Church News (Page 10)

Psalm 32:8 NIV I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.       My parents did that really well; teaching me in the way I should go; teaching me about God. I didn’t always follow the path they wanted me to go down but it gave me a safety net later in life that would sustain me in times of real troubles. I know someone who…

John 15:9 BSB As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Remain in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.      Jesus loves us like the father loves us. What does that mean and why do you think he said it? I see two different things in this verse. The first is the Father loves the Son and…

Psalm 119:165 CSB Abundant peace belongs to those who love your instruction; nothing makes them stumble.       Peace of our souls is a wonderful thing, brought to us by Jesus the Christ the Savior of our souls. Of course people being people we sometimes do stumble away from that peace. The peace doesn’t leave us, we leave it. But we can get it back. While in prison Paul tells us how “I have learned the secret of facing plenty and…

Matthew 11:29-30 NLT Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.      Jesus asks us to take the yoke of discipleship. What does that require us to do? Jewish Rabbis used to speak about taking on the “yoke of the law” exhorting Jews to follow the law…

Proverbs 4:4 ISV …he taught me and told me, “Let your heart fully embrace what I have to say; keep my commandments and live!      We say we are Christians; but what does that mean? Stop for a moment and think about it; ask yourself “What does being a Christian mean to me? I can tell you what it is NOT. It is not just keeping to the bible rules or, performing rituals, or even going to church. Those are…

1 Kings 17:12 BSB But she replied, “As surely as the LORD your God lives, I have no bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. Look, I am gathering a couple of sticks to take home and prepare a meal for myself and my son, so that we may eat it and die.” “Do not be afraid,” Elijah said to her. “Go and do as you have said. But first make me…

John 6:9 NIV “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” There is always focus on what Jesus does with those fish and loaves but very little on the small boy who is will to give up his entire lunch for others. There were 5 thousand people there and that little guy offers up his whole lunch to help. What a great kid! What a great…

 Luke 10:33 BSB But when a Samaritan on a journey came upon him, he looked at him and had compassion.        It is the ultimate kindness story; the outcast who loves others…I have found that a lot in life, often those who have suffered the most love the most. Perhaps they have an understanding that those who lived charmed lives never had. They know what it is like to be outcast, or poor, or alone, or grieving, or suffering and…

Proverbs 3:3–6 KJV Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:       I love the concept of the table of our hearts; our hearts and minds as a library of God. (of course, I will concede that it probably really appeals to me because I am a writer.) I wonder what is in the Salvation section of our libraries; or what is written in the Good Works Section;…

2 Corinthians 3:3 CEV You are like a letter written by Christ and delivered by us. But you are not written with pen and ink or on tablets made of stone. You are written in our hearts by the Spirit of the living God.      We are letters (messages) of the love of God. What do your letters say? Seriously stop for a moment and just think about that past few days and consider what your letters might say. Perhaps…

Leviticus 19:33-34 NIV”‘ When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.       Kindness isn’t just a New Testament concept; even as far back as Leviticus the Lord is encouraging us to kindness. From the beginning He has wanted us to be kind and compassionate; to show the world…