Consider this

Churches have all sorts of missions statements these days.  Leaders are tasked with coming up with a unique vision for the ministry.  What would happen if we just went back to the original idea?  https://youtu.be/cbH9XyoJmFY  

     Manasseh, King of Judah (700 BC), was terrible!  He came from a good family.  His father, Hezekiah, was a great king who respected God and his people.  His son did not.  After listing all the evil things Manasseh did, the Biblical writer sums up his influence by saying, “Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations [who did not know God] (2 Chronicles 33:9).      God tried to get Manasseh’s attention.  He sent messengers and prophets, and yet, nothing changed.  Eventually, God allowed Manasseh’s enemies to attack.  They captured the king, put a ring in his nose and shackles on his hands and feet and took him back to Babylon as a prisoner.  It is here that the story becomes really interesting.       2 Chronicles 33:12-13 says, “In his [Manasseh’s] distress, he sought the favour of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God o...

 When we think about ways to maintain our faith, we usually focus on things like prayer, Bible reading and going to church.  The three instructions that Romans 12 gives us may not be as obvious, but they are just as important (or even more so).  https://youtu.be/TrxmTiyLlcE  

  It is 1924 and you are an airmail pilot tasked with flying from New York to San Francisco without radar or radio to guide you on your way.  What do you do?  How do you navigate?  How do you avoid missing the next airport and running out of fuel? The answer: Look for the 70-foot-long yellow concrete arrow on the ground! As unbelievable as it sounds, the United States Postal Service built a series of huge arrows on the ground and spaced them approximately 10 miles apart so the pilots could find their way.  Later, lights were installed at these same sites to facilitate night flying.  Many of these arrows still exist all across the country. I like the idea of a big, bright arrow on the ground that points the way to the next big, bright arrow so that someone can find the path.  In fact, I think that is a good job description for each of us. No one can make anyone do anything.  I cannot make your decisions for you.  I cannot force y...

 When you find yourself in the wrong place in life, remember these two facts.... From 2 Chronicles 33  https://youtu.be/0Lz4QVDU7Ws  

                 We are never given a physical description of God, but we have many descriptions of his character.   He is called the God of peace, the God of love, and the God of all comfort just to name a few.   Each of those phrases is important, but there is one more that tops them all.                In a prayer for his readers, the apostle Paul says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).                  I love that God is called the God of Hope because hope is powerful and life-changing.   Struggling marriages can be put back together if there is hope!   Those going through emotional or physical distress can not only han...

 In most cases, it is not difficult to know what to do.  The right answer or course of action is obvious.  It is not that we need to be convinced of what we ought to do.  What we need is a really good reason to do it, regardless of the cost.   Here is that reason!