Genesis 24:34-66 Have you ever made a decision you would like to take back? Most of us have made some real bad decisions that hurt us. We also have made some decisions that were very good and changed the course of our lives. The relationship we have with God is life shaping. Look at life and see what kind of experiences you have with the God that created you for Himself. How well do you know God? There is a…..
Genesis 22:1-19 We face all kinds of tests in this life. Toddlers learning to walk face the test of learning by getting up many times after each fall. In watching toddlers fall and the many kinds of expressions that come to their faces tell us a lot about the testing process. Tested by pain, endurance, the shock of being down again, a look that says ‘I am just going to sit here awhile’ and then they make the effort…..
Genesis 21:1-21 When I was a child growing up I wanted the approval of my parents and teachers in the things I did. As an adult when I received God’s grace and love I wanted the things I was doing to meet with God’s approval. Our culture has changed. Children and youth don’t seem to care if what they are doing meet the approval of parents, teachers or God. The result for our country and world is that the very…..
Genesis 18:1-15 In the times we live our doubts seem to overwhelm our lives. The troubles in our time seem to have little or no answers for our fears and uncertainty about life. Doubts keep us from seeking answers to the pressing problems in our family life. Doubts grow when there is an absence of God in our lives. We see so many of our children and youth that don’t have parents that introduce their children to the God that…..
Genesis 12:1-9 The days of life come and go and the days seem to stay the same. Then some event or experience changes our days forever. I just sent out letters to my high school classmates with the date for our 64th reunion. Some times 1954 seem like a long time ago but then at times it is like a blink of an eye. The truth is that many events and things have happened in our lives that shaped…..
Ephesians 5:1-14 We humans have three major institutions: family, government and church. All three of these institutions are broken by the same problem. The family structure is the foundation for all of our culture. Our family life is fragmented by many things because we have forgotten the Biblical concepts and teaching on what produces a strong family. A family begins with the marriage of a man and woman that love, care and respect each other. The evidence is clear that…..
Ephesians 4:1-16 The New Testament church faced many controversies but the leaders solved these by the use of scripture. The issues that threaten the unity of the church were defeated by accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior. In two thousand plus years we have had divisions in the Christian Church. The first major schism was in 1054 between the sees of Rome and Constantinople. The Iconoclastic Controversy marked a further stage. Gregory III, 731-41 was the last Pope to have…..
Ephesians 3:14-21 Many of us just go along taking life and the world we live in just for granted. We move through the days of our lives not seeing God’s Spirit pour out His blessings on us. Why? Because we believe this is our world and we never look at God and say ‘Thanks” for the world you made for me to live in. Do you ever stop and think about that some day we all will reach the finish…..
Philippians 2:12-18 Who paid for our freedom? This week we celebrate the 4th of July. It is a landmark date that started us on the road to freedom. That freedom came with a price tag that has been paid by ordinary people ever since July 4th 1776. The price has been paid in many places: Kings Mountain, Cowpens, Guilford Court House, Lexington, Bunker Hill, Yorktown, Gettysburg, San Juan Hill, trenches in France, Normandy Beach, Iwo Jima, Saipan, the Battle of the…..
Acts 6:1-7 How do you resolve your problems? In today’s scripture lesson Dr. Luke writes that in the early history of the church it had problems. The church was growing fast as large numbers of people joined the People of the Way. The problem was between the Greek speaking and Hebrew speaking believers. The Greek speaking believers complained about the Hebrew speaking believers saying that the Greek speaking widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution. The only…..