In the sea there are a wide variety of beautiful and unique creatures one of which is the blow fish. The blow fish has no particular value that I’m aware of, except maybe to develop the angler’s patience because its a notorious bait thief. The blow fish is unattractive; it has a large mouth and a wrinkled body that looks like worn-out leather. But when you turn it over and tickle it…

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What are you living for? Your answer to that question will determine so much of the rest of your life! If your purpose is wrong, your direction will be wrong. If your purpose is vague or fuzzy, your direction will be fuzzy. If you don’t know your purpose, you’ll just be swept along by the currents of life until you reach old age, doing what seems to bring you happiness. It is crucial that you be…

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Dave Brandon shares the following powerful story: “I’m not much for jewelry. A wedding ring was all I ever wanted —until now. Next to my wedding ring, on the little finger of my left hand, rests a simple silver band. It’s my daughter Melissa’s. Soon after Mell died in a car accident in June 2002, just 6 weeks short of her 18th birthday, I was in her bedroom and I found the ring.

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There are many words which one could use to describe motherhood, certainly one the the most powerful is influence, As we honor mothers and motherhood this Sunday we’ll talk about the importance of influence and steps we can take to make certain that influence is as positive as possible. The Proverbs 31 woman described in verses 10-31 gets all the press. But I’m interested this morning in what…

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The Oldest vine in the world: In Hampton Court, UK there is a grapevine that is reported to be the oldest living vine. It is over 250 years old. This grapevine has one root which is 12-foot round, and some of the branches are over 120 feet long. Despite its age the vine still produces 500 to 700 bunches (weighing 485 – 705 lb) of grapes each year. Although some of the branches are 120 feet from…

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Questions for Discussion: When you look at the book of Jonah and its place in the Bible, it, seems to be in the wrong section. It seems strange that it’s stuck among the books we call Prophets. The book of Jonah is not so much a book of Prophecy as a book about a Prophet. Israel Jonah lived in the nation of Israel and had served God there as a Prophet (2…

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Research shows you’ll be bored, frustrated, lonely, angry, and stressed. Humans don’t like to be thrown out of their routines, particularly when the changes leave them feeling trapped. There have been jokes about a “coronavirus baby boom,” in China, there has been a post-pandemic divorce boom. Darby Saxbe, an associate professor of psychology at USC and the director of the USC Center for the…

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Fear is crippling: It robs us of our: Famed World War II tank commander General George Patton said, “Courage is fear holding on a minute longer.” If you give in to your fears, you are on the path to defeat. If instead you stand strong in spite of your fears, you are on the path to victory. And we must never forget that we are not in the battle alone. With the power of God on our…

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I don’t know if you’ve ever stopped to think that almost all the people God used in scripture became who they were in the midst of a crisis. The raising of Lazarus is the last of Jesus’ miracles. It’s also the clearest sign of who he is—the Son of God, the Promised Messiah, the Savior of the world. It sets the stage for Jesus’ own death and resurrection. According to John…

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I John 2:5-7 All is Lost…. I believe we are all familiar with Mother Teresa; known the world over for her work with the poor, sick, orphaned, and dying in the slums of Calcutta, India. By all measures, she was and is an exemplar of the Christian faith. But as we began learning after her death in 1997, Mother Teresa’s faith was not as rock-solid as outward appearances would indicate.

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