The great poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote that life can be like a rainy day- cold, dark, and dreary. As we grow older, he wrote, the hopes of youth fall like autumn leaves. Discouragement is a part of life. Wadsworth's solution to this problem was to simply say that this is how life is- -into each life some rain must fall.- God has another solution. Tonight's sermon- Speaking Encouraging Words into Discouraged Ears -Proverbs 17-22-.

Many people today question their purpose in this world. They ask, -Why am I here-- They wonder if there is a reason for their existence. The Christian knows the answer. -God created all things for His own glory.- The reason that we are here is to bring glory to God. We may not always know how that works, but we know that God's glory is our goal.

Just like a doctor runs tests to help him diagnose the cause of your sickness, so Christians can use assessments to determine the health of their families. Tonight's assessment tool is the question of love. Is there real, Christian love in your home- Is there love between husband and wife- What about between parents and children- Tonight's sermon- Are We Loving Each Other- -Proverbs 10-12-

One of the greatest virtues of the Christian life is love. Jesus stated plainly that the Father loves Him and that He loves us. Christians have a love relationship with God. However, Jesus went further and explained that because of His love, Christians should have a similar kind of love for each other. This is where the entire line of reasoning becomes more difficult. Loving Jesus is one thing, but He expects us to love others-

In any relationship, lies are a giant stop sign. There is very little progress that can be made if one or more of the parties in a relationship is not being honest. Integrity is the bed-rock of a good marriage and is imperative for a godly family. Tonight we ask another assessment question about the family- Are We Being Honest With Each Other- -Prov. 11-3-

What does God's Word mean to you- What influence does it actually have in your life- Many people spend hours and great resources searching for meaning, for a purpose to help them keep going. Jesus taught that the authentic source for all of this is found in His words. By His words we are spiritually clean and by them we have true joy.

Wisdom for the Christian home includes some very practical ideas. Tonight we focus on one of those ideas as we look at three assessment questions. This idea asks the question- is yours a home where people listen to each other- Communication is so important for marriage and family. Tonight's sermon- Are We Listening to Each Other- -Proverbs 15-28-

Where will you turn when life becomes difficult- To whom will you seek comfort or solace when the pain seems too heavy to bear- Jesus presented a parable to His disciples about a farmer tending one of his vines in his vineyard. In this parable, Jesus stated that God is the Farmer Who cares for the branches of His vine

There is something insane about doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Throughout history, people have been responding to God in the same way and then wind up surprised when He responds to them in the same way. If you reject God's truth, you will discover His judgment. Saul's life ends with a final word from Samuel and it's the same word as before- nothing changes because God does not change.

The apostle Paul commands the Ephesian Christians to -speak the truth in love- in order to grow into Christ -Eph 4-15. It means that the kind of speech we use everyday affects our Christian growth. Your speech, however, impacts not only your spiritual growth but others' as well. Today's message- Speak Graciously, Grow Spiritually -Ephesians 4-29-.