May 13

I hope everyone had a good time yesterday remembering their mother.  Cherish her if she is still alive.



May 6

Money is a topic I do not like to delve into very much.  It is almost like asking about someone’s love life.  But money is so important in the Christian walk.  It can lead to many temptations and failings.  It can lead to many divisions and dissections.  It can cripple a church and its people.  But it also can be used for God’s greatness and glory.  Money is needed to keep a ministry going.  And looking at our church and it’s ministry, we are not collecting enough each week to pay all of our bills.  Luckily God has blessed us in the past.  We do not have any outstanding debts and we have savings in the bank on which we can draw on.  But we need more people who are willing to give to God through our church.  So prayerfully consider what you are currently giving and see if God wants more from you.



April 29

I had a great birthday this last week.  Thank you to all who sent me cards or posted on Facebook.



April 22

This week we start combining 1 Chronicles with our readings from 1 Samuel.  It may seem a bit boring looking at all those names from all those tribes.  I would suggest if you have one, to listen to an audio version of these chapters.  Names are important to God and each of them are important to the history that 1 Chronicles gives us.  These first chapters are timed so that when we get to chapter 10, they will link up with some of the stories of 1 and 2 Samuel and the Kings.  So do not get discouraged and continue remaining faithful to reading 5 days each week.



April 15

Yesterday was a wonderful service presented to us from Adult and Teen Challenge.  The songs that they sang really had a tremendous message.  I have heard them all before on the radio and sung in other churches.  But listening to the lyrics and knowing some of the testimonies of these men transformed the meaning and gave a whole new life to these songs.  Just one example, the song Chainbreaker to me previous was the breaking of spiritual chains.  But sung by guys who were literally in chains (prisons) and chained to addictive substances, put a whole new spin on it.  I would urge you to relisten to the music and focus on the lyrics in light of what these gentlemen experienced and see this for yourself.



April 8

I am writing this post a week early because I will be out of town this week.  But I hope that you enjoyed reading about the resurrection once again from the gospel of Luke (if you are reading along with us on our read through the Bible.)  I cannot get enough of this idea that Jesus is alive unlike every other world religion.  Yet it is true.  We serve a RISEN SAVIOR!



April 1

No fooling.  Jesus is alive!



March 24

As we start this holy week leading up to Jesus’ death, let us remember hos foolish it was for Jesus to die for sinners and the ungodly (Rom 5:8).  And yet without his love and sacrifice, we would not be celebrating the most glorious day in all history next Sunday.  We would not know the hope of a future with God and the relationship we can have now as we live here on earth.  The foolishness of the cross brought us new life and a future in heaven.  For that reason, I will never hesitate to be a fool for Christ because he became a fool for me.



March 18

Today’s Bible reading ties in nicely with yesterday’s sermon.  In Deuteronomy, we read that God wants his people to serve him when they move into their new country.  That he is the one who rescued them and wants them to prosper.  But he cautions them about being tempted away from him.  And we know from reading the Bible that they were indeed drawn away from God.  They had every blessing of God, yet they foolishly turned their back on him.  This is why later on in the prophets, the nation of Israel were called fools.  In Jeremiah, God is speaking and says, “My people are fools; they do not know me. They are senseless children; they have no understanding. They are skilled in doing evil; they know not how to do good.”  I sometimes I wonder how a people who actually saw God and knew his power in his acts, turned to idols and other gods.  But then I look at myself and how little I trust God.  I often try to do things on my own and yet I too have seen God work.  My idols are money and self.  But how much more can I do with God blessing me.



March 11

Pride is a tough subject.  Like I said in my sermon, it is not always a bad thing.  It is only bad if you are exalting yourself higher than you aught.  But even with that you have to be cautious because without God we can do nothing and our works amount to nothing.  We can only do and be what God has allowed us to do and be.  So remember, if you boast, boast in the Lord and what He has done in your life.  And he has done great things in your life!