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Once upon a time, two brothers grew up on a farm. One loved framing, the other hated it. The one who hated farming eventually went away to college, earned a law degree, and became a partner in a prominent law firm in the state capital. The other brother stayed on the family farm doing what farmers do.…

As I was preparing for this morning’s message on contentment, I came across some pithy quotes and interesting proverbs from other countries that describe contentment from that culture’s perspective: Italian Proverb—Since the house is on fire, let us warm ourselves. Turkish Proverb—One already wet does…

Let me ask you several important questions this morning. Are you ready? "Can you rejoice in what God has done for you in the past?” and, “Can you rejoice in what God is doing for you now?” and, “Can you rejoice in what you expectantly anticipate Him to do for you in the future?" God wants you to be a…

Does God forgive utterly and completely the sins committed by Christians? The answer is an unqualified “Yes!” In Christ, our pardon is full, our justification is complete, and our glorification is sure. In Christ, God has buried our sin and refuses to mark the grave. The story that Jesus tells his listeners…

Twenty years ago, Eugene Peterson wrote a commentary on the Psalms of Ascents – Psalms 120-134. These are the songs that Jewish pilgrims would sing on their way up to worship in Jerusalem. The book has the intriguing title of "A Long Obedience in the Same Direction." It has become a Christian classic.…

Lucy of Peanuts fame, says to Charlie Brown: "You know what I don’t understand? I don’t understand love!” Charlie Brown responds, “Who does?” Lucy says, “Explain love to me Charlie Brown.” Charlie Brown says, “You can’t explain love. I can recommend a book or a poem or a painting, but I can’t explain…

Many years ago, a survivor of a Nazi death camp wrote these embittered words: "Here's to a world that did not care. To those who had eyes but would not see. To those who had ears but would not hear. To those who had voices but would not speak." Let me ask you a number of questions: When it comes to the…

In Proverbs 20:6 the Bible asks an important question. That question is: "Who can find a faithful man?" It’s a rhetorical question, meaning it has a self-evident answer: It is hard to find a person who is truly faithful. Faithfulness in relationships, according to the passage, seems to be a rare quality.…

One of the signs of a troubled church is a spirit of bickering that leads to disunity. Unfortunately it is a pox that plagues many churches today. Fifteen-hundred years ago, a very wise Church Father named Augustine said: In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, love. This is…