I. Introduction Think about the last time you asked someone for help and they couldn't come. Maybe a repairman said he'd be there Wednesday — he wasn't. Maybe a doctor said "we'll schedule something" and meant three weeks from now. Maybe a friend said "I'll be right there" and you were still waiting an hour … Continue reading The Word Was Enough
I. Introduction Psalm 62 is not written from a place of comfort, but from the middle of one of the most turbulent seasons in David’s life. The historical setting is Absalom’s rebellion, recorded in 2 Samuel 15–18. By this point, David is no longer the young shepherd-king who defeated Goliath or the newly enthroned … Continue reading Security in God
Enduring Trials for the Glory of Christ How Suffering Purifies, Strengthens, and Prepares Us for Eternal Glory I. Introduction In 1 Peter 4:12–19, Peter speaks tenderly but urgently to Christians facing trials. Last week in 1 Peter 4:7-11, Peter had called believers to stay focused on prayer, love, hospitality, and service. Now, he turns directly … Continue reading Enduring Trials
Under pressure, Christians often struggle to openly demonstrate their faith. The denial of Jesus by Peter, driven by fear and pride, exemplifies this. However, Peter's restoration by Jesus reflects God's forgiveness and the transformative power of grace. This serves as a reminder of our need for humility and dependence on God in our journey of faith.
Why do good things happen to bad people? Perhaps the answer lies within your own heart. And perhaps, God's plans are different than yours.
s. Introduction What is “enough”? When do we have “enough?” Have you ever had enough chocolate? How about money? Have you ever had enough money? How about family? Never mind, of course you can have enough of family. I withdraw the analogy. When we do not have enough, what response pleases the Lord? Do we … Continue reading Sufficient
A study of Habakkuk 3. I. Introduction Last week, in Habakkuk 1 & 2, we heard a difficult message of how God can use evil people to accomplish His will. When Habakkuk asked God to correct and admonish the Jewish people, God responded that it was all under control. God would rise up the … Continue reading Awestruck
I. Introduction Living by faith is difficult. It's very easy to have either an over-dependence or under-dependence on God. Does living by faith mean living by a certain moral or ethical code, or adhering to a certain set of religious beliefs? Well... on one hand, living by faith means putting your trust in Jesus, following … Continue reading Faith in Action
I. Introduction It's difficult to see God at work sometimes, isn't it? Unanswered prayers, world hunger, wars. Our own lives, sickness, injuries. Let's start off today with a list of problems. Things that we believe God should solve, should do differently. Some big "why" questions. I'll start off with a couple. What's up with that … Continue reading Compassionate Action
I. Introduction Do you ever get discouraged? What situation have you been in that discouraged you? (Job loss, health issues, family matters). I've told you that I've been saying goodbye to co-workers lately. They stop by my office, shake my hand, say it's been nice working together, and do I know anybody that's hiring. As … Continue reading Trust in the Lord
Fred took us through Acts 15 last week; we're going to cover from the latter part of Acts 15 through Acts 18 today, Paul's second missionary journey. In Acts 15, Paul and Barnabas have spread the gospel of Christ among many churches. Now, they want to revisit those same churches and see how the new … Continue reading Facing Questions
This week we follow Joseph into prison. If we're headed to prison with him, let's recap how we got here. We know that Joseph was born into a family that was trying to follow God's will but at the same time was highly dysfunctional. Joseph had eleven other brothers, born to four different women. His … Continue reading When All Hope Seems Lost
I’m going to be honest about my struggles this week to study for Zechariah books 4-6. Zechariah is full of symbolism and things difficult to explain and interpret. When I started studying it, I was lost. It was like trying to understand the book of Revelation using only a Julia Childs cookbook for interpretation. Things … Continue reading Dependence
I taught my first bible lesson to adults today. It was sort of scary; I'm used to teaching 3rd graders for bible study where the most complex scriptural question is, "Mr. Mike, can I go to the restroom?" The opportunity arose to teach this week came up and (gulp) I took the bait. It's been … Continue reading Trusting in God’s Promise
Chasing the Wind 
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