Moving On Up Matthew 5:1, 20-26, Hebrews 10:38 Many of us remember “Movin’ on Up”, the theme song of the light-hearted comedy “The Jeffersons”. When done well, comedy can inspire without offending, challenge without insulting, and correct without hurting. It can bring us to a point of relaxed reflection and contemplation. In the text,...
A Heart of Service 1 Chronicles 28:1-3, 29:23-25 In the Bible, David had the distinction of being a man after God’s own heart. He was passionate about God’s heart, seeking to know and please God. Each of the Psalms he wrote in the Bible were from the heart. He put his life on...
By Faith Sunday, February 2, 2020 Woodstream Church Hebrews 11:1-6, 1:1-2 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 is one of the most widely quoted verses from the Bible, but is often quoted apart from the context of the preceding scripture. It has been stated,...
Why? 1 John 3:11-12 Small children begin life as budding scientists continuously asking “What’s that?”. They appear to become emerging philosophers with the barrage of “Why?” If we don’t take time to sufficiently answer “why”, they may become skeptics, illustrated with the response “whatever.” “What” and “why” are natural stages of development,...
Possibility Thinking Philippians 4:10-13, Psalm 92:12-13 With the start of a New Year, we tend to think of fresh starts, new opportunities, and new possibilities. With the end of the holidays, house cleaning is in order. But that includes clearing the clutter of our minds, removing anxiety, anger, jealousy, resentment and unforgiveness. We need...
Holy Conversations Sunday, December 15, 2019 Woodstream Church Luke 1:26-34, 41-45 In Luke’s Gospel, a young holy woman Mary was engaged in a holy conversation with the holy angel Gabriel. It was a private, pious and pivotal conversation in human history. It was a conversation culminating in a consensus of understanding and the giving of...
Things to Remember Sunday, December 8, 2019Woodstream ChurchMatthew 1:16-19 Throughout life we sometimes exercise selective memory. There are things we choose not to remember because they are too painful, awkward or unexplainable. But there are events and persons for which we desire a greater recall clarity. Teachers and writers therefore use poetry, chants, songs, numeric...
Where Did You Lose It? 2 Kings 6:1-7 How refreshing it is to be introduced in the scriptures to a man of industry, spirituality, principle and humility. Such a man was the prophet Elisha, who was the spiritual father of student prophets. When one student (a son of the prophet) lost a borrowed...
The Last Days 2 Timothy 3:1-5 Many of us are accustomed to receiving last day notices to book a trip, take advantage of a sale, enroll for a class or sign up for a health plan. These notices prompt us to action. In the second letter to Timothy, the Apostle Paul provides an...
Remember, It’s A Party! Luke 5:27-33, Romans 14:17 Thousands of years ago one of the most despised professionals were tax collectors! They were considered cheats, lacking mercy, corrupt agents of the state who became rich by theft. But Jesus recruited as a disciple a tax collector whose Jewish name was Levi and Greco-Roman...
