A few weeks ago, Ted Smith challenged us to see others as God does, reminding us that we are “Made in the Image of God” (not just the people we like) and the next week our guest speaker challenged us to “Love Thy Neighbor.” This week two nearly identical scripture...
Preview of Scripture for All Saints Sunday Hebrews 12:1-2 12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus the...
Ted’s sermon last week has had me thinking about people being created in God’s image (even the ones that are not easy to like) which this week’s verses reinforce. Matthew 22:34-40. 34 When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, 35 and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a...
You know how certain scents can bring back a strong memory from childhood? This verse is like that for me. It flashes me back to fond memories with my son because it was the first verse that a Sunday school teacher challenged him to memorize when he was little. This...
Preview Verses for Pastor Anthony’s Sermon 1 Peter 5:7-11 7 Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. 8 Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and...
Sunday’s sermon verses are Proverbs 1:20-33, but the NLT version of verse 33 is what jumped out at me while I was reading it today. “But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.” I don’t believe that verse means that nothing will go...
2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 6 Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with...
Due to Covid-19, political division, US/China tensions, election mistrust, BLM/Antifa riots, etc. I have witnessed more fear, anger, distrust, anger, and frustration than I ever have in my lifetime. And just when things seem to be settling down, crisis like Covid-19 surges and Afghanistan happen. It would be easy to fall...
This week’s Fruit of the Spirit, “Gentleness” is easier for some than for others. Don’t confuse gentleness with meekness or spinelessness. Gentleness is not weak or passive. In fact, it can take real strength to be gentle, especially when feeling attacked. Our human nature wants to defend and retaliate (“an eye for...
Last Sunday we started the service with the music video “Less Like Me” by Zach Williams. Cyndy noted that the song goes perfectly with our sermon “Fruit of the Spirit” sermon series and that you might want to look up and reflect on the lyrics. I couldn’t agree more so...