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  Take a seed, any seed of your choosing…but preferably a seed that came from some fruit you had or might have grown in your garden, like tomatoes, squash, peppers, etc. Or, feel free to buy a package of seeds from a local shop that sells packaged seeds for gardening, and then take out a few, perhaps 2-3 individual seeds and set them on a table top, maybe a desk where you study/work; just set them aside but make sure they are visible to you…and then leave them alone. Care to guess what those seeds will look like over time as you observe them in that same spot, maybe a few weeks later? It’s a pretty safe bet that they will remain unchanged. Why do you think when you purchase seed from a seed store, packaged or not…that they remain as seed…until you do something with them? But now take those same seeds and get yourself a small Styrofoam cup that has some soil in it…and ‘plant’ those seeds just beneath the surface, adding a bit of water/moisture and then set that cup back where you ...
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  So what do you do when you come across any number of passages when reading your Bible that just kind of ‘kick you in the gut’, and you’re not sure what to make of them because clearly that’s ‘not the way you were taught to believe’? Do you simply ignore them, read past them, or maybe go find some commentary to ‘explain them away’ so you don’t have to deal with the discomfort you might be feeling at the time? Or do you silently pray: “Jesus…how have I never seen that verse before? Can you please explain this to me so I might better understand what I’m reading, because I sure don’t want to be guilty of rejecting what you have shared here!” ? And suppose someone is reading here this morning and you are admittedly, somewhat skeptical …and have no logical reason to even believe that the Bible is actually God’s ‘word’ for us today. You may admit it is widely read (or at least widely owned) by many, and has lots of good, interesting stories and lessons in it; but God’s actual word to...
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  Years ago, an uneducated and untrained carpet-cleaner was used by God to make an impact on a number of lives through some ‘lessons’ he was teaching from the Bible. And while he was no ‘theologian’ by his own admission, God’s hand was upon him and he was being invited to speak at numerous conferences and meetings around the country. One such meeting took place in Dothan, Alabama where a group of Baptist pastors were attending. It’s not uncommon to have a number of speakers at such an event and this gentleman was one of several who had been invited speak and to share from the word of God. When it was his turn to take to the podium, he stood up, and instead of sharing stories about himself or opening with some colorful or funny illustration…he opened his Bible to one particular chapter and simply read three verses from that chapter before closing the Book and then stood there silently for a few minutes. The chapter was 1 Corinthians 14; and these were the passages he read: “I thank...
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  “The only thing we learn from history…is that we don’t learn from history.” A professor I had in college who taught World History…wrote that on the board our first day of class; and it has always stuck with me. There is some spiritual truth woven in that statement, which you might agree with if you read yesterday’s message. Mankind had (and continues to have) a huge problem, and it’s called ‘sin’. And ‘sin separates us from God’ who is the only source of true life that we can possess.(Isa. 59:2). Outside of coming to Jesus with our whole heart…we cannot have this ‘abundant life’ He promised to those who did come to Him (John 5:40; 10:10). To remain apart from Him means we will remain ‘dead in sin’ (Eph. 2:1). And one of the biggest ‘challenges’ any of us will encounter in this life…is when we come face to face with the ‘truth’, and then we have to make a decision as to what we will do…with this truth. By the way…Jesus claimed to ‘be the truth’, as well as the ‘Only way to the...
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  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word…was God.” (John 1:1) ….and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…” (14) “He sent His word to heal them and to deliver them from their destructions…” (Ps. 107:20) “For God did not send His Son (the Word) into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him… might be saved.” (John 3:17) “He came to His own…and His own did not receive Him. But as many as who did receive Him (the Word)…to them He gave the right and/or capacity to become…children of God…” (John 1:11-12). (If you would...go back and read those four passages one more time, just a tad slower...and let them sink in.  His word will do far much more 'in you' than my words ever will.) It was perhaps, arguably… one of the most tragic ironies to ever unfold in matters related to God’s kingdom, including His plan of redemption for humanity. The fact that the very people who were looking for and anticipating the arrival of God’s chose...
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  “There are no excuses for an affair, but there are reasons.” (Willard Harley-‘His Needs; Her Needs’) I shared that quote yesterday towards the close of my message. If you missed it, I’d encourage you to give it a read through first. We’ve been talking about the sin of idolatry, and how destructive idols, or ‘false gods’ can end up in our lives, which is why God addresses this topic so often in both the OT and NT. He simply wants us to have nothing to do with them and to avoid them at all costs. Here’s a helpful truth we need to recognize: While there are some obvious and clear-cut sins and actions that we are to avoid and abstain from, there are other things that God will bless us with; but if we are not careful, those ‘things’ can become much more meaningful to us and actually take the place of God in our lives. And there is a spiritual component that is usually behind that misguided drifting.  Perhaps that is why Peter admonished us to remain vigilant and sober minded (1 ...
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  There is probably no greater nor deeper pain that a person can inflict on another human…than the pain of betrayal…when you violate the trust of a loved one. Especially when it’s a person you are in ‘covenant’ with, like a spouse. And it doesn’t always have to be ‘physical’ either. Whenever we turn to others to meet a need in our personal life that was intended to be met by our covenant partner…it can oftentimes cause irrevocable and lasting damage. This should not come as a surprise to anyone. We use the term ‘adultery’, and it is such a big ‘No-no’ that God included it when He gave us the Ten Commandments (#7). In fact when Jesus delivered His ‘sermon on the mount’, He specifically singled out that particular sin and went even further with what all it involved. You can read for yourself in Matt. 5:27-28. That ‘act of betraying’ a spouse can, and has… provoked a wide range of emotional responses from the betrayed partner ranging from calloused indifference to intense rage that...
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