September 5, 2018 One of the most fulfilling thoughts a human can enjoy is to be desired appropriately. Parents long to hear their children say, “I love you and I want to be with you.” The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy that he longed to see him (2 Timothy 1:4), and he wrote the same […]
August 29, 2018 A child feels secure when a parent is nearby. But if they do something that displeases their parent, they want to hide. This game started in the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve enjoyed the privilege of living in God’s presence. But when they listened to the counterfeit god, Satan, they
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August 15, 2018 “Why?” is the most common question when people are faced with life challenges. More often than not, the question is directed at Creator God. This has caused me to wonder how God would answer if we could visit with Him face to face. Typical questions include: Why do bad things happen to
August 8, 2018 I cannot imagine life without children. In addition to our own children and grandchildren, much of my ministry life has focused on children. I have said to Carol that when I no longer serve as Senior Pastor, I might see if I could return to being a children’s ministry pastor. She wisely
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August 1, 2018 Psalm 37 abounds with encouragement for people who trust and follow God’s ways, along with a message of doom for those who do not. The Creator is specific in what He considers worthy of approval and what He condemns. I am encouraged by the advice in verse 37: “Mark the blameless and
A Psalm of Perspective Read More »
July 25, 2018 Reading through the Psalms, I have pondered who or what was on David’s mind when he talked about taking refuge in God for protection from his enemies. The books of Samuel, Kings and Chronicles list some of the people who wanted to be rid of him. I wonder about other forces he
July 18, 2018 My mind is on “covenants” this week as I prepare to talk on Sunday about “The New Covenant” from Hebrews chapter 8. Webster’s Dictionary defines the word: a binding and solemn agreement to do or keep from doing a specific thing. Two or more individuals make a compact to follow through on
July 11, 2018 The opening pages of the Bible reveal a Creator God Who made a variety of beautiful things, including humans. He placed them in an amazing garden and gave them a life beyond our imagination. The story also includes a counterfeit god who wanted to destroy the relationship between God and humans. Unbelievably,
Does God Owe Us Anything? Read More »
July 5, 2018 Another July 4th is history, and I paused to consider the significance of the celebration. I read The Declaration of Independence and portions of The Constitution of The United States of America and was reminded of the concerns that brought those men to the place of being willing to put their lives
Grateful for Our Country Read More »
June 27, 2018 It is natural for humans to try to avoid hurting. When given a choice to experience something that makes us feel good or something that hurts, most likely we would choose to feel good. While I would not suggest that we look for painful experiences, we probably should not avoid them without
June 20, 2018 I have read two books recently about hospitality. One is called “Stranger God” and deals with the directive in Hebrews: “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing, some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” The other is called “The Gospel Comes with a House Key” and suggests that
June 13, 2018 Ezra 3 records the Israelites celebrating as they finished rebuilding the foundation of the temple in Jerusalem. That beautiful building was destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar when he conquered Jerusalem and took the people captive to Babylonia. As prophesied by Jeremiah, the Israelites were allowed to return to their land 70 years later.
Not Like It Used to Be Read More »