Scripture: 1 John 4:7 Dear friends, let’s love each other, because love is from God, and everyone who loves is born from God and knows God. Thought for the Day: I have used this verse in many weddings as a reminder that God commands us to love each other, though 1st John is not speaking exclusively of the love found in marriage. We are commanded to love, and
Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word. Be ready to do it whether it is convenient or inconvenient. Correct, confront, and encourage with patience and instruction. Thought for the Day: Looking at the date, I realize we are just a little over two weeks left in 2016. I’m not ready for 2017. Oh sure, there are a few things I will be glad to leave behind, but I
Scripture: Luke 1:46-49 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name…” Thought for the Day: Mary makes an astonishing realization about her God.
Scripture: Mark 1:7 He [John the Baptist] proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of this sandals.” Thought for the Day: We struggle with humility in today’s world. With Reality TV, people are searching for their 15 minutes of fame…or they perceived it as fame. Of course, it is more like
Scripture: Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Thought for the Day: Yesterday, I preached on these words and talked about the need for us to practice joy. We do so, not to perfect it, but to make it possible. Joy, especially in times of difficulty, does not come easy. There is so much negativity in our world attempting to limit our perception
As many of you know, our own Jimmy Jacobson was in a serious accident a little over a week ago. The following is a Facebook note Jimmy wrote as he was being released from the hospital (I am reprinting it with his permission)… Thank you, thank you everyone for all your outpourings of love and prayers… I have felt them all. This has been a really hard
Scripture: Luke 1:78-79 “By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” Thought for the Day: From the beginning of time, God has been changing darkness into light. Where shadows shroud what God loves, the divine nature
Scripture: Luke 1:41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Thought for the Day: I hope this doesn’t sound too weird, but I believe babies, animals and even the child in a womb is more aware of his/her setting than we realize. Time and maturity squeeze the spiritual sensitivity out of us. God showed up in
Scripture: John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his home among us. We have seen his glory, glory like that of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. Thought for the Day: On Sunday right before the 8:15 service, I broke a candleholder in the stairwell behind the Forum. I went in search of a broom and dustpan to clean up my mess. Later in
Scripture: Luke 1:45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord. Thought for the Day: Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Elizabeth, the mother of John, come together during their pregnancies. Elizabeth offers a beautiful statement about Mary that concludes with the above words. Basically Elizabeth is saying that Mary is happy because she truly