Posts from July 2021

      Who is John Newton? Well, a recent John Newton played Clark Kent on the show Superboy! However, I am speaking about the English sailor and clergyman who wrote the song “Amazing Grace”.  Recently, I heard a sermon by Ray Reynolds about the poem written by John Newton in 1770 titled “The Kite”. In the poem, the Kite says “Were I but free, I’d take a flight, And pierce the clouds beyond their sight, But, ah! like a poor prisoner bound, My…

  DISCUSSION:   Some chapters in the Bible stand on their own. The chapter number is synonymous with what is actually in the chapter. For instance, if I were to say Genesis 1, you might say “The Creation”, I Corinthians 13, “The love chapter” and finally the topic of our thought today, Hebrews 11 is “The Hall of Faith”. As you read through the chapter you find yourself taking a stroll down through history; Cain and Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham…

  DISCUSSION: Do you realize that almost all the original apostles were killed? We think that being close to God will keep the evils of this world away. God is always with us. He will not give us more than we can handle. Please realize there is a better place for us and evil abounds in this world. God did not promise us peace on earth. He promised us a home in heaven.  

  DISCUSSION: I wonder who saw him first, Peter or John, as they went up to the temple to pray? He was being carried along by some do gooders, getting ready to sit him down at the gate. He was lame and had been since birth. They did this every day to give him an opportunity to beg for some gifts or donations as people left the temple. When he saw Peter and John, he asked them the same question…

  DISCUSSION: In Genesis 34, Jacob’s only daughter, Dinah, had been defiled by Shechem. Her brothers Simon and Levi take matters into their own hands and slaughter all the men of the city. Jacob, being afraid of what will become of his family when the other nations hear about what had happened, receives instructions from God in Genesis 35.1 “Arise and go to Bethel and dwell there…” Jacob knew Bethel was the place where he had a dream when he…

  DISCUSSION:   Solomon once wrote “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” (Proverbs 28.13). But what exactly did he mean by “conceals”? Women use “concealer” on their faces as they apply their makeup. Auto detailers may use a little touch up paint to “conceal” any scratches on a car. Just like these analogies the Hebrew word for “conceal” is very similar in that it means to cover or hide…

  Tragedy plays no favorites does it? It preys upon all of us, and it can happen anywhere at any time. If it is not us, it is someone we know. How we handle a tragedy that might happen to us is one thing, but how we handle it when it happens to someone else is a whole different story. Many people don’t know how to deal with tragedy when it happens to someone they know. They are so afraid…

  DISCUSSION: Following Jesus is not something that could be considered as easy. The rich young ruler expressed his disappointment when Jesus told him to sacrifice all he had and give to the poor. Others stopped following him when some of the statements of Jesus became too difficult for them to understand or obey following John’s account of the feeding of the five thousand. Regardless of our situations, following Jesus requires that we have to take risks. It requires that…

  DISCUSSION:             Words are a powerful tool.  God created us to respond to the power of words.  Through His words we learn how to live a life following God.  God’s words are powerful enough to change lives.  Each time you open your mouth you can choose to speak words that will help others know how valuable they are or how worthless you think they are.  If we are children of God, he has given us the mission to…

  DISCUSSION:           Have you ever been in the people pleaser pit?  Many times we are so caught up in pleasing man than pleasing God.  We get so worried about the opinions of others we constantly want to please them.  God hasn’t given you the impossible task of making everyone like you.  But he has asked you to follow him, paying careful attention to what he has called you to do.  When you seek to please God instead of people,…

  DISCUSSION:           Imagine being able to watch the apostle Paul in action.  How did he treat people, especially those who often failed?  In 1 Thessalonians, Paul gives us a glimpse of how he treated others: “We were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.”  The apostles also reminded the early church of Jesus’ gentleness: “By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you” (2 Corinthians 10:1).   Gentleness means being kind, tender, mild- mannered…

  DISCUSSION:           Where do you find happiness?  What determines your happiness every day?  True happiness isn’t found in having something, doing something, or being something.  Being happy is a choice.  Every day you have to choose if you’re going to let problems and stressful situations you face get you down.  If you wait till all your problems and stress go away to be happy, you’ll be waiting a long time.  You can choose to enjoy your life.  Jesus died…