Langdon Palmer

This Advent we look at four signs that declared that the Messiah really was to come on the first Christmas morning. This morning we look at the story of the Wisemen and the Star of Bethlehem. Is this story just a cute myth for children that has nothing to do with the actual history of the world ? Why would a Jewish author writing to a Jewish audience make pagan astrologers from Babylon the heroes of his story ? How could a “star” stand in one place over Bethlehem when we know that comets and planets move ? Recent scientific discoveries released just this month imply that there is much stronger connection between bible stories and cosmology than we realized. Join us for a fascinating journey into the story of the Wisemen!

Video Clip of the conjunction of Jupiter and Venus:

https://mk0astronomynow9oh6g.kinstacdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Jupiter-Venus_5-30Jun2015_620x420.gif

Video of how planet orbits appear from Earth showing retrograde motion:

http://i.imgur.com/AReqgfP.gif

How can I be happy ? This last podcast of our Jordan Peterson series, given on the sunday after Thanksgiving, finishes up the story of Jacob's Ladder and points us to the Christian life. It ends by actually answering the question "How can I be happy ?" Believe it or not, the answer we get actually works!

Does God exist ?

Some people say “No”, some people say “How would you know?”, and some people say “What difference does it make – I don’t see any signs that God makes any difference to this world…” Although this question sounds philosophical and theoretical, it is actually a very practical question. Few things are more practical than asking what I am here for and who am I meant to be. What should I do with the rest of my life? If there really is a Maker of Heaven and Earth, and he designed me and knows me, mightn’t He have something to say about these things?

But when we talk about things like trying to encounter God (who is infinite), our reason (as crucial as it is) can only take us so far. Is it wise to go beyond what reason can tell us ? Today we come to the last in our Jordan Peterson series as we encounter Jacob’s Ladder.

When you see someone who has it so much better than you, is your first thought “I am so, so happy for them” ? Envy pretends to give us an accurate picture of the state of affairs in the world but it actually reveals the state of affairs in our heart. We tend to think it is natural, no big deal, hardly a sin to hold on to feelings of envy. But New Testament writers over and over again warn us that Envy corrodes our soul. You cannot hold onto Envy and Happiness at the same time. Could it be that some of your own discontent comes from hidden envy ? Jordan Peterson writes “Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today.” Pastor Palmer says “I can envy the incomplete image I have of someone else’s life OR I can work on the strange gift of life that I HAVE been given – and thereby find true meaning. . .” Join us today as we dig into the story of Cain and Able and the teachings of Paul which lead us to Jesus and the way out of Envy.

Anyone who says parenting is easy either has never done it or is not particularly good at it. But while it is hard, it can be done well and we can take steps to help our kids flourish and become all that God meant for them to be. Today we look at what secular psychologist Jordan Peterson has to say about raising kids and how that relates to the ancient wisdom of the scriptures. Join us as we learn to “say no to brats, helicopters, and lawn mowers, and yes to skateboards, dress up, and ‘good enough’.”

How often does the average person lie in a day ? It turns out we lie a whole lot more than we realize. And we don’t only lie to others, we lie to ourselves. We tell ourselves inaccurate stories about our past and ourselves in order to make ourselves feel OK. But these over simplified stories we tell our selves don’t really help, they actually sabotage our own long term happiness. Join us today as we look at what Jordan Peterson, Jim Carey, the ancient scriptures, and Jesus himself can teach us about lying and telling the truth.

How often does the average person lie in a day ? It turns out we lie a whole lot more than we realize. And we don’t only lie to others, we lie to ourselves. We tell ourselves inaccurate stories about our past and ourselves in order to make ourselves feel OK. But these over simplified stories we tell our selves don’t really help, they actually sabotage our own long term happiness. Join us today as we look at what Jordan Peterson, Jim Carey, the ancient scriptures, and Jesus himself can teach us about lying and telling the truth.

Jordan Peterson challenges us with these words "To have meaning is better than to have what you want.  Pursue what is meaningful, not what is expedient.”  Is he right ?  If he is, what is the difference between a life based on meaning and a life based on expediency ?  And where is a life of meaning to be found ?  Today we dive into this subject and discover that the path to a life of deep meaning and purpose can be found in one of the most unexpected places - the practice of keeping the Sabbath.  This thing that sounds so old is actually what can pull me out of my box out into the wide open spaces with God where one pursues the Good, the True, and the Beautiful.

While many of us struggle with arrogance and pride, others struggle with the exact opposite problem – we are our own worse critic. We constantly beat ourselves up with self-incrimination, perfectionism, and unrealistic expectations. We think we are being virtuous and humble by obsessing on our own shortcomings but we are actually sabotaging our own happiness and productivity. If you tend to get down on yourself a lot, this podcast is a must listen.

Do arrogant, opinionated, judgmental people annoy you ? Most of us are far more aware of when other people act that way then we are doing it ourselves. In fact, most of us are blind to this very thing that cripples us spiritually and leads to a miserable life in the long run. Today we look a the third sure fire way to avoid being happy: “Be arrogant, opinionated, and the self-appointed judge of others!” We will learn a three step dance that draws us away from this tendency and towards the Maker of Heaven and Earth.