A Mother’s Hope and Heartache
Judges 13
There’s nobody like mom. Mothers have made an indelible impression on their children’s lives since the beginning of time. If you look back through the pages of history, seeking to find those men and women who have left their mark, you will find that there was a mother who first left her mark on that [...]
Can I Get a Witness?
John 1:6-8
In light of all that we have learned about Jesus, so far in our study of John’s Gospel, it is mind boggling that God has chosen to use broken vessels to carry His message of mercy, forgiveness, grace, redemption, and salvation to the world. Stop and think about it with me just for a moment. [...]
We Have An Obligation To Fulfill
Romans 1:8-15
Paul had the heart of a missionary. He had a love for people that he did not know, he had a desire to go to places where he had never visited, and all of this was rooted in a deep sense of obligation that he felt towards all people. When we think of the word, [...]
Spiritual Warfare: Going on the Offensive
Ephesians 6:17-18
Last week we began studying the last section of Paul’s letter to the Church in Ephesus. Throughout Paul’s letter he has been encouraging the brothers and sisters in Ephesus by teaching them about the many, many, blessings that God has showered upon His people. Paul taught them that they have been blessed with every spiritual [...]
Spiritual Warfare: Going on the Offensive - Ephesians 6:17-18 [ 44:06 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadSpirit Filled Homes: Parents and Children
Ephesians 6:1-4
How are families to function? Most people never really give it a thought. We get married, eventually have children, and do our best to make things work. In Paul’s day there were well established “household codes” that served to provide structure, a chain of command, and guidance for the family unit. When thinking about “household [...]
Spirit-Filled Homes
Ephesians 5:21-6:9
In our Scripture for today we have an incredible opportunity to learn about the transformative power of the Holy Spirit upon the relationships we share in our household. Paul talks about the relationships of husbands and wives, parents and children, and “slaves and masters,” or in our day, we could say, “employers and employees.” Dr. [...]
Friends
Proverbs 27:1-10
Today we get the opportunity to turn the page in Proverbs and learn a brand new lesson. Proverbs 27 is an interesting chapter in that verses 1-10 and 11-22 are really a reflection of one another. The footnote in The Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible says, This unit brings together a loose collection of [...]
You Can’t Hide a Grateful Heart
Luke 7:36-50
It’s a brand New Year! I’m sure you have grown weary of getting emails from me over the past few weeks urging you to take some time to pray and seek some God-inspired goals that you can pursue this year. I know that most of us don’t make “New Year’s Resolutions” any longer because we’ve [...]
Immanuel: God is With Us!
Matthew 2
It’s Christmas Eve. The night in which little kids are filled with anticipation, waiting, wondering, expecting that things are going to turn out and Christmas morning will be filled with everything they’ve hoped for. It’s Christmas Eve. The night in which moms and dads are filled with excitement about seeing the looks on the faces [...]
The Gift of Christmas: Prince of Peace
Isaiah 9:1-7
What a blessing it has been to spend the last four weeks taking a look at Isaiah 9. I hope you have been blessed and that all of us have come to better understand the One who was born as a Child, given as a Son, and is called the “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting [...]
What’s Fitting For the Fool
Proverbs 26:1-11
As we’ve worked our way through Proverbs, Solomon has introduced us to many different kinds of people. He’s taught us by teaching his son to stay away from certain kinds of folks, to be aware and on our guard against other kinds of folks, and to pursue wisdom, godly wisdom, as we live this life. [...]
How To Manage Messy Relationships
Proverbs 25:16-22
In a world of 8 billion people it is next to impossible to avoid relationships. There are some who have tried to live as hermits, secluding themselves from the rest of society, and trying to avoid the trials and tribulations that come about because of our relationships with others, but the reality is that we [...]
The Gift of Christmas: Mighty God
Isaiah 9:1-7
There is a heaviness hanging like a cloud over many hearts this Christmas Season. The sounds of Christmas joy are muffled by the kettle drum beats of fear, loneliness, and uncertainty. Hearts that were once full of joy, excitement, and expectation are hollow and the emptiness wrings out the soul. Many are the scenarios that [...]
The Gift of Christmas: Wonderful Counselor
Isaiah 9:1-7
Four the next four weeks I want us to spend our study time taking a look at a section of the Prophet Isaiah. Isaiah was a prolific prophet in perilous times. He wrote 66 chapters that are filled with judgment, justice, love, and redemption. Throughout all 66 chapters, through the hard times as well as [...]
The Gift of Christmas: Wonderful Counselor - Isaiah 9:1-7 [ 32:50 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadSolomon’s Wisdom for When the Going Gets Tough
Proverbs 24:10-12
We’ve all heard the saying, “When the going gets tough the tough get going.” It’s the American way. The way of those who have gone before us and it remains the way of the tenacious and determined souls of today. My dad drilled the saying into my head throughout my years of growing up. In [...]
My Help!
Romans 8:24-27
What is the one thing that we all need, but that we are so reluctant to ask for? I’m sure you could come up with many answers to that question, but the first thing that comes to my mind is “help.” When we find ourselves in a quandary, we need to ask for help. When [...]
God’s People and Gratitude
Psalm 106
The dispositions of the human heart are varied. A “disposition” is a tendency, a habitual inclination, or frame of mind. When we stop to think about our own heart, our own tendencies concerning how we navigate the ins and outs of life, I think we might recognize some similarities with those around us. I can’t [...]
The Priceless Value Of A Good Name
Proverbs 22:1-9
Throughout Proverbs we’ve witnessed Solomon urging his son to gain wisdom. Wisdom is more priceless than silver and it’s worth far exceeds the value of gold. (Proverbs 3:14) We are told that if we will look for wisdom as we would for silver and search for it as if it were a hidden treasure then [...]
Solomon’s Wisdom on Making Good Decisions
Proverbs 21:2-8
People have always had to make decisions. “Where will I live?” “What do I want to do with my life?” “Who will I marry?” Throughout time people have also been faced with tough ethical and moral decisions. “How will I respond to what happens to me?” “How will I run my business?” “Will I cheat [...]
Solomon’s Wisdom on Lives of Deception
Proverbs 20:3-7
We are going to spend our time this morning taking a look at Proverbs 20:3-7. As I have been studying this chapter of Proverbs this past week it has seemed to me that this section of Scripture holds a very important lesson for those of us who live in a land of illusion, a day [...]
Coming Clean
Matthew 5:8
Have you ever seen the television series “Hoarders” that airs on the A&E network? It is amazing to see how folks can collect so much junk in their homes that they can’t even get around. Their kitchens are overflowing with piles and piles of dishes, old boxes, kitchen appliances that haven’t worked in years, and [...]
Solomon’s Wisdom on Anger Management
Proverbs 19:11
Over the past several years we’ve become more and more familiar with fits of rage and anger infiltrating most every arena of life. On November 19, 2004, we watched the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers take on the fans at The Palace after a fan threw a cup of beer on Ron Artest. Nine players [...]
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Proverbs 18:10-11
Rafik Hariri, Lebanon’s former Prime Minister, is a genuine, modern-day rags to riches story. Rakif was born on November 1, 1944, the son of poor farm workers from the southern city of Sidon in Lebanon. He attended elementary and secondary school in Sidon, and pursued his university studies at the Arab University of Beirut, where [...]
We’ve Got a Problem
Matthew 5:3-12
You would never know it by talking to us, but we’ve got a problem and the problem is us. Everyone has problems. Everyone struggles with problems. The difference between the point I am trying to make and the description of “problems” as most people would describe them is this: Most people see their problems caused [...]