Consider this

  Jehoram was a terrible king.  He reigned in Judah around the year 850 B.C. and he did not care about God or his people.  His first act as king was to assassinate his six brothers so that no one could challenge his authority.  He was brutal and selfish.   Therefore, when the Bible sums up his life, it says, “Jehoram… passed away, to no one’s regret, and was buried in the City of David” (2 Chronicles 21:20).  Did you catch that?  “To no one’s regret!”  What a terrible phrase for your tombstone. On the other hand, consider a lady named Tabitha.  She lived in the city of Joppa in the first century A.D. and we are told, “… she was always doing good and helping the poor” (Acts 9:36).  She became sick and died.  This caused the community so much grief that they called Peter, who was in the nearby town of Lydda, to come and help them.  When Peter arrived, a crowd gathered, bringing all the robes and other clothing that ...

God is described in a lot of ways. He is the God of peace. The God of grace.  However, there is another description that I think is even more important. A description that we must know and model. A quality that must take up more room in our lives in the coming year.  (This lesson is 20 minutes long. Please share it if you like).    

 When people stand up at your funeral, what would you like them to say? What do you want to be remembered for? More importantly, what are you doing right now? What is the legacy that you are creating? By looking at two Biblical people who took completely different approaches to life, we will get the chance to evaluate our own walk and why it matters.  PS. The lesson is 28 minutes long. Sorry for the poor audio. I forgot my remote microphone (Ooops!) :)      

              On a beautiful afternoon in October of 2024, Kahiau Kawai and his high school kayaking team hit the waters off the coast of Oahu.   It was a great day; until it was not!   Around 4 pm, a storm began to roll in and everyone headed for shore.   It was then that they realized that Kahiau was missing.   At 6:30 pm, 911 call went out and soon search and rescue helicopters and boats were searching the ocean for the 17-year-old. Darkness fell and there was still no trace of the boy.   Others joined in, fearing the worst.   Surviving in the open sea is hard enough when one is well-equipped.   It is another thing in a storm without a life jacket.   Kahiau’s family gathered and began to talk about his funeral. Finally, at 4 am, after searching ...

 I love positive people. I am allergic to negativity (it makes my skin crawl). However, I realize, too, that positive thinking is sometimes nothing more than wishful thinking because it is based on nothing. Isaiah wanted God's people to be hopeful and positive, but with good reason which is what this verse gives us.  

 Your faith will not deepen by chance. It is not automatic. In fact, many have never progressed past the "just beginning" stage. It does not have to be that way, though. We can end 2025 stronger than we are right now. This lesson will detail the five things you will need and, at the end, tell you why this list is so important! The lesson itself is 31 minutes long.