Is God to Blame? This is often the question that comes to mind when you confront real suffering in your life or in the lives of those you love. Pastor Boyd deals with this question honestly and biblically while avoiding glib answers. Writing for ordinary Christians, Boyd wrestles with a variety of answers that have been offered by theologians and pastors in the past. He finds that a fully Christian approach must keep the person and the work of Christ at the very center of what we say about human suffering and God’s place in it. Yet this is often just what is missing and what makes so much talk about the subject seem inadequate and at times misleading. What comes through is a hopeful picture of a sovereign God who is relentlessly opposed to evil, who knows your suffering, and who can be trusted to bring you through to renewed life.

Deep within you lies the same faith and longing that sent Peter walking across the wind-swept Sea of Galilee toward Jesus.

In what ways is the Lord telling you, as he did Peter, “Come.”

Anxiety. Depression. Fear. Loneliness. These are all symptoms of a soul that has lost touch with its source of life. Like a flower snipped from the vine, the soul that is not turned toward God can only wither away.

As a non-Christian growing up, there were a lot of things I had to change when becoming a Christian. My thinking had to change. My behavior had to change. Almost everything I learned to rely on as a non-Christian had to change. Learning to trust God has been a life long pursuit.

One of the most confusing concept most Christians wrestle with is the idea of whether “Fighting” should be part of a believer’s life. There are two major ideas regarding the idea of fighting, and they are very much opposed to each other.

One side of Christian teaching calls believers to be passivits. The idea that all resistance is contrary to Christianity and the teaching of Christ. The other side of the argument believes that fighting is part of the human experience Christian or not. What matters is why. Is it a good cause? Is it standing against evil, etc?

When most of us celebrate Christmas, we often have feelings of tenderness and joy. Even if we had a rough childhood, with a dysfunctional family we can still reflect on Christmas as a special and wonderful time. There’s something about the story of God loving us and sending Jesus that warms us.

For me, my family was anything but normal. Yelling and arguments were the norm so much so that my friends rarely came to my house to play because of my parents. Yet when Christmas came around, my heart would rise with an expectation that something good was coming. I know part of it was wrapped around presents, but it was more than that. I felt God was trying to communicate with me more during that season than at any other time of year. Maybe it was all the Christmas music, maybe it was all the decorations or maybe it really was God trying to get through to me that He was there and He cared about me personally.

Christmas can be a very difficult time of the year for many because once the decorations are all put away, our expectations of good can be overshadowed by the feeling that this was just a fantasy.

As we approach the Christmas season, people get really stressed about money. Can they buy what they need and still purchase things for people they love? Most Americans will rack up a huge debit on their credit cards just for Christmas presents.

Reading in the gospel of John this morning, I am captivated once again at how simple life would be if I just did what God asked of me! 😎

How often do we expect God to supply our wants and needs and yet we fail to follow his instructions listed in black and white. The scriptures provide God’s heart about so many things and yet we go to God in prayer asking if he would provide something all the while not reading the scriptures to see if he already communicated his willingness or the lack thereof. Just because he loves us doesn’t mean he will violate what’s best for us by granting foolish or unwise requests. 

Recently, Sue and I took our two boy grandkids to see the new movie “The Star” and found it so encouraging that I wanted to encourage as many of you who have young kids to make the time and go see it. If you miss it in the theater, buy the DVD.

What I appreciated about the movie was that it not only presented the story of Jesus being born, but presented the story Joseph and Mary embracing their calling in a difficult world.

It is so easy to be persuaded that what we desire is worth believing for, but what if what you believe is wrong or the way you are believing is wrong? What then?

Everyone has faith, but what you have faith in makes all the difference in the world. So many are believing in luck more than anything substantial.

Some have faith in science and trust anything these people say and do. If these people have a degree in science they must be right – right? Funny how each generation claims the same thing only to have more “Truth” added which changes their truth. Unfortunately, kids going to college listen to their boasting about knowing the truth and get these students really messed up from the experience.

To walk in true spiritual authority, a believer must be submitted to God’s sovereign authority. In this book, best-selling author John Bevere shows readers how submission to this divine order grants the Kingdom’s provision and protection, in this Christian classic approaching 500K copies sold.

I’m reading a new book that many of you will find beneficial and just might save you from a lot of pain.

The book is “Killing Kryptonite” by John Bevere.
John says – “As Christians, there is a “kryptonite” that neutralizes our God-given power and character.”