What stands between a life lived by rules and reg’s and the freedom that comes when you realize that there is NO WAY you can live by them? For me it was failure. Failure to live by not only the rules I thought were a requirement for the Christian life, but the ones I perceived to be necessary, the very high standard I set for myself! Some of that failure was not my fault, but once the failure began, it wasn’t long before I found my wall of high standards crumbling all around me. What was God’s response to this – casting me away into utter darkness? No, my friends, God’s response was LOVE – love beyond anything that I could imagine – blessings that I knew that I did not deserve – support that came to prop me up on every side. I woke up one day in amazement – what had happened? Why was I not destroyed – after all all the plans i had made – all the things I had taught others – I had failed so miserably in… read more...

I don’t know whether it’s a phase in the Christian experience, or something that just happens to people who come through as believers in certain denominations, but it appears that many of us fall into the trap of living this Christian life by a carefully laid out set of rules and regs, hoping to win God’s approval and favor. We determine that the way to heaven is paved by what we do for Christ – even to the point of saying, “only what we do for Christ will last.” So we set out on a journey paved with “do’s and don’t” – certain that if we follow a carefully prescribed plan all will go well with us. read more...

I know that this day is recognized in our country as Black Friday – the day retailers hope they make enough to make their year-end in the black, and not the red! As I thought on this day however, I thought about it being a a day of mourning for some of us as we think about our family memebers who we saw on Thanksgiving that may have disappointed us because after all our prayers and all these years they have not moved closer to the Lord. We can see them long after dinner – some faces etched in a different form due to the anger they continue to hold onto; some eyes so sad because of the pain that won’t go away; some who talk too much, or too loud – hopng that someone will hear how they really feel – and then care enough to help them; some who drink too much, or worst yet drown their sorrows in meaningless relationships or drugs… Allof us have family members who fit these descriptions, and all of as believers pray for them, or do we? read more...

Today in this country we recognize a national day of thanks – though it used to be a time of giving thanks to God for the bountiful blessings He bestowed upon His people, over the years thanks to God has been given a back seat to just plain celebrating. I’m not one to bash national holidays and look at the commercialization that has taken over, because I believe that even though football games and shopping lists for Black Friday may be taking precedent in the lives of some, there are so many others that are looking to just how much they have to be grateful for. More than that, I believe because THERE ARE many Christians who are praying, that as Christians we should not only pray for how much God has blessed us and our families, but we should offer prayers for all of those who do not have the privilege of knowing the God who makes us grateful! read more...

There have been seasons in my life when my world got very small. Anyone who knows me, knows that I come with a crowd – I have children, nieces, nephews, etc in abundance. Yet, with all the family we may have, there are times when you want peers who you can share life with, those in your own age and stage that understand what you’re going through, who can appreciate your humor, (or lack of it), who can identify with the aches and pains both physically and emotionally. read more...

As the holiday season approaches, one thing that becoems very distinct after a while is the many, many people that live their lives without hope, more specifically, a hope in Christ! This year the differences will probably be even more striking – you will hear it in their conversation, as they look at the faltering economy and despair over not being able to celebrate the season the way they want to. Whether it’s the big trip, or the gifts they wish they could buy the kids, you will hear it in the conversation, just how many people don’t know the “reason for the season.” As I was thinking on how to give a message of hope to people who are low on hope, and whose philosophy toward life is not based on faith – I was reminded of the words of the Apostle Paul: read more...

When I was teaching high school i used to tell my students all the time, listen to everyone who comes your way, because you can learn from anyone, even a fool – and of course they would look at me strange – and I would continue – what can you learn from a fool – how not to be one! Last week was a wonderful week for me. I was privileged to attend some prayer and praise meetings that refreshed my spirit and caued me to gain new vision, not because I was in the company of great bible teachers, but because I was in the company of new believers – whose faith was fresh, passionate, and alive. Even though several of them were “going through” – they had a confidence in the God they were now serving that was contagious. read more...

Many of us are planners – we like to make our “To Do” lists and write out our sixty day, yearly, ten year goals. We project how we will do things and to the extent we are capable, we try to foresee everything that could hinder our accomplishing what we set out to do. Some of us have so mastered this art that even though we are professing to “surrender all to Jesus”, we reallly have this thing sewed up! Until all of a sudden, up jumps the devil! Out of no where something unexpected comes – an unexplained sickness – a family member in distress – sudden lay-off, an automobile accident. Things come against us that we were not expecting, things for which we have no plan. read more...

Yesterday we set the stage for what we want to discuss this week. When we offer up the saluation, “to the only wise God” as was witnessed in three different passages of scripture on yesterday – why do we say that? We already know that God is wisdom personified – why do we need additional reinforcement? The Apostle Paul, formerly Saul of Tarsus was a man of great knowledge. Accepting his assignment to go to the Gentiles, he did not go unfamiliar with the people he was sent to minister to. Educated as a Roman citizen, Paul was well familiar with the culture and history of the great Greek civilization that still influenced the then known world, even though Rome was now the great world empire. When we look at the first chapter of 1 Corinthians we see more than a treatise on the wisdom of God, we see a skillful historian speaking to the heart of what was the need in the very soul of a people. read more...

There are three New Testament saluations that mention the God who is wise. It is interesting to me, that after a message, or service, or whatever the format was, that there was a reminder of the wisdom of God. Consider this passage from Romans16:24-27 (KJV): read more...