Monthly Archives: December 2016

17 posts

Advent and the Nearness Of God

What is your good? How would you define it? Is it the early morning cup of coffee? Is your good watching your team grab the unexpected victory? Perhaps your good is that secluded walk along a forest trail. Or it may be any number of special treasures that only you know. Then there is the special good of the Advent. Advent redefines what good is and makes one good tower above all of the longings and aspirations that our heart can capture. The Psalmist gives a first window into what is the highest of all goods: “But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge…” The nearness of his God […]

Adorning your children

Your children know everything about you. They see when you are sleeping, they know when you have been good or bad, they know when you pout and when you shout. Your kids know all of this without your ever having to say a word. When you stumble and ask God for help — they learn. When you stumble and snap or make excuses — they learn from that, too. If you value your relationship with God above all else, your children will know that as well. What does this have to do with being Santa’s helper? Just this: in Psalm 72:18 we read that “God alone does marvelous things.” However, at Christmas time, for little children someone else is portrayed […]

Surprised by War!

On a beautiful Sunday morning there were signs. There were ongoing negotiations, there were secret plans and a grand scheme. There was deception. There was a belief things could be managed, that our country would be safe. Then the sky was filled with planes and bombs. Thousands died at Pearl Harbor that Sunday. Hundreds of thousands more would die in the days that followed. There was also one missing component in the policy making of our country on that Sunday morning, December 7,1941. Like today, there was a refusal to believe what the Bible said about the human heart in Jeremiah 17:9: The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad […]

God’s Purpose For Your Family

Little children are dependent upon their parents for everything. This includes more than just food, clothing and shelter. Children are also dependent upon their parents for how they view the world.  The way you live in front of children is the most powerful teaching tool that God gives you.  God designed families to demonstrate what it means to have a relationship with Him. If you love God, if you sincerely attempt to live your life by His Word, if you recognize that every moment is given to you so that you will glorify and honor God, then by example, you will teach your children these same truths.

Breaking News: God Is In Charge!

Just because politicians, the press, educators, and world leaders believe that God is subject to their laws, opinions and op ed articles does not change reality. The reality is that the Living God of the Bible, the Lord of the heavens and earth is in charge of the affairs of men. The idea of Jesus Christ being the only Savior of people is repugnant to many. The truth that God rules over man and has commanded how he should live and marry is even more outrageous in our progressive world. The wonder of the Holy Spirit putting the thoughts of God in written form in a book called the Bible is offensive to folks who say truth is where you […]

Christmas: Not About Naughty Or Nice!

Satan has done a good job of attempting to confuse the wonder of Christ’s birth with idea of presents being result of nice behavior. You know the song about Santa checking his list twice, he’s gonna find out about who has been naughty or nice. The idea is that if you are good enough that magical present will appear. Being naughty doesn’t really fit with receiving good gifts. This is exactly how Satan would prefer you think about receiving good gifts from God. His purpose is for you and your children to think that being good brings good things. Once this thought is implanted it muddies the truth of the gospel message. Jesus destroyed this notion when he said: “It […]