The word “meekness” has an improper reputation. The base word “meek” even rhymes with a word with which it has been associated:  weak. But, meekness does not mean weakness. 

There many phrases that are used in public prayers that we, who have been a part of the church for all of our lives, have heard many times.  These are not improper or wrong.  They are just overused often without really understanding what they mean or even if they have a meaning.  One of those phrases is “guard, guide, and direct us.”  These three words are similar.  There are slight differences in their meaning.  “Guard” is a defensive term.  Using this word in prayer seems to ask God to protect us in our journey through life.  The word “direct” brings the thought to mind asking God to show us or point us in the right direction. 

The one word that summarizes the book of Hebrews is BETTER.  Jesus is better than the angels because He has received a greater inheritance (Hebrews 1:4).  Hebrews 7 discusses the story of Melchizedek who blessed Abraham when he returned from the slaughter of the kings.  The text speaks to this event saying that, “…the lesser is blessed by the better.” (Hebrews 7:7).

The pull of the world is so powerful!  As each day begins, we already have in our minds, on our smart phones, on a wall calendar, or even in a voice reminder everything that we need to do that day.  We have places to go, people to see, and things to do.  We are busy!

Fido the dog has no idea why he is named that. The Marines, however, know very well why Semper Fidelis is so important to them. Each of these terms is related to another term that you know quite well. Old Faithful in Yellowstone Park is so named because it faithfully gushes forth on time and has done so for a long time. Fido the dog is so named because he is faithful to his master. The Marines are “Always  Faithful”.  And, it is from Old Faithful that we learn the definition of faithfulness.

“…but whoever drinks from the water that I shall give him will never thirst.” (John 4:14).  These were intriguing words for a woman who had just walked about 2 miles with a large clay pot to get water for her family for the day.  You have probably seen pictures of women walking with their pots balanced on their heads.

A 2-way mirror is a valuable tool in criminal investigations. Using this tool, investigators are able to conduct an interview of a suspect, not only to hear what he says, but also to “see” what he says with his body language.

There surely can’t be many things more depressing than feeling that your life is worthless.  I think there are many people who have never found their way.  They are like a ship tossed about on the ocean waves just getting by from day to day without any real drive or direction.  It has led to so much depression and heartache.  What is the problem and what can do about it?

A few weeks ago, I stepped onto my deck to start the grill.  The deck has been there for a few years.  I had built it with treated wood.  I had water-proofed it.  I had maintained it as best as I could and as well as I could determine.  It looked like a really solid deck.  However, as I walked toward the grill, my next step went right through the deck to the ground below!  I’m sure you gasped and wondered if I was ok.  I was fine.  The ground below is only about 12 inches below. 

We raise our children with the constant admonition that we want them to be good.  I often talk to the little ones and ask them, “Have you been good today?”  Being good is a worthy goal.  Not everyone is successful in that pursuit.  There are many people who just are not good.

This title reflects a common thought with a lot of people.  So many are depressed even to the point of suicide.  The suicide rate in the US has risen steadily over the past 18 years reaching its highest point since 1941.  The rate of suicide per 100,000 people in 2022 was 14.3 and 2.6% higher than in 2021.

What do you think of when you hear the word—pursue?  You probably think about someone running real fast chasing another person.  Maybe you think about a predator animal chasing its prey.  You might even think about a football game with defensive back trying to chase down a runner before he scores a touchdown.  The obvious common denominator is someone or something running real fast.

Going to school is just what people do from about the time that they are 5 years old or so.  Some are now going to preschool, but for most, kindergarten is the beginning of several years of formal schooling.  Some people get that schooling in a public school or a private school while others are homeschooled.  Technical College, academic College and graduate school await many after those first 12 years. 

“Be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another…” (Ephesians 4:32)  One of the great losses in the world is simple human kindness. It seems that people are so selfish and materialistic today that taking time to be kind is passé. So many people are so focused on getting what they feel is due them that they do not take the time to be kind. It is much easier to react in whatever way they feel in the moment.

“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers…” (Ephesians 4:29).  Most often, this verse has been used to forbid cursing and swearing.  This kind of language certainly fits the meaning of these words.  But, is that all that it means?  Are there other corrupt words that we should avoid?

“He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:  who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:10-13).

How strong do you want to be? Some men have a desire to be able to bench press their body weight. Maybe you just want to be able to lift boxes and move things. Others train to have a heart that is strong enough to run a marathon. My main goal is to be strong enough for as long as possible to walk and play golf and play some basketball.

Many of you have heard the statement used as the title for this article and, if your life is anything like mine, you know how true this statement is.  The google machine suggests that this statement originates from a Yiddish proverb “Der mentsh trakht un got lakht” which is roughly translated into English as “Man plans, God laughs.” This thought is similar to the quote by the boxer Mike Tyson, who is better known for his ear biting than his philosophical statements: “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” I believe these principles are close to one found in Proverbs 19:21, which reads, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” In the end, God’s plan always prevails.

A few months ago, I saw Harold Rowlett at the Gibson household (who, by the way, I am very thankful for since they have been so gracious to put up the family minister in their basement for the past 12 months). Harold said “Dave, I got a sermon topic for you. How about ‘If I were arrested for being a Christian, would I be convicted?’” I said that was a great idea, and for the past few weeks, I’ve passed a bulletin board in the building that reminded me of that conversation, so this Sunday morning, that will be our sermon topic. Let’s start with a refresher on how people are convicted in the United States. According to uscourts.gov (the website for the federal courts in the United States), to be convicted of a crime, an individual has to:

One of the privileges and responsibilities of each Christian is the opportunity to worship the Creator of the universe.  Worship is a personal action.  Sure, worship in an assembly of people is a group activity.  But, each person in the group is responsible for his or her own actions in the worship experience.  It is important, therefore, for each of us to grasp fully this personal aspect of worship.