Westbrook Park United Methodist Church: Recent Episodes
Westbrook Park United Methodist Church
Home 1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am…
Sin in the body cookies and milk vatican forgiveness doors opened every 25 years. pocket watch theft. lies about money under the bed. nursery school debacles. 1 And the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. 2…
For Starters 2 Samuel 15.1-12 2 Samuel 15.1 15 After this Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. After this- after what? 2 Samuel shares the story of king davids first son, and heir to the throne, Amnon. Amnon had taken his half sister, sister to Absalom, and had raped…
9 I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. This is the problem John is addressing. There is a previous letter that may have been lost- maybe Diotrophes himself destroyed the letter. Its contents are not available, yet…
What Makes Your Heart Sing? Bailey. 19 And all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king.” the people’s plea to Samuel—“Pray to the LORD” (v.19)—is a clear echo of a pharaoh’s…
How to keep the pastor you love. Pastoral Politics you have a new leader coming. Let’s talk about your relationship to him. The author of Hebrews has used the term, “Them that have the rule over you.” in his message. The phrase refers to the spiritual leaders of the local assemblies. Remember your leaders,…
The Struggle. Will the money last? New home buyer. Health insurance. For Jacob, it was about 21 years. In the time between Jacob leaving his parents and going to his uncle Laban's, he has married his wife – two wives in fact, has 12 sons along with an unknown number of daughters, has amassed quite a…
mothers Pittsburgh fans in Ohio. 2 Mothers @ Christmas. My Mom. 2 Mothers poem... 25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother,…
Couldn’t. Can’t. Won’t. 1 After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said…
17 After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. 18 And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!” 19 And…
John 20:1–20 “1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord…
Who’s your king? Rocky Bleier.Bleier retired after the 1980 season, with 3,865 rushing yards, 136 receptions for 1,294 yards, and 25 touchdowns . At the time of his retirement, he was the Steelers' fourth all-time leading rusher. After his rookie season with the Steelers, Bleier was drafted into the…
“And who was it who betrayed Jesus? It was indeed someone right there with him at the table in the Upper Room. Listen to the text that inspired the scene we just watched, because it goes just a step further in the story...” Listen to John 13:21-30 . Read John 13.21-30 .... Why Did Judas Do What He Did?…
As soon as all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan for the people of Israel until they had crossed over, their hearts melted and there was no longer any spirit…
Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,” while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. But he, knowing their thoughts,…
At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” Pharisees warn Jesus of Herod’s desire to kill him. And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course.…
NEW BEGINNINGS The Triumphal Entry Lk 19:28-44 ** Dan 9:24 - Message delivered by Gabriel. Dr. David Jeremiah in his book Agents of Babylon lays out the prophesy pretty well. 70 7’s, or 70 weeks of years. The word “weeks” literally means “sevens” & he’s speaking about years so it obvious they are referring…
Jeremiah 17.5-10 What is permanent in power politics? Before you answer that question step away from the current contemporary situation. Look at history on a much grander scale, and take into account not just the United States or the west- look at world history. Then, you find, there is nothing permanent…
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. Opponents to the gospel lay claim not only to God, but boast of their inspiration by the “spirit’. They felt they were above, better than, more in the know……
A man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes torn and with dirt on his head. disheveled soldier… what battle? Here is a big part of your context. See 1 Samuel 4.1-11 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines.…
Romans 12.3-16 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what…
John 17.1-26 What Will Heaven Look Like? For a moment this morning, I want you to imagine what heaven will be like. What do you think heaven will look like? How will you look in heaven? Likely, you may have thought of streets of gold and other things. Good. But who will be there? Jesus?yes? Friends and…
The Great Makeover mul·li·gan /ˈmələɡ(ə)n/ noun informal•North American a stew made from odds and ends of food. (in informal golf) an extra stroke allowed after a poor shot, not counted on the scorecard. The Great Makeover The Love of Christ- His love for us. We love because he first loved us. He loved…
Intro. Advent is..... Chosen series is ending. Theme is love… light candle. The love we talk about today is horizontal love.... love for other people. The greatest vertical act of love was God, Jesus- coming to earth and dying in our place. What would be the greatest horizontal act of love we could do?…
joy We’ve already watched a scene from The Chosen concerning the shepherds seeing the Christ. But perhaps it will help us for today’s purposes to see one more view. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born…
Peace 8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring…
But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen…
Can despair and trust live together. They do, with a life of deep faith. That is what this Psalm is all about. 1 How long, O Lord ? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my…
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. In all the vicissitudes of the Christian life, whether in attacks from terrorists, personality clashes among believers, persecution from the world, or threat of imminent death—all of which Paul himself was experiencing at this very time—the Christian…
10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” The path of least resistance is always the easiest- or so it seems. These days, it seems to me we are fixated onthe easy way out. Fast food. work from home. fast fix. new and improved is not always…
Finding Me This section has been called the “Gospel of the Outcast”. In the next 4 chapters Jesus will talk about tax collectors and sinners, Rich man and Lazarus, persistent widow, Pharisee and Tax Collector, Zaccheus. All outcasts.... These next 2 parables, the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal…
We cannot be certain what verse 1 refers to. Tensions of the day made revolution possible at any time. Pontius Pilate did not get along with the Jews- he was insensitive to their religious convictions. He brought official Roman ensigns into Jerusalem and the Jews were angry with Caesar’s image in the…
1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. “Then” is elsewhere translated,”at that time”. You may ask, “at what time?” . It is at the onset of the consummated Kingdom..... we have been looking at Matthew’s parables, and repeatedly we have…
23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. Kingdom servants serve a great king who has forgiven far more than they could ever forgvie each other.... so failure to forgive excludes one from the kingdom because this King’s kingdom has…
Matthew 13.24-43 Remember that the parable of the sower revealed that the kingdom is now making its way into hearts that are hard, with pressures, failure and yet produce crops. 24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field,…
Is Jesus A Lousy Farmer? To run a germination test: Count out at least 20 randomly picked seeds (50 is better, 100 is best).Spread the seeds on several layers of premoistened paper toweling and roll them up in the paper so the seeds stay separated from one another.Place the roll into a plastic bag and…
10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from…
Easton- listening to the Bridge on XM. Elton John came on. Easton asked, “What’s with the colored glasses?” We look at life through rose colored glasses... I recently saw a man from my hometown where my father was a police officer. He told me, my brother was brought home more than once by your dad because…
Olive Garden on Thursday Charles Templeton.- Fifty years later, Lee Strobel had an opportunity to interview Templeton, who had just a couple of more years to live. He was in his 80s and suffering from Alzheimer’s, but still a clear conversation parter. In A Case for Faith , Strobel recounts the ending…
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Fear- to be afraid, scared, frightened. Hills Dept. Store- probably 4 years old. I am out of the cart, holding mymothers hand.... and I let go to look at…
Psalm 23:3 (MSG) 3 you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. Psalm 23:3 (ESV) 3 He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. He puts me on a track that is right- that is His reputation.- Psalm 23.3b The Joel Version. Psalm 23:3 (ESV) He leads me in paths of righteousness…
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Restoring my soul. Restore- to bring back to its original existence, use, or position. Restored. 1939…
Leading Sheep 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. One of the clearest and yet overlooked concept of the scriptures is that sheep need a shepherd… they can’t do it without them. and Biblically speaking, God’s people are the sheep and He (and Jesus) are our shepherds.…
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. What does it mean that the Lord is my shepherd? If you were to take a shepherd from this time home with you today, he would have no concept of our culture or sociewty. He would not understand driving to a destination, the speed with which you drive.... grocery…
Daniel 1 1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his…
You may have seen the Tom Hanks movie, “Cast Away”. The story line is that Hanks characterIs a time obsessed engineer for FedEx. He is in a long-term relationship with Kelly who he lives with in Memphis Tennessee. At a Christmas Eve party with relatives Chuck is called by FedEx to solve a problem in…
New Church. New People. Lady comes into my office. Told me off. “There’s the door. Use it” Lynyrd Skynyrd- Three Steps Toward The Door. I was cutting a rug Down at place called The Jug With a girl named Linda Lou When in walked a man With a gun in his hand And he was looking for you know who He said,…
3 “Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet? Travel is something we all do. But two strangers would never be travelling together. People would not travel with people they did not know. Two matters would have to be settled first. They would have to “meet”… that is , to know each other. Secondly,…
1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say…
Cardiac Rehab- 36 weeks. Diet Exercise Medication Exercise. Aerobic activity. Increasing incrementally over time. 1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?…
Hitchhiker’s Guide To Suffering 21 But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: Hope- He is not minimizing suffering or misery… He is finding the positive in it… Look at what he says prior to this.... Look at Lamentations 3.1-20 1 I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of his wrath;…
Sheaf For a first centruy Jew, passover was the 60th day after passover. an agricultural festival. . the first sheaf from the wheat crop was offered to God- in gratitude and in prayer that the rest of the crop would be as good and safely gathered in. But they were more than agricultural festivals. They…
David. Yes, King David. 1 Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go, number Israel and Judah.” Again. Why again? Because earlier, in 21:1, God had been angry at Israel. And the “again” makes it a repeat of that.... you could say that Israel…
Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. Stephen’s message was blasphemy. ‘ His message challenged the status quo… the land, the law, the temple…. but it was received as an attack on the Jewish people generally and specifically. Stephen wanted to open up…
16 Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. In Numbers 35 , there are “cities of refuge”. These cities of refuge were God’s provision to put an end to further bloodshed that even an unintentional killing could incite. The cities of refuge protected…
The Worshiper 1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord .” When you remember God’s promise in Genesis 3.15 15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head,…
Job’s Integrity I registered for the July 4th 47th Annual Twin Sizzler Bike Race. in Medina. Back in May I registered for this race, and it happened on July 4th. I got the T-shirt. The real deal- Job. 1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one…
Staying Near To God's Heart 12 Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he would dwell in thick darkness. 13 I have indeed built you an exalted house, a place for you to dwell in forever.” 14 Then the king turned around and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel stood.…
15 And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord , because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and…
John Damon settled in Chicago and married a divorcee with four daughters lbecame a salesman. The family relocated to Cincinnati and then to Miami to evade detection, Westover said. However, the marriage soon faltered, and Arnold cut off all ties with his stepdaughters after his divorce. He met his second…
1 There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. 2 He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah…
The Wounded Healer Henri Nouwen in his book The Wounded Healer laments that most Christian leaders are not prepared to be spiritual leaders for hurting people. “Our service will not be perceived as authentic,” Nouwen warns, “unless it comes from a heart wounded by the suffering about which we speak.…
Suffering Unjustly 18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. Christianity did not preach against slavery in Rome, but it overturned slavery in Rome. This truth would take years to do, and in the meanwhile, Christian slaves proved…
? ! . In English, there are 16 punctuation marks — the period, question mark, exclamation point, comma, semicolon, colon, em dash, en dash, hyphen, parentheses, brackets, braces, apostrophe, double quotation marks, single quotation marks, and ellipsis — and they’re not as scary as they sound. . The .…
The Sabbath has ended. The special sign that God gave to Israel, the Sabbath, was over. The day was for physical rest, refreshment, but for Israel it was never meant to be what it had become. /the Pharisees and scribes had added enough restrictions that it became a day of bondage instead of blessing.…
Why the Resurrection 1 Corinthians 15:29-34 ; 49-58 . If the resurrection is not true- tomorrow and the future does not matter. We can live as we choose. But the resurrection is true. And the resurrection touches at least 4 matters of our lives. Witness for Christ.- vs. 29 29 Otherwise, what do people…
The time had come. Specifically, Jesus’ time had come. It was passover. The greatest of the festivals. John wants us to know that the Passover Lamb is actually Jesus…Jesus fed the crowds at Passover time, and he spoke to his disciples about them feeding on his body and blood. Now, it is the final Passover…
Jesus Was About His Father's Business... Why Are You Here? Most everything that Jeus did brought life. See John 3.17 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. But, today, Jesus cleanses the temple and curses a fig tree.…
Selling Jesus Short-John 11:1-16 Stilling Storms- See Matt 8.27 27 And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?” Forgiving and healing Mark 2.7 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 12 And he rose and…
Faith is what it takes to make the journey Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things…
The Truth Behind Valentine’s Day Announcements The Truth Behind Valentine’s Day Prayer What do you think about when you think of Valentine’s Day? INSERT IMAGES - HEART, CUPID. The Players Cupid, Zeus, Venus, Saint Valentine, Lupercus, Cupid - sexual love, not born but referred to as child of Venus &…
8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. 10 But…
What Does Your Forgiveness Cost? 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 36 Whoever believes…
Forgiveness 21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” forgive-to stop blaming or taking an offense into account. It means, at its best and easiest a very simple concept: to let go. 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not…
Working The Plan The 6 types of working genius. by Patrick Lencioni This book attempts to help the reader find fulfilment in their work, their vocation, by tapping into the natural strengths of those around them. Wonder: identifies the need for improvement or change Invention: confirms the importance…
Paul was no stranger to challenges. One of the most familiar passages is 1 Corinthians 4.9-13 9 For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you…
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Remember Genesis 1.1 … it is a recollection of that. It does not mean a specific point in time- it means , or assumes, a timeless eternity. God was the original “to infinity and beyond” advocate. Word- logos- it refers…
What A Fool Believes 27 There came to him some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, Controversy. it is loaded in Luke 20 . The Jews question Jesus’ authority. Jesus has told the parable of the master of the vineyard, where the father sends servants to the vineyard and finally sends…
I recently went in to see my dear friends Ed & Sue. We watched a movie together. If you ever get to see the movie, “The World’s Fastest Indian”, see it. You may ask, why did we watch it? It’s not about an indian- it’s about an Indian. An Indian Motorcycle That is Burt Munro’s 1920 Indian Scout. It had…
Acts 15 was the great Jerusalem conference- there the dispute of the necessity of following the law, in particular circumcision, was settled. The believers were free from the law in Christ- they had a liberty in Christ that could not be bridled. For some, like Peter, who had been orthodox Hews their…
1 There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. 2 He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah…
Hurricane Ian More than 2.5 million people in Florida were under evacuation orders before the storm hit.Hurricane Ian knocked out power to more than 1.5 million residents across Florida, according to PowerOutage.us.New tropical storm watches and warnings have been issued for North and South Carolina.Hurricane…
Are You The Real Deal? Or Are You Counting Cards? 1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. This story would’ve spread among the early Christians as a separate story- one that begins to verify ALL that had been happening already. The early Christians were…
Honest To God A Psalm of David. 1 I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O Lord , I will make music. 2 I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh when will you come to me? I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; 3 I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate…
Story of man who died and his brother pays off the pastor to say something good about his brother. Jezebel Baal Worshipper Kills the prophets of Yahweh Threatened Elijah Stole Naboth’s vineyard and had Naboth killed. Wife of King Ahab of Israel 25 (There was none who sold himself to do what was evil…
The Best Laid Plans… And it happened that after these things, God tested Abraham. And he said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am .” And he said, “Take your son, your only child, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains…
Chapter 1 - An overview of Revelation 1-3 , but also the entire book of Revelation. We are looking to break down Rev 1:1-8 today. Rev 1:1 - It’s the Revelation of Jesus Christ to John and to us through John. ++Written in the mid 90’s AD. ++The is the 1st word, but it should be a “A” showing that the…
In October 1987, 18-month-old Jessica McClure became a household name when she stepped into an abandoned water well at her aunt’s house in Midland, Texas. Stuck 22 feet beneath the surface in a slender well shaft, she was trapped in the well for two and a half days as rescue workers struggled to determine…
Job 16. I’m going to begin with some of the most difficult things I’ve heard said in the midst of tragedy. Particularly death of someone who was loved. The mild: I have heard well intentioned people, who legitimately mean well- say, “If there’s anything I can do- and we all know that nothing can be done.”…
Finding Your People 6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that the Lord had visited his people and given them food. Having left judah withher husband, due to a famine, Naomi heard that the Lord had come to the adi of Judah.…
Do You See What I See? My daughter, Arielle and her Kellen, were delighted last weekend when they took our grandson, and their nephew, Easton, for the weekend. They fished and played and camped out. It was a great weekend for all. But the highlight for my daughter was when they were cooking out and Easton…
Pride and Envy I told Janice, after Nate came to work on the car. We had spent thirty minutes doing a task that I thought would take three hours. My son said, “I could’ve done that in my driveway.” Yes, it was quick, and yes he could’ve done it in his driveway. But actually, he couldn’t. Not to brag,…
Heaven standing open.? In 4:1, John had seen heaven’s door standing open. In 11:19 the temple in heaven stood open., and now, heaven itself is flung wide open. The door open in 4:1 let the church in. The door open in this passage let’s Christ and His followers out. Make no mistake, this is the climax…
Context is a lot. There are actually 5 visions in this section of Amos. The 8 th Century bc was one of prosperity for Israel and Judah. The divided kingdom shared in economic strength and everything seemed secure. But something invisible, unseen was rotting them from with in. They were breaking the most…
Jonathan Mayhew delivered this sermon--one of the most influential in American history--on the anniversary of the execution of Charles I. In it, he explored the idea that Christians were obliged to suffer under an oppressive ruler, as some Anglicans argued. Mayhew asserted that resistance to a tyrant…
Psalms 27: 14 “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” “I’m waiting…” If I had a title for this message, it would be, “I’m waiting…” A little background about me. For those of you that don’t know me, I’m Diana, and I am part of a blended family of 5 (8 if you…
Faith In The Fire or Joy In The Traffic Jam All of the scripture this morning is predicated upon the righteousness of one man, Abraham- that righteousness was given to him because of his faith.... the previous chapters are summed up in the passage, “Abraham believed God and righteousness was imputed…
Spiritual Economics 101 Inflation. It’s on the news, it’s what many are talking about. My two vehicles, a truck and a van, both get about the same mileage around town- 16 to 18 mpg. And while the van has a 16 gallon tank, the truck has a 27 gallon tank. And I feel it, like you do at the pump. I stopped…
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw…
Paul has been addressing a hypothesis: Christ has not risen from the dead. That hypothesis leads to some difficult conclusions: Faith is vain or meaningless. See 1 Corinthians 15.14 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. Faith is vain or meaningless.…
Mixed Emotions Smokey Robinson- If you feel like loving me, if you got the notion, I second that emotion. Plutchik proposed eight primary emotional dimensions: happiness vs. sadness, anger vs. fear, trust vs. disgust, and surprise vs. anticipation. However, you can mix these to create new ones; i.e.,…
The Triple Threat 1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. One of the key notes of this verse is that this is the Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead in the previous chapter. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there.…
11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 1/3 of the estate. According to Jewish law. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he…
What On Earth Are You Waiting For? 1 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. We don’t know exactly what is being discussed here. Some believe it is when Pilate took money from the temple treasury to build an aqueduct,…
Why Jesus Isn't Afraid Of Today or Tomorrow 31 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” A strong sense of destiny comes with this verse. Jesus is going to Jerusalem to die. The last time Herod was heard from in Luke, he was perplexed at…
1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. Lured to temptation, Jesus was.... much like 40 years for the people…
The Glory of Heaven Hard times make strong men. Strong men make easy times. Easy times make weak men. Weak men make hard times. The Russian war on Ukraine. I’ve watched in horror. I’ve been shocked. I’ve been sad. I’ve been angry. I’ve been a lot of emotions. But I’ve not been hurt personally, as far…
27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, Love your enemies- understood as having genuine concern for someone regardless of their outward beauty or likelihood of reciprocating towards you. 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. You’ll note that…
Churches, and their people, are not perfect. If anyone tells you otherwise, they are lying. I have now had 37 years of pulpit ministry as the pastor of local churches. I’ve loved it. I’ve seen a lot. I’ve preached a lot of sermons, and one thing I’ve learned is that you are either holding your listener’s…
Have you ever awakened from a nightmare and been in a cold sweat from what you were dreaming? It seemed as real as the day is long, but it wasn’t? Or maybe you are like me.... I dream about normal things- work, family, etc., I typically dream about conversations, and typically it will be because I have…
And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. It is important to see how many times Luke is going to mention the special activity of the Holy Spirit. In a moment,…
On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. John’s introduction of Jesus, in the book of John, has occurred less than a week ago. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have…
The new year As we look back at 2021 there will be things we would want nothing more than to bring into 2022; there will also be things we would want nothing more than to leave in 2021. An then there is the hope of a new year which most see as a way to a new start. Looking for a new start - from what?…
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the…
Peace This Christmas Jake coming home for Thanksgiving. I’ll be Home For Christmas. There’s No Place Like Home for the holidays. I went as far as I could I tried to find a new face There isn't one of these lines that I would erase I lived a million miles of memories on that road With every step I take,…
In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks. Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord…
Dealing With Discouragement Trash-talk is a form of insult usually found in sports events, although it is not exclusive to sports or similarly characterized events.[1][2] It is often used to intimidate the opposition and/or make them less confident in their abilities as to win easier, but it can also…
1 In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. nehemiah had waited 4 months from the time of Nehemiah 1 to come before the king and ask. He has brought the wine for the king.…
Ancestry, trait, and health insights you can trust—the most accurate dog DNA test. Wisdom Panel™ Know more. Care better.- from a dog DNA test. “If they don’t care, I don’t care.”- pastor. 1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I…
17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” A wrong turn becomes a right turn.... God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they…
Blind Jesus 25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with…
Cheers. Making your way in the world today Takes everything you've got Taking a break from all your worries Sure would help a lot Wouldn't you like to get away? All those nights when you've got no lights The check is in the mail And your little angel Hung the cat up by its tail And your third fiance…
1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, Unity surrounding problems within the church. Paul introduces 4 “if-then” statements.... all of the “if’s” are stated in a way to assume they are already true. If “any encouragement”…
All I Wanted Was A Haircut Haircut Easton, grandma, “How old are you?” 1 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. For whatever reason, this verse is the crux of our problem this morning. Blind from birth. If he had only been born “normal”, there wouldn’t be a story to tell. But he wsa born blind……
Scripture Reading 8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should…
10 While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal, they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho. 11 And the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. 12 And the manna ceased…
Working 9 to 5 1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 a time to weep, and a time…
There’s More To Living Than Dying. 1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found…
1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have,…
1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still…
Maturity Paul was the spiritual father of this church. He is spending 18 months in Corinth, and he is working on helping this church to mature… to grow up. 1 But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid…
Festus, procurator of Judaea. asked by the Jews to take Paul down to Caesarea and they would jump him on the way. Festus said no, and that he would go to caesarea and hear any charges they could bring against Paul, which they did. 2 men brought charges they could not prove. The Jews had set up Paul,…
The Long Way Home In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called…
1 After many days the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth.” 41 And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of the rushing of rain.” 42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went…
Prayer Lk 15:11-32 Prodigal Son, Father & God. In this story there is not 1 word of repentance, because the entire story is about repentance. v11 - 2 sons, 1 completely loyal & the prodigal. The prodigal is the younger this is interesting. #The older would get the birth right and thus a double portion…
Strength in Weakness Joel Adkins / General Rollercoaster Spirituality Turning points are tricky events in life. Turning points give us the opportunity to change for the better or for the worse… to embrace opportunity or to run from responsibility. Jacob is on the edge of the land of promise… and he wrestles…
Yesterday, Janice and I took our grandson, Easton, to the Tam O’shanter park for a walk and a bike ride. Easton has his own bike, which is actually a bit small for him, but we stuffed it into the trunk and took it along. Additionally, on the bike rack we had placed his new, big boy bike, which is actually…
Stay- Jackson Brown Marurice williams and the zodiacs- 1960 sung by 36 plus groups… Ricky Henderson, the 4 seasons, Bruce Springsteen, Boys2 Men, the Hollies.... bikini wipeouts!!! Tribute (the Load Up) to fans, to roadies, to music. But when that last guitar's been packed away You know that I still…
In an age when many are confused about who they are, John gives us a compelling portrait of who God is. And it is a bit of confusing picture if you look at simply the events of John 18-19 . Here hangs the Son of God upon a cross, having suffered and died a horrific death that truly most of us here today…
The King & His Kingdom 1 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples 2 and said to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it…
13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know…
Luke 15:11-24 11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a…
Luke describes him as a eunuch (a castrated man; it was common in the ancient Near East for men who had been castrated to serve in positions of state) who held office in the Ethiopian court under the queen, Candace. He was her chief finance minister. we are probably justified in taking “eunuch” to be…
He'll Do It Again and Again and Again Some of you know that I have this wonderful dog named Beau. He is a joy. But he has a few bad habits and one in particular has me vexed. He’s done this since He was a pup. He tears up his beds. I have gotten him at least … I don’t want to confess to you how many……
18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” The question was about fasting. In the law, the fast of the Day of Atonement was the only required fast. After the…
Interrupted Life 1 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. Home… of Peter and Andrew? Or himself? Not sure. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. The crowds had followed.…
43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son…
Prayers That Preach 1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the…
The Heb. word comes from a root meaning ‘to spoil’, ‘to break in pieces’: being broken and so made worthless. It is essentially what is unpleasant, disagreeable, offensive. The word binds together the evil deed and its consequences. Much physical evil is due to moral evil: suffering and sin are not necessarily…
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn?…
A Song of Ascents. 1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. 2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” 3 The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad.…
1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to…
32 “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. 34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his…
Stand 25 “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they…
19 And all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king.” 20 And Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the…
19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the…
Trophies For Everyone 14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once…
15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in…
INSERT JAMES 1:13-15 NKJV PRAYER TESTING VS TEMPING 1COR 3:10-15 NKJV 2COR 12:8-10 NLT ROM 8:18 NKJV TEMPTING DIVE INTO THE TEXT drawn V14 (ἐξελκόμενος - exelkomenos) each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires (ἐπιθυμίας - epithymias) and enticed - (δελεάζοντες - deleazomenos) JAMES…
17 Now Samuel called the people together to the Lord at Mizpah. 18 And he said to the people of Israel, “Thus says the Lord , the God of Israel, ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.’ 19 But…
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the…
7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Occasionally, when I am preaching, if you’ve been with me for any length of time, you know that I take Bunny…
12 A man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes torn and with dirt on his head. 13 When he arrived, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told the news, all the…
Simon the Magician 9 But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. 10 They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.”…
1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision. 2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone…
1 Corinthians 3:5-9 Blinking is something we all do approximately every two to ten seconds; we only ever realize we’re doing it when someone points it out. (Now you’re probably going to read the rest of the list thinking about it.) But how does our brain manage to keep this process going with no conscious…
What has happened in the life of Joseph? A pathetically dysfunctional family But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him. Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. Now…
Worry Warts Series Luke 12:22-31 Wasting Time on Worry- I Couldn't Care Less Luke 12:32-34 Faith over Fear- Takin' Care of Business Luke 12:13-21 Worrying about Wealth....... see Psalm 39.6 and Prov 15:16 - Don't Worry Be Happy Luke 12:8-12 Worrying About My Witness- Without A Care In The World 8 “And…
1 Some time after this, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord the king of Egypt. 2 And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3 and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison…
I want to avoid the obvious. this is a challenging time. Understatement of the century, huh? Our futures. Our fragility. Our families. They are all on the line. But what about your faith? Is it on the line? Angelina Friedman survived cancer, miscarriages, internal bleeding, sepsis and now not one, but…
I haven’t had a cup of Starbucks coffee since this pandemic began. Well, I’ve had Starbucks coffee. I’ve just been brewing it myself. I’ve been hesitant to eat out, to get coffee, so since this shutdown began i’ve not been to starbucks. Until this morning. I decided to be brave and I pulled into the…
The Full Life 1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep…
Patience How’s your patience today? When this pandemic quarantine started, it was as novel as the coronavirus itself. But it’s worn out its welcome for me. I’m ready to get back to normal. I suspect you have some level of that feeling as well. Many of you chose the person or people you are quarantining…
1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. We’ve all seen the news this week. And we’ve heard the scary words. Pandemic.…
14 And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, 15 said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” 17 And…
22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. He has just fed the 5000… besides women and children. Jesus was sending his disciples to Capernaum, and he was taking time to pray and to dismiss the crowds… not in that order! 23…
There’s a dog breeder in East LIverpool, “Yeager’s Poodles and Doodles.” It is owned by Dana and Rich Wright, and it happens to be the place where my dog “Beau” was bred. Dana and Rich have had this business since around 2004 if I understand things correctly, and they are nearing retirement age and are…
1 There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. 2 He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah…
1 After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast…
1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. 3 In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. 5 One man was there who had been an invalid…
8 Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is…
1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. 3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been…
The Storms of Life may rage. The storm that appears to destroy everything is actually capable of building or growing a deep faith.
On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling.…
Getting Hedged Out of the Kingdom Get On The Bus 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. What would it look like to receive the grace of God in vain? How would it appear to be a recipient of God’s grace, but to have none of its authority…
50 Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took…
The Transfiguration And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses,…
Introduction Scene #1 Man ignores advice and pays for it (CV09077) Nora tells her husband she needs a couple of items from the store. Dutifully, he parks the car in front, but grimaces when he realizes he didn't bring the umbrella (it is pouring rain). Nora insists her need for the items is great and…
I have a friend who is spending his holidays, away from his wife and two little girls. He serves in the United States Marine Corps- I’ve known him since he was born and his parents before that. I appreciate very much his service to our country… but I can’t fathom the idea of being in South Korea right…