“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Proverbs 14:12). Growing up, my primary argument for obtaining parental permission was, “Everybody’s going to be there!” or “Everybody’s doing it!” Mom and Dad would offer the standard parental reply, “If everybody was jumping off a cliff, would you jump, too?” Our culture would have us believe that it’s best to simply “go along in order to get along.” In other words, tolerate everything to which society has given its approval so that peace will be maintained. Recently, this attitude has become more militant. If you don’t accept cultural norms,Read More

“God brought Abram outside and said, ‘Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’ And Abram believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:5-6). In the verses above, the writer(s) of the Book of Genesis lay the foundation for what would become the centerpiece of Paul’s gospel message. Jesus Himself declared, “No one is good but God alone” (Mark 10:18). Paul purports that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Earlier in the chapter, Paul quotes Psalm 53 toRead More

“So the enemy took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. They also took Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions, and went their way” (Genesis 14:11-12). Last Sunday morning, we likened Abram’s nephew Lot to the “family fool”–the person in your family who may be really smart or really likable, but who seems to make some truly foolish decisions. We saw Lot choose to settle “among the cities of the valley … as far as Sodom.” Then the writer of Genesis provides his readers with some valuable information,Read More

“Abram journeyed on from the Negev as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning … to the place where he had made an altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of the Lord” (Genesis 13:3-4). I became a Christian four days short of my 13th birthday, October 11, 1971. I was happy and excited about my walk with Jesus and times were so much simpler. I was in a small town where everybody attended a Christian church, so talking about Jesus at school or even among friends was no big deal.Read More

In Wednesday night’s teen class, we talked about the benefits of having a relationship with God. As we compiled our own list, one of the teens said, “Having someone who is always there for you.” I asked her to elaborate. She said, “People are not always there when you need them. But God is always there. We can always talk to God and lean on him.” Well said, Destiny! Then I asked the class why it seems that the two times our faith can take a hit are when things are going really well and when things are not going wellRead More