Do you remember when ‘friend’ became a verb? I know it was sometime after the beginning of Facebook. About the same time, our definition of ‘friend’ changed a bit, didn’t it? All of a sudden, a friend can be someone you’ve never spoken to or met in person. A friend is someone with whom you … Continue reading –>
Whether we like it or not, someone is always watching us. Have you ever thought about that? Even when you think you’re completely on your own, in a place where you think you don’t know anybody and nobody knows you, people are watching. Being a Christian only increases the number of people watching. Why do … Continue reading –>
“…for you welcomed the message…with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.” 1 Thessalonians 1:6, NIV One of the most beautiful sights is the smile on the face of someone who has just given their heart to Jesus. Their heart is so full of joy from the experience that the light of that joy bursts … Continue reading –>
Mike Howerton remembers the two vastly different ways two of his high school coaches approached encouraging the team. Howertown remembers that in one game, his team was losing. During halftime, the two coaches would give two very different pep talks. “Coach Crow [came] in growling, spitting disdain in his words at us: ‘What a bunch … Continue reading –>
Has Satan ever tried to ruin your day? Well let me tell you about when I ruined his day. Years ago, I was driving in the middle of the night across country to see my sister and see about a job. I had just quit a job that was not working out and had no … Continue reading –>
“The goat became very great, but at the height of its power the large horn was broken off, and in its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven.” Daniel 8:8, NIV The story of Thessalonica begins in the loins of Philip II of Macedon. Philip not only fathered the well-known … Continue reading –>
“Postmodern” is the descriptor for our world today. For me, the word dredges up mental pictures of grey post-apocalyptic cityscapes populated by grey, blank-eyed, place fillers. In reality though, our postmodern world is peopled with armies of highly engaged individuals who can access a wealth of information on almost any topic with just a few … Continue reading –>
Many of us, because of the time and place in which we’ve grown up, have never seen an actual, active battlefield. I am one of those people. All I know of battles, I have learned from movies and TV, and as realistic as those may try to be, they are not like really being there…thank … Continue reading –>
This quarter’s lessons focus on two of Paul’s letters to the church at Thessalonica. Today the city is called Thessaloniki and is a major a sea port of Greece on the northwestern shore of the Aegean Sea. It has a history that spans more that 2300 years. From its beginning in the kingdom of Macedon … Continue reading –>
“For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.” 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5, NIV A Parable Loosely Based on … Continue reading –>
