Last week we examined the incarnation (i.e., the fact that God became flesh) from an eternal standpoint (a.m.) and from a historical standpoint (p.m.). If you are a parent, you can imagine a bit of how God the Father viewed the incarnation of His Son. As Jesus bore our sin on the cross, the holy […]
This painting is of my great-grandfather’s farm on my father’s side of the family. I do not remember seeing my great-grandfather, but I do remember being in his house when I was very young. Other than those few vague memories, all I know about my great-grandparents is historical facts passed down to me. Historical facts […]
This morning we are going to begin a four-week series in both a.m. and p.m. services on the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. The word “incarnation” is a theological term that describes the coming of Jesus, God the Son, to this earth to take on a human body so that He could die in our place […]
Last week we sought to answer the question, “What does God say about discernment?” From a Christian perspective, discernment is the ability to understand the mind of God when considering various options. A good definition by another preacher is, “Discernment is the skill of understanding and applying God’s Word with the purpose of separating truth […]
God has made it so that we naturally love our family siblings. As youngsters, we may not have always showed it, but we did love our brothers and sisters. We were a family. We stuck together. We helped each other. Sadly, in our day, not every family shares that brotherly love that ought to be […]
Two mice were examining the cheese on a mousetrap. As the young mouse was ready to dive in for a feast, the older mouse shouted, “Stop!” The younger said, “What’s wrong?” The elder said, “There are some important facts you have overlooked. I smell human around this cheese. Not only that, but my brother ate […]
When I was a boy, we lived in an area that occasionally experienced tornadoes. During tornado season, we would listen to the radio during stormy weather. Whenever the weather bureau posted tornado warnings, we had a special crawl space under the house where we went for protection. For a young boy, those tornado warnings were […]
There have been many battle strategies used by successful generals down through history. Though they varied in type, they all had one thing in common; they worked to conquer the enemy. Just before the flood in Genesis 6:5, we read, “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that […]
God’s chastening seems out of context here. As I pondered and prayed over why the apostle reminds these Jews of God’s chastening, I discovered that the word translated “chastening” (v.5) actually refers to the whole training and education of children. It includes much more than just discipline. He is speaking of God’s spiritual training, which […]
Having a garden is very rewarding. It gives us needed exercise. It is fun to watch plants grow and produce. It is wonderful to eat fresh fruits and vegetables. It is enjoyable to be able to share with others. In an even greater way, self-control is rewarding. Transition As I pondered the rewards of self-control, […]