Skip to main content

Posts

Consider This: Focus on Faithfulness

  If you were choosing people to work with during New Testament times, and the two picks were Peter and Stephen, you would choose Stephen every time. We first meet Stephen in Acts 6 when the leaders needed some men to serve the people. He was an obvious choice as he was “A man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” (verse 5). Stephen is strong, wise, spiritual and dependable. On the other hand, Peter’s life was marked by a series of ups and downs. He was chosen by Jesus (Luke 5) and was the first to understand that Jesus was God’s Son (Matthew 16:16). He walked on the water, but then got scared and sank like a rock (Matthew 14). Peter was ready to fight to the death when Jesus was arrested (John 18:19), but a few hours later, he denied knowing Jesus at all (all four gospels record this low point). Interestingly, these two men preached two of the first recorded sermons and received completely different reactions. When Peter finishe...
Post a Comment
Read more
Recent posts

A Different Picture

 When we understand how God sees his people, it gives us hope and invites others in.  https://youtu.be/78DOpV69Vgs  
Post a Comment
Read more

Consider This: Before They Are Gone

    Quick, name the most famous painting in the world.   If you said “The Mona Lisa,” you agree with everyone who was at church this past Sunday, the art insurers who declared it the most famous and valuable painting of all time, as well as the Guinness Book of World Records.   But it was not always that way.   Painted by Leonardo da Vinci between 1503 and 1506, the Mona Lisa has been on display at the Louvre in Paris since 1797. While the art world always appreciated the painting, one act gave it the iconic status and worldwide fame that it enjoys today. In 1911, it was stolen.   The theft generated unprecedented publicity as every newspaper in the world carried stories about the painting, possible suspects, offers of rewards, speculation regarding who took it and where it was hidden.  The painting was recovered in 1914 after it was discovered that a man named Vincenzo Peruggia had taken it believing that the Italian masterpiece belonged in Italy. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Focus on Faithfulness (Acts 2 and Acts 7)

 We all want to see and celebrate results.... But in Spiritual things, results are really none of your business.  https://youtu.be/r8fThRVA9Ro  
Post a Comment
Read more

Consider This: The Biggest Threat to the Church

  Over the years, I have heard people say that the biggest threat to the church these days is a specific preacher, a government policy, the culture around us, watered-down Christian teaching, and a thousand other things. While some of those are legitimate concerns, I do not think any of them are the biggest threat. Here is my nomination for that title.   “For this very reason [because God has given us the gift of salvation], make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:5-8).   To be clear: We are not saved because we are good, smart, or right. We are saved by God’s grace alone. Ephesians 2:8-9 says that w...
Post a Comment
Read more

Appreciating the “I Am” Statements of Christ (Gospel of John)

 Jesus offers more than just salvation and a chance to go to heaven. Much more.  https://youtu.be/4HCM1jn1BO8  
Post a Comment
Read more

Make Every Effort

 We have been given both a gift and a privilege.   https://youtu.be/AVolpOcw2a4  
Post a Comment
Read more