“Angry Words”
DISCUSSION We’ve all been there… Your teenager asks to stay out past midnight and you say no. Nothing good happens after midnight you say. But, all of my friends are staying late and their parents trust them says the teen. Back and forth the discussion goes until you have had enough and raise your voice loud enough for the next county to hear when you say,…
“Heavy Hearts”
DISCUSSION Over the last several years, it seems that America is facing an epidemic; an epidemic of anxiety. I would venture to say that all of us know someone well that is dealing with this weight. According to those suffering, the word “weight” is a truly accurate description of anxiety. Most describe their anxiety as heaviness in their chest along with several other symptoms. In Proverbs…
“Handling Criticism”
DISCUSSION One of the most difficult things to do in life is to receive criticism. If you’ve ever had any experience teaching children, or coaching little league teams, you know exactly what I’m writing about. Every child (and every adult) takes criticism differently. Some are very good at it, and “take it in stride.” Others begin crying on the baseball field as the next play begins and you wonder if they…
“Don’t Be Lazy!”
DISCUSSION If you’re an Andy Griffith Show fan, you may remember Asa Breeney. Asa was the security guard at the local bank. If you remember Asa, you remember what his demeanor was like. Every time Andy or Barney would go inside at the bank, Asa was in the corner, asleep on his chair, just snoring away. This wasn’t an occasional thing. He was snoring in the corner on…
“God, the Creator of Sexuality”
DISCUSSION As God was wrapping up the creation, he saw that it was not good for man to be alone, so he created man’s perfect counterpart; woman. We find in the Garden of Eden the origin and example of sexual intimacy as God designed it. We have within our God given genetic makeup a longing for physical contact and fulfillment. Sexuality has, and will always be, a hot…
“The Value of the Word”
DISCUSSION Psalms 119 tells us that if we study the Word of God, we will be “wiser than our enemies” (119.98), we will have “more understanding than all our teachers” (119.99) and we will have more understanding than “the aged”. David later explains that he “loves your commandments, above gold, above fine gold” (119.127). David trust so much in the power of the Word of God…
“What Would You Wish For?”
DISCUSSION I want you to imagine that you are walking on the beach and you stumble across an odd looking bottle. To your surprise when you pick it up, smoke begins to come out of the top of the bottle. An unusual looking man suddenly appears in front of you in a most unusually looking outfit. In shock, you ask the man, “Who are you?” “I…
“Has Your Software been Updated?”
DISCUSSION Have you ever had a computer virus? I hate those things! They slow your computer, cause you to lose important information and they make your life less efficient. One of the reasons we get those pesky viruses is that we fail to update our virus protection software. It only takes a few moments to do and your computer usually reminds you every so often to do so,…
“God Will Not Forsake Us”
DISCUSSION Within the three Psalms, 37, 71 & 94, we find a common theme: God will not forsake His people. The word “forsake” means to “abandon”, or to “give up”. Throughout the entire Bible we can read of countless examples of God communicating with His people that He will never leave or forsake them. There was Noah and his family, as God protected His people from the waters of the flood. Then there…
“Praise the Lord”
DISCUSSION My family loves basketball! Whether it is watching a game, playing in the den on a mini goal, or watching them play in school games; it is a family affair for us. One of the most exciting times that we experienced together was a few years back; we were playing in a travel ball game against a team from Tennessee. The game had been…
“No One Knows Me Like HIM”
DISCUSSION Just for a moment, try to imagine the number of people who know who you are. I’m not talking about your number of Facebook friends or Instagram followers; I mean people that actually know you. They know your favorite color, your dream car, your goals in life and your weaknesses. If you are like me, the number isn’t as big as you once thought. As I think about those who know me,…
“The Role of the Priest”
DISCUSSION 1 Chronicles 23-25 is somewhat interesting. David, as King before he hands things over to Solomon, makes sure things are in order with the organization of the Levities, the priests and the musicians for the tent of meeting. He seems to sum up the tasks of the Levities and priests in this statement: “ Thus they were to keep charge of the tent of meeting and the sanctuary, and to attend the…