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It is amazing how toddlers communicate their thoughts. If Anna Jean is talking about something she is about to do or a place she is about to go, she says that it is awake. If she is not able to do what she wants or go where she wants, she says that it is sleeping. For example, we drove over to Chick-fil-A one evening, not realizing it was closed that particular day. The building was dark. There were no cars…

I read a story about a man whose wife asked him what he wanted for Christmas. He didn’t want to come right out and say it, so he dropped a hint: “Honey, I want something in the driveway on Christmas morning that will go from zero to three hundred in six seconds.” His wife smiled and said, “I think that can be arranged.” On Christmas morning, the man woke up excited, convinced a brand-new muscle car was waiting for him.…

As we were riding down the road one day, Anna Jean and I were listening to the a cappella version of a worship song called “Gratitude.” If you have never heard the song before, one of the lines in the chorus that is repeated several times goes like this: “So I throw up my hands and praise you again and again because all that I have is a hallelujah.” This song reminds us that our words fall short in expressing…

This Sunday, as we continue moving through the Sermon on the Mount, our plan is to discuss what Jesus teaches about being great in the kingdom of heaven in Matthew 5:19. According to Jesus, we are to both do and teach what He says. His teaching, as the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, should direct how we live and what we teach others. Thinking about this reminded me of a quote I have heard from several different individuals:…

Martin Luther, who was a key figure in the Reformation movement of the 1500s, once had a dream where he was being attacked by Satan. The devil unrolled a long scroll containing a list of sins that Luther had committed and held it before him. When the scroll was completely unrolled and every sin had been read, Luther asked the devil, “Is that all?” “No,” came the reply, and a second scroll was put in front of him. Then, after…

For just a moment, let’s consider the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:4: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” We all know what mourning feels like. You may be walking through it right now. Perhaps a loved one has passed away. Maybe your relationships with family or friends are strained. Maybe the bills keep piling up and you don’t know how you’ll make ends meet. Perhaps you’re facing struggles at work or recently lost your job.…

Considering the current state of our country can be a worrisome and troubling undertaking. That might even be true in our own lives. As Christians, in the midst of conflict, chaos, and confusion, we should be pursuing peace. This pursuit is rooted in the teachings of Jesus and the character of our God. In Matthew 5:9, Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” When we live as peacemakers and actively pursue peaceful lives,…

In Colossians 3:4, we are given a beautiful promise from the apostle Paul: “When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” One of the most beautiful promises that God has made to us is the promise of heaven. Right now, our lives are hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). But one day, we will appear with Jesus in glory. Can we pause and dream about that for a moment? There will…

The Bible speaks often about the idea of blessing. Every good thing we enjoy ultimately comes from the hand of God. Scripture reminds us again and again of this truth: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17). “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things,…

We live in a world today where disagreements are so prevalent. Name any topic or issue. We do not have to look very hard or far in order to find people who will vehemently disagree over any issue. Disagreement even happens in the church. Because of an apparent disagreement, Paul entreated Euodia and Syntyche “to agree in the Lord” (Philippians 4:2). Even though the Bible teaches us to be compassionate, kind, humble, meek, patient, forgiving, loving, peaceful, and thankful (Colossians…

If you had the opportunity to read the bulletin article from last week, we thought about the prophet Elijah. Even though Elijah had witnessed God demonstrate His power in amazing ways (1 Kings 17:1ff, 17:17-24, 18:20-46), when Jezebel threatened to take his life within twenty-four hours (1 Kings 19:1-2), he totally fell apart. He ran, left the country of Israel to flee to the nation of Judah, went by himself a day’s journey into the wilderness, sat under a tree,…

The prophet Elijah was used to seeing God act in big ways. He witnessed God withhold rain from the earth for three and a half years (1 Kings 17:1ff, 18:1ff; cf. James 5:17). He saw God raise a widow’s son from the dead (1 Kings 17:17-24). At the end of his time on earth, a chariot and horses of fire appeared, and Elijah was taken by a whirlwind directly into heaven (2 Kings 2:1, 11). A great example of this…