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Ecclesiastes 7:8 - Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. (ESV)  Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride. (NLT) In my reading today, the author noted how He read the Bible in college as a textbook instead of what it is. A love letter.  I have been guilty of this, and I bet you have been too.   Yes, the Bible contains life-giving wisdom and information that we all need.   But if we fail to realize why God has given us His Word, we miss the point.   Why do I write a blog? To encourage you to get closer to Christ every day.   Why does a fiction author write a novel? To engulf in a story that entertains you.  Why does a mathematician write an article? To share information that inspires others to make the world a better place.  God gave you His Word for many reasons, but all of them are rooted in one thing. He loves you. Reading His word from that place will transform how we see ourselves and th

Ecclesiastes 7:8 - Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. (ESV)  OR Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride. (NLT) "It is wise for your to wait." Those were the words of a mentor helping me through a tough decision. The problem was that I was unemployed, my options were few, and time was running out. "Wait?" I thought. "Easy for you to say."   I was right. It was easy for him to say because he had done it. Years. He had waited years for what he believed was God's true calling on his life. When the opportunity presented itself, he didn't hesitate. But he knew that it had to be God's timing, not his. What was God's timing?  The rest of the story is because he was in God's will, which he waited for; he was able to offer me the opportunity to serve in the pastorate I enjoy today. I have often wondered if I would be where I am today if h

Ecclesiastes 7:8 - Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. (ESV)  OR Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride. (NLT) Where someone is being patient, someone is being impatient. That can cause a problem.  When we are impatient, we become discontent. Like our three-year-old in yesterday's post, we want it, and we want it now. So, like our three-year-old, we take it out on the nearest person available. It is usually the one practicing patience.   Have you been the impatient or patient one? We all have at one time or another.   So what can we do?   If you are impatient, you could:  Go into massive debt and struggle for years paying for it.   You could refuse to listen to wisdom and get involved in a relationship that ends up in disaster. You can make life-changing decisions that you cannot reverse and will regret.  If you are patient, you could:  We could wait for it.   You could ask people

Ecclesiastes 7:8 - Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. (ESV)  OR  Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride. (NLT) AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine! I want it! I want it! I want it! As I push my cart down the aisle at the grocery store, I see the problem. There is a three-year-old being denied something he wants from the shelf. Because it is the aisle that also serves candy, you guessed it. He wants a lollipop.   Mom says no, and with that, the war ensues. Now we've all been there; we've all thought to ourselves. "I'll buy the lollipop for you! Just give it to them!" The screaming is piercing, and you feel the parents' pain.   Three-year-olds are one thing. 30-year-old men at the truck store, in their best toddler voice, saying, "But I want the raised tires! I, really, want them!" is a little much. Yes, I did see that.   Inside each

Ecclesiastes 7:8 - Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. (ESV)  OR Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride. (NLT) Now I have yelled at my wife about many unfinished craft projects. She will start something, stop, and pick it back up a couple of years later.   Now in full disclosure. I have a ton of projects that I have never started. So, I'm no better.   Better is the end than the beginning, says King Solomon. What does that mean? We've all started something with every intention of finishing. If it is one of my wife's craft projects, it's no big deal. But I've seen new businesses fold up a short time later. Investors lose money, and suppliers get stiffed. All because someone didn't keep their word.  Paul tells us in 2 Tim 4:7, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful." (NLT)  Paul isn't celebrati

Matthew 21:8-10 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!" 10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?" (NLT) When I enter an eating establishment that someone has hyped up, I expect everything they promise—great food, service, and experience.   But when that happens, I wonder what went wrong? Did the restaurant have a bad day? Does the person who hyped up the establishment have low standards? What went wrong?  Now I'm not saying that the people's rejection of Christ is the same as a bad steak. But we can understand why they felt the way they did.  Someone created a whole persona of Jesus to fit the narrative of the people's desires. Instead

In the days following up to Jesus' crucifixion, we see Him teaching, responding to challenges, and even resting. He knows what will happen, and He knows when it will happen.   But before all of that takes place, Zechariah 9:9 will be fulfilled, "Tell the city of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you!" He enters Jerusalem, revealing his identity as Messiah.   Matthew 21:8-10 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!" 10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?" (NLT) The people responded to His arrival, but they didn't understand who He was. They only understood who they wanted Him to be.   Who is Jesus to you? Do you seek to em

READ; John 21: 1 - 7 1 Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. 2 Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples. 3 Simon Peter said, "I'm going fishing." "We'll come, too," they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night. 4 At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn't see who he was. 5 He called out, "Fellows, have you caught any fish?" "No," they replied. 6 Then he said, "Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you'll get some!" So they did, and they couldn't haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.  7 Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, "It's the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for wor

READ; John 21: 1 - 7 1 Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. 2 Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples. 3 Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” “We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night. 4 At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. 5 He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?” “No,” they replied. 6 Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!”  So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.  7 Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore. (NLT) Everyone loves to get reward

READ; John 21: 1 - 7 1 Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. 2 Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples. 3 Simon Peter said, "I'm going fishing." "We'll come, too," they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.  4 At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn't see who he was. 5 He called out, "Fellows, have you caught any fish?" "No," they replied. 6 Then he said, "Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you'll get some!"  So they did, and they couldn't haul in the net because there were so many fish in it. 7 Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, "It's the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for wo

READ; John 21: 1 - 7 1 Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. 2 Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples. 3 Simon Peter said, "I'm going fishing." "We'll come, too," they all said.  So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.  4 At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn't see who he was. 5 He called out, "Fellows, have you caught any fish?" "No," they replied. 6 Then he said, "Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you'll get some!" So they did, and they couldn't haul in the net because there were so many fish in it. 7 Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, "It's the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for wo

"We've never done it that way before! I don't understand why we have to change it." "You're way doesn't work anymore!"  "Why? I'm ok. Why isn't everyone else?"  I've heard this conversation over and over again. This particular one was over where to move the grand piano on a platform. Yes, you read that right. The piano hadn't been moved in 10 years. But with the church's growth came new musicians, and they needed to make room for them.   I wish I could tell you that a simple explanation and understanding that these advancements in the church's worship team would result in younger people attending church and new people giving their lives to Christ would be convincing enough.  But sadly, no. They didn't care. If it was good enough for them, it should be good enough for everyone else. Yes, you would be right if you think that is a selfish statement.   READ; John 21: 1 - 7  1 Later, Jesus appeared again to

. . . BLESSED John 6: 1 - 13 1 After this, Jesus crossed over to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias. 2 A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went, because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick. 3 Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him. 4 (It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.) 5 Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, "Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?" 6 He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do. 7 Philip replied, "Even if we worked for months, we wouldn't have enough money to feed them!" 8 Then Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up. 9 "There's a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?"  10 "Tell everyone to sit down," Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alo

John 6: 1 - 13 1 After this, Jesus crossed over to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias. 2 A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went, because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick. 3 Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him. 4 (It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.) 5 Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, "Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?" 6 He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.  7 Philip replied, "Even if we worked for months, we wouldn't have enough money to feed them!" 8 Then Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up. 9 "There's a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?" 10 "Tell everyone to sit down,"  Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered a

John 6: 1 - 13 1 After this, Jesus crossed over to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias. 2 A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went, because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick.  3 Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him. 4 (It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.) 5 Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, "Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?" 6 He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.  7 Philip replied, "Even if we worked for months, we wouldn't have enough money to feed them!" 8 Then Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up. 9 "There's a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?" 10 "Tell everyone to sit down," Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered a

Stress, anxiety, and depression are keywords in our culture today. You cannot listen to a media broadcast, watch your social media feed or go through the day without hearing something.   In recent studies about the effects of Covid on our culture:   - Youth anxiety and depression is surging at an alarming rate - Reading skills stalled out, and developmental skills slowed down.  - Marriage and divorce rates are declining  - Studies show that marriages are stressed out, - Domestic violence is up by nearly 8%  - Now, we are dealing with a Ukrainian war and the economic impact of 7%+ inflation.   We are stressing out.   How many of you want to know what Jesus would do? I know I do.  John 6: 1 - 13  1 After this, Jesus crossed over to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias. 2 A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick.  3 Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him. 4 (I