No Man is Great Without It

Posted on by Shannon

Artists throughout history have portrayed the apostle Paul as a dynamic, handsome, decisive-looking man. While his appearance is unknown, I think it would surprise us if we met him. In 2 Cor. 11:23-30 he described the abuse he suffered, violence that had left scars, and the stresses he lived with. He would not look imposing, but his humility would impress us the most.

It is a paradox that a man so fruitful in the faith, so well-known, so accomplished through his writing, and so feared by his opponents should also possess a remarkable lowliness of spirit within himself. Continue reading →

Vision

Posted on by Shannon

The world cries out for men of vision. Great problems of society long for solutions. Elections loom and we look for leaders with solid ideas. People listen to those who speak with wisdom and foresight. Visionaries of the past are still honored today. If there is no vision, there is decline and corruption (Prov.29:18).

The secret to wise vision is the wisdom only God can give. For eighty years Moses had the wrong vision. God had to break him before he paid attention to the correct one. Even then, he complained and objected to God’s vision. But he soon agreed, and gave himself to his new vision for his final 40 years on earth. And what a great leader he was! God must break us before He can instill His vision into our hearts. Continue reading →

You’ve Got Better Things To Do

Posted on by Shannon

What should we do when someone claims we don’t know what we’re talking aboutin that which we condemn? We are often inexperienced in the ways of the world. Young Christians want to glorify Jesus Christ by living a holy life, but unbelieving friends claim sin is fun; “why don’t you try it? Must we smoke for a few years before smokers will listen to us? Should we live a carnal lifestyle so we know what we are talking about when we suggest fornication is wrong? Is it helpful to experiment with sin to really know it’s not a good thing? Continue reading →

Persistence

Posted on by Shannon

On his final journey to Jerusalem, Jesus was warned by some Pharisees that Herod was out to kill Him. (Lk.13:31-33)Whether the warning was motivated by genuine concern or malice, it’s hard to determine. His answer was blunt: “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I reach my goal.’” In other words, He would continue with His mission despite the threat, and would reach his goal as planned. He had no fear of Herod’s threats; nothing would stop Him.

Consider His circumstances: He was weary from full days of work with the multitudes, tired from the journey, aware that arrest and death lay ahead, and now hunted by Herod. Yet he continued to walk toward Jerusalem with tremendous determination. Continue reading →

A Taste of What’s to Come

Posted on by Shannon

Over the last two weekends we’ve enjoyed some lovely special events. Last week was Young Adult Weekend, with 30-40 energetic guests among us, and a special speaker (Jay Manimtim). There was close fellowship, challenging lessons, enthusiastic singing, and good food. This weekend we witnessed the wedding of two Christians who are very dear to us. Their two families came together with good wishes for the marriage of their children. Many of their friends and brothers and sisters in the Lord were present to make it a special day. And this morning we are very happy to have Shawn Redding preach the sermon. Shawn and Donna, of course, are loved by the entire congregation. Continue reading →