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Consider This: The Biggest Problem Is Not Out There!

In a time when everyone has a vocal opinion on everything and judgment is everywhere, maybe we need to reconsider the words of Jesus. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?  How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:3-5).  Here are two observations to consider. First, when we look for what others are doing wrong, we are starting in the wrong place.  “Take the log out of your eye” is the first move.  Start with yourself!  It is easy to judge others and make excuses for ourselves.  Yet, that is completely backwards! If we are honest, we never get past making ourselves better.  There is always more to do.  This, then, leaves very little time to point out...
Recent posts

Turn Up the Celebration

 From the start, God wanted his people to celebrate. At the end of time, celebration is the theme in heaven. Why would it not be necessary now?  Some thoughts on why we must celebrate and what we lose when we don't. https://youtu.be/sPiN0X0_T_U    

Consider This: Twenty-three Descriptions of God (Psalm 145)

  Let’s play a quick game.  Take 10 seconds and list 5 or 6 words to describe God.  Got your words?  Good!   Here comes the game part.  I will list twenty-three ways that David describes God in Psalm 145, and we will see how many of his words match yours.   David says that God is, the king, great, majestic, wonderful, powerful, awesome, abundant in goodness, righteous, gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, rich in love, good to all, glorious, mighty, trustworthy, faithful, supporting, generous, providing, near, saving and watching.     How did you do? This is not a useless exercise.  The words we use to describe God not only indicate something about how we see him, but they also influence how we interact with him.  For example, if I know that God is “Gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love” (verse 8), I will not fear him, and I will not assume that he is against me.  When I remember that...

The Problem is not Out There (Matthew 7)

 This short, 20 minute lesson can have a huge impact on how we deal with one another.   https://youtu.be/sejLXF4Anj4  

A Picture of Our Heavenly Father (Psalm 145)

 If you have the wrong information to begin with, you will come to the wrong conclusion.  On this Father’s Day, a lesson to make sure we see our heavenly Father correctly…. and how that changes everything else.  https://youtu.be/p1hIX_toBXo  

Consider This: Seeing New Patterns

                 “1N73LLIG3NC3 15 7H3 4BILI7Y 70 4D4P4P7 70 CH4NG3.” Isn’t that something?   You can read that phrase even though there is not one English word in it.   Your brain is trained to look for patterns, and because it knows what English words and syntax look like, it adapts what you see to make it make sense.   Your brain does not see what is there.   Rather, your brain sees what you have trained it to see and reacts accordingly.   The same rainstorm that makes a farmer happy makes a golfer mad.   Therefore, it is important to train our brains well.   Here are two truths that will help. First, God is in control.   While life may feel chaotic and random, scripture reminds us that this is untrue.   “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:8...

Not Unlimited

 Sometimes, God puts limits on us. Other times, we limit ourselves when we should not. Some thoughts on why there are things we should not do, what happens when we do not do what we should, and how to tell the difference.  https://youtu.be/JBtrLo5rAvU