Church Life
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What Do You Want to Know?
Something happened a few weeks ago that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about. There was a moment that I observed something from one of my kids and in that moment I learned something about their truest self. When an episode like this occurs you always keep it in your heart. We can read in Scripture that Mary the mother of Jesus observed certain things about him during his formative years that caused her to log it down in some kind of mental journal concerning who Jesus was and what he was going to be. That was exactly what was happening with me on this occasion a few weeks…
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A Baseball Quiz, and a Life Quiz
Here’s a two-question quiz for the baseball fans among us. 1. Name a Major League Baseball player who (among other positive accomplishments)… had more hits during the 1970’s and 1980’s than any other player except for Pete Rose. (There are some very well-known players, including some members of the Hall of Fame below him on that list.) had more hits during his career than Ted Williams. (Again, there are many easily recognizable names below this player besides Ted Williams.) never struck out three times in a game in his entire career. (That’s even better than my childhood “hero.” Stan Musial struck out only three times once during his entire career. That’s…
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Reminders for a Christian Vacation
It’s the time of year where, since schools are out, families hit the road for weekend getaways or week-long excursions. Roads are clogged and tourist areas are filled, but the memories that are made are worth it. Sadly, a great number of Christians seem to think they can take a vacation from their Christian faith just because they are on vacation from work. Instead, as you make those travel plans, please keep the following in mind. #1: Plan Where You Will Worship. Even though you are traveling, the Lord’s Day still should come first. Take the time to know where you will meet with the saints on the Lord’s Day.…
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Graduation Day
It seems like it was only yesterday when I was staring through the window of a hospital newborn nursery. I was looking at one of the five most beautiful babies ever born (yes, I am prejudiced). He was our first grandchild, and I was so in love with him that I told the hospital cleaning lady that she needed to come with me to see him! Last Saturday tears of joy and pride (and a little sadness) streamed down my face as I heard “Pomp and Circumstance” being played and watched that young man walk into an arena to graduate from high school. Could eighteen years have passed so quickly? If you…
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525,600 Minutes
In the musical Rent, there is a song that reminds the listeners that there are 525,600 minutes in each year. Recently, I heard that song performed as part of a middle school choir show, but my mind turned away from the musical and to the lyrics of another song. It is a song we do not sing in worship as often as we once did, but the lyrics still resonate in my mind from time-to-time. The most poignant line of that song, in my opinion, asks the following profound question: How are we using God’s golden moments? “Into Our Hands,” Tillit S. Tedlie As I put the thoughts of these…
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A More Mature Understanding of Grace
A few years ago I recall a young lady in our youth group expressing some interesting thoughts immediately after her baptism. She actually said a couple of things: One was that she was looking forward to going to sleep because she knew that she was right with the Lord. A second thing was that she was hoping perhaps the Lord would go ahead and come back before she had any chance of doing something that would cause her once again to be lost. I remember as a young Christian having similar feelings. In fact, right after my baptism, I can remember a prayer I used to pray for a few…
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People are Talking
It usually begins with something like this: “You know that we’ve been friends for years and that I wouldn’t hurt you for the world.” Brace yourself. Here it comes: “I just think that you should know that people are talking.” It is very difficult for me to think of a time when those three words – “people are talking” – have ever been followed by something positive. Sadly, it seems to be very, very rare for anybody to voluntarily tell another person that people are saying nice things about that person, his or her family, etc. If you hear those three words, you can just about bank on the fact…
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Language Lessons
I am an admitted word nerd. I love language and anyone who knows me is not surprised to read that I love to talk. I have a degree in communication and reading is my escape mechanism. In a recent sermon, Jeremiah talked about the people in Genesis 11 who formulated a plan to “…build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth” (verse 4). If I remember correctly, he posed the question, “What was that common language?” I remember for sure that he queried how it all…
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Something You Can Do That People Will Never Forget
This past Sunday evening I preached a sermon with the lesson text coming from 1 Kings 2. This is David’s charge to his son Solomon just before his death. I was using this passage as a jumping off place for a lesson for our graduates. The goal was to give them advice in order for them to lead successful, godly lives. My second son, Daniel, who has this uncanny ability to look deeper into the text and point out something other people miss, made a comment to me afterward about the passage. He mentioned a man that I had somehow overlooked who was remembered along with his sons. If I…
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13 Lessons Worth Learning
Some who read this will recognize the name of Ron Sandefer. I am honored to be able to refer to him as a friend and a brother in the Lord. Ron is a serious, dedicated, and excellent student of God’s Word. On those occasions when Ron is in a worship service when I am preaching or a Bible class when I am teaching, I wonder why I am the one doing the preaching and/or teaching. Recently, I had the privilege of being in one of his classes. During that class, he provided a handout that I am, with his permission, reproducing below. It is my prayer that it will be…
