Thursday, February 23, 2017

Good Fruit

I like good fruit. Oranges, bananas, peaches, apples - put me in the produce section and turn me loose! Growing good fruit, however, has never been my strong point. It tried to grow strawberries once. I managed to make one strawberry. If the world depended on me for fruit, we would all have to take very tiny bites.

In John 15:4-5, Jesus uses a vine to illustrate an important principle - we need him. This Sunday, find out how you can have a fruitful life.

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Thursday, February 16, 2017

Peace Talks

People have been talking about peace for about as long as there have been people. After Adam and Eve made a mess of things by getting thrown out of the garden, their boys started to squabble, leading to the first homicide. Things have gone downhill from there. The more we talk about peace, the more elusive it seems.

This makes Jesus' promise both audacious and profound:

John 14:27 (NIV84)
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

This Sunday, find out how only Jesus can provide real, lasting peace.

Hear this message at NHBC Media

Thursday, February 9, 2017

Diagnosis

Our phone system went haywire a few weeks ago, annoying because we had just installed a new system. Our provider sent out a technician who immediately diagnosed the problem - our phones were incompatible with the new system. Fortunately, returning to our previous system was possible, so we have phones again.

It always helps to have someone who can diagnose the problem and knows the solution. This Sunday, we will see Jesus' diagnosis for life in John 14:15.

See you Sunday!

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Monday, February 6, 2017

Remember

Did I? I can't tell you how many times I have headed away from the house and then had the thought....did I unplug the curling iron? Why do I struggle with remembering whether or not I did it? It's because I use it day in and day out, and 99.9% of the time always remember to unplug it. But there's always the thought that one day I might forget, burn our house down, catch the neighbor's house on fire, and suddenly the houses on our side of the street are gone, and we are featured on the 6 o'clock news. And oh, by the way, no one in the neighborhood ever speaks to me again.

We do many of those things each day as just a part of our daily life. Do you actually remember putting the key in the ignition and starting your car, saying goodbye when you hung up the phone, or putting toothpaste on your toothbrush? Rarely. But it happens because it is part of living. It is just NORMAL.

We should live the Christian life in much the same way, not having to think, "Did I live for Jesus today? Did I seek to glorify Him by my thoughts, words and actions?" It should be a part of who we are and how we live each and every day. And it is vitally important.... forgetting not only endangers our spiritual walk, but that of others around us. God never forgets about us for a second, and we should follow His example in return, in all our ways, letting Him direct our paths.

Thursday, February 2, 2017

Never Alone

When I was in elementary school, I was the last one to leave the house. My parents went to work, my sister caught the bus to her school, but I walked to my school located just two blocks from our home.

The school did not open to students until thirty minutes before school began, which meant I spent roughly fifteen minutes in my house alone. In those fifteen minutes, my mind conjured up every possible disaster that could occur, usually focusing on an escaped prisoner breaking into our home to kidnap any children waiting to go to school. I'm not sure why an escaped prisoner would choose my house, but in my third grade mind, it made perfect sense. Those fifteen minutes would seem like fifteen hours.

No one likes to be alone, especially in times of distress. Jesus knew that his disciples would face many difficult days. He also knew that they would not face them alone.

Neither do we. In Christ, we share the same promise found in John 14:16-18. This Sunday, discover the reality that even in your darkest moments you are not alone!

Hear this message at NHBC Media