The Promised Messiah
The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. -Genesis 49:10 Jacob’s astounding prophecy regarding his son Judah in the above verses, long before Jesus’ birth, has been regarded as a prediction that the Messiah will descend from the tribe of Judah. At the time, there was no tribe of Judah. There was only Judah, his son. So how did Jacob know that,
Thanksgiving—A Time of Gratitude and Joy
As we enter the holiday season, beginning with Harvest and Thanksgiving, we all know of someone (it could even be ourselves) who is facing a situation that suggests anything but gratitude and joy. For some, this will be the first time they spend it without their spouses or other loved ones. We want holidays to be merry, but this isn’t always the case. In fact, the Cleveland Clinic cited some of the below as factors that tend to make the holidays
From the Pastor: The Lord’s Purpose Prevails — What A Relief!
Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. -Proverbs 19:21 What a relief! We live on God’s earth. We aren’t limited to or trapped by the self-serving schemes cooked up by others. Too often, we grow jaded or discouraged watching people dream up get-rich-quick schemes, manipulating others for their personal gain. They plan to lavish themselves with luxury and pleasure with little regard for those who will suffer because of their selfish desire
From the Pastor: Hey Jealousy!
“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God…” -Exodus 20:4–5a Jealous? How can God, the perfect Creator of the universe, be jealous? We tend to think of jealousy as a flaw in one’s character. And in human history jealousy has been a root
From the Pastor: I Love A Good Debate
“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. -Isaiah 1:18 The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations. -Psalm 33:11 I once heard a man begin his prayer like this: “Lord, if you really think about it
Dust in the Wind—Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
Perhaps you remember the old song, “Dust in the Wind” by Kansas. The point of it was that human beings are merely dust in the wind, nothing more—here today, gone tomorrow. And, when it’s all over, that’s about all there is to say: Same old song Just a drop of water in an endless sea All we do Crumbles to the ground, though we refuse to see Dust in the wind All we are is dust in the wind It’s pretty depressing, but there is some stark
From the Pastor: Live Beyond Your Means
This might sound like reckless, insane advice during the worst global economic crisis many of us have ever witnessed. But I’m not talking here about disregarding your family budget, irrational spending, or overreaching in your personal finances. Instead, my challenge is to those who decide how much they can afford to give, and then plan their mission according to that allowance and never going beyond that. Like people, we have churches like this. These churches never take a risk. They never dream
From the Pastor: Grateful to God
Do we have plenty to complain about? Yes, absolutely. Any one of us could create a long list of things of what we want, but don’t have. Very easily, we can enumerate lengthy, detailed reasons why not to be thankful. In any given situation, we can find plenty to criticize and find fault with. But we need to concentrate on what God has given us and how blessed we truly are. An exercise in gratitude will help change our perspective on things and
From the Pastor: The Antidote to a Very Bad Day
We give Jesus our sins to bear and he credits us with his righteousness. So God looks upon us as he would his own Son. Believers get full credit for Jesus’ perfection even though they’re anything but perfect. But there’s more.
Where Two or Three Are Gathered…Or Not!
Technology! It’s everything today—more than we ever realized! And it’s redefining everything in life: how we relate to each other, parent our children, do our school work, and carry on our day-to-day business. Virtually everyone walking down the street is transfixed by the little screen in the palm of their hand. But when it comes to God, the fundamental fact dwarfing all other facts in the universe, everything seems upside down. To our fast-lane world, the careful study, contemplation, and enjoyment
