The connection of suffering with grace. Have you ever stopped to notice the connection between God’s grace and those in suffering? As you read through Scripture do you notice some things about God’s character because of the stories of suffering and evil in the world? The Lord said, “I have indeed seen…

Last week: sin causes suffering. This was a major, if not THE major takeway from last week. Because of the sin of humanity, starting with Adam & Eve, suffering, unbearable pain, and evil is part of our world. The Bible does not teach Karma. In a concept very similar, from what I can tell, to Karma the…

Our world is broken. This much most of us can agree on. In our journey of evil and suffering we must be reminded of this truth from the beginning. Sometimes we say things like, “why do bad things happen to good people” which can undermine we are all broken. I don’t mean to minimize the statement because…

20 years ago life took a turn for the worst. At least that is true of our nation. But for many people life was already at a pretty low point. But it was a day when we say close to 3,000 people die, without any warning. The big problem: evil, suffering and a “good God”. This is the number one reason why…

Tiredness takes on many forms. We can be tired physically, mentally, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually. We seek relief in many forms. Addiction and all of the above forms are still true. We spend more money, try to make more money. There are three commands in these verses. We will look briefly…

What worship song or hymn is meaningful to you right now? The songs we listen to and sing, whether publically or in the shower matters. Worship matters. Public worship matters. Private worship matters. We see in our text this morning the important of worship. The importance of being faithful in worship…

In the Hebrew layout of Scripture the book of 1 Samuel comes right after the book of Judges. For this week, and possibly next week, we will be in these introductory chapters of 1 Samuel before having a special Labor Day message. After Labor we will start a new series on Evil, Suffering, and the People…

Everyone does what is right in their own eyes. A refrain of these last chapters. A refrain of our own day, if you ask me, but then again you didn’t. And God spoke all these words: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me.…

What is right? Interesting question and for some here in person and those of you online you are already answering the question? Sometimes the answer is not always easy. Sometimes there is no “right” answer; as in do you want spaghetti sauce or alfredo sauce? Other times it is clear and unchanging: Jesus…

To be in but not of Judges (Reflections: Samson and Culture Wars, Then and Now) The people of God have always been tempted to reflect culture instead of transforming it, but perhaps the temptation is greater in North America today than at any other time or place in the history of God’s people Jerry McCann…