I have found myself singing the following this week: Give thanks with a grateful heart Give thanks to the Holy One Give thanks, because He’s givenJesus Christ, His Son. Give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy One; give thanks, because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son. And now let the weak… Continue Reading Now be thankful
Yesterday as we looked at the macro view of stewardship, I referenced The Lord of the Rings as an example of being a steward versus being a king. Denethor is the latest in a long line of stewards for the city of Gondor. He continues caring for and ruling the city in the long absence… Continue Reading Steward or king?
Recently, when flying back from vacation, this box in the corner just before the airport security checkpoint caught my attention. It was an amnesty box. Being the curious person I am, I asked the security person if I could ask a question before proceeding to the scanning area. What is an amnesty box? Her reply… Continue Reading The amnesty box – one temporary, one eternal
I once wanted and planned to be a neurosurgeon. I had my life laid out and knew what each step of the way looked like, and even when they would happen. I planned to marry a girl shorter than I. (I am 5′ 6.5″ and Amy is 5’7″; cue the smiles.) I had the number… Continue Reading Plan to trust in God
Be on guard so that your life, and more importantly, your worship, is not hijacked by rampant consumerism. Our American culture has fallen under the sway of “have it your way.” Everywhere we look, the emphasis is on our expectations, specifications and our satisfaction. We covered this in part on Sunday when we looked at “Presenting… Continue Reading Approaching worship the right way
Someone has said, “Ships are safe in the harbor, but this isn’t what ships are created for.” Unfortunately, many in the church have a “harbor mentality” in which living and interacting in holy huddles is their day in, day out way of living. As I shared this morning this is akin to digging a hole… Continue Reading A safe harbor or a save harbor?
Peace! We cry out for peace! Peace in Israel. Peace in Ukraine. Peace in the corridors of our government. Peace at the borders of our country. Peace in the streets of our land. Peace in our homes. Peace within ourselves. What causes this lack of peace? What is this peace we so greatly desire in… Continue Reading True, lasting peace through Christ
The world will hate those who follow Christ because it hated Him. This is clear in John 15:18, which we covered this morning. We recognize that the reason we are hated is because when we live, think, speak and act as Jesus would, we hold up the mirror of truth (as we live out the… Continue Reading The world’s hate, Christ’s love
In our staff meeting on Monday, Gordon asked the following question: “What is the fruit of an apple tree?” The immediate reply would be an apple, correct? Gordon pointed out that if the fruit is only the apple, then in one generation there would be no more apple trees. The actual fruitfulness of an apple… Continue Reading Fruitful relationships
