Jan 13, 2020
Staying Focused (Exodus 20:4-6)
The temptation of the Israelites was to worship other gods. In their mind other gods offered more options. We are tempted in the same way, maybe not with stone or metal idols but with so many distractions. Yet when we refuse to let anything or anyone interfere with our relationship with God, there is a stability that is indescribable. There is freedom and security in staying focused on our God.
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- Jan 13, 2020Staying Focused (Exodus 20:4-6)
Jan 13, 2020Staying Focused (Exodus 20:4-6)The temptation of the Israelites was to worship other gods. In their mind other gods offered more options. We are tempted in the same way, maybe not with stone or metal idols but with so many distractions. Yet when we refuse to let anything or anyone interfere with our relationship with God, there is a stability that is indescribable. There is freedom and security in staying focused on our God.
- Jan 5, 2020A Holy God Who Delivers (Exodus 20:1-3)
Jan 5, 2020A Holy God Who Delivers (Exodus 20:1-3)We begin a new series today as we will examine the 10 Words; also known as the 10 Commandments. We will find that these are not prohibitions as much as they are “guardrails” that provide freedom and security for an enjoyable life. In the first word we find that there is stability, hope, protection, and provision when we remember that there is only one God.
- Dec 29, 2019Make a Difference (Matthew 5:13-16)
Dec 29, 2019Make a Difference (Matthew 5:13-16)We find ourselves on that Sunday between two years. It is a time to look back and reflect and a time to think ahead. How will we individually and collectively represent our God in the this coming year? What image of God do people see in the way we live our lives? We will look at Jesus’ word picture of “a city on a hill” and consider what that word picture could mean for us collectively as well as individually.
- Dec 22, 2019Bathsheba: Victimized yet Victorious (2 Sam. 11-12; Matthew 1:6)
Dec 22, 2019Bathsheba: Victimized yet Victorious (2 Sam. 11-12; Matthew 1:6)For anyone who has ever in any way been a victim of the sin of another this story is for you. Jesus came to give life to all. He was announced to lowly shepherds who were marginalized in the society. He was born to a poor couple who were ostracized from their community and eventually fled as refugees to Egypt to escape danger. He was worshiped by magi from the East. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus this week, we need to remember that he is Lord for all of us. The story of Bathsheba and her inclusion in the genealogy of Jesus if nothing else reminds us of God’s grace and healing for all.
- Dec 15, 2019Ruth: Faithful and True
Dec 15, 2019Ruth: Faithful and TrueThe book of Ruth is one of the more tender stories in the Bible. First we, see this woman who is a foreigner, who is marginalized by those in Bethlehem, and who even describes herself as not even having the standing of a servant. But we see her as faithful to one who had no means of providing. Willing to trust the word of her mother-in-law, and courageously placing herself under the care of a man who was a stranger to her. God rewards the faithfulness of this marginalized foreigner and welcomes her into his family. Something for us to consider.
- Dec 8, 2019Rahab: Daring and Defiant (Joshua 2)
Dec 8, 2019Rahab: Daring and Defiant (Joshua 2)Daring, defiant, and unrefined. All terms that could describe Rahab. Her profession was the only one available for a single woman in 1400 BC. And yet God still used her to help his people. Her faith was raw and unrefined but it was real. She is not just one listed in the genealogy of Jesus, she is considered by the writer to the Hebrews as a hero of the faith (Hebrews 11:31). Consider what we can learn by this woman that while eschewed by others was chosen by God to show us the power of simple, unrefined faith.
- Dec 1, 2019Tamar: Forgotten and Desperate (Genesis 38; Matthew 1:3)
Dec 1, 2019Tamar: Forgotten and Desperate (Genesis 38; Matthew 1:3)Forgotten. If you have ever felt forgotten and neglected, then you can begin to understand Tamar. But there is more to her story. The covenant hung in the balance. Judah's sons are men of evil and sin and God takes both their lives. Tamar is forgotten and takes action in to her own hands. It is unorthodox, unwise, and ill advised. But in his grace, God sometimes works through the forgotten and the desperate.
- Nov 24, 2019Elements of Living in True Community (James 5:12-20)
Nov 24, 2019Elements of Living in True Community (James 5:12-20)Integrity, honesty, communication, humility, and accountability. All are terms that are loaded with meaning. All are words that when lived out to the fullness of their meaning lead to a deep sense of wholeness. These are terms that describe a healthy community. We will examine some elements of a healthy community as we complete James 5.
- Nov 17, 2019Faithful and True (James 5:7-11)
Nov 17, 2019Faithful and True (James 5:7-11)How should we respond when we are being mistreated? What does it mean to wait for the Lord? It seems we live in a time in which there is a constant drift away from things that many of us hold dear. We are reminded in this passage to be people of patient integrity, who live as if we really believe God is in charge, and Jesus is coming back.
- Nov 10, 2019The Pitfall of Self-indulgence (James 5:1-6)
Nov 10, 2019The Pitfall of Self-indulgence (James 5:1-6)It is not about what you have, it is about what you do with what you have. At first glance it would seem that James is against wealth. However, when we consider carefully his words we discover that he is warning us against a selfindulgent lifestyle that is often reflected by taking advantage of those who have less. Each one of us as western Christians need to give careful thought to how we use our relative wealth.
- Nov 3, 2019Remember: Leave room for God (James 4:11-17)
Nov 3, 2019Remember: Leave room for God (James 4:11-17)James brings us full circle in how we treat people and then pulls us up short in how we plan our lives. How often do we make plans as if we think we know the future? How often do we bring God into our plans? Our challenge is to make sure that God is the key element in everything we do and say. We need to leave room for God.
- Oct 27, 2019Straddling the fence can really hurt (James 4:1-10)
Oct 27, 2019Straddling the fence can really hurt (James 4:1-10)James gives us a stark reminder. We can't try to play Christian and fool God. We either follow Him or we don't . We either live lives that are different from the prevailing culture or we don't. God calls us to be humble and trust him for daily strength. We either do it or we don’t.
- Oct 20, 2019Smart is not always wise (James 3:13-18)
Oct 20, 2019Smart is not always wise (James 3:13-18)Throughout this past summer we examined wisdom as it is seen in the Proverbs. In a brief segment of James, tied in contextually with how we use our words, we are given an outline of the differences between earthly wisdom and heavenly wisdom. It should be obvious, what path we want to choose, but it is not always easy. Being smart does not always equate with being wise in the eyes of God.
- Oct 13, 2019A Most Powerful Gift (James 3:1-12)
Oct 13, 2019A Most Powerful Gift (James 3:1-12)The ability to communicate is a gift. God has gifted humans with speech. Words are important. Words are powerful. Words are permanent. Words can build up or tear down. James reminds all of us that we need to be very careful as to how we use our words.
- Oct 6, 2019Oh Yeah! Prove it! (James 2:14-26)
Oct 6, 2019Oh Yeah! Prove it! (James 2:14-26)It is easy to talk about how good we are or how much faith we have. James essentially says "talk is cheap." The proof of one's faith is not in their personal declaration, it is in the way they live their lives. If one is not exercising their faith, then there is a possibility it may not even be there. We learn in this section of James that our faith must be validated by our actions and good works.