The Lies of Busyness Part 1: My Busyness Pleases God
THE LIES OF BUSYNESS Part 1: My Busyness Pleases God How Are You? BUSY! Our World Worships Busyness Ps 39:6 Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it. The last thing I want is for most of my life to be pointless in the scope of eternity, but the truth is that much of my busy rushing is pretty pointless.…
Brand New Year, Same Old Me.
God Gives Us A Do-Over Every New Year! Here’s some reasons why resolutions often fail… We’re Stuck in the Shallow End We focus on external change before we address internal issues. (Psalm 32:3) “I am convinced that healing is often so difficult because we don’t want to know the pain.”-Nouwen When God transforms our inner life to be beautiful; our outer life, our choices and our actions will also become beautiful. We Are Lone Rangers Don’t try to do it…
Advent 4: Love Arrives
Advent 4: Love Arrives Hope Is an anchor for our soul, and that anchor is Jesus. God will keep his promises because he kept his promise when Jesus arrived. Peace is offered to us at a great sacrifice, Jesus became our Emmanuel, God with us. The very presence of God is peace for us. Joy arrives when Jesus arrives because He is our whole life. In Him we live and move and have our being. Joy is a…
Advent 3: Joy Arrives!
Advent 3: Joy Arrives! I’m Not Happy with Happiness… Happiness is fickle; can be ruined by a flat tire or a rainy day – circumstantial. Happiness is elusive; it seems the more you try and get it, the harder it is to find. Happiness is fleeting; You can be happy today but it doesn’t seem to last. Happiness is often rooted in the flesh; it’s fickle, elusive and fleeting nature reflects all we are as humans. Joy – Something Different,…
Advent 2: Peace Arrives.
Finished with Peace Behold: The FINISHER! Peace is Hard to Find. It’s hard to find peace when there’s chaos or trouble all around you. Most of us understand that things like peace and freedom and harmony are precious and a gift from God. Also, most of us understand that precious things like peace are not cheap – they can be costly. Peace requires real work in a fallen, sinful world. Peace requires the work of God in our fallen, sinful…
Malachi: “Apostates and Arrivals”
Malachi: “Apostates and Arrivals” Get To Know Malachi Malachi’s name means “My messenger. He shows up around 100 years after the exiles’ return. Setting The Stage: Malachi When important stuff is neglected, things tend to fall apart. The temple had been completed and the city was safe and prosperous… BUT a situation of moral and religious deterioration had set in. God’s Story In Malachi Apostasy: When a person abandons their faith/religion, sometimes even to the point…
The Minor Prophets: Zechariah: Git ‘er done!
Zechariah: Git ‘er done. Get To Know Zecheriah Zechariah means “Jehovah Remembers”. He was born in Babylon and was among the Hebrews who returned from the Exile. Setting The Stage See Ezra & Nehemiah! Twenty years after the return of the exiles to Jerusalem, the temple still lay a blackened ruin. God’s Story In Zecheriah Next to Isaiah, Zechariah carries the most Messianic prophecies. The meek King (Zech. 9:9, Matt. 21:5; John 12:13). The One sold for thirty pieces of…
The Minor Prophets: Haggai: Workin’ on a Building…
Haggai: Workin’ On A Building… Get To Know Haggai Our three final prophets’ (Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi) ministries were focused on the time of Judah’s return from their seventy-years exile in Babylon. Setting The Stage: Haggai What has happened to Israel and Judah at this point? God’s Story in Haggai God raises up Haggai because the people had stopped building the house of the Lord and were concerned with their own interests. They had become distracted by setting up their…
The Minor Prophets: Zephaniah: The Day of the Lord! Finally
Get To Know Zephaniah The Lord hides” or “the Lord protects.” A descendant of Hezekiah, in the royal line. (ZEP 1:1) Israel by this time was wiped off the map by Assyria. He was a prophet to Judah, during the time of King Josiah. Setting The Stage: Zephaniah 2 Kings 21-23 – Manasseh’s legacy: Idolatry and violence. Manasseh’s son Amon was despicable and was assassinated after 2 years. King Josiah – One of the few Godly kings. God’s Story In…
The Minor Prophets: Habakkuk: The Man Who Questions God
Habakkuk: The Man Who Questioned God. Get To Know Habakkuk “If you don’t have any doubts, you are either kidding yourself or asleep. Doubts are the ants in the pants of faith. They keep it awake and moving.” Habakkuk goes to God with his questions and his doubts. Setting The Stage: Habakkuk Hebrew History 101! Civil war splits the nation not long after Solomon’s death. (1 Kings 12) Israel is a troubled disaster. Judah starts well but falls into chaos.…