
Wheat, Tares, and Cares (Carrying the Weight of the World)
Life is about choices. Either we choose to follow God’s precepts, or we don’t.
Life is about choices. Either we choose to follow God’s precepts, or we don’t.
Thank God for freewill and that we are not robots, but let us use our freewill responsibly with love and goodwill according to what would be pleasing in God’s sight.
Scripture John 5:1-9 When Jackie and I went to Alabama for my brother’s memorial service in August she notice the furnishing; lounge and rocking chairs, and tables on some of the front porches in the neighborhoods. She asked did people still sit on their front porches and socialize with their neighbors? I said yes they still do. Interestingly enough for us because rarely in California do we even know our neighbors. A man went over to his neighbor’s house to visit with him. While he was there he noticed the man’s dog lying on a board with a nail in
Jesus was called Immanuel because He was the physical representation of this promise: “God with Us.” Because of this promise, we have the opportunity to live this life, and the next, as joint heirs with Christ.
The message today is no matter how long you much wait on God, keep hope alive, because the Lord will return. Jesus told us, No one knows the day nor the hour with he will return. So, just be ready!
Scripture: Acts 10:34-43 In the tenth chapter of Acts, Luke introduces his audience to a man by the name of Cornelius. Cornelius was an Italian centurion. Verse 2 of this chapter tells his audience that Cornelius was a devout man who feared God, always prayed to God and was generous to people. Cornelius has a vision one day where an angel of the Lord says to him that God has taken notice of his prayers and his almsgiving . God notices our prayers and our deeds. No prayer to God goes unnoticed. Prayer is not just some spiritual discipline only
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, NIV Our country is in crisis. American citizens are dealing with a highly contagious deadly disease, COVID-19. Unemployment is at an all-time high. People are experiencing food insecurities and homelessness. Our children can’t return to school. They are suffering from the effects of isolation and the lack of socialization with their peers. Many American citizens are on the verge of a mental health breakdown. People mistrust the government, so they attempt to overthrow it. Yet, many of the persons elected to Congress to represent the people have opted to display tomfoolery as oppose to seeing the
Who of anyone of us has not said things we should not have said and did not fully realize the impact of what we have said until it comes back to haunt us through our own conscience or through the words of someone else? Who? Remember what James said (James 3:6), “the tongue is a fire. Words set on fire the course of nature.”
On Friday, millions of people across the world will celebrate Christmas. Here and abroad, safety — staying home, social distancing, wearing masks, being sensible — requires limits on the gatherings and parties. Yet the bells still ring, music is in the air, lights on homes and lampposts shine, blessings are shared.
Scripture: Daniel 6:16-24 On this Resurrection Sunday, refuse to allow any daunting, haunting or taunting situation to threaten you because the same God that rose up Daniel, is the same God that rose up Jesus, and is the same God that wants to get you up. Psalmist Darwin Hobbs sings: “God is able to do just what He said He would do. He’s gonna fulfill every promise to you. Don’t give up on God cause He won’t give up on you. He’s able.” Darwin was suggesting that no matter how daunting, haunting or taunting the situation that threatens you
Have you ever forgiven someone who has yet to own up to their offense; who have never apologized? That can be a hard pill to swallow! I have heard many commentaries and discussions about forgiveness. The Bible records in Matthew 18:22 that Jesus instructed the church to forgive “seventy times seven.” Scholars say this is the symbol of boundlessness. However, if some people continue to offend time after time, what are we to do? Well, I’ll say it this way, if you continue to stand in the middle of the road shouting “stop in the name of love” to some
The early church created an atmosphere for the Holy Spirit to manifest Himself Christians, it’s time to change the contemporary church playbook. Yes, good preaching and good singing is well and good, but true worship must become top priority and intentional. If Sunday is the only time that we all seem to come together, then we must rethink our Sunday service. At least one Sunday per month, prior to arrival, we should consecrate ourselves and come prepared for worship. No set agenda, just allow the Holy Spirit (the third person of the Trinity) to have His way, so that
Scripture – Matthew 5:38-41 America is, in many respects, at an impasse. Time itself has found itself at the burgeoning of a new precipice. And if I was a philosopher like Hegel, I might summarize looking at the times that a new dialectic is emerging. If I was a philosophic critic like Derrida interpreting the signs of the times, I might postulate that what we see on display today is simply the falling away of modernity and the emergence of post-modernity. And beloved if I was a theologian like Karl Barth, I might describe our time as God breaking into
Christians, it’s time to change the contemporary church playbook. Yes, good preaching and good singing is well and good, but true worship must become the top priority and intentional. If Sunday is the only time that we all seem to come together, then we must rethink our Sunday service. At least one Sunday per month, prior to arrival, we should consecrate ourselves and come prepared for worship. No set agenda, just allowing the Holy Spirit (the third person of the Trinity) to have His way, so that we may be on one accord with the Lord. One accord means in