Triumphing Through Tough Times The odds were stacked against him. An entire religious system, with all the power it possessed, had arrayed itself against Paul. The aim was to silence the words of Paul by his death, thus silencing his message. The rationale? He was teaching contrary to traditions, which was considered a crime worthy … Continue reading –>
There are bad days and then there are BAD days. We’ve all had them, and some of you might be experiencing such a day right now. Sometimes our bad days are caused by bad decisions we’ve made. Many times, we are reaping what we sowed. When we look back on those times, we can often … Continue reading –>
If I had not read it with my own eyes, I might not have believed it. It’s not that I’m unfamiliar with the miraculous working of God throughout the Bible. Countless times I’ve read about how God has done the impossible. He made the waters of a sea stand up in a salute to let … Continue reading –>
He was wrong. His life devotion – that of protecting the faith of his fathers and pushing back against those who advocated differently – was misguided. In a moment of time, he came face to face with the reality that his life was an offense to God. No arguments or excuses could justify what he had become … Continue reading –>
Leaders should be leading somewhere. That should go without saying, but sometimes leadership appears to be more of a title than a practice. The early church leaders were more than figureheads. They were tasked with spreading the gospel and feeding the flock as they expressly avoided micro-management of the growing church. Then the twelve summoned … Continue reading –>
The contrast was striking. Just a short time before, descriptive words such as possessed, wild, untamed were used to describe the Demoniac of the Gadara. Now, as the people of the city crowd about him, he is simply described as clothed, and in his right mind. Luke 8:35 A wild man beyond the help of … Continue reading –>
I’m starting this week’s lesson by asking a riddle. What do Gideon, a lad, and widow have in common? Here are some clues: Gideon lost over 99% of his army before a big battle. Judges 7:3-7 A young lad had a boy’s lunch of five small fishes and two small loaves of bread. Matthew 14:15-20 … Continue reading –>
And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not. Luke 22:31-32 Those were the cautionary words spoken to Simon Peter on the eve of the most terrible day of his life. Jesus was … Continue reading –>
The Missing Ingredients This week as we continue our study of stewardship by focusing on offerings, we are reminded of some of the reasons why we give. Using some of the biblical examples of people expressing their gratitude to Jesus, we affirm that the best motivation for giving springs from a love of God. But … Continue reading –>
I’m going to take the long way around today in discussing the topic of this week’s study, “God or Mammon.” I know I could have gotten there quicker by starting with the Widow with two mites and the Rich Young Ruler. Those two stories are packed with much insight into our relationship with money. Instead … Continue reading –>
