Analogies help the world make sense. In life there are things which are hard to understand because of their uniqueness, complexity Sin has consequences. Hosea 13 makes it very clear that sin has consequences. It may not be immediate but sin always produces negative consequences. The nation will get a…

“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. God tenderly cares for His children. As we open up our Bibles this morning we see the first verse of chapter 11. God loving allows us to leave. We know this also to be true by Luke 15 and the story of the prodigal sons. Some leave…

What is relevant? A good question to ask but we must also know its limitations. We trust what and who we know. Trust is a basic principle of life. It is also a precious commodity. Lose it and the struggle to get it back is worth it but very difficult and long. Have it betrayed and the scars can run very…

Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them. God is sovereign, in control. Do we believe this truth of Scripture.? Do we believe that God is really in control? We want…

God has been, and is, active in our world. This is a central, foundational, and core truth of Scripture. To be faithful Christians we must remember that God did not just create and then take a “hands off” posture but instead remains active in the world he created. The OT call: Remember! How easy it is…

We are all striving for something. I believe this is a lyric of a song but I am not certain. Basic needs: power/achievement, freedom/independence, fun/enjoyment, survival, and belonging. These are some of our basic needs and sometimes they compete with one another. Sometimes we want what we need. Sometimes…

God’s character is perfect. Who is God? The short answer is-perfect. In every characteristic of God he is just this—perfect. We are imperfect. Though we strive for perfection we will never attain it. God’s goodness is powerful. We have seen this to be true as we sung of it this morning. For the people…

The challenge of being in but not of the world. We are called to be different than the world but if we are not careful we become like the world. Yet, we cannot just escape and isolate—the call of God demands something different. Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is…

What does our world need? We live in interesting times, in uncertain times, in fearful times. How we as individuals and especially a church answers this question will help to determine our future ministry. I do not think there is only “one answer” and definitely not a “silver bullet” that will do. Our…

Learning to live an integrated live. Troubles happen when we compartmentalize things and leave certain areas of our life untouched by others. The word “integrated” is somewhat of a buzzword right now. Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the…