didn’t look like much. But then came the illusion: ...
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Devotional: When the truth calls you back into formation
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Devotional: When the truth calls you back into formation

By Pastor Drake Hunter | Commentary, Elevating Life Church I remember the day truth found me, normative truth that is, and it wasn’t in a church pew or quiet devotional moment. It was on a drill pad, surrounded by hundreds of Airmen at Lackland Air Force Base, standing at attention in full formation. I was in Basic Military Training, still full of fight, pride, and the need to prove myself.  When the Training Instructors (TIs) clocked out for the day, I’d go looking for a different kind of training, one that involved fists, not formation. I would stir up fights in the dorms, trying to dominate the other guys in our squadron.  In other words, I thought I was all that and a bag of Doritos with a Mountain Dew on the side, so much so–that I thought I was getting away with...
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Devotional: When your worldview wears on you like sagging pants
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Devotional: When your worldview wears on you like sagging pants

By Pastor Drake Hunter | Commentary, NE CO Newsroom, Rocky Mountain Voice We are now into our series, The Belt of Truth. In the introduction, we learned that trust is the foundation needed to build it, and that only comes through truth. Additionally, we covered the various aspects we will explore throughout this series: subjective, objective, normative, absolute, and applied truth. Let’s dive into subjective truth to keep the series moving. Shall we?    I used to think sagging pants were just a phase… until I became a youth pastor. It started at home with my oldest son, Joshua, who is now 36, but was 15 at the time. I’ll never forget the day he shuffled into the room with his pants hanging on for dear life, no belt in sight—just a whole lot of confidence and a look ...
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Devotional: In life’s fast lane, choosing the wrong road to a path of folly happens easily
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Devotional: In life’s fast lane, choosing the wrong road to a path of folly happens easily

By Pastor Drake Hunter | Commentary, Elevating Life Church We live in a world where countless roads claim to lead to success—express lanes to happiness, toll-free routes to purpose, and flashy detours promising fulfillment in the Eternal Now. And many folks, good-hearted and well-meaning, are sprinting full speed ahead. But here’s the kicker: what if the road you're on is the wrong one? The evidence is sobering. A growing number of Christians find themselves drained rather than fulfilled, weary instead of flourishing, spiritually stuck in a cycle that feels more like surviving than thriving. So, let’s ask the question straight up: If you’re on a path that doesn’t lead to life, what good is it—even if it’s dressed up in church clothes, labeled “faith”, with a dash of success? ...
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