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2017-12-03 Hope: An Advent Message

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  Hope: An Advent Message December 3, 2017 The Father’s Story A Jewish man’s son was approaching his Bar Mitzvah, so the father decided to send him to Israel so he could learn more about his religion and the history of his people. When the son returned, he was very excited. He told his father, "I’ve learned so much! And by the way, while I was there, I became a Christian." The father was very upset, so he went to his neighbor and told him about it. The neighbor said, "Funny you should come to me. I, too, sent my son to Israel, and he also came back a Christian." They decided to go to their Rabbi and ask him what to do. They told the Rabbi their stories, and the Rabbi said, "Funny you should come to me. I also sent my son to Israel, and he, too, came back a Christian." All of them were very upset, so the Rabbi suggested they pray. They poured their hearts out to God, and God replied, "Funny you should come to me. I, too, sent my son to Israel..." ...
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2017-11-19 Thanksgiving

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Gratitude in the Shadows: Giving Thanks When It Hurts The Two Sides of Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is a time set aside to remember our blessings and thank God for His goodness. I have always loved Thanksgiving Day, except for two things: the cooking and the cleanup! As someone who isn't the finest of cooks, it is a struggle to ensure everything is ready at the right time. Then, after dinner, while I am putting things away and washing up, my guys usually settle in front of the TV or head off for a nap. We naturally thank God for the "easy" things: our health, our families, good friends, a successful year at work, or milestones like weddings and graduations. These are wonderful reasons to rejoice. However, I want to talk about something a bit more difficult: giving thanks for the things we aren't naturally "thankful" for. The Misunderstanding of Constant Praise In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 , it says: “Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything, for...
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2017-11-12 A Divided Kingdom

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The Divided Kingdom: A Lesson in Wise Counsel The Burden of Solomon’s Success Today we look at the final part of our story before the Christmas season. It isn’t one of the epic, familiar tales, but it is a pivotal one. It concerns Rehoboam , the son and successor of Solomon, and Jeroboam , an administrator who had served under Solomon. Solomon had become incredibly wealthy, acting exactly as the prophet Samuel had predicted years prior. While he received many gifts from rulers who honored his wisdom, he also heavily taxed the people. He took the best for himself—the best lands, the best workers, the finest crops, horses, and flocks. Though he was once the wisest of men, over time he allowed his many foreign wives to draw his heart away from God. By the time of Solomon's death, the people of Israel were exhausted by the burdens he had placed on them. When Rehoboam took the throne, a delegation approached him to ask for relief. Leading this group was Jeroboam. Jeroboam had previously...
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