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New Article: Foundations Matter

  In the early 1900s, the city of Los Angeles needed a larger and more reliable water source.   This led William Mulholland, the Water Bureau’s superintendent and chief engineer, to begin searching for suitable locations to build a dam. Mulholland chose a location in the San Francisquito Canyon.   The land was surveyed in December 1922.   By July 1, 1924, the preliminary work was in place, and the dam was officially completed on May 4, 1926.   Almost immediately, there were problems.  Cracks started appearing in the concrete.   Water seeped through some of the seams.   Then the leaks began.   Despite the problems, the structure was considered safe and doing well considering its size and the amount of water it was holding. On March 12, 1928, a new leak was discovered.   It was so large that the operators of the dam called Mulholland and asked him to come and take another look.   For two hours, Mulholland and his assistant examined ...
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Fine-tuning Our Message (Colossians 1)

  It is easy to become distracted talking about a whole bunch of things. However, the church only has one message. If we lose that, we lose our effectiveness.  https://youtu.be/LJWmvHuHayQ  

New Article: The Best Story Ever

   Michael Lewis, the author of “Moneyball” and “The Blind Side”, once said, “Unless you have a story, you don't have a way to persuade people”.  Stories are powerful.  They help us see and understand what we previously missed.  Sadly, some take the beautiful story of scripture and turn it into lists to memorize and rules to follow.  Fortunately, Colossians 1:21-23 corrects that mistake by retelling the gospel story. As many good stories do, this one starts with a big problem: “Once you were alienated from God” (verse 21).  Alienated means to be separated or to lose connection.  That is what sin does.  It comes between us and God and destroys the relationship.  Our incorrect thinking and actions cause us to run away from God (also verse 21).  Left to our own devices, our story ends here.  We have no way home. Fortunately, the next phrase is, “But now”.  Something has changed.  “But now, He (God) has reconciled you” (v...

A Proper Perspective (Colossians 1)

There are many misconceptions about what the Christian life is all about. if we are going to understand who we are and what we are here for, we must put the proper foundations in place.  https://youtu.be/3993VgcHmi0    

New Article: There is No Debate

  If you want to start a commotion these days, all you need to do is state an opinion.   Someone is sure to believe differently, and they are usually not shy about telling you why.   Especially online, it is common for people to have arguments with strangers over things that really do not matter.   If you have the time and inclination, I guess there is nothing wrong with kicking around theories and ideas.   However, when it comes to Jesus, certain teachings are not up for debate. For example, Colossians 1 states that Jesus is “the image of the invisible God” (verse 15).   Some teachers attempt to separate God and Jesus.   This passage makes clear that you cannot have one without the other.   If you want to know God at all, you must get to know Jesus.   As he said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). Secondly, Jesus is “the head of the body, the church” (verse 18).   It is tempting to believe that the way I see thi...

New Lesson: A Lot to be Thankful For (Colossians 1)

Thanksgiving is a cornerstone of a life of faith. Remembering and sharing this story will help us celebrate our blessings. https://youtu.be/lAzOpTEDRhs   

New Article: Strength for our Struggles

  When going through challenging times, people often receive one of two pieces of advice: “Try harder,” or “Quit!”  Unfortunately, most of the time, those answers are unrealistic, unhelpful or both.  So, what should we do when we do not know what to do?  Colossians 1 gives us some good advice. The chapter begins with Paul mentioning two qualities that indicate his readers are on the right track: they have faith in God, and they love one another (Colossians 1:3-4).  You may remember that someone asked Jesus what the greatest command of God was, and he replied, “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength’. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’.  There is no commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31).  Success starts here, but how do we get to that point?  The next verse gives us a surprising answer. “[This] faith and love spring up from the ...